§6.21.1pestilentiam inopia frugum et vulgatam utriusque mali famam anno insequente multiplex bellum excepit L. Valerio quartum, A. Manlio tertium, Ser. Sulpicio tertium, L. Lucretio tertium, L. Aemilio tertium, M. Trebonio tribunis militum consulari potestate.
In the following year, when Lucius Valerius was military tribune with consular power for the fourth time, Aulus Manlius for the third, Servius Sulpicius for the third, Lucius Lucretius for the third, Lucius Aemilius for the third, and Marcus Trebonius, a manifold war succeeded the pestilence, the scarcity of grain, and the widespread rumor of both evils.
§6.21.2hostes novi praeter Volscos, velut sorte quadam prope in aeternum exercendo Romano militi datos, Cerceiosque et Velitras colonias iam diu molientes defectionem et suspectum Latium Lanuvini etiam, quae fidelissima urbs fuerat, subito exorti.
New enemies suddenly arose: besides the Volscians, who were given, as if by a certain fate, to keep the Roman soldier in training almost forever, and the colonies of Cerceii and Velitrae, which had long been plotting revolt, and the suspected Latium, even the people of Lanuvium, which had been a most faithful city, suddenly revolted.
§6.21.3id patres rati contemptu accidere, quod Veliternis civibus suis tam diu inpunita defectio esset, decreverunt, ut primo quoque tempore ad populum ferretur de bello eis indicendo.
The senators, thinking that this happened through contempt, because the revolt of their own citizens at Velitrae had gone so long unpunished, decreed that a proposal to declare war on them should be brought before the people at the first opportunity.
§6.21.4ad quam militiam quo paratior plebes esset, quinqueviros Pomptino agro dividendo et triumviros Nepete coloniae deducendae creaverunt.
In order that the plebeians might be more ready for this military service, they appointed five commissioners for dividing the Pomptine land and three commissioners for leading a colony to Nepete.
§6.21.5tum, ut bellum iuberent, latum ad populum est, et nequiquam dissuadentibus tribunis plebis omnes tribus bellum iusserunt.
Then, a proposal was brought before the people to order war, and though the tribunes of the plebs in vain opposed it, all the tribes ordered war.
apparatum eo anno bellum est, §6.21.6exercitus propter pestilentiam non eductus; eaque cunctatio colonis spatium dederat deprecandi senatum; et magna hominum pars eo, §6.21.7ut legatio supplex Romam mitteretur, inclinabat, ni privato, ut fit, periculo publicum inplicitum esset auctoresque defectionis ab Romanis metu, ne soli crimini subiecti piacula irae Romanorum dederentur, avertissent colonias a consiliis pacis.
War was prepared for in that year, but the army was not led out on account of the pestilence; and this delay had given the colonists time to entreat the senate; and a great part of them was inclining toward this, that a suppliant embassy should be sent to Rome, had not the public danger, as usually happens, been entangled with private danger, and the authors of the revolt, fearing lest they alone, being held guilty, might be delivered up as sacrifices to the wrath of the Romans, averted the colonies from councils of peace.
§6.21.8neque in senatu solum per eos legatio inpedita est, sed magna pars plebis incitata, ut praedatum in agrum Romanum exirent.
And not only was the embassy blocked by them in the senate, but a large part of the plebs was incited to go out to plunder the Roman territory.
haec nova iniuria exturbavit omnem spem pacis.
This new outrage destroyed all hope of peace.
§6.21.9de Praenestinorum quoque defectione eo anno primum fama exorta; arguentibusque eos Tusculanis et Gabinis et Labicanis, quorum in fines incursatum erat, ita placide ab senatu responsum est, ut minus credi de criminibus, quia nollent ea vera esse, appareret.
A rumor of the revolt of the Praenestines also arose for the first time in that year; and when the people of Tusculum, Gabii, and Labici, whose territories had been raided, accused them, the senate replied so mildly that it appeared the charges were less believed because the senators did not wish them to be true.