Ab Urbe Condita 1.22

Liv. 1.22.1Numae morte ad interregnum rēs rediit.

At Numa's death the state returned to an interregnum.

Note. interregnum: between kings the senators took turns ruling for five days each, until a new king was chosen.

Liv. 1.22.1Inde Tullum Hostīlium, nepōtem Hostīlī, cuius in īnfimā arce clārā pugnā adversus Sabīnōs fuerat, rēgem populus iussit;

Then the people appointed as king Tullus Hostilius, grandson of the Hostilius who had fought a famous fight against the Sabines at the foot of the citadel;

Note. Hostili: genitive of Hostilius (the -ii genitive contracted). Livy tells of this grandfather's fight against the Sabines in chapter 12. iussit: the people 'ordered', i.e. voted for, the new king.

Liv. 1.22.2patrēs auctōrēs factī.

the senators gave their approval.

Note. patres auctores facti (sunt): the senate gave its formal approval (patrum auctoritas) to the people's choice.

Liv. 1.22.2Hic nōn sōlum proximō rēgī dissimilis sed ferōcior etiam quam Rōmulus fuit.

He was not only unlike the previous king but even fiercer than Romulus.

Note. dissimilis … ferocior: Tullus is set against Numa and even outdoes Romulus.

Liv. 1.22.2Cum aetās vīrēsque tum avīta quoque glōria animum stimulābat.

His age and strength, and his grandfather's glory too, spurred his spirit.

Note. Cum … tum: 'not only … but also'. avita gloria: his grandfather's fame.

Liv. 1.22.2Senēscere igitur cīvitātem ōtiō ratus undique māteriam excitandī bellī quaerēbat.

So, thinking that the state was growing old in idleness, he looked everywhere for an occasion for stirring up war.

Note. Senescere … civitatem otio: indirect statement after ratus. materiam excitandi belli: 'material (an occasion) for stirring up war'; excitandi agrees with belli (gerundive).

Liv. 1.22.2Forte ēvēnit, ut agrestēs Rōmānī ex Albānō agrō, Albānī ex Rōmānō praedās in vicem agerent.

It happened by chance that Roman countrymen were driving off booty from Alban land, and Albans from Roman land, in turn.

Note. ut … agerent: noun clause after evenit. in vicem: 'in turn'. praedas agere: 'to drive off booty', i.e. cattle raids.

Liv. 1.22.4Imperitābat tum C. Cluilius Albae.

At that time Gaius Cluilius ruled Alba.

Note. Imperitabat … Albae: imperito, frequentative of impero, takes the dative.

Liv. 1.22.4Utrimque lēgātī ferē sub idem tempus ad rēs repetendās missī.

Envoys were sent from both sides at about the same time to demand restitution.

Note. ad res repetendas: 'to demand restitution', the formal first step before a just war. missi (sunt).

Liv. 1.22.4Tullus praecēperat suīs, nē quid prius quam mandāta agerent;

Tullus had instructed his men to do nothing before carrying out their orders;

Note. ne quid … agerent: indirect command. prius quam: 'before'.

Liv. 1.22.4satis sciēbat negātūrum Albānum;

he knew well that the Alban would refuse;

Note. negaturum (esse) Albanum: future infinitive in indirect statement, 'that the Alban would refuse'.

Liv. 1.22.4ita piē bellum indīcī posse.

so war could be declared with a clear conscience.

Note. pie: 'with due religion'. By Roman fetial law a war was 'just' only if restitution had been formally demanded and refused. Tullus contrives to put Alba in the wrong.

Liv. 1.22.5Ab Albānīs sōcordius rēs ācta: exceptī hospitiō ab Tullō blandē ac benignē, cōmiter rēgis convīvium celebrant.

On the Albans' side the matter was handled more carelessly: received with hospitality by Tullus kindly and graciously, they cheerfully attend the king's banquet.

Note. socordius: comparative adverb, 'more carelessly'. res acta (est). excepti: the Alban envoys, 'received' as guests.

Liv. 1.22.5Tantisper Rōmānī et rēs repetīverant priōrēs et negantī Albānō bellum in trīcēsimum diem indīxerant.

Meanwhile the Romans had both been first to demand restitution and, when the Alban refused, had declared war to begin on the thirtieth day.

Note. Tantisper: 'meanwhile'. in tricesimum diem: thirty days was the regular interval before a declared war began. neganti Albano: dative after indixerant.

Liv. 1.22.6Haec renūntiant Tullō.

They report this to Tullus.

Note. Haec: the Roman envoys' report.

Liv. 1.22.6Tum lēgātīs Tullus dīcendī potestātem, quid petentēs vēnerint, facit.

Then Tullus gives the envoys leave to say what they have come seeking.

Note. dicendi potestatem … facit: 'gives the opportunity of speaking'. quid petentes venerint: indirect question, 'what they have come asking'.

Liv. 1.22.6Illī omnium ignārī prīmum pūrgandō terunt tempus: sē invītōs quicquam, quod minus placeat Tullō, dictūrōs, sed imperiō subigī;

Knowing nothing of all this, they first waste time excusing themselves: unwillingly they would say anything that might displease Tullus, but they were compelled by orders;

Note. terunt tempus: 'they waste time'. The rest of the sentence is indirect speech: se … dicturos (esse), 'they would say…'. quod minus placeat: 'that might displease'.

Liv. 1.22.6rēs repetītum sē vēnisse;

they had come to demand restitution;

Note. repetitum: supine of purpose after venisse, 'had come to demand back'.

Liv. 1.22.6nī reddantur, bellum indīcere iussōs.

if it was not made, they had been ordered to declare war.

Note. ni reddantur: 'if (the goods) were not returned'; present subjunctive kept in vivid indirect speech.

Liv. 1.22.7Ad haec Tullus "nūntiāte" inquit "rēgī vestrō rēgem Rōmānum deōs facere testēs, uter prius populus rēs repetentēs lēgātōs aspernātus dīmīserit, ut in eum omnēs expetant huiusce clādēs bellī."

To this Tullus said, "Tell your king that the king of Rome calls the gods to witness: whichever people first rejected and sent away the envoys demanding restitution, on that people may they bring down all the disasters of this war."

Note. uter prius populus … dimiserit, ut in eum … expetant: 'whichever people first sent away the envoys, (they call the gods to witness) so that on it the disasters may fall'. huiusce: emphatic form of huius.