Ab Urbe Condita 1.54

Liv. 1.54.1Inde in cōnsilia pūblica adhibērī.

After that he was admitted to their public councils.

Note. adhiberi: a historic infinitive (an infinitive used as a main verb in narrative), 'he was brought in'.

Liv. 1.54.1Ubi cum dē aliīs rēbus adsentīre sē veteribus Gabīnīs dīceret, quibus eae nōtiōrēs essent, ipse identidem bellī auctor esse et in eō sibi praecipuam prūdentiam adsūmere, quod utrīusque populī vīrēs nōsset scīretque invīsam profectō superbiam rēgiam cīvibus esse, quam ferre nē līberī quidem potuissent.

There, while he said that on other matters he agreed with the elders of Gabii, who knew them better, he himself kept urging war, and claimed for himself special wisdom in this, because he knew the strength of both peoples and knew that the king's arrogance was surely hateful to the citizens, since not even his own children had been able to bear it.

Note. esse and adsumere are historic infinitives, 'he kept being ... and claiming'. in eo ... quod: 'in this respect, that'. ne liberi quidem: 'not even his own children'.

Liv. 1.54.2Ita cum sēnsim ad rebellandum prīmōrēs Gabīnōrum incitāret, ipse cum promptissimīs iuvenum praedātum atque in expedītiōnēs īret et dictīs factīsque omnibus ad fallendum īnstrūctīs vāna adcrēsceret fidēs, dux ad ultimum bellī legitur.

So, while he gradually roused the leading men of Gabii to renew the war, went himself with the boldest of the young men on raids and expeditions, and, with all his words and deeds designed to deceive, his false credit grew, he is finally chosen commander in the war.

Note. ad rebellandum: gerund of purpose. praedatum: supine after a verb of motion (iret), 'to plunder'. vana ... fides: 'his false credit'. dux ... legitur: historic present.

Liv. 1.54.3Ibi cum īnsciā multitūdine, quid agerētur, proelia parva inter Rōmam Gabiōsque fierent, quibus plērumque Gabīna rēs superior esset, tum certātim summī īnfimīque Gabīnōrum Sex. Tarquinium dōnō deum sibi missum ducem crēdere.

There, while the people did not know what was going on and small battles took place between Rome and Gabii, in which the Gabine side mostly came off better, then high and low among the Gabini vied in believing that Sextus Tarquinius had been sent to them as their leader by the gift of the gods.

Note. inscia multitudine, quid ageretur: ablative absolute governing an indirect question. dono deum: 'by the gift of the gods' (deum = deorum). credere: historic infinitive.

Liv. 1.54.4Apud mīlitēs vērō obeundō perīcula ac labōrēs pariter, praedam mūnificē largiendō tantā cāritāte esse, ut nōn pater Tarquinius potentior Rōmae quam fīlius Gabiīs esset.

Among the soldiers, by sharing dangers and labours alike and distributing plunder generously, he was held in such affection that his father Tarquin was not more powerful at Rome than his son was at Gabii.

Note. obeundo ... largiendo: ablatives of the gerund, 'by sharing ... by distributing'. tanta caritate esse: ablative of description, 'was held in such affection'. Gabiis is locative.

Liv. 1.54.5Itaque postquam satis vīrium collēctum ad omnēs cōnātūs vidēbat, tum ex suīs ūnum scīscitātum Rōmam ad patrem mittit, quidnam sē facere vellet, quandōquidem, ut omnia ūnus pūblicē Gabiīs posset, eī diī dedissent.

So when he saw that enough strength had been gathered for any undertaking, he sends one of his men to his father at Rome to ask what he wished him to do, since the gods had granted that he alone could do everything in the state at Gabii.

Note. sciscitatum: supine of purpose with mittit, 'to ask'. quidnam se facere vellet: indirect question. Gabiis is locative.

Liv. 1.54.6Huic nūntiō, quia, crēdō, dubiae fideī vidēbātur, nihil vōce respōnsum est;

To this messenger, because, I suppose, he seemed of doubtful loyalty, no answer was given in words;

Note. credo: Livy interrupts in the first person, 'I suppose'. dubiae fidei: genitive of description.

Liv. 1.54.6rēx velut dēlīberābundus in hortum aedium trānsit sequentī nūntiō fīliī;

the king, as if deep in thought, passes into the garden of his house, with his son's messenger following;

Note. sequenti nuntio: ablative absolute, 'the messenger following'. deliberabundus: an adjective in -bundus, describing a state of mind, 'deep in thought'.

Liv. 1.54.6ibi inambulāns tacitus summa papāverum capita dīcitur baculō dēcussisse.

there, walking up and down in silence, he is said to have struck off the tallest heads of the poppies with a stick.

Note. summa papaverum capita: 'the tallest heads of the poppies'. The silent message meant that Sextus should cut down the leading men of Gabii. Herodotus tells the same story of the tyrant Thrasybulus of Miletus, who cut off the tallest ears of corn; Livy has probably borrowed it.

Liv. 1.54.7Interrogandō expectandōque respōnsum nūntius fessus, ut rē inperfectā, redit Gabiōs;

Tired of asking and waiting for an answer, the messenger goes back to Gabii as though his errand were unfinished;

Note. Interrogando expectandoque: ablatives of the gerund, 'from asking and waiting'. ut re inperfecta: 'as though his business were unfinished'.

Liv. 1.54.7quae dīxerit ipse quaeque vīderit, refert: seu īrā seu odiō seu superbiā īnsita ingeniō nūllam eum vōcem ēmīsisse.

he reports what he himself had said and what he had seen: whether from anger or hatred or the arrogance rooted in his nature, the king had not uttered a word.

Note. quae dixerit ... quaeque viderit: indirect questions after refert. insita ingenio: 'implanted in his character'.

Liv. 1.54.8Sextō ubi, quid vellet parēns quidve praeciperet tacitīs ambāgibus, patuit, prīmōrēs cīvitātis crīminandō aliōs apud populum, aliōs suā ipsōs invidiā opportūnōs interēmit.

When it became clear to Sextus what his father wanted and what he was commanding with his silent riddle, he did away with the leading men of the city, some by accusing them before the people, others who were exposed to attack through the hatred they had earned themselves.

Note. Sexto ... patuit: 'it became clear to Sextus'. criminando: 'by accusing'. sua ipsos invidia opportunos: 'exposed (to attack) through the hatred they themselves had earned'.

Liv. 1.54.9Multī palam, quīdam, in quibus minus speciōsa crīminātiō erat futūra, clam interfectī.

Many were killed openly, some, against whom an accusation would have been less plausible, secretly.

Note. in quibus minus speciosa criminatio erat futura: 'against whom an accusation would be less plausible'. erat futura is the active periphrastic in the past.

Liv. 1.54.9Patuit quibusdam volentibus fuga, aliī in exilium āctī sunt absentiumque bona iūxtā atque interēmptōrum dīvīsuī fuēre.

Some who wished to flee were allowed to escape, others were driven into exile, and the property of the absent was shared out just like that of the dead.

Note. volentibus: dative, 'to some who wished it'. divisui fuere: dative of purpose, 'were for distribution'.

Liv. 1.54.10Largītiōnēs inde praedaeque;

Then came handouts and plunder;

Liv. 1.54.10et dulcēdine prīvātī commodī sēnsus malōrum pūblicōrum adimī, dōnec orba cōnsiliō auxiliōque Gabīna rēs rēgī Rōmānō sine ūllā dīmicātiōne in manum trāditur.

and in the sweetness of private gain the sense of public ills was lost, until the state of Gabii, robbed of counsel and help, was handed over into the power of the Roman king without any struggle.

Note. dulcedine ... commodi: ablative of cause. orba consilio auxilioque: 'bereft of counsel and help'. in manum traditur: 'is handed over into the power (of)'. Gabii's treaty with Rome was later shown in a shield covered in ox hide in the temple of Semo Sancus, as Dionysius of Halicarnassus reports.