Ab Urbe Condita 1.21

Liv. 1.21.1Ad haec cōnsultanda prōcūrandaque multitūdine omnī ā vī et armīs conversā et animī aliquid agendō occupātī erant, et deōrum assidua īnsīdēns cūra, cum interesse rēbus hūmānīs caeleste nūmen vidērētur, eā pietāte omnium pectora imbuerat, ut fidēs ac iūs iūrandum prō obnoxiō lēgum ac poenārum metū cīvitātem regerent.

With the whole multitude turned away from violence and arms to deliberating on and attending to these matters, their minds were occupied with doing something, and the constant care of the gods, settled in them since the divine power seemed to take part in human affairs, had filled the hearts of all with such piety that good faith and the oath governed the state in place of the fear of laws and punishments.

Note. A long sentence. multitudine … conversa: ablative absolute. animi … occupati erant: their minds were busy with something (aliquid agendo, gerund of means). insidens: present participle agreeing with cura. ea pietate … ut … regerent: result clause. ius iurandum: 'the oath'. pro … metu: 'in place of fear'. legum is a correction of the digital text's misprint legurm.

Liv. 1.21.2Et cum ipsī sē hominēs in rēgis velut ūnicī exemplī mōrēs fōrmārent, tum fīnitumī etiam populī, quī anteā castra, nōn urbem positam in mediō ad sollicitandam omnium pācem crēdiderant, in eam verēcundiam adductī sunt, ut cīvitātem tōtam in cultum versam deōrum violāre dūcerent nefās.

And while the people themselves shaped their character on the king's as on a unique model, then also the neighbouring peoples, who had previously believed that it was a camp, not a city, that had been placed in their midst to disturb the peace of all, were brought to such respect that they thought it sinful to attack a state wholly turned to the worship of the gods.

Note. Et cum … tum: 'and while … then also'. finitumi: older spelling of finitimi. castra, non urbem: the neighbours had thought Rome a military camp. nefas: 'a sin', complement of violare with ducerent, 'they thought it a sin to violate'.

Liv. 1.21.3Lūcus erat, quem medium ex opācō specū fōns perennī rigābat aquā.

There was a grove, whose middle a spring watered with a never-failing stream out of a dark cave.

Note. quem medium: 'the middle of which'. perenni aqua: 'with a never-failing stream'. This was the grove of the Camenae by the Porta Capena.

Liv. 1.21.3Quō quia sē persaepe Numa sine arbitrīs velut ad congressum deae īnferēbat, Camēnīs eum lūcum sacrāvit, quod eārum ibi concilia cum coniuge suā Ēgeriā essent.

Because Numa very often went there without witnesses, as if to meet the goddess, he dedicated that grove to the Camenae, because their councils with his wife Egeria were held there.

Note. Quo: 'to that place'. quod … essent: subjunctive in a causal clause giving the alleged reason (Numa's claim, not Livy's). coniuge sua: Egeria was said to be Numa's wife or lover.

Liv. 1.21.4Et Fideī sollemne īnstituit.

He also established a yearly rite to Faith.

Note. Fidei sollemne: a yearly rite to Fides, Good Faith, a goddess central to Roman public life and treaties.

Liv. 1.21.4Ad id sacrārium flāminēs bīgīs currū arcuātō vehī iussit manūque ad digitōs usque involūtā rem dīvīnam facere, significantēs fidem tūtandam sēdemque eius etiam in dexterīs sacrātam esse.

He ordered the flamens to ride to her shrine in a two-horse chariot with an arched hood, and to perform the sacrifice with the hand wrapped up to the fingers, showing that faith must be protected and that her seat was sacred even in men's right hands.

Note. bigis curru arcuato: 'in a two-horse chariot with an arched cover'. manu … involuta: ablative absolute. significantes: the flamens by this ritual 'indicated' that faith must be protected (tutandam, gerundive of tutor) and that its seat was sacred even in the right hand, where pledges were given.

Liv. 1.21.5Multa alia sacrificia locaque sacrīs faciendīs, quae Argēōs pontificēs vocant, dēdicāvit.

He dedicated many other sacrifices, and places for performing rites, which the pontiffs call the Argei.

Note. sacris faciendis: dative of purpose. Argeos: the Argei were old shrines around the city; in a strange yearly ritual the Vestals threw rush figures called Argei into the Tiber.

Liv. 1.21.5Omnium tamen maximum eius operum fuit tūtēla per omne regnī tempus haud minor pācis quam regnī.

Yet the greatest of all his works was the protection of peace, no less than of his kingdom, throughout the whole time of his reign.

Note. tutela … pacis quam regni: 'guarding peace no less than his kingdom'. haud minor: litotes.

Liv. 1.21.6Ita duo deinceps rēgēs, alius aliā viā, ille bellō hic pāce, cīvitātem auxērunt.

So two kings in succession, each by a different road, the one by war, the other by peace, enlarged the state.

Note. alius alia via: 'one by one way, one by another'. ille … hic: 'the former (Romulus) … the latter (Numa)'.

Liv. 1.21.6Rōmulus septem et trīgintā regnāvit annōs, Numa trēs et quadrāgintā.

Romulus reigned thirty-seven years, Numa forty-three.

Note. Livy's figures for the reigns: 37 and 43 years. Like most early dates, they are traditional, not historical.

Liv. 1.21.6Cum valida tum temperāta et bellī et pācis artibus erat cīvitās.

The state was both strong and well tempered by the arts of war and of peace.

Note. Cum … tum: 'both … and'. temperata: 'well balanced', by the arts of war and peace.