§9.24.1ad Soram inde reditum;
Thence they returned to Sora; and the new consuls, M.
novique consules, M. Poetelius, C. Sulpicius, exercitum ab dictatore Fabio accipiunt magna parte veterum militum dimissa novisque cohortibus in supplementum adductis.
Poetelius and C. Sulpicius, received the army from the dictator Fabius, after a great part of the old soldiers had been discharged and new cohorts had been brought in as a reinforcement.
§9.24.2ceterum cum propter difficilem urbis situm nec oppugnandi satis certa ratio iniretur et aut tempore longinqua aut praeceps periculo victoria esset, §9.24.3Soranus transfuga clam ex oppido profectus, cum ad vigiles Romanos penetrasset, duci se extemplo ad consules iubet deductusque traditurum urbem promittit.
But since, on account of the difficult situation of the city, no sufficiently certain plan of siege could be formed, and victory was either distant in time or headlong with danger, a Soran deserter, having set out secretly from the town, when he had penetrated to the Roman sentries, ordered himself to be led immediately to the consuls, and being brought before them, promised that he would deliver up the city.
§9.24.4visus inde, cum quonam modo id praestaturus esset percunctantes doceret, haud vana adferre, perpulit, prope adiuncta moenibus Romana castra ut sex milia ab oppido removerentur: §9.24.5fore, ut minus intentae in custodiam urbis diurnae stationes ac nocturnae vigiliae essent.
Appearing then, when he explained to those who inquired in what manner he was going to perform this, to bring forward no vain proposals, he persuaded them to remove the Roman camp, which was almost joined to the walls, to a distance of six miles from the town: arguing that it would happen that the daytime stations and night watches would be less intent on the guard of the city.
ipse insequenti nocte sub oppido silvestribus locis cohortibus considere iussis decem milites delectos secum per ardua ac prope invia in arcem ducit, pluribus quam pro numero virorum missilibus telis eo conlatis; §9.24.6ad hoc saxa erant et temere iacentia, ut fit in aspretis, et de industria etiam, quo locus tutior esset, ab oppidanis congesta.
He himself, on the following night, having ordered the cohorts to take their post in woody places below the town, led ten chosen soldiers with him through steep and almost impassable ways into the citadel, having collected there more missile weapons than in proportion to the number of the men; besides this, there were stones, both lying at random, as is usual in rugged places, and also piled up by design by the townsmen, in order that the place might be safer.
§9.24.7ubi cum constituisset Romanos semitamque angustam et arduam erectam ex oppido in arcem ostendisset, “hoc quidem ascensu” inquit “vel tres armati quamlibet multitudinem arcuerint; vos et decem numero et, §9.24.8quod plus est, Romani Romanorumque fortissimi viri estis; et locus pro vobis et nox erit, quae omnia ex incerto maiora territis ostentat.
When he had posted the Romans there and had shown them a narrow and steep path rising from the town into the citadel, he said, "By this ascent, indeed, even three armed men might keep back any multitude; you are both ten in number and, what is more, you are Romans and the bravest of Romans; and both the place and the night, which presents all things larger than they are from uncertainty to those who are terrified, will be in your favor.
ego iam terrore omnia inplebo; vos arcem intenti tenete. ” decurrit inde, §9.24.9quanto maxime poterat cum tumultu, “ad arma!” et “pro vestram fidem, cives,” clamitans “arx ab hostibus capta est; §9.24.10defendite. ” haec incidens principum foribus, haec obviis, haec excurrentibus in publicum pavidis increpat.
I will now fill all places with terror; do you hold the citadel with intent mind." He then ran down thence, with the greatest tumult he possibly could, crying out, "To arms!" and "By your faith, citizens, the citadel is taken by the enemy; defend it!" Exclaiming thus, he knocked at the doors of the leading men, then to those he met, then to those who were running out terrified into the public streets.
§9.24.11acceptum ab uno pavorem plures per urbem ferunt.
The panic received from one, more carried through the city.
trepidi magistratus missis ad arcem exploratoribus cum tela et armatos tenere arcem multiplicato numero audirent, avertunt animos a spe recuperandae arcis; §9.24.12fuga cuncta conplentur portaeque ab semisomnis ac maxima parte inermibus refringuntur, quarum per unam praesidium Romanum clamore excitatum inrumpit et concursantes per vias pavidos caedit.
The trembling magistrates, having sent scouts to the citadel, when they heard that weapons and armed men held the citadel in a multiplied number, turned their minds away from the hope of recovering the citadel; all places were filled with flight, and the gates were broken open by those who were half-asleep and for the most part unarmed, through one of which the Roman garrison, excited by the clamor, rushed in and slew the terrified people running together through the streets.
§9.24.13iam Sora capta erat, cum consules prima luce advenere et, quos reliquos fortuna ex nocturna caede ac fuga fecerat, in deditionem accipiunt.
Sora was already taken, when the consuls arrived at dawn, and received into surrender those whom fortune had made survivors from the night slaughter and flight.
§9.24.14ex his ducentos viginti quinque, qui omnium consensu destinabantur et infandae colonorum caedis et defectionis auctores, vinctos Romam deducunt; §9.24.15ceteram multitudinem incolumem praesidio inposito Sorae relinquunt.
Of these, they led two hundred and twenty-five, who by the consent of all were designated as the authors of both the unspeakable slaughter of the colonists and the revolt, bound to Rome; the rest of the multitude they left unharmed at Sora, a garrison being placed over them.
omnes, qui Romam deducti erant, virgis in foro caesi ac securi percussi summo gaudio plebis, cuius maxime intererat tutam ubique, quae passim in colonias mitteretur, multitudinem esse.
All who had been led to Rome were beaten with rods in the forum and struck with the axe, to the great joy of the commons, whose interest it was most of all that the multitude which was sent here and there into colonies should be safe everywhere.