Livy Page 9

Ibi cum stipendium militibus forte dartur et scriba cum rege sedens pari fere ornatu multa ageret eumque milites volgo adirent,

There when, by chance, pay was given to the soldiers, and a secretary, sitting with the king (almost equal in his dress), was doing many things, and the soldiers generally went towards him,

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

[Mucius] was afraid to enquire which of the two was Porsinna, lest, by not knowing the king, he should reveal who he himself is, by which chance fortune directed the deed, [Mucius] killed the secretary instead of the king.

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

From there, when the royal bodyguards had dragged back the one having been seized (proceeding, he made his way through the anxious crowd with the bloody blade) with a rush having been made towards the shouting,

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

friendless before the royal tribunal, even then he was afraid, surrounded by so many threats of misfortune, more than he was afraid,

‘Romanus sum,’ inquit, ’civis; C. Mucium vocant.

he said, ‘I am a Roman citizen; they call me Gaius Mucius.

Hostis hostem occidere volui, nec ad mortem minus animi est, quam fuit ad caedem;

I wanted to kill an enemy, as your enemy, and it is no less in my mind [now] to [face]death than it was [then] to slaughter;

et facere et pati fortia Romanum est.

Both to do and to suffer brave things is to be Roman.

Nec unus in te ego hos animos gessi;

And it is not I alone who had sustained this resolve against you;

longus post me in ordo est idem petentium decus.

Behind me there is a long line of people 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 if it pleases you, prepare yourself for this struggle, that every hour, you will fight for your life, you will have a sword and an enemy in the entrance of the palace.

Hoc tibi iuventus Romana indicimus bellum.

This is the war which we, Roman youths, declare against you.’