Ab Urbe Condita 1.6

Liv. 1.6.1Numitor inter prīmum tumultum hostīs invāsisse urbem atque adortōs rēgiam dictitāns, cum pūbem Albānam in arcem praesidiō armīsque obtinendam āvocāsset, postquam iuvenēs perpetrātā caede pergere ad sē grātulantēs vīdit, extemplō advocātō conciliō scelera in sē frātris, orīginem nepōtum, ut genitī, ut ēducātī, ut cognitī essent, caedem deinceps tyrannī sēque eius auctōrem ostendit.

Numitor, at the first outbreak of trouble, kept saying that enemies had invaded the city and attacked the palace, and drew off the young men of Alba to the citadel to hold it with a garrison and arms; then, when he saw the young men coming towards him to congratulate him after the killing, he at once called a meeting and showed his brother's crimes against him, the origin of his grandsons, how they had been born, raised and recognised, then the killing of the tyrant and that he himself was responsible for it.

Note. Chapter 6. A long and carefully built period. dictitāns: frequentative of dīcō, 'repeatedly saying'. cum … āvocāsset: Numitor draws the Alban troops away so that the twins can act. scelera … ut genitī, ut ēducātī, ut cognitī essent: indirect questions in a list.

Liv. 1.6.2Iuvenēs per mediam cōntiōnem agmine ingressī cum avum rēgem salūtāssent, secūta ex omnī multitūdine cōnsentiēns vōx ratum nōmen imperiumque rēgī efficit.

When the young men, entering in a body through the middle of the assembly, had saluted their grandfather as king, a unanimous shout from the whole crowd that followed confirmed the king's title and power.

Note. cum … salūtāssent: 'when they had hailed'. ratum … efficit: 'makes valid'.

Liv. 1.6.3Ita Numitōrī Albānā rē permissā Rōmulum Remumque cupīdō cēpit in iīs locīs, ubi expositī ubique ēducātī erant, urbis condendae.

So, the Alban state having been entrusted to Numitor, Romulus and Remus were seized with the desire to found a city in the place where they had been exposed and brought up.

Note. Numitōrī Albānā rē permissā: ablative absolute. cupīdō cēpit … urbis condendae: 'a desire seized them to found a city' (gerundive).

Liv. 1.6.3Et supererat multitūdō Albānōrum Latīnōrumque;

And there was a surplus of Albans and Latins;

Note. supererat multitūdō: 'there was an excess population'.

Liv. 1.6.3ad id pāstōrēs quoque accesserant, quī omnēs facile spem facerent parvam Albam, parvum Lāvīnium prae eā urbe, quae conderētur, fore.

shepherds too had joined them, and all of them could easily give hope that Alba would be small and Lavinium small compared with the city that was being founded.

Note. quī omnēs facile spem facerent: relative clause of characteristic. parvam Albam … fore: 'that Alba would be small' compared with the new city.

Liv. 1.6.4Intervenit deinde hīs cōgitātiōnibus avītum malum, regnī cupīdō, atque inde foedum certāmen, coortum ā satis mītī prīncipiō.

Then into these plans came the ancestral evil, the desire for kingship, and from it a shameful contest, which began from a mild enough beginning.

Note. avītum malum, regnī cupīdō: the 'ancestral evil' — the same desire for power that drove Amulius against Numitor.

Liv. 1.6.4Quoniam geminī essent nec aetātis verēcundia discrīmen facere posset, ut diī, quōrum tūtēlae ea loca essent, auguriīs legerent, quī nōmen novae urbī daret, quī conditam imperiō regeret, Palātium Rōmulus, Remus Aventīnum ad inaugurandum templa capiunt.

Since they were twins and respect for age could not make the distinction, so that the gods, under whose protection those places were, might choose by augury who should give the new city its name and who should rule it once founded, Romulus took the Palatine and Remus the Aventine as their places for taking the auspices.

Note. Quoniam geminī essent: the subjunctive gives the twins' reasoning. quōrum tūtēlae ea loca essent: predicative dative, 'under whose protection'. ad inaugurandum: 'for taking the auspices', watching the flight of birds. templa: here areas marked out in the sky for augury.