Mucius 1-8

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

Mucius approached the Senate. 'I wish, senators,' he said, 'to cross the Tiber and enter the enemy camp if I can -

non praedo nec populationum in vicem ultor:

not as a brigand, nor as an avenger of looting in return:

maius si di iuvant in animo est facinus.' adprobant patres;

I have in mind a greater deed, if the gods help me.' The senators

approved

abdito intra vestem ferro proficiscitur. ubi eo venit, in confertissima turba prope regium tribunal constitit.

with a sword concealed within his clothing, he set out. When he arrived there, he stood in the densest part of the crowd near the royal platform.

ibi cum stipendium militibus forte daretur

There, since it happened to be the case that pay was being handed out to the soldiers,

et scriba cum rege sedens pari fere ornatu multa ageret

and the secretary (who was sitting with the king and in almost identical clothing) was doing many jobs -

eumque milites volgo adirent, timens sciscitari uter Porsenna esset

and the soliders were generally approaching him (the secretary), Mucius was afraid of enquiring as to which of the two men was Porsenna,

ne ignorando regem semet ipse aperiret quis esset,

in case, by failing to recognise the king, he might reveal who he himself was and,

quo temere traxit fortuna facinus, scribam pro rege obtruncat

as fate blindy directed the deed, he killed the secretary instead of the king

patres

Senators

Si possim

If possible

volo

I wish

non praedo

Not as a brigand

nec … ultor

nor as an avenger

populationum

Of looting

si di iuvant

if the gods help me

in animo est

I have in mind

abdito … ferro

With a sword concealed

intra vestem

Within his clothing

ubi eo venit

When he arrived rhere

in confertissima turba

In the densest part of the crowd

prope regium tribunal

Near the royal platform

cum … forte

Since it happened to be the case

stipendium

that pay

daretur

was being handed out

cum rege sedens

Who was sitting with the king

pari fere ornatu

And in almost identical clothing

multa ageret

Was doing many jobs

volgo

generally

eum … adirent

approaching him

timens sciscitari

Mucius was afraid or enquiring

uter

As to which of the two men

esset

was

Ne

In case

ignorando regem

By failing to recognise the king

aperiret

He might reveal

quis esset

who he was

temere

Blindly

traxit

directed

fortuna

as fate

facinus

the deed