Ab Urbe Condita 1.32

Liv. 1.32.1Mortuō Tullō rēs, ut īnstitūtum iam inde ab initiō erat, ad patrēs redierat, hīque interrēgem nōmināverant.

On the death of Tullus the government, as had been established from the very beginning, had returned to the senators, and they had named an interrex.

Note. interrex: on a king's death the senators took turns, five days each, as 'between-kings' and held the election of a new king.

Liv. 1.32.1Quō comitia habente Ancum Mārcium rēgem populus creāvit;

With him presiding over the elections, the people chose Ancus Marcius as king;

Liv. 1.32.1patrēs fuēre auctōrēs.

the senators ratified the choice.

Note. patres fuere auctores: the patrum auctoritas, the senate's formal ratification of the people's vote.

Liv. 1.32.1Numae Pompilī rēgis nepōs, fīliā ortus, Ancus Mārcius erat.

Ancus Marcius was the grandson of King Numa Pompilius, born of his daughter.

Note. filia ortus: ablative of origin, 'born of (Numa's) daughter'. Ancus' descent from Numa explains his religious care in the next sentence.

Liv. 1.32.2Quī ut regnāre coepit, et avītae glōriae memor et quia proximum regnum, cētera ēgregium, ab ūnā parte haud satis prosperum fuerat, aut neglēctīs religiōnibus aut prāvē cultīs, longē antīquissimum ratus sacra pūblica, ut ab Numā īnstitūta erant, facere, omnia ea ex commentāriīs rēgis pontificem in album relāta prōpōnere in pūblicō iubet.

As soon as he began to reign, mindful of his grandfather's glory, and because the last reign, outstanding in other respects, had been none too fortunate in one area, since religion had been either neglected or wrongly practised, he thought it by far the most important thing to perform the public rites as Numa had established them, and orders the pontifex to copy all of them from the king's notebooks onto a whitened board and set it up in public.

Note. A long periodic sentence. ratus governs the infinitive facere, with antiquissimum as predicate: 'thinking it (by far) the most important thing to perform the public rites'. in album: on a whitened board, the way public notices were displayed at Rome. proponere iubet takes pontificem as its subject accusative.

Liv. 1.32.2Inde et cīvibus ōtiī cupidīs et fīnitimīs cīvitātibus facta spēs in avī mōrēs atque īnstitūta rēgem abitūrum.

From this both the citizens, eager for peace, and the neighbouring states conceived the hope that the king would turn to his grandfather's ways and institutions.

Note. facta spes: 'hope arose', with the indirect statement regem abiturum (esse) explaining it.

Liv. 1.32.3Igitur Latīnī, cum quibus Tullō regnante ictum foedus erat, sustulerant animōs et, cum incursiōnem in agrum Rōmānum fēcissent, repetentibus rēs Rōmānīs superbē respōnsum reddunt, dēsidem Rōmānum rēgem inter sacella et ārās āctūrum esse regnum ratī.

So the Latins, with whom a treaty had been struck in the reign of Tullus, had grown bold, and after they had made a raid into Roman territory they give a haughty answer to the Romans demanding restitution, thinking that the idle Roman king would spend his reign among shrines and altars.

Note. rati: perfect participle of reor, 'thinking'; desidem … acturum esse is the indirect statement. responsum reddunt: historic present in the middle of past tenses, typical of Livy.

Liv. 1.32.4Medium erat in Ancō ingenium, et Numae et Rōmulī memor;

Ancus had a balanced character, mindful of both Numa and Romulus;

Liv. 1.32.4et praeterquam quod avī regnō magis necessāriam fuisse pācem crēdēbat cum in novō tum ferōcī populō, etiam quod illī contigisset ōtium sine iniūriā, id sē haud facile habitūrum;

and besides believing that peace had been more necessary in his grandfather's reign, among a people both new and fierce, he also believed that he would not easily keep the quiet that had fallen to Numa without suffering injury;

Note. praeterquam quod … credebat … etiam quod …: 'besides thinking … he also thought …'. cum in novo tum feroci populo: 'among a people both new and fierce'.

Liv. 1.32.4temptārī patientiam et temptātam contemnī, temporaque esse Tullō rēgī aptiōra quam Numae.

his patience was being tested, and once tested would be despised; the times were better suited to a king like Tullus than to Numa.

Note. The infinitives continue Ancus' thoughts in indirect speech: temptari patientiam et temptatam contemni. Note the neat repetition temptari … temptatam.

Liv. 1.32.5Ut tamen, quoniam Numa in pāce religiōnēs īnstituisset, ā sē bellicae caerimōniae prōderentur nec gererentur sōlum, sed etiam indīcerentur bella aliquō rītū, iūs ab antīquā gente Aequiculīs, quod nunc fētiālēs habent, dēscrīpsit, quō rēs repetuntur.

Yet so that, since Numa had established religious practice in peace, ceremonies of war might be handed down by himself, and wars not only waged but also declared with some ritual, he took from an ancient people, the Aequiculi, the law by which restitution is demanded, which the fetials now keep.

Note. ius … quo res repetuntur: the procedure of the fetials, the college of priests responsible for demanding restitution and declaring war. Livy says it came from the Aequiculi; other sources credited Numa.

Liv. 1.32.6Lēgātus ubi ad fīnēs eōrum venit, unde rēs repetuntur, capite vēlātō fīlō— lānae vēlāmen est— "audī, Iuppiter," inquit;

When the envoy comes to the border of the people from whom restitution is demanded, his head covered with a woollen band — the covering is of wool — he says: "Hear, Jupiter;

Note. From here Livy quotes the archaic fetial formulae. capite velato: the envoy's head is covered with a woollen fillet; filo … lanae velamen est explains the old word filum. audi, Iuppiter: imperative followed by the vocative.

Liv. 1.32.6"audīte, fīnēs"— cuiuscumque gentis sunt, nōminat—;

hear, boundaries" — he names the people whose they are — ;

Note. The envoy names the people whose boundaries they are; Livy gives the formula with a blank.

Liv. 1.32.6"audiat fās: ego sum pūblicus nūntius populī Rōmānī;

"let divine law hear: I am the public messenger of the Roman people;

Note. audiat fas: jussive subjunctive, 'let divine law hear'. fas is what the gods permit, as opposed to ius, human law.

Liv. 1.32.6iūstē piēque lēgātus veniō verbīsque meīs fidēs sit."

I come as envoy justly and duly, and let my words be believed."

Note. verbis … meis fides sit: 'let there be belief in my words', another jussive subjunctive. pie: 'in due form, piously'.

Liv. 1.32.6Peragit deinde postulāta.

Then he sets out his demands.

Liv. 1.32.7Inde Iovem testem facit: "sī ego iniūstē inpiēque illōs hominēs illāsque rēs dēdier mihi exposcō, tum patriae compotem mē numquam sīrīs esse."

Then he makes Jupiter his witness: "If I unjustly and impiously demand that those men and those things be surrendered to me, then may you never let me enjoy my country."

Note. The self-curse: si … exposco, tum … numquam siris: 'if I demand … then may you never allow …'. dedier is the old present passive infinitive (= dedi); siris = siveris, an old perfect subjunctive of sino used in prayers. compos patriae: 'in possession of my country'.

Liv. 1.32.7Haec, cum fīnīs superscandit, haec, quīcumque eī prīmus vir obvius fuit, haec portam ingrediēns, haec forum ingressus paucīs verbīs carminis concipiendīque iūris iūrandī mūtātīs peragit.

These words he goes through when he crosses the boundary, again to whatever man first meets him, again as he enters the gate, again when he has entered the forum, changing only a few words of the formula and the oath.

Note. finis = fines (accusative plural in -is). The formula is repeated four times: at the border, to the first man met, at the city gate, in the forum. carminis concipiendique iuris iurandi: 'of the formula and of the wording of the oath'.

Liv. 1.32.9Sī nōn dēduntur, quōs exposcit, diēbus tribus et trīgintā— tot enim sollemnēs sunt— perāctīs bellum ita indīcit: "audī, Iuppiter, et tū, Iāne Quirīne, diīque omnēs caelestēs vōsque, terrestrēs, vōsque, īnfernī, audīte: ego vōs testor populum illum"— quīcumque est, nōminat— "iniūstum esse neque iūs persolvere.

If those he demands are not surrendered, after thirty-three days have passed — for that number is laid down by custom — he declares war in this way: "Hear, Jupiter, and you, Janus Quirinus, and all you gods of the sky, you of the earth and you of the underworld, hear: I call you to witness that this people" — he names whichever it is — "is unjust and does not make due restitution.

Note. diebus tribus et triginta … peractis: ablative absolute, 'after thirty-three days'. The gods are invoked by realm: the heavenly, the earthly and those below. Iane Quirine: Janus, whose temple doors stood open in time of war, here with the title Quirinus.

Liv. 1.32.10Sed dē istīs rēbus in patriā maiōrēs nātū cōnsulēmus, quō pactō iūs nostrum adipīscāmur."

But about these matters we will consult the elders in our country, as to how we may obtain our right."

Note. maiores natu: 'those greater by birth', the elders; natu is an ablative of respect found only in this form. quo pacto: interrogative, 'by what means'.

Liv. 1.32.10Tum is nūntius Rōmam ad cōnsulendum redit.

Then the messenger returns to Rome to consult.

Liv. 1.32.10Cōnfestim rēx hīs fermē verbīs patrēs cōnsulēbat: "quārum rērum, lītium, causārum condīxit pater patrātus populī Rōmānī Quirītium patrī patrātō Prīscōrum Latīnōrum hominibusque Prīscīs Latīnīs, quās rēs nec dedērunt nec solvērunt nec fēcērunt, quās rēs darī, solvī, fierī oportuit, dīc" inquit eī, quem prīmum sententiam rogābat, "quid cēnsēs?"

At once the king would consult the senators in roughly these words: "Concerning the things, disputes and causes about which the pater patratus of the Roman people of the Quirites gave notice to the pater patratus of the Ancient Latins and to the men of the Ancient Latins, which things they have neither handed over nor paid nor done, which things ought to have been handed over, paid and done, speak," he said to the man whose opinion he asked first, "what do you think?"

Note. The formula of consultation. quarum rerum … condixit: the antecedent (res) is drawn into the relative clause. pater patratus: the fetial who spoke for the Roman people. Prisci Latini: the 'Old Latins', the original Latin towns. dic is the imperative of dico; the digital text prints die.

Liv. 1.32.12Tum ille: "pūrō piōque duellō quaerendās cēnseō itaque cōnsentiō cōnscīscōque."

Then that man said: "I think they should be sought by a pure and righteous war, and so I agree and vote for it."

Note. duellum is the old form of bellum. puro pioque duello quaerendas: '(those things) should be sought by a war clean and righteous'. consentio consciscoque: legal formula, 'I agree and decree'.

Liv. 1.32.12Inde ōrdine aliī rogābantur;

Then the others were asked in order;

Liv. 1.32.12quandōque pars maior eōrum, quī aderant, in eandem sententiam ībat, bellum erat cōnsēnsum.

and whenever the greater part of those present came round to the same opinion, war had been agreed.

Note. quandoque: 'whenever'. bellum erat consensum: impersonal, 'war had been agreed'.

Liv. 1.32.12Fierī solitum, ut fētiālis hastam ferrātam aut sanguineam praeūstam ad fīnēs eōrum ferret et nōn minus tribus pūberibus praesentibus dīceret: "quod populī Prīscōrum Latīnōrum hominēsque Prīscī Latīnī adversus populum Rōmānum Quirītium fēcērunt, dēlīquērunt, quod populus Rōmānus Quirītium bellum cum Prīscīs Latīnīs iussit esse senātusque populī Rōmānī Quirītium cēnsuit, cōnsēnsit, cōnscīvit, ut bellum cum Prīscīs Latīnīs fieret, ob eam rem ego populusque Rōmānus populīs Prīscōrum Latīnōrum hominibusque Prīscīs Latīnīs bellum indīcō faciōque."

It was customary for the fetial to carry to their borders a spear tipped with iron or a blood-red one hardened in the fire, and in the presence of not fewer than three adult men to say: "Whereas the peoples of the Ancient Latins and the men of the Ancient Latins have acted and offended against the Roman people of the Quirites, and whereas the Roman people of the Quirites has ordered that there be war with the Ancient Latins, and the senate of the Roman people of the Quirites has decided, agreed and voted that war be made with the Ancient Latins, for that reason I and the Roman people declare and make war on the peoples of the Ancient Latins and the men of the Ancient Latins."

Note. The final declaration. hastam ferratam aut sanguineam praeustam: a spear with an iron tip or a cornel-wood spear hardened in the fire. In Livy's own day the ceremony survived symbolically: the fetial threw the spear into a plot near the temple of Bellona that stood for enemy territory.

Liv. 1.32.13Id ubi dīxisset, hastam in fīnēs eōrum ēmittēbat.

When he had said this, he would hurl the spear into their territory.

Liv. 1.32.14Hōc tum modo ab Latīnīs repetītae rēs ac bellum indictum, mōremque eum posterī accēpērunt.

In this way restitution was then demanded from the Latins and war declared, and later generations took over the custom.

Note. Hoc tum modo: 'in this way at that time'. posteri: 'later generations'.