§5.54.1quid tandem? si fraude, si casu Veis incendium ortum sit ventoque, ut fieri potest, diffusa flamma magnam partem urbis absumat, Fidenas inde aut Gabios aliamve quam urbem quaesituri sumus, quo transmigremus?
What, pray? If by malice or by chance a fire should break out at Veii, and the wind, as may happen, should spread the flame and consume a great part of the city, are we then to seek Fidenae or Gabii or some other city, to which we may migrate?
§5.54.2adeo nihil tenet solum patriae nec haec terra, quam matrem appellamus, sed in superficie tignisque caritas nobis patriae pendet?
Does the soil of our country, and this earth which we call mother, hold us so little, or does our love of country depend on superficial structures and timbers?
§5.54.3equidem fatebor vobis, etsi minus iniuriae vestrae meaeque calamitatis meminisse iuvat: cum abessem, quotienscumque patria in mentem veniret, haec omnia occurrebant, colles campique et Tiberis et adsueta oculis regio et hoc caelum, sub quo natus educatusque essem; quae vos, Quirites, nunc moveant potius caritate sua, ut maneatis in sede vestra, quam postea, cum reliqueritis eam, macerent desiderio.
Indeed I will confess to you, though it is not very pleasant to remember your injustice and my own misfortune: when I was away, as often as my country came into my mind, all these things would occur to me—the hills, the plains, the Tiber, the landscape familiar to my eyes, and this sky under which I was born and reared; may these things, Quirites, now move you by their own affection to remain in your home, rather than later, when you have left it, torment you with longing.
§5.54.4non sine causa dii hominesque hunc urbi condendae locum elegerunt, saluberrimos colles, flumen opportunum, quo ex mediterraneis locis fruges devehantur, quo maritimi commeatus accipiantur, mare vicinum ad commoditates nec expositum nimia propinquitate ad pericula classium externarum, regionem Italiae mediam, ad incrementum urbis natum unice locum.
Not without reason did gods and men choose this site for founding a city—most healthy hills, a convenient river, by which crops may be brought down from inland places and by which maritime supplies may be received, a sea near enough for conveniences, yet not exposed by too great proximity to the dangers of foreign fleets, a central region of Italy, a site uniquely adapted by nature for the growth of a city.
§5.54.5argumento est ipsa magnitudo tam novae urbis.
Of this, the very magnitude of so new a city is proof.
trecentesimus sexagesimus quintus annus urbis, Quirites, agitur; inter tot veterrimos populos tam diu bella geritis, cum interea, ne singulas loquar urbes, non coniuncti cum Aequis Volsci, tot tam valida oppida, non universa Etruria tantum terra marique pollens atque inter duo maria latitudinem obtinens Italiae bello vobis par est.
The three hundred and sixty-fifth year of the city, Quirites, is now passing; among so many very ancient peoples you have waged war for so long, while in the meantime—not to speak of individual cities—neither the Volsci united with the Aequi, with so many and so strong towns, nor the whole of Etruria, so powerful by land and sea, occupying the width of Italy between two seas, is equal to you in war.
§5.54.6quod cum ita sit, quae, malum, ratio est expertis ea alia experiri, cum, iam ut virtus vestra transire alio possit, fortuna certe loci huius transferri non possit? hic Capitolium est,
Since this is so, what, plague on it! is the reason for trying other things when you have experienced these, when, granted that your courage can pass to another place, the fortune of this site certainly cannot be transferred?
§5.54.7ubi quondam capite humano invento responsum est eo loco caput rerum summamque imperii fore; hic cum augurato liberaretur Capitolium, Iuuentas Terminusque maxime gaudio patrum vestrorum moveri se non passi; hic Vestae ignes, hic ancilia caelo demissa, hic omnes propitii manentibus vobis dei. ”
Here is the Capitol, where once, when a human head was found, it was prophesied that in that place would be the head of the world and the summit of empire; here, when the Capitol was being cleared by augury, Juventas and Terminus, to the greatest joy of your fathers, suffered themselves not to be moved; here are the fires of Vesta, here are the shields sent down from heaven, here are all the gods propitious to you, if you remain."