§7.20.1tum primum Caerites, tamquam in verbis hostium vis maior ad bellum significandum quam in suis factis, qui per populationem Romanos lacessierant, esset, verus belli terror invasit, et, quam non suarum virium ea dimicatio esset, cernebant;
Then for the first time, a real terror of war invaded the Caerites, as if there were a greater power for declaring war in the words of the enemy than in their own deeds, who had provoked the Romans by plundering; and they perceived how little that struggle was suited to their own strength.
§7.20.2paenitebatque populationis, et Tarquinienses exsecrabantur defectionis auctores; nec arma aut bellum quisquam apparare, sed pro se quisque legatos mitti iubebat ad petendam erroris veniam.
And they repented of their plundering, and cursed the Tarquinienses as the authors of their defection; nor did anyone prepare arms or war, but everyone on his own behalf demanded that envoys be sent to ask pardon for their error.
§7.20.3legati senatum cum adissent, ab senatu reiecti ad populum deos rogaverunt, quorum sacra bello Gallico accepta rite procurassent, ut Romanos florentes ea sui misericordia caperet, quae se rebus adfectis quondam populi Romani cepisset; §7.20.4conversique ad delubra Vestae hospitium flaminum Vestaliumque ab se caste ac religiose cultum invocabant:
When the envoys had approached the senate, being rejected by them, they went to the people and entreated the gods, whose sacred things they had duly received and cared for during the Gallic war, that the same compassion for them might seize the Romans in their prosperity, which had once seized themselves when the affairs of the Roman people were afflicted; and turning toward the temple of Vesta, they invoked the hospitality of the flamines and the Vestals, which had been chastely and religiously cherished by them.
§7.20.5eane meritos crederet quisquam hostes repente sine causa factos? aut, si quid hostiliter fecissent, consilio id magis quam furore lapsos fecisse, ut sua vetera beneficia, locata praesertim apud tam gratos, novis conrumperent maleficiis florentemque populum Romanum ac felicissimum bello sibi desumerent hostem, cuius adflicti amicitiam petissent?
Would anyone believe that those who had deserved so well had suddenly become enemies without cause? Or, if they had done anything hostile, had they done it by design rather than having slipped through madness, so that they might destroy their old benefits—especially those bestowed upon such grateful people—by new wrongdoings, and choose for themselves as an enemy the flourishing Roman people, most fortunate in war, whose friendship they had sought when afflicted?
§7.20.6ne appellarent consilium, quae vis ac necessitas appellanda esset. transeuntes agmine infesto per agrum suum Tarquinienses, cum praeter viam nihil petissent, traxisse quosdam agrestium populationis eius, quae sibi crimini detur, comites.
Let them not call "design" what ought to be called "force and necessity." The Tarquinienses, passing through their territory in a hostile column, when they had sought nothing beyond a passage, had dragged along some of the rustics as companions of that plundering which was now charged against them.
§7.20.7eos seu dedi placeat, dedere se paratos esse, seu supplicio adfici, daturos poenas.
If it pleased them that these men should be surrendered, they were ready to surrender them; or if they should be punished, they would pay the penalty.
Caere, sacrarium populi Romani, deversorium sacerdotum ac receptaculum Romanorum sacrorum, intactum inviolatumque crimine belli hospitio Vestalium cultisque dis darent.
They begged that they should grant that Caere, the sanctuary of the Roman people, the refuge of priests, and the receptacle of Roman sacred things, remain untouched and inviolate by the crime of war, out of hospitality for the Vestals and for the gods they worshipped.
§7.20.8movit populum non tam causa praesens quam vetus meritum, ut maleficii quam beneficii potius inmemores essent.
The people were moved not so much by their present case as by their ancient merit, so that they were forgetful of the injury rather than of the benefit.
itaque pax populo Caeriti data, indutiasque in centum annos factas in aes referri placuit.
Therefore, peace was granted to the Caerite people, and it was resolved that a truce made for one hundred years should be recorded on bronze.
§7.20.9in Faliscos eodem noxios crimine vis belli conversa est, sed hostes nusquam inventi.
The force of war was turned against the Falisci, who were guilty of the same charge, but the enemy was nowhere to be found.
cum populatione peragrati fines essent, ab oppugnatione urbium temperatum; legionibusque Romam reductis reliquum anni muris turribusque reficiendis consumptum et aedis Apollinis dedicata est.
Though their territory was traversed with plundering, the siege of their cities was refrained from; and the legions having been led back to Rome, the remainder of the year was spent in repairing the walls and towers, and the temple of Apollo was dedicated.