Ab Urbe Condita 1.33

Liv. 1.33.1Ancus dēmandātā cūrā sacrōrum flāminibus sacerdōtibusque aliīs, exercitū novō cōnscrīptō profectus Polītōrium, urbem Latīnōrum, vī cēpit secūtusque mōrem rēgum priōrum, quī rem Rōmānam auxerant hostibus in cīvitātem accipiendīs, multitūdinem omnem Rōmam trādūxit, et cum circā Palātium, sēdem veterum Rōmānōrum, Sabīnī Capitōlium atque arcem, Caelium montem Albānī inplēssent, Aventīnum novae multitūdinī datum.

Ancus, after handing over the care of the rites to the flamens and the other priests, raised a new army, set out and took Politorium, a city of the Latins, by storm; and following the custom of the earlier kings, who had enlarged the Roman state by receiving enemies into citizenship, he brought the whole population over to Rome, and since the Palatine, seat of the original Romans, was occupied, the Capitol and citadel by the Sabines, and the Caelian hill by the Albans, the Aventine was given to the new multitude.

Note. hostibus in civitatem accipiendis: gerundive in the ablative, 'by receiving enemies into citizenship'. Rome's openness to newcomers is a recurring theme in Book I. The hills listed are the Palatine, Capitol, Caelian and Aventine.

Liv. 1.33.2Additī eōdem haud ita multō post, Tellēnīs Fīcānāque captīs, novī cīvēs.

Not much later new citizens were added in the same place after Tellenae and Ficana were captured.

Note. eodem: adverb, 'to the same place'. Tellenis Ficanaque captis: ablative absolute.

Liv. 1.33.3Polītōrium inde rūrsus bellō repetītum, quod vacuum occupāverant Prīscī Latīnī;

Politorium was then attacked a second time, because the Ancient Latins had occupied it when it stood empty;

Liv. 1.33.3eaque causa dīruendae urbis eius fuit Rōmānīs, nē hostium semper receptāculum esset.

and this gave the Romans their reason for destroying the city, so that it would not always be a refuge for the enemy.

Note. causa diruendae urbis: gerundive, 'reason for destroying the city'. ne … esset: negative purpose clause.

Liv. 1.33.4Postrēmō omnī bellō Latīnō Medulliam conpulsō aliquamdiū ibi Mārte incertō variā victōriā pugnātum est;

Finally, when the whole Latin war had been driven back on Medullia, the fighting went on there for some time with the outcome uncertain and victory changing sides;

Note. omni bello … Medulliam conpulso: ablative absolute, 'the whole war having been driven onto Medullia'. Marte incerto: 'with the battle undecided', Mars standing for war.

Liv. 1.33.4nam et urbs tūta mūnītiōnibus praesidiōque firmāta validō erat, et castrīs in apertō positīs aliquotiēns exercitus Latīnus comminus cum Rōmānīs signa contulerat.

for the city was safe behind its fortifications and strengthened by a strong garrison, and the Latin army, encamped in the open, had several times come to close quarters with the Romans.

Liv. 1.33.5Ad ultimum omnibus cōpiīs cōnīsus Ancus aciē prīmum vincit;

In the end Ancus, making an effort with all his forces, first wins a pitched battle;

Note. Ad ultimum: 'finally'. conisus: from conitor, 'making a supreme effort'.

Liv. 1.33.5inde ingentī praedā potēns Rōmam redit, tum quoque multīs mīlibus Latīnōrum in cīvitātem acceptīs, quibus, ut iungerētur Palātiō Aventīnum, ad Murciae datae sēdēs.

then, master of great booty, he returns to Rome, and this time too many thousands of Latins were received into citizenship, and to join the Aventine to the Palatine they were given homes near the shrine of Murcia.

Note. ad Murciae: supply aedem, 'at Murcia's shrine', in the valley between the Palatine and Aventine where the Circus Maximus later lay.

Liv. 1.33.6Iāniculum quoque adiectum, nōn inopiā locī, sed nē quandō ea arx hostium esset.

The Janiculum too was added, not for lack of room, but so that it should never be a stronghold for an enemy.

Note. ne quando: 'so that never (at any time)'; after ne, aliquando shortens to quando.

Liv. 1.33.6Id nōn mūrō sōlum, sed etiam ob commoditātem itineris ponte subliciō, tum prīmum in Tiberī factō, coniungī urbī placuit.

It was decided to join it to the city not only by a wall but also, for ease of passage, by the Pile Bridge, then built for the first time across the Tiber.

Note. pons Sublicius: the bridge 'on piles', built entirely of wood without iron, and kept so for religious reasons; Horatius later defended it (Book II).

Liv. 1.33.6Quirītium quoque fossa, haud parvum mūnīmentum ā plāniōribus aditū locīs, Ancī rēgis opus est.

The Ditch of the Quirites too, no small defence on the side where the ground is easier to approach, is the work of King Ancus.

Note. Quiritium fossa: the 'Ditch of the Quirites', a defensive trench on the flatter, more exposed side of the city.

Liv. 1.33.8Ingentī incrēmentō rēbus auctīs cum in tantā multitūdine hominum discrīmine rēctē an perperam factī cōnfūsō facinora clandestīna fierent, carcer ad terrōrem incrēscentis audāciae mediā urbe inminēns forō aedificātur.

With the state enlarged by so great an increase, since among such a crowd of people secret crimes were being committed and the distinction between right and wrong was blurred, a prison was built in the middle of the city overlooking the forum, to frighten growing lawlessness.

Note. discrimine … confuso: ablative absolute, 'the distinction between right and wrong having been blurred'. The carcer is the prison below the Capitol, later called the Tullianum.

Liv. 1.33.9Nec urbs tantum hōc rēge crēvit, sed etiam ager fīnēsque: silva Maesia Vēientibus adēmpta usque ad mare imperium prōlātum et in ōre Tiberis Ōstia urbs condita, salīnae circā factae ēgregiēque rēbus bellō gestīs aedis Iovis Feretriī amplificāta.

Under this king not only the city grew but also its land and borders: the Maesian forest was taken from the Veientes, Roman rule was carried as far as the sea, the city of Ostia was founded at the mouth of the Tiber, salt-works were made around it, and because of brilliant success in war the temple of Jupiter Feretrius was enlarged.

Note. The list of Ancus' achievements is compressed with many participles and ellipsis of est/sunt. Ostia's salt-works mattered: salt was a key trade good on the Via Salaria. The temple of Jupiter Feretrius on the Capitol housed the spolia opima.