Livy ab urbe condita 2.12-13 The Bravery of Mucius Scaevola and Cloelia

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 populationum in vicem ultor; maius si di iuvant in animo est facinus”.

not as a looter, nor as an avenger in retaliation for the [enemy] 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 change= pay was being given to the soldiers and a clerk 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 who the soldiers were generally approaching, (Mucius) fearing to enquire which of the two was Poresenna,

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

NB: obtruncat present historic

fearing that by not knowing who the king was he might reveal his own identity [he might himself reveal who he was], 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 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 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 [threats 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 caedem;

NB: animi —> genitive of description

“I am a Roman citizen; 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 singulas horas capite dimices tuo, ferrum hostemque in vestibulo habeas regiae.

=So then=, prepare yourself for this struggle, if it pleases you, to fight for your life every hour 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 fires to be placed round him…

“en tibi”, inquit, “ut sentias quam vile corpus sit iis qui magnam gloriam vident”;

[Mucius] said: “Look! So that you may realise how cheap the body is in the eyes of [for] those who contemplate great glory”.

dextramque accenso ad sacrificium foculo inicit

NB: present historic

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 iussisset,

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

“tu vero abi”, inquit, “in te 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, “est apud te virtuti honos,

Then Mucius, as if paying back [the king’s] kindness, said “Since courage has 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 cuiusque ceciderit primi,

The first lost was mine; the rest, according to whoever’s lot falls [should this be fell???] out first,

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

each at his [proper] time, will be here, until fortune makes you ready [to attack]”.

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 Tiberis locata essent, frustrata custodes,

since the camp of the Etruscans by chance had been pitched not far from the bank of the Tiber, she deceived the guards,

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

and, leading [as leader of] 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 king, firstly, blazing [inflamed] with anger, he sent spokesmen to Rome to demand (the return of) the hostage Cloelia; (he said that) he did not care much about the rest [he did not consider the others of great importance].

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

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

et prae se ferre quemadmodum si non dedatur obses, pro rupto foedus se habiturum,

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

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 was also honoured,

laudatumque virginem parte obsidum se donare dixit; ipsa quos vellet legere …

after he praised the maiden, he said that he was giving her some of the hostages; she herself would choose which ones she wanted …

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

When peace had been restored, the Romans rewarded this unusual courage in a woman with an unusual kind of honour, an equestrian statue;

in summa Sacra Via fuit posita virgo insidens equo.

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