Livy

senatum adit. ‘transire Tiberim,’ inquit, ‘patres, et intrare, si possim, castra hostium volo,

He approached the senate. ‘Senators,’ he said, ‘I wish to cross the Tiber and enter the camp of the enemy, if I can.

non praedo nec populationem in vicem ultor; maius si di iuvant in animo est facinus..’

nor as a looter, nor as an avenger in retaliation for the plundering; I have a greater deed in mind, if the gods help.’

adprobant patres; abdito intra vestem ferro proficiscitur.

The senators approved; after a sword had been hidden inside his clothing, he set off.

ubi eo venit, in confertissima turba prope regium tribunal constitit.

When he got there, he stood near the royal platform in the densest part of the crowd.

ibi cum stipendium militibus forte daretur et scriba cum rege sedens pari fere ornatu multa ageret

There since by chance pay was being given to the soldiers, and a scribe sitting with the king dressed in nearly the same clothing was performing many tasks,

eumque milites volgo adirent, timens sciscitari uter Porsenna esset,

and since it was that man whom the soldiers were generally approaching, fearing to enquire which of the two was Porsenna,

ne ignorando regem semet ipse aperiret quis esset, quo temere traxit fortuna facinus, scribam pro rege obtruncat.

fearing that by not knowing who the king was he might reveal his own identity, as fortune blindly directed the deed, he slew the scribe instead of the king.

vadentem inde qua per trepidam turbam cruento mucrone sibi ipse fecerat viam, cum concursu ad clamorem facto comprehensum regii satellites retraxissent,

From there, where he had made a path for himself through the frightened crowd with his bloodstained sword, the royal bodyguards after a charge had been made towards the shouting, had dragged back the man they had seized, as he was hurrying,

ante tribunal regis destitutus, tum quoque inter tantas fortunae minas metuendus magis quam metuens,

Having been left alone in front of the king’s platform, even then more to be feared among such great threatening turns of fate than being fearful,

‘Romanus sum’ inquit, ‘civis: Gaium Mucium vocant, hostis hostem occidere volui, nec ad mortem minus animi est quam fuit ad caedum;

'I am a Roman citizen;' he said, 'they call me Gaius Mucius. As an enemy, I wanted to kill the enemy, and I have no less courage to face death than I had for murder;

et facere et pati fortia Romanum est. nec unus in te ego hos animos gessi; longus post me ordo est idem petentium decus.

it is Roman both to do and endure brave deeds. Nor am I alone in bearing these intentions towards you; there is a line of men long after me seeking the same glory.

proinde in hoc discrimen, si iuvat, accingere, ut in singular horas capite dimices tuo, ferrum hostemque in vestibule habeas regiae.

So then, prepare yourself for this struggle, if it pleases you, to fight for your life every hour of the day and have an armed enemy in the entrance of your royal residence.

hoc tibi iuventus Romana indicimus bellum. nullam aciem, nullum proelium timueris; uni tibi et cum singulis res erit.’

We, the Roman youth, declare this war against you. Fear no battle line, no battle; the matter will be between you alone and individuals.’

cum rex simul ira incensus periculoque conterritus circumdari ignes minitabundus iuberet…

When the king, incensed by anger and at the same time terrified by the danger, threateningly ordered fired to be placed round him…

‘en tibi’ inquit, ‘ut sentias quam vile corpuus sit iis qui magnam gloriam vident’ ;

Mucius said ‘Look! So that you may realise how cheap the body is in the eyes of those who contemplate great glory’,

dextramque accenso ad sacrificium foculo inicit.

and he put his right hand into a brazier lit for a sacrifice.

quam cum velut alienato ab sensu torreret animo,

When he was scorching his hand as if his mind was deprived of feeling,

prope attonitus miraculo rex cum ab sede sua prosiluisset

the king, virtually astounded by the extraordinary event, after he had leapt forth from his chair

amoverique ab altaribus iuvenem iussiset,

and ordered the young man to be moved away from the altars,

‘tu vero abi’ inquit, ‘in the magis quam in me hostilia ausus’

he said, ‘Truly, you, depart, since you have dared to commit hostile actions more against yourself than against me.

iuberem macte virtute esse, si pro mea patria ista virtus staret;

I would tell you to continue to be courageous, if that courage were standing on my own country’s side;

nunc iure belli liberum te, intactum inviolatumque hinc dimitto.’

now, by right of war, I release you from here as a free man, untouched and unharmed.’

tunc Mucius, quasi remunerans meritum, ‘quando quidem’ inquit,

Then Mucius, as if paying back kindness, said,

‘est apud te virtuti honos,

Since courage had honour in your eyes,

ut beneficio tuleris a me quod minis nequisti,

so that you have obtained from me by your kindness what you could not by threats,

trecenti coniuravimus principes iuventutis Romanae ut in te hac via grassaremur.

we 300 leaders of the Roman youth formed a conspiracy to attack you in this way.

mea prima sors fuit; ceteri ut cuiuscque ceciderit primi

The first lot was mine; the rest, according to whoever’s lot falls out first,

quoad te opportunum fortuna dederit, suo quisque tempore aderunt.’

each at his time, will be here, until fortune makes you ready.’

ergo ita honorata virtute, feminae quoque ad publica decora excitatae, et Cloelia virgo una ex obsidibus

Therefore, as courage had been honoured in this way, the women were also roused to public glory, and the maiden Cloelia, one of the hostages

cum castra Etruscorum forte haud procul ripa Tibberis locata essent

since the camp of the Etruscans by chance had been pitched not far from the bank of the Tiber

frustrata custodes,

she deceived the guards

dux agminis virginum inter tela hostium Tiberim tranavit, sospitesque omnes Romam ad propinquos restituit.

and, leading the band of young women, swam across the Tiber amid the weapons of the enemy and restored them all safely to Rome, to their families.

quod ubi regi nuntiatum est, primo incensus ira oratores Romam misit ad Cloeliam obsidem deposcendam; alias haud magni facere.

When this was announced to the kin, firstly, blazing with anger, he sent spokesmen to Rome to demand the hostage Cloelia; he did not care much about the rest.

deinde in admirationem versus, supra Coclites Muciosquue dicere id facinus esse,

Then, turning to admiration of CLoelia, he said that this deed was greater than men like Cocles and Mucius.

et prae se ferre quemadmodum si non dedatur obses,

Furthermore he declared that, just as he would consider the treaty broken if the hostage was not given up,

pro rupto foedus se habiturum, sic deditam intactam inviolatamque ad suos remissurum.

so he would send her back untouched and unhurt to her family if she was given up.

utrimque constitit fides; et Romani pignus pacis ex foedere restituerunt,

Both sides kept faith; and the Romans gave back the pledge of peace in accordance with the treaty,

et apud regem Etruscum non tuta solum sed honorata etiam virtus fuit,

and in the company of the Etruscan king, not only was her virtue safe, but her courage also was honoured,

laudatamque virginem parte obsidum se donare dixit;

after he praised the maiden, he said that he was giving her some of the hostages;

ipsa quos vellet legeret. …

she herself should choose which ones she wanted. …

pace redintegrata Romani novam in femina virtutem novo genere honoris, statua equestri donavere;

When peace was restores, the Romans rewarded this unusual courage in a women with an unusual kind of honour, an equestrian statue;

in summa Sacria Via fuit posita virgo insidens equo.

it was placed at the top of the Sacred Way, a young girl sitting on a horse.