[5] In the light, therefore, of these various impossibilities and absurdities, I state that the children were not the sons, but the grandsons, of Tarquinius, agreeing therein with Lucius Piso Frugi (for he in his Annals is the only historian who has given this account); unless, indeed, the children were the king’s grandsons by birth and his sons by adoption and this circumstance misled all the other Roman historians. Now that these explanations have been made by way of preface, it is time to resume my narrative where it was broken off.
[1] ἐπειδὴ δὲ παραλαβὼν τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν τῆς βασιλείας ὁ Τύλλιος καὶ τὴν ἑταιρίαν τῶν Μαρκίων ἐξελάσας βεβαίως ἤδη τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐνόμιζε κρατεῖν, τόν τε βασιλέα Ταρκύνιον, ὡς ἐκ τῶν τραυμάτων τετελευτηκότα ἔναγχος, ἐκκομιδῇ τε πολυτελεῖ καὶ μνήματος ἐπισήμου κατασκευῇ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις τιμαῖς ἐκόσμει, καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἐκείνου χρόνον ὡς ἐπίτροπος ὢν τῶν ἐκ τοῦ βασιλείου γένους παίδων τόν τ᾽ ἴδιον αὐτῶν βίον καὶ τὰ κοινὰ πράγματα τῆς πόλεως διὰ φυλακῆς τε καὶ φροντίδος ἐποιεῖτο.
[8.1] When Tullius, after receiving the guardianship of the kingdom and expelling the faction of the Marcii, thought he was now in secure possession of the sovereignty, he honoured King Tarquinius, as if he had but recently died of his wounds, with a very costly funeral, an imposing monument, and the other usual honours. And from that time, as guardian of the royal children, he took under his protection and care both their private fortunes and the public interests of the commonwealth.
[2] τοῖς δὲ πατρικίοις οὐκ ἦν τὰ γινόμενα καθ᾽ ἡδονάς, ἀλλ᾽ ἠγανάκτουν καὶ χαλεπῶς ἔφερον οὐκ ἀξιοῦντες αὐτὸν ἑαυτῷ τινα μηχανήσασθαι βασιλικὴν ἐξουσίαν, μήτε βουλῆς ψηφισαμένης μήτε τῶν ἄλλων τῶν κατὰ νόμον ἐπιτελεσθέντων. συνιόντες τε πολλάκις οἱ πλεῖστον ἐξ αὐτῶν δυνάμενοι διελέγοντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους περὶ τῆς καταλύσεως τῆς παρανόμου ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐδόκει αὐτοῖς, ἐπειδὰν πρῶτον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον ὑπὸ τοῦ Τυλλίου ἀναχθῶσιν, ἀναγκάσαι τὸν ἄνδρα τὰς ῥάβδους ἀποθέσθαι καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς σύμβολα: ὅταν δὲ τοῦτο γένηται, τοὺς καλουμένους μεσοβασιλεῖς ἀποδεῖξαι καὶ δι᾽ ἐκείνων ἑλέσθαι τὸν ἄρξοντα τῆς [p. 16]
[2] The patricians, however, were not pleased with these proceedings, but felt indignation and resentment, being unwilling that Tullius should build up a kind of royal power for himself without either a decree of the senate or the other formalities prescribed by law. And the most powerful of them met together frequently and discussed with one another means of putting an end to his illegal rule; and they resolved that in the first time Tullius should assemble them in the senate-house they would compel him to lay aside the rods and the other symbols of royalty, and that after this was done they would appoint the magistrates called interreges and through them choose a man to rule the state in accordance with the laws.
[3] πόλεως κατὰ νόμους. ταῦτα διανοουμένων αὐτῶν ἐπιγνοὺς ὁ Τύλλιος ἐπὶ τὸ δημαγωγεῖν καὶ θεραπεύειν τοὺς ἀπόρους τῶν πολιτῶν ἐτρέπετο, δι᾽ ἐκείνων ἐλπίσας τὴν ἀρχὴν καθέξειν, καὶ συγκαλέσας τὸ πλῆθος εἰς ἐκκλησίαν τά τε παιδία προήγαγεν ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα καὶ λόγον διεξῆλθε τοιόνδε.
[3] While they were making these plans, Tullius, becoming aware of their purpose, applied himself to flattering and courting the poorer citizens, and hopes of retaining the sovereignty through them; and having called an assembly of the people, he brought the children forward to the tribunal and delivered a speech somewhat as follows:
[1] πολλή με ἀνάγκη κατείληφεν, ἄνδρες πολῖται, κήδεσθαι τῶν παιδίων τούτων καὶ νηπίων. Ταρκύνιος γὰρ ὁ πάππος αὐτῶν ἀπάτορα καὶ ἄπολιν ὄντα με παραλαβὼν ἐξέθρεψεν οὐδὲν ἐνδεέστερον ἄγων τῶν αὑτοῦ τέκνων καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν τῶν θυγατέρων ἔδωκέ μοι γυναῖκα, καὶ παρὰ πάντα τὸν τοῦ βίου χρόνον ὥσπερ ἐξ αὑτοῦ γεγονότα τιμῶν καὶ φιλῶν, ὡς καὶ ὑμεῖς ἴστε, διετέλεσε, καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὰ περὶ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν αὐτῷ συνέπεσεν, εἴ τι πάθοι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων,
[9.1] “I find myself under great obligation, citizens, to take care of these infant children. For Tarquinius, their grandfather, received me when I was fatherless and without a country, and brought me up, holding me in no respect inferior to his own children. He also gave me one of his two daughters in marriage, and during the whole course of his life continued to honour and love me, as you also know, with the same affection as if I had been his own son. And after that treacherous attack was made upon him he entrusted me with the guardianship of these children in case he should suffer the fate of all mortals.
[2] ἐμοὶ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῶν παιδίων ἐπίστευσε. τίς οὖν ἢ πρὸς θεοὺς ὅσιον ἢ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους δίκαιον ὑπολήψεταί με, ἐὰν ἐγκαταλίπω καὶ προδῶ τοὺς ὀρφανούς, οἷς τοσαύτας ὀφείλω χάριτας; ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ προδώσω πίστιν οὐδὲ τὴν τῶν παιδίων ἐρημίαν ἐγκαταλείψω κατὰ δύναμιν τὴν ἐμήν. δίκαιοι δ᾽ ἐστὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς διαμεμνῆσθαι τὰς εὐεργεσίας, ἃς ὁ πάππος αὐτῶν τὸ κοινὸν εὐηργέτησεν ὑποτάξας μὲν ὑμῖν τὰς Λατίνων τοσαύτας πόλεις ἀντιποιουμένας τῆς ἀρχῆς, ὑπηκόους δὲ ποιήσας Τυρρηνοὺς ἅπαντας μέγιστον τῶν περιοίκων [p. 17] δυναμένους, ἀναγκάσας δὲ τὸ Σαβίνων ἔθνος ὑποχείριον ὑμῖν γενέσθαι, μετὰ πολλῶν ἅκαντα ταῦτα καὶ μεγάλων κινδύνων κατεργασάμενος.
[2] Who, therefore, will think me pious towards the gods or just towards men if I abandon and betray the orphans to with I owe so great a debt of gratitude? But, to the best of my ability, I shall neither betray the trust reposed in me nor yet abandon the children in their forlorn condition. You too ought in justice to remember the benefits their grandfather conferred upon the commonwealth in reducing to your obedience so many cities of the Latins, your rivals for the sovereignty, in making all the Tyrrhenians, the most powerful of your neighbours, your subjects, and in forcing the Sabine nation to submit to you — all of which he effected at the cost of many great dangers.
[3] ὅσον μὲν οὖν αὐτὸς ἔζη χρόνον, ἐκείνῳ κροσῆκεν ὑμᾶς τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν χάριτας εἰδέναι, ἐπειδὴ δὲ τετελεύτηκε τὸν βίον τοῖς ἐγγόνοις αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀμοιβὰς ἀποτίνειν, καὶ μὴ συγκατορύττειν ἅμα τοῖς σώμασι τῶν εὐεργετῶν καὶ τὴν μνήμην τῶν ἔργων. δόξατε οὖν κοινῇ πάντες ἐπίτροποι καταλελεῖφθαι τῶν παιδίων καὶ βεβαιο�
�τε αὐτοῖς ἣν ὁ πάππος κατέλιπεν ἀρχήν. οὐδὲν γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀπολαύσειαν ἂν ἐκ τῆς ἐμῆς ἑνὸς ὄντος προστασίας, ὅσον ἐκ τῆς κοινῆς ἁπάντων ὑμῶν βοηθείας.
[3] As long, therefore, as he himself was living, it became you to give him thanks for the benefits you had received from him; and now that he is dead, it becomes you to make a grateful return to his posterity, and not to bury the remembrance of their deeds together with the persons of your benefactors. Consider, therefore, that you have all jointly been left guardians of these little children, and confirm to them the sovereignty which their grandfather left them. For they would not receive so great an advantage from my guardianship, which is that of one man only, as from the joint assistance of you all.
[4] ταῦτα δ᾽ εἰπεῖν ἠνάγκασμαι συνισταμένους τινὰς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς αἰσθόμενος καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑτέροις παραδοῦναι βουλομένους. ἀξιῶ δ᾽ ὑμᾶς, ἄνδρες Ῥωμαῖοι, καὶ τῶν ἐμῶν μεμνημένους ἀγώνων, οὓς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἠγωνισάμην, οὔτε μικρῶν ὄντων οὔτ᾽ ὀλίγων, οὓς οὐδὲν δέομαι πρὸς εἰδότας ὑμᾶς λέγειν, τὰς ἀντὶ τούτων ὀφειλομένας ἐμοὶ χάριτας τοῖς παιδίοις ἀκοδοῦναι τούτοις. οὐ γὰρ ἰδίαν ἀρχὴν ἐμαυτῷ κατασκευαζόμενος, ἧς οὐδενὸς ἧττον ἄξιος ἦν βουληθεὶς τυγχάνειν, ἀλλὰ τῷ Ταρκυνίου γένει βοηθῶν τὰ κοινὰ πράττειν προῄρημαι.
[4] I have been compelled to say these things because I have perceived that some persons are conspiring against them and desire to hand the sovereignty over the others. I ask you, Romans, also to call to mind the struggles I have undergone in the interest of your supremacy — struggles neither inconsiderable nor few, which I need not relate to you who are familiar with them — and to repay to these little children the gratitude you owe me in return. For it has not been with a view to securing a sovereignty of my own — of which, if that had been my aim, I was as worthy as anyone — but in order to aid the family of Tarquinius, that I have chosen to direct public affairs.
[5] ἱκέτης δ᾽ ὑμῶν γίνομαι μὴ τοὺς ὀρφανοὺς ἐγκαταλιπεῖν [p. 18] νῦν μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρχῆς κινδυνεύοντας, εἰ δ᾽ ἡ πρώτη πεῖρα τοῖς ἐχθροῖς αὐτῶν χωρήσει κατὰ νοῦν, καὶ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐξελαθησομένους. ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων ὡς ἐγνωκόσιν ὑμῖν τὰ δέοντα καὶ ποιήσουσιν, ὅσα προσήκει, οὐδὲν δέομαι πλείω λέγειν: ἃ δὲ παρεσκεύασμαι ποιεῖν ὑμᾶς αὐτὸς ἀγαθὰ καὶ ὧν χάριν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν συνεκάλεσα, ἀκούσατέ μου.
[5] And I entreat you as a suppliant not to abandon these orphans, who are now, indeed, only in danger of losing the sovereignty, but, if this first attempt of their enemies succeeds, will also be expelled from the city. But on this subject I need say no more to you, since you both know what is required and will perform your duty.
[6] ὅσοι μὲν ὑμῶν ὀφείλοντες ἤδη χρέα διὰ πενίαν ἀδύνατοί εἰσιν ἀποδοῦναι, τούτοις βοηθεῖν προθυμούμενος, ἐπειδὴ πολῖταί τ᾽ εἰσι καὶ πολλοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἀνηντλήκασι πόνους, ἵνα μὴ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀφαιρεθῶσιν ἐλευθερίαν οἱ τὴν κοινὴν βεβαιώσαντες, ἐκ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ
[6] “Hear from me now the benefits I myself have arranged to confer upon you and the reasons that induced me to summon this assembly. Those among you who already have debts which through poverty they are unable to discharge, I am eager to help, since they are citizens and have undergone many hardships in the service of their country; hence, in order that these men who have securely established the common liberty may not be deprived of their own, I am giving them from my own means enough to pay their debts.
[7] χρημάτων δίδωμι διαλύσασθαι τὰ χρέα. ὅσοι δ᾽ ἂν μετὰ ταῦτα δανείσωνται, τούτους οὐκ ἐάσω πρὸς τὰ χρέα ἀπάγεσθαι καὶ νόμον θήσομαι μηδένα δανείζειν ἐπὶ σώμασιν ἐλευθέροις ἱκανὸν ἡγούμενος τοἱς δανεισταῖς τῆς οὐσίας τῶν συμβαλόντων κρατεῖν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ τὰς εἰς τὸ δημόσιον γινομένας εἰσφοράς, δι᾽ ἃς οἱ πένητες ἐπιβαροῦνταί τε καὶ ἀναγκάζονται δανείσματα ποιεῖν, κουφοτέρας εἰς τὸ λοιπὸν φέρητε, τιμήσασθαι τὰς οὐσίας ἅπαντας κελεύσω καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τιμήματος ἕκαστον εἰσφέρειν τὸ ἐπιβάλλον, ὡς ἐν ταῖς μεγίσταις καὶ εὐνομωτάταις πόλεσι πυνθάνομαι γινόμενον, δίκαιόν [p. 19] τε καὶ συμφέρον τῷ κοινῷ τοῦθ᾽ ἡγούμενος τοὺς μὲν πολλὰ κεκτημένους πολλὰ εἰσφέρειν, τοὺς δ᾽ ὀλίγα ἔχοντας ὀλίγα.
[7] And those who shall hereafter borrow I will not permit to be haled to prison on account of their debts, but will make a law that no one shall lend money on the security of the persons of free men; for I hold that it is enough for the lenders to possess the property of those who contracted the debts. And in order to lighten for the future the burden also of the war taxes you pay to the public treasury, by which the poor are oppressed and obliged to borrow, I will order all the citizens to give in a valuation of their property and everyone to pay his share of the taxes according to that valuation, as I learn is done in the greatest and best governed cities; for I regard it as both just and advantageous to the public that those who possess much should pay much in taxes and those who have little should pay little.
[8] δοκεῖ δέ μοι καὶ τῆς δημοσίας γῆς, ἣν διὰ τῶν ὅπλων κτησάμενοι κατέχετε, μὴ τοὺς ἀναιδεστάτους ὥσπερ νῦν κρατεῖν οὔτε χάριτι λαβόντας οὔτ᾽ ὠνῇ κτησαμένους, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μηδένα κλῆρον ἔχοντας ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ θητεύητε ὄντες ἐλεύθεροι μηδὲ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας κτήσεις, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἰδίας γεωργῆτε: οὐ γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο φρόνημα εὐγενὲς ἐν ἀνδράσιν ἀπορουμένοις τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἀναγκαίων.
[8] I also believe that the public lands, which you have obtained by your arms and now enjoy, should not, as at present, be held by those who are the most shameless, whether they got them by favour or acquired them by purchase, but by those among you who have no allotment of land, to the end that you, being free men, may not be serfs to others or cultivate others’ lands instead of your own; for a noble spirit cannot dwell in the breasts of men who are in want of the necessaries of daily life.
[9] ὑπὲρ ἅπαντα δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἔγνων καὶ ἴσην καὶ κοινὴν ποιεῖν τὴν πολιτείαν καὶ τὰ δίκαια πᾶσι πρὸς ἅπαντας ὅμοια. εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἥκουσί τινες αὐθαδείας, ὥσθ᾽ ὑβρίζειν εἰς τὸ δημοτικὸν ἀξιοῦσι καὶ μηδ᾽ ἐλευθέρους ἡγεῖσθαι τοὺς πένητας ὑμῶν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ λαμβάνωσι τὰ δίκαια καὶ ὑπέχωσιν οἱ μείζους τοῖς ἐλάττοσιν ἐξ ἴσου, νόμους θήσομαι �
�ωλυτὰς μὲν τῆς βίας, φύλακας δὲ τῆς δικαιοσύνης καὶ αὐτὸς οὐδένα χρόνον ἀνήσω τῆς ἁπάντων προνοούμενος ἰσηγορίας.
[9] But, above all these things, I have determined to make the government fair and impartial and justice the same for all and towards all. For some have reached that degree of presumption that they take upon themselves to maltreat the common people and do not look upon the poor among you as being even free men. To the end, therefore, that the more powerful may both receive justice from and do justice to their inferior impartially, I will establish such laws as shall prevent violence and preserve justice, and I myself will never cease to take thought for the equality of all the citizens.”
[1] τοιαῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ πολὺς ἔπαινος ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐγένετο τῶν μέν, ὅτι πιστὸς ἦν καὶ δίκαιος περὶ τοὺς εὐεργέτας, ἐπαινούντων, τῶν δ᾽, ὅτι φιλάνθρωπος καὶ μεγαλόψυχος εἰς τοὺς ἀπόρους, τῶν δ᾽, ὡς μέτριος καὶ δημοτικὸς πρὸς τοὺς ταπεινοτέρους, ἁπάντων δ᾽, ὅτι νόμιμος καὶ δίκαιος ἄρχων, ἀγαπώντων [p. 20]
[10.1] While he was thus speaking there was much praise from the assembly, some commending him for his loyalty and justice to his benefactors, others for his humanity and generosity to the poor, and still others for his moderation and democratic spirit towards those of humbler station; but all loved and admired him for being a lawful and just ruler.
[2] τε καὶ τεθαυμακότων. διαλυθείσης δὲ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ταῖς ἑξῆς ἡμέραις ἀπογράφεσθαι κελεύσας τοὺς ὑποχρέους, ὅσοι τὴν πίστιν ἀδύνατοι ἦσαν φυλάττειν, τίσιν ὀφείλουσι καὶ πόσον ἕκαστος, ἐπειδὴ τὰς ἀπογραφὰς ἔλαβε, τραπέζας θεὶς ἐν ἀγορᾷ πάντων ὁρώντων ἀπηρίθμει τοῖς δανεισταῖς τὰ χρέα.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 500
