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Notes Do not display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book XI Chapter 12: Latinus wants peace | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Less evil were our case, if long ago ye had provided for your country's weal, O Latins, as I [Note 1] urged. It is no time to hold dispute, while, compassing our walls, the foeman waits. Ill-omened war is ours against a race of gods, my countrymen, invincible, unwearied in the fray, and who, though lost and fallen, clutch the sword. If hope ye cherished of Aetolia's power, dismiss it! For what hope ye have is found in your own bosoms only. But ye know how slight it is and small. What ruin wide has fallen, is now palpable and clear. No blame I cast. What valor's uttermost may do was done; our kingdom in this war strained its last thews. Now therefore I will tell such project as my doubtful mind may frame, and briefly, if ye give good heed, unfold: an ancient tract have I, close-bordering the river Tiber; it runs westward far beyond Sicania's bound, and filth it bears to Rutule and Auruncan husbandmen, who furrow its hard hills or feed their flocks along the stonier slopes. Let this demesne, together with its pine-clad mountain tall, be given the Teucrian for our pledge of peace, confirmed by free and equitable league, and full alliance with our kingly power. Let them abide there, if it please them so, and build their city's wall. But if their hearts for other land or people yearn, and fate permits them hence to go, then let us build twice ten good galleys of Italian oak, or more, if they can man them. All the wood lies yonder on the shore . Let them but say how numerous and large the ships they crave, and we will give the brass, the artisans, and ship-supplies. Let us for envoys choose a hundred of the Latins noblest born to tell our message and arrange the peace, bearing mild olive-boughs and weighty gifts of ivory and gold, with chair of state and purple robe, our emblems as a king. But freely let this council speak; give aid to our exhausted cause. Note 1: I = Venulus |
302-335 'Ante equidem summa de re statuisse, Latini, et uellem et fuerat melius, non tempore tali cogere concilium, cum muros adsidet hostis. bellum importunum, ciues, cum gente deorum inuictisque uiris gerimus, quos nulla fatigant proelia nec uicti possunt absistere ferro. spem si quam ascitis Aetolum habuistis in armis, ponite. spes sibi quisque; sed haec quam angusta uidetis. cetera qua rerum iaceant perculsa ruina, ante oculos interque manus sunt omnia uestras. nec quemquam incuso: potuit quae plurima uirtus esse, fuit; toto certatum est corpore regni. nunc adeo quae sit dubiae sententia menti, expediam et paucis (animos adhibete) docebo. est antiquus ager Tusco mihi proximus amni, longus in occasum, finis super usque Sicanos; Aurunci Rutulique serunt, et uomere duros exercent collis atque horum asperrima pascunt. haec omnis regio et celsi plaga pinea montis cedat amicitiae Teucrorum, et foederis aequas dicamus leges sociosque in regna uocemus: considant, si tantus amor, et moenia condant. sin alios finis aliamque capessere gentem est animus possuntque solo decedere nostro, bis denas Italo texamus robore nauis; seu pluris complere ualent, iacet omnis ad undam materies: ipsi numerumque modumque carinis praecipiant, nos aera, manus, naualia demus. praeterea, qui dicta ferant et foedera firment centum oratores prima de gente Latinos ire placet pacisque manu praetendere ramos, munera portantis aurique eborisque talenta et sellam regni trabeamque insignia nostri. consulite in medium et rebus succurrite fessis.' |