§7.10.1diu inter primores iuvenum Romanorum silentium fuit, cum et abnuere certamen vererentur et praecipuam sortem periculi petere nollent; §7.10.2tum T. Manlius L. f. , qui patrem a vexatione tribunicia vindicaverat, ex statione ad dictatorem pergit.
For a long time there was silence among the foremost of the Roman youths, since they were both afraid to decline the contest and unwilling to seek the chief share of the danger; then Titus Manlius, son of Lucius, who had rescued his father from tribunician vexation, went from his post to the dictator.
“iniussu tuo” inquit, “imperator, extra ordinem numquam pugnaverim, non si certam victoriam videam; §7.10.3si tu permittis, volo ego illi beluae ostendere, quando adeo ferox praesultat hostium signis, me ex ea familia ortum, quae Gallorum agmen ex rupe Tarpeia deiecit. ” §7.10.4tum dictator “macte virtute” inquit “ac pietate in patrem patriamque, T. Manli, esto.
"Without your order, General," he said, "I would never fight out of my rank, not even if I saw a certain victory; if you permit, I wish to show to that beast, since he leaps forward so fiercely before the enemy's standards, that I am descended from that family which cast down the army of the Gauls from the Tarpeian Rock." Then the dictator said, "All honor to your courage, Titus Manlius, and to your devotion to your father and fatherland.
perge et nomen Romanum invictum iuvantibus dis praesta. ” armant inde iuvenem aequales; §7.10.5pedestre scutum capit, Hispano cingitur gladio ad propiorem habili pugnam; armatum adornatumque adversus Gallum stolide laetum et — quoniam id quoque memoria dignum antiquis visum est — linguam etiam ab inrisu exserentem producunt.
Go, and with the help of the gods, prove the Roman name unconquered." Thereupon his comrades-in-arms armed the youth; he took a foot-soldier's shield, and girt himself with a Spanish sword, handy for close combat; thus armed and equipped, they led him forward against the Gaul, who was stupidly joyful and—since this also seemed to the ancients worthy of record—even sticking out his tongue in derision.
§7.10.6recipiunt inde se ad stationem, et duo in medio armati spectaculi magis more quam lege belli destituuntur, nequaquam visu ac specie aestimantibus pares.
Then they withdrew to their post, and the two armed men were left in the middle, more in the fashion of a spectacle than by the law of war, by no means equal in appearance and stature to those who estimated them.
§7.10.7corpus alteri magnitudine eximium, versicolori veste pictisque et auro caelatis refulgens armis; media in altero militaris statura modicaque in armis habilibus magis quam decoris species.
The one had a body of extraordinary size, resplendent in multicolored clothing and arms painted and embossed with gold; in the other was a moderate military height, and a modest appearance in arms that were handy rather than decorative.
§7.10.8non cantus, non exsultatio armorumque agitatio vana, sed pectus animorum iraeque tacitae plenum; omnem ferociam in discrimen ipsum certaminis distulerat.
There was no singing, no leaping about, nor useless brandishing of weapons, but a breast full of courage and silent wrath; he had deferred all his fierceness to the very crisis of the combat.
§7.10.9ubi constitere inter duas acies, tot circa mortalium animis spe metuque pendentibus, Gallus velut moles superne inminens proiecto laeva scuto in advenientis arma hostis vanum caesim cum ingenti sonitu ensem deiecit; §7.10.10Romanus mucrone subrecto, cum scuto scutum imum perculisset totoque corpore interior periculo vulneris factus insinuasset se inter corpus armaque, uno alteroque subinde ictu ventrem atque inguina hausit et in spatium ingens ruentem porrexit hostem.
When they took their stand between the two lines, while the minds of so many mortals around were hanging in hope and fear, the Gaul, looming like a mass from above, thrusting out his shield with his left hand, brought down his sword with a great sound in a slashing blow onto the armor of the approaching enemy, but it was in vain; the Roman, with his sword-point raised, having struck the bottom of the Gaul's shield with his own shield and getting close inside with his whole body, safe from the danger of a wound, insinuated himself between the enemy's body and armor, and immediately with one blow and then another pierced his belly and groin, and stretched out his foe as he fell, covering a vast space.
§7.10.11iacentis inde corpus ab omni alia vexatione intactum uno torque spoliavit, quem respersum cruore collo circumdedit suo.
Then, leaving the body of the fallen foe untouched by any other mutilation, he despoiled it of a single torque, which, sprinkled with blood, he placed around his own neck.
§7.10.12defixerat pavor cum admiratione Gallos; Romani alacres ab statione obviam militi suo progressi, gratulantes laudantesque ad dictatorem perducunt.
Fear combined with admiration had transfixed the Gauls; the Romans, full of joy, advanced from their post to meet their soldier, and congratulating and praising him, led him to the dictator.
§7.10.13inter carminum prope in modum incondita quaedam militariter ioculantes Torquati cognomen auditum; celebratum deinde posteris etiam familiaeque honori fuit.
Amidst their soldierly jesting, which was almost in the manner of songs, some unpolished verses, the cognomen 'Torquatus' was heard; it was subsequently celebrated by posterity as well and was an honor to the family.
§7.10.14dictator coronam auream addidit donum mirisque pro contione eam pugnam laudibus tulit.
The dictator added a golden crown as a gift, and before the assembly extolled that fight with wonderful praises.