[2] καταλύσουσιν ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρχήν. Αἰκανοὶ μέν γε καὶ Οὐολοῦσκοι, Σαβῖνοί τε καὶ τὸ Ἑρνίκων ἔθνος, πρὸς τῷ μηδένα χρόνον ἐξαίρετον πεποιῆσθαι τοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς πολέμου, καὶ τοῖς ἔναγχος κακοῖς δυσανασχετοῦντες λῃστεύουσιν ἡμῶν τοὺς ἀγρούς. Καμπανίας δὲ καὶ Τυρρηνίας ὅσα ἐνδοιαστῶς ἡμῶν ἀφείμενα διατελεῖ, τὰ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ ἀφίσταται, τὰ δ᾽ ἀφανῶς παρασκευάζεται. δοκεῖ τ᾽ οὐδὲ τὸ Λατίνων συγγενὲς ἔτι βέβαιον ἡμῖν διαμένειν φίλιον εἰς πύστιν ἐλθόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτου πολὺ μέρος διαγγέλλεται νοσεῖν ἔρωτι κρατούμενον, ἧς ἅπαντες γλίχονται, μεταβολῆς:
[2] Thus, the Aequians and Volscians, the Sabines and Hernicans, who in any case have missed no opportunity to make war against us, being now exasperated also at their late defeats, are plundering our fields. As to the parts of Campania and Tyrrhenia which have continued to be doubtful in their allegiance to us, some of them are openly revolting and others are secretly preparing to do the same. Not even the kindred race of Latins, as it seems, longer remains steadfastly loyal to us, though it entered into relations of confidence with us, but a large part even of this people is reported to be disaffected, succumbing to the passion for change which all men crave.
[3] οἱ δὲ τέως ἐπιστρατοπεδεύοντες ἑτέροις, νῦν αὐτοὶ τειχήρεις [p. 338] μένοντες καθήμεθα, γῆν τ᾽ ἄσπορον ἀφεικότες καὶ αὐλὰς διαρπαζομένας ὁρῶντες λείαν τ᾽ ἀπελαυνομένην καὶ θεράποντας αὐτομολοῦντας καὶ οὐκ ἔχοντες, ὅ τι χρησόμεθα τοῖς κακοῖς. καὶ ταῦτα πάσχοντες ἔτι διαλλαγήσεσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐλπίζομεν τὸ δημοτικόν, καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν ὑπάρχον εἰδότες ἑνὶ καταλύσασθαι ψηφίσματι τὴν στάσιν;
[3] And we who used to besiege the cities of others now ourselves sit at home, pent within our walls, having left our lands unsown and seeing our farm-houses plundered, our cattle driven off as booty, and our slaves deserting, without knowing how to deal with these misfortunes. While we suffer all this, do we still hope that the plebeians will become reconciled to us, even though we know that it is in our own power to put an end to the sedition by a single decree?
[1] οὕτω δὲ κακῶς ἐχόντων ἡμῖν τῶν ὑπαιθρίων οὐδὲ τὰ ἐντὸς τείχους δεινὰ ἧττόν ἐστι φοβερά. οὔτε γὰρ ὡς πολιορκησόμενοι παρεσκευάσμεθα ἐκ πολλοῦ τὰ συμμαχικὰ οὔτε πλήθει αὐτοὶ ἀποχρῶντές ἐσμεν ὡς πρὸς τοσαῦτα πολεμίων ἔθνη, τοῦ δ᾽ ὀλίγου καὶ οὐκ ἀξιομάχου πληρώματος τὸ πλεῖόν ἐστι δημοτικόν, θῆτες καὶ πελάται καὶ χειρώνακτες, οὐ πάνυ βέβαιοι τεταραγμένης ἀριστοκρατίας φύλακες. αἵ τε νῦν αὐτομολίαι συνεχεῖς αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἀφεστηκότας γινόμεναι,
[51.1] “While our affairs in the open country are in this unhappy state, the situation within the walls is no less terrible. For we have neither provided ourselves with allies well in advance, as if we expected to be besieged, nor are we, unaided, sufficiently numerous to resist so many hostile nations; and even of this small and inadequate army the greater part consists of plebeians — labourers, clients, and artisans — not altogether trustworthy guardians for a tottering aristocracy. Moreover, the continual desertion of these now to the seceders has rendered all the rest liable to suspicion.
[2] τὸ σύμπαν ὕποπτον εἶναι παρεσκευάκασιν. ὑπὲρ ἅπαντα δὲ ταῦτα ἡ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων συγκομιδὴ κρατουμένης ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων τῆς γῆς ἀδύνατος οὖσα φοβεῖ τε ἤδη λιμόν, ἐπειδάν τ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἀπόρῳ γενώμεθα ἔτι μᾶλλον φοβήσει, χωρὶς δὲ τούτων ὁ μηδένα χρόνον ἡμᾶς εὐσταθεῖν ταῖς διανοίαις ἐῶν πόλεμος. ἅπαντα δ᾽ ὑπερβάλλει τὰ δεινὰ γύναια τῶν ἀποστατῶν καὶ παιδία νήπια καὶ γηραιοὶ γονεῖς, ἐν ἐσθῆσιν [p. 339] ἐλεειναῖς καὶ σχήμασι πενθίμοις περιφθειρόμενοι κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν καὶ τοὺς στενωποὺς κλαίοντες, ἱκετεύοντες, ἁπτόμενοι δεξιᾶς ἑκάστου καὶ γονάτων, ἀπολοφυρόμενοι τὴν κατέχουσαν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον καθέξουσαν ἐρημίαν, δεινὴ καὶ ἀνυπομόνητος ὄψις.
[2] But more than all these things, the impossibility of bringing in provisions while the country is in the power of the enemy already terrifies us, and when we are once in actual want, will terrify us still more; and, apart from this, the war allows not a moment’s peace of mind. Yet surpassing all these calamities are the wretched wives, the infant children, and aged parents of the seceders wandering to and fro in the Forum and through every street, in pitiful garb and postures of mourning, weeping, supplicating, clinging to the hands and knees of everyone and bewailing the forlorn condition that afflicts them now and will according to them even more — a dreadful and intolerable sight!
[3] οὐδεὶς γοῦν ἐστιν οὕτως ὠμὸς τὸν τρόπον, ὃς οὐκ ἀνατρέπεται τὴν ψυχὴν ὁρῶν ταῦτα καὶ πάσχει τι πρὸς τὰς ἀνθρώπων τύχας. ὥστ᾽ εἰ μέλλοιμεν ἀσπείστως πρὸς τὸ δημοτικὸν ἔχειν, ἀπαλλακτέον ἡμῖν καὶ ταῦτα τὰ σώματα ἐκποδών, τὰ μὲν ὡς ἄχρηστα εἰς πολιορκίαν ἐσόμενα, τὰ δ᾽ ὡς οὐ διαμενοῦντα βεβαίως φίλα. ἀπελαυνομένων δὲ καὶ τούτων τίς ἡ φυλάξουσα τὴν πόλιν ἔτι λειφθήσεται δύναμις; ἢ τίνι πιστεύσαντες ἐπικουρίᾳ τὰ δεινὰ τολμήσομεν ὑπομένειν; ἡ μέντοι οἰκεία ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ μόνη βέβαιος ἐλπίς, ἡ τῶν πατρικίων ἀκμή, βραχεῖά ἐστιν, ὥσπερ ὁρᾶτε, καὶ οὐκ ἄξιον ἐπὶ ταύτῃ μέγα φρονεῖν. τι οὖν οἱ τὸν πόλεμον ὑπομένειν εἰσηγούμενοι ληροῦσι καὶ φενακίζουσιν ἡμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ φανερῶς παραινοῦσιν ἀναιμωτὶ καὶ δίχα πόνου παραδιδόναι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἤδη τὴν πόλιν;
[3] No one, surely, is of so cruel a nature as not to have his heart touched at seeing these things, or to feel some sympathy for the misfortunes of his fellow-creatures. So that, if we are not going to trust the good faith of the plebeians, we shall have to get rid of these persons also, since some of them will be of no use while we are under siege and the others cannot be relied on to remain friendly. But when these too are driven away, what forces will be left to defend the city? And depending upon what assistance shall we dare to encounter these perils? Yet as for our natural refuge and our only trustworthy hope, the patrician youth, they are few, as you see, and it behooves us not to let our spirits rise because of them. Why, then, do those who propose that we submit to war indulge in nonsense and deceive us, instead of openly advising us to deliver up the city at once to our enemies without bloodshed and without trouble?<
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[1] ἀλλ᾽ ἴσως ἔγωγε τετύφωμαι ταῦτα λέγων καὶ τὰ μὴ δεινὰ ἀξιῶ δεδιέναι: τῇ πόλει δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἤδη που κινδυνεύεται ἢ μεταβολή, πρᾶγμα οὐ χαλεπόν, κατὰ πολλήν τ᾽ ἂν ἡμῖν εὐπέτειαν ἐκ παντὸς ἔθνους καὶ τόπου θῆτά τε καὶ πελάτην ὄχλον εἰσδέξασθαι [p. 340] γένοιτο. τουτὶ γάρ ἐστιν, ὃ πολλοὶ θρυλοῦσι τῶν ἐναντιουμένων τῷ δημοτικῷ, καὶ μὰ Δί᾽ οὐχ οἱ φαυλότατοι.
[52.1] “But perhaps I myself am infatuated when I speak thus, and am asking you to fear things that are not formidable. The commonwealth is very likely threatened with no other danger as yet than a change of inhabitants, a matter of no serious consequence; and it would be very easy for us to receive into the body politic a multitude of labourers and clients from every nation and place.
[2] εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἤδη τινὲς ἥκουσιν εὐηθείας, ὥστε μὴ γνώμας εἰσηγεῖσθαι σωτηρίους, ἀλλ᾽ εὐχὰς λέγειν ἀδυνάτους, οὓς ἡδέως ἂν ἐροίμην, ποία μὲν ἡμῖν χρόνου δοθήσεται περιουσία περὶ ταῦτα τὰ πράγματα γινομένοις οὕτως ἐγγὺς ὄντων τῇ πόλει τῶν ἐχθρῶν; ποία δὲ συγγνώμη τῷ χρονισμῷ καὶ τῇ μελλήσει τῶν ἐλευσομένων συμμάχων, ἐν οὐ χρονίζουσιν οὐδὲ μέλλουσι δεινοῖς; τίς δ᾽ ὁ παρέξων τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἀνὴρ ἢ θεὸς καὶ κατὰ πολλὴν ἡσυχίαν συνάξων ἐκ παντὸς τόπου καὶ παραπέμψων δεῦρο τὴν ἐπικουρίαν; ἔτι δὲ δή, οἱ τὰς ἑαυτῶν πατρίδας ἐκλείψοντες καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς μεταναστησόμενοι τίνες ἔσονται; πότερον οἱ οἰκήσεις τε καὶ ἐφέστια καὶ βίους καὶ τὸ τιμᾶσθαι παρὰ τοῖς πολίταις διὰ πατέρων ἐπιφάνειαν ἢ δόξαν οἰκείας ἀρετῆς ἔχοντες; καὶ τίς ἂν ὑπομείνειε τὰ οἰκεῖα παραλιπὼν ἀγαθὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων γλίσχρως μεταλαβεῖν κακῶν; οὐ γὰρ εἰρήνης καὶ τρυφῆς μεταληψόμενοι δεῦρο ἥξουσιν, ἀλλὰ κινδύνων καὶ πολέμου, ἐξ ὧν ἄδηλον,
[2] For this is the plan which many of the opponents of the plebeians keep prating of, and these by no means the most unimportant of them; to such a pitch of folly, indeed, have some already come, that instead of expressing salutary opinions they utter wishes impossible of realization. But I should like to ask these men: What superabundance of time will be afforded us to carry out these plans when the enemy is so near the city? What allowance will be made for the tarrying and delay of our auxiliaries who are to come, though we are in the midst of perils that do not tarry or delay? What man or what god will grant us security and will without molestation get together reinforcements from every quarter and conduct them hither? Besides, who are the people who will leave their own countries and remove to us? Are they such as have habitations, families, fortunes, and the respect of their fellow-citizens because of the distinction of their ancestors or a reputation for their own merit? And yet who would consent to leave behind his own blessings in order to share ignominiously the misfortunes of others? For they will come hither to share, not in peace and luxury, but in dangers and war, the successful issue of which cannot be foreseen.
[3] εἰ κατορθωθήσεται τὸ τέλος. ἢ τὸ δημοτικὸν καὶ ἀνέστιον ἐπαξόμεθα πλῆθος, οἷον καὶ τὸ ἐνθένδε ἀπελαθὲν ἦν, δηλονότι καὶ διὰ χρέα καὶ καταδίκας καὶ τὰς ὁμοιοτρόπους ταύταις συμφορὰς ἀγαπητῶς ὅποι [p. 341] ἂν τύχῃ μεθιδρυσόμενον; ὃ κἂν τἆλλα χρηστὸν ᾖ καὶ μέτριον, ἵνα καὶ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτῷ χαρισώμεθα, διὰ τοῦτο γέ τοι τὸ μήτε οἰκεῖον εἶναι μήτε ὁμοδίαιτον, μήτε ἐθισμῶν καὶ νόμων καὶ παιδείας ἔσεσθαι τῆς παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἔμπειρον, μακρῷ δή που καὶ τῷ παντὶ κάκιον ἂν εἴη τοῦ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν.
[3] Or shall we bring in a multitude of homeless plebeians, like those driven from hence, who because of debts, judgments, and other like misfortunes will gladly remove to any place that may offer? But these, even though otherwise of a good and modest disposition — to concede them this much — yet just because of their being neither native born nor of like habits with us, and because they will not be acquainted with our customs, laws, and training, would no doubt be far, nay infinitely, worse than our own plebeians.
[1] τῷ μέν τ᾽ ἐπιχωρίῳ καὶ τέκνων καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ γονέων καὶ πολλῶν ἄλλων σωμάτων οἰκείων ὅμηρά ἐστιν ἐνθάδε, καὶ αὐτοῦ νὴ Δία τοῦ θρέψαντος αὐτοὺς ἐδάφους ὁ πόθος, ἀναγκαῖος ὢν ἅπασι καὶ οὐκ ἐξαιρετός: ὁ δ᾽ ἐπίκλητός γε οὑτοσὶ καὶ ἐπίσκηνος ὄχλος, εἰ γένοιτο ἡμῖν σύνοικος, οὐδενὸς αὐτῷ τούτων ἐνθάδε ὄντος, ὑπὲρ τίνος ἂν ἀξιώσειε κινδυνεύειν ἀγαθοῦ, εἰ μή τις αὐτῷ γῆς τε ὑπόσχοιτο μέρη δώσειν καὶ πόλεως μοῖραν ὅσην δή τινα τοὺς νῦν κυρίους αὐτῶν ἀφελόμενος, ὧν οὐκ ἀξιοῦμεν τοῖς πολλάκις ἀγωνισαμένοις ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν πολίταις μεταδιδόναι; καὶ ἴσως ἂν οὐδὲ τούτοις ἀρκεσθείη δοθεῖσι μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τιμῶν καὶ ἀρχῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀγαθῶν ἐξ ἴσου τοῖς πατρικίοις ἀξιώσειε μεταλαμβάνειν.
[53.1] “The natives have here their wives, children, parents, and many others that are dear to them, to serve as pledges; yes, and there is their fondness for the soil that reared them, a passion that is implanted in all men and not to be eradicated; but as for this multitude which we propose to invite here, this people without roof or home, if they should take up their abode with us having none of these pledges here, in defence of what blessing would they care to face dangers, unless one were to promise to give them portions land and some part or other of the city, after first dispossessing the present owners — things we refuse to grant to our own citizens who have often fought in their defence? And possibly they might not be content with even these grants alone, but would also insist upon an equal share of honours, of magistracies, and of all the other advantages with the patricians.
[2] οὐκοῦν εἰ μὲν οὐκ ἐπιτρέψομεν ἕκαστα τῶν αἰτουμένων, ἐχθροῖς τοῖς μὴ τυγχάνουσι χρησόμεθα; εἰ δὲ συγχωρήσαιμεν, [p. 342] ἡ πατρὶς ἡμῖν οἰχήσεται καὶ ἡ πολιτεία πρὸς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν καταλυομένη. καὶ οὐ προστίθημι ἐνταῦθα, ὅτι πολεμεῖν ἐπιτηδείων σωμάτων ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ παρόντι δεῖ, οὐ γεωργῶν οὐδὲ θητῶν οὐδὲ ἐμπόρων οὐδὲ τῶν περὶ τὰς βαναύσους τέχνας ἀσχολουμένων, οὓς ἅμα δεήσει μανθάνειν τὰ πολεμικὰ καὶ πεῖραν αὐτῶν διδόναι: χαλεπὴ δὲ πεῖρα τῶν μὴ ἐν ἔθει: ἀνάγκη δὲ τοιούτους εἶναι τοὺς σύγκλυδας καὶ ἐκ παντὸς ἔθνους μετανισταμένους.
[3] στρατιωτικὴν γὰρ οὔτε ὁρῶ συμμαχίαν ἡμῖν οὐδεμίαν συνεστῶσαν οὔτ᾽, εἰ φανείη τις ἐκ τοῦ ἀδοκήτου, παραινέσαιμ᾽ ἂν ὑμῖν παραδέξασθαι αὐτὴν τοῖς τείχεσι προχείρως, πολλὰς ἄλλας ἐπιστάμενος πόλεις ταῖς εἰσαχθείσαις ἐπὶ φυλακῇ στρατιαῖς δεδουλωμένας.
[3] As for a military alliance, I neither see any formed to assist us, nor, if any allies unexpectedly appeared, should I advise you to admit them inconsiderately within your walls, since I know that many a city has been enslaved by troops introduced to garrison it.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 564
