Texte grec :
| [3,23] Ὁ δὲ Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς ἐνιαύσιον διαλιπὼν
χρόνον, ἐν ᾧ πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον ἐπιτήδεια
παρεσκευάσατο, στρατὸν ἐξάγειν ἐπὶ τὴν Φιδηναίων
πόλιν ἔγνω προφάσεις τοῦ πολέμου ποιησάμενος,
ὅτι κληθέντες εἰς ἀπολογίαν περὶ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς,
ἣν συνεστήσαντο κατὰ Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Ἀλβανῶν,
οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν, ἀλλ´ εὐθὺς ἀναλαβόντες τὰ ὅπλα
καὶ τὰς πύλας κλείσαντες Οὐιεντανῶν τε συμμαχίαν
ἐπαγόμενοι ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ ἀφειστήκεσαν καὶ τοῖς
παραγενομένοις ἐκ Ῥώμης πρεσβευταῖς πυνθανομένοις
τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς ἀποστάσεως ἀπεκρίναντο μηδὲν
αὐτοῖς ἔτι πρᾶγμα πρὸς τὴν Ῥωμαίων πόλιν εἶναι
κοινόν, ἐξ οὗ Ῥωμύλος ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῶν ἐτελεύτησε,
πρὸς ὃν ἐποιήσαντο τὰ περὶ τῆς φιλίας ὅρκια. ταύτας
δὴ τὰς προφάσεις λαβὼν τήν τε οἰκείαν καθώπλιζε
δύναμιν καὶ τὰς παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων μετεπέμπετο.
πλεῖστον δὲ καὶ κράτιστον ἐπικουρικὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἀλβανῶν
πόλεως Μέττιος Φουφέττιος ἧκεν ἄγων ὅπλοις
κεκοσμημένον ἐκπρεπέσιν, ὥστε πάσας ὑπερβαλέσθαι
τὰς συμμαχικὰς δυνάμεις. ὁ μὲν οὖν Τύλλος
ὡς ἐκ προθυμίας τε καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς τοῦ βελτίστου
κοινωνεῖν ἐγνωκότα τοῦ πολέμου τὸν Μέττιον ἐπῄνει
καὶ πάντων ἐποιεῖτο τῶν βουλευμάτων συνίστορα· ὁ
δὲ ἀνὴρ οὗτος ἐν αἰτίαις παρὰ τοῖς πολίταις ὑπάρχων
ὡς κακῶς ἐστρατηγηκὼς τὸν πόλεμον, καὶ δὴ καὶ εἰς
προδοσίαν διαβαλλόμενος, ἐπειδὴ τρίτον ἔτος ἐπὶ τῆς
αὐτοκράτορος ἀρχῆς διέμενε Τύλλου κελεύσαντος, οὐκ
ἀξιῶν τε ἀρχὴν ἔχειν ἑτέρας ἀρχῆς ὑπήκοον οὐδὲ ὑποτάττεσθαι
μᾶλλον ἢ οὐκ αὐτὸς ἡγεῖσθαι πρᾶγμά τι
ἐπεβούλευσεν ἀνόσιον. διαπρεσβευσάμενος γὰρ κρύφα
πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίων πολεμίους ἐνδοιαστῶς ἔτι πρὸς
τὴν ἀπόστασιν ἔχοντας ἐπῆρεν αὐτοὺς μὴ κατοκνεῖν,
ὡς αὐτὸς συνεπιθησόμενος Ῥωμαίοις ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι,
καὶ ταῦτα πράττων τε καὶ διανοούμενος ἅπαντας ἐλάνθανε.
Τύλλος δ´ ἐπειδὴ παρεσκευάσατο τήν τ´ οἰκείαν
καὶ τὴν συμμαχικὴν δύναμιν ἐξῆγεν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους
καὶ διαβὰς τὸν Ἀνίητα ποταμὸν οὐ μακρὰν τῆς
Φιδήνης κατεστρατοπέδευσεν. εὑρὼν δὲ πρὸ τῆς πόλεως
στρατιὰν ἐκτεταγμένην πολλὴν αὐτῶν τε Φιδηναίων
καὶ τῶν συμμαχούντων αὐτοῖς ἐκείνην μὲν τὴν
ἡμέραν ἡσυχίαν ἔσχε, τῇ δ´ ἑξῆς Φουφέττιόν τε μεταπεμψάμενος
τὸν Ἀλβανὸν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων φίλων τοὺς
ἀναγκαιοτάτους ἐσκόπει μετ´ ἐκείνων τίνα χρηστέον
εἴη τῷ πολέμῳ τρόπον, καὶ ἐπειδὴ πᾶσιν ἔδοξε μάχην
τίθεσθαι διαταχέων καὶ μὴ τρίβειν τὸν χρόνον, χώραν
καὶ τάξιν, ἣν ἕκαστος ἔμελλεν ἕξειν, προειπὼν ἡμέραν
τε ὁρίσας τῆς μάχης τὴν κατόπιν διέλυσε τὸν
σύλλογον. ὁ δὲ Ἀλβανὸς Φουφέττιος (ἦν γὰρ δὴ ἔτι
ἄδηλος καὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ φίλων πολλοῖς προδοσίαν μηχανώμενος)
συγκαλέσας τοὺς ἐπιφανεστάτους Ἀλβανῶν
λοχαγοὺς καὶ ταξιάρχους λέγει πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοιάδε·
Ἄνδρες ταξίαρχοι καὶ λοχαγοί, πράγματα μέλλω ἐς ὑμᾶς
μεγάλα καὶ ἀπροσδόκητα ἐκφέρειν, ἃ τέως ἔκρυπτον,
ἱκετεύω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀπόρρητα ποιήσασθαι, εἰ μή με διεργάσεσθε,
καὶ ἐὰν δόξῃ συνοίσειν ἐπιτελῆ γενόμενα
συλλαβέσθαι μοι αὐτῶν. πολλὰ μὲν οὖν λέγειν ὁ καιρὸς
οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει βραχὺς ὤν, αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ ἀναγκαιότατα
ἐρῶ. ἐγὼ πάντα τὸν μεταξὺ χρόνον ἐξ οὗ Ῥωμαίοις
ὑπετάχθημεν ἕως τῆςδε τῆς ἡμέρας αἰσχύνης
μεστὸν καὶ ὀδύνης ἔχων τὸν βίον διατετέλεκα καίτοι
τιμηθείς γε ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτῶν τῇ αὐτοκράτορι
ἀρχῇ, ἣν τρίτον ἔτος ἤδη τοῦτο ἔχω καὶ εἰ βουλοίμην
μέχρι παντὸς ἕξω. ἀλλὰ πάντων ἡγούμενος εἶναι κακῶν
ἔσχατον ἐν οὐκ εὐτυχοῦσι τοῖς κοινοῖς μόνος εὐτυχεῖν,
ἐνθυμούμενος δὲ ὅτι παρὰ πάντα τὰ νενομισμένα
παρ´ ἀνθρώποις ὅσια τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ὑπ´ αὐτῶν
ἀφῃρέθημεν, ἐσκόπουν ὅπως ἂν αὐτὴν ἀνακομισαίμεθα
μηδεμιᾶς πειραθέντες μεγάλης συμφορᾶς· πολλοὺς
δὲ καὶ παντοδαποὺς λογισμοὺς λαμβάνων μίαν
εὕρισκον ὁδὸν ἄγουσαν ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα ῥᾴστην τε
καὶ ἀκινδυνοτάτην, εἴ τις αὐτοῖς ἀνασταίη πόλεμος
ἐκ τῶν πλησιοχώρων πόλεων. εἰς γὰρ τοῦτον ὑπελάμβανον
αὐτοὺς καθισταμένους συμμάχων δεήσεσθαι
καὶ πρώτων γε ἡμῶν. τὸ δὴ μετὰ τοῦτο οὐ
πολλῆς ὑπελάμβανον ὑμῖν διδαχῆς δεήσειν, ὅτι κάλλιόν
τε καὶ δικαιότερον περὶ τῆς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐλευθερίας
μᾶλλον ἢ περὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας ποιήσασθαι
τὸν ἀγῶνα. ταῦτα διανοηθεὶς ὑπενόμευσα
Ῥωμαίοις πόλεμον ἐκ τῶν ὑπηκόων Οὐιεντανοὺς καὶ
Φιδηναίους πείσας ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα χωρεῖν, ὡς συλληψόμενος
αὐτοῖς τοῦ πολέμου. καὶ μέχρι τούτου λέληθα
Ῥωμαίους ταῦτα πράττων καὶ ταμιευόμενος ἐμαυτῷ
τὸν τῆς ἐπιθέσεως καιρόν· ἐν ᾧ σκέψασθε ὅσα ὠφεληθησόμεθα.
πρῶτον μὲν οὐκ ἐν φανερῷ βουλεύσαντες
ἀπόστασιν, ἐν ᾧ κίνδυνος ἦν καθ´ ἑκάτερον ἢ
ἀπαρασκεύους ἐπειχθέντας καὶ τῇ οἰκείᾳ δυνάμει
μόνῃ πιστεύσαντας τὸν ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ἀναρρῖψαι κύβον,
ἢ παρασκευαζομένους καὶ βοηθείας ἐγείραντας
ὑπὸ τῶν ἐν παρασκευῇ ὄντων προκαταληφθῆναι, οὐδετέρου
τῶν χαλεπῶν τούτων πειραθέντες τὸ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων
χρήσιμον ἕξομεν. ἔπειτα πολλὴν καὶ δυσπολέμητον
οὖσαν τὴν τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἰσχὺν καὶ τύχην
οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ βιαίου τρόπου πειρασόμεθα καθαιρεῖν,
ἀλλ´ οἷς ἁλίσκεται πάντα τὰ ὑπέραυχα καὶ μὴ ῥᾴδια
τῷ βιαίῳ καθαιρεθῆναι, δόλῳ καὶ ἀπάτῃ, οὔτε πρῶτοι
ἄρξαντες αὐτῶν οὔτε μόνοι. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὐκ
ἀξιομάχῳ οὔσῃ τῇ οἰκείᾳ δυνάμει πρὸς ἅπασαν τὴν
Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ τῶν συμμάχων ἰσχὺν ἀντιταχθῆναι
τὴν Φιδηναίων τε καὶ Οὐιεντανῶν τοσαύτην οὖσαν
ὅσην ὁρᾶτε προσειλήφαμέν τε, καὶ ὡς ἂν μάλιστα θάρσος
τινὶ συμμαχίας βεβαίου τὸ ἐπικουρικὸν παράσχοι
προσγενόμενον οὕτω παρεσκεύασταί μοι. οὐ γὰρ ἐν
τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ γῇ Φιδηναῖοι τὸν ἀγῶνα ἀράμενοι, τῆς
δὲ αὑτῶν προκινδυνεύοντες ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν
ἡμετέραν φυλάξουσιν. ὃ δὲ πάντων μέν ἐστιν ἥδιστον
ἀνθρώποις, σπανίως δέ τισιν ἐκ τοῦ παρελθόντος
αἰῶνος ἐξεγένετο, καὶ τοῦθ´ ἡμῖν ὑπάρξει· εὖ πάσχοντες
ὑπὸ τῶν συμμάχων εὖ δρᾶν ἐκείνους αὐτοὶ δόξομεν.
καὶ ἐὰν ἡμῖν κατὰ νοῦν χωρήσῃ τὸ ἔργον, ὥσπερ
τὸ εἰκὸς ἔχει, Φιδηναῖοί τε καὶ Οὐιεντανοὶ βαρείας
ἀπαλλάξαντες ἡμᾶς ὑποταγῆς ὡς ὑφ´ ἡμῶν τοῦτο πεπονθότες
αὐτοὶ χάριν ἡμῖν εἴσονται. ταῦτα μέν ἐστιν
ἃ διὰ πολλῆς φροντίδος παρασκευασθέντα ἱκανὰ εἶναι
δοκεῖ μοι θάρσος τε καὶ προθυμίαν τῆς ἀποστάσεως
ὑμῖν παρασχεῖν. ὃν δὲ τρόπον ἐπιχειρεῖν τῷ ἔργῳ
βεβούλευμαι, τοῦτ´ ἀκούσατέ μου· τάξιν μὲν ἀποδέδωκέ
μοι Τύλλος τὴν ὑπὸ τῷ ὄρει καὶ κελεύει με θατέρου
τῶν κεράτων ἄρχειν, ὅταν δὲ μέλλωμεν ὁμόσε
τοῖς πολεμίοις χωρεῖν, ἄρξω μὲν ἐγὼ λύσας τὴν τάξιν
ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος ἄγειν, ἀκολουθήσετε δέ μοι ὑμεῖς συντεταγμένους
ἄγοντες τοὺς λόχους. ἁψάμενος δὲ τῶν
ἄκρων καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ γενόμενος τίνα χρήσομαι
τρόπον τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα πράγμασιν ἀκούσατέ μου·
ἐὰν μὲν ὁρῶ κατὰ γνώμην ἃ διαλογίζομαι χωροῦντά
μοι καὶ θρασεῖς μὲν γεγονότας τοὺς πολεμίους, ὡς
ἡμῶν αὐτοῖς συλλαμβανόντων, ταπεινοὺς δὲ καὶ περιφόβους
Ῥωμαίους, ὡς προδεδομένους ὑφ´ ἡμῶν, φυγῆς
τε μᾶλλον ἢ ἀλκῆς προνοουμένους, ὅπερ εἰκός,
ἐπιθήσομαι αὐτοῖς καὶ μεστὸν ποιήσω νεκρῶν τὸ πεδίον
ἐξ ὑπερδεξίου τε κατιὼν ἐπὶ τὸ πρανὲς θαρρούσῃ
τε καὶ συντεταγμένῃ δυνάμει πρὸς ἐπτοημένους
ἀνθρώπους προσφερόμενος καὶ σποράδας. δεινὴ δ´
ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις καὶ ἡ διὰ κενῆς ἐμπίπτουσα προδοσίας
συμμάχων ἢ πολεμίων ἄλλων ἐφόδου δόκησις,
καὶ πολλὰ ἤδη στρατεύματα μεγάλα ὑπ´ οὐδενὸς οὕτως
ἑτέρου φοβεροῦ παθήματος ὡς ὑπὸ δόξης κενῆς
ἴσμεν πανώλεθρα διαφθαρέντα. τὸ δ´ ἡμέτερον οὐ
λόγος ἔσται κενὸς οὐδ´ ἀφανὲς δεῖμα, ἀλλ´ ἔργον
ἁπάσης ὄψεως καὶ πείρας φοβερώτερον. ἐὰν δ´ ἄρα
τἀναντία τῶν λελογισμένων γινόμενα ὁρῶ (λεγέσθω
γὰρ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας δόξας εἰωθότα
ἀπαντᾶν, ἐπειδὴ πολλὰ καὶ τὰ μὴ εἰκότα οἱ βίοι φέρουσι)
τἀναντία καὶ αὐτὸς ὧν προὐθέμην ἐπιχειρήσω
ποιεῖν. ἄξω γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἅμα Ῥωμαίοις
καὶ συλλήψομαι αὐτοῖς τῆς νίκης τήν τε κατάληψιν
τῶν ὑψηλῶν πεποιῆσθαι σκήψομαι τῆς κυκλώσεως
τῶν ἀντιτεταγμένων ἕνεκα. γενήσεται δέ μου
πιστὸς ὁ λόγος ἔργα ὁμολογούμενα τῇ σκήψει παρεσχημένου,
ὥσθ´ ἡμᾶς τῶν μὲν δεινῶν μηδετέροις κοινωνῆσαι,
τῆς δ´ ἀμείνονος τύχης παρ´ ἀμφοτέρων
μεταλαβεῖν. ἐγὼ μὲν δὴ ταῦτα ἔγνωκά τε καὶ δράσω
σὺν θεοῖς κράτιστα ὄντα οὐ μόνον Ἀλβανοῖς, ἀλλὰ
καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις Λατίνοις, ὑμᾶς δὲ χρὴ σιγὴν μὲν πρῶτον
φυλάττοντας, ἔπειτα κόσμον τε σώζοντας καὶ τοῖς
παραγγελλομένοις ὀξέως ὑπηρετοῦντας προθύμους
ἀγωνιστὰς γίνεσθαι καὶ τοὺς ὑφ´ αὑτοῖς προθύμους
παρέχειν, ἐνθυμουμένους ὅτι οὐχ ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἡμῖν
τε καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις ὁ περὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας
ἀγών, οἷςτισιν ἐν ἔθει καθέστηκεν ἄρχεσθαι ὑφ´ ἑτέρων
καὶ ὅσοις τοιαύτην πολιτείαν οἱ πατέρες παρέδοσαν.
ἐλεύθεροι γὰρ ἐξ ἐλευθέρων ἔφυμεν καὶ ἄρχειν
τῶν προσοίκων παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ πατέρες ὁμοῦ τι
πεντακόσια ἔτη τοῦτο τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ βίου διαφυλάξαντες,
οὗ μὴ ἀποστερήσωμεν ἡμεῖς τοὺς ἐκγόνους. παραστῇ
δὲ μηδενὶ ὑμῶν δέος ἂν ταῦτα ἐθέλῃ πράττειν
μὴ συνθήκας τε λύσῃ καὶ ὅρκους τοὺς ἐπ´ αὐταῖς γενομένους
παραβῇ, ἀλλ´ ἐννοείσθω διότι τὰς ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων
λελυμένας εἰς τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀποκαταστήσει καὶ
οὐ τάς γε ἐλαχίστου ἀξίας, ἀλλ´ ἃς ἥ τε φύσις ἡ ἀνθρωπεία
κατεστήσατο καὶ ὁ πάντων κοινὸς Ἑλλήνων
τε καὶ βαρβάρων βεβαιοῖ νόμος, ἄρχειν καὶ τὰ δίκαια
τάττειν τοὺς πατέρας τοῖς ἐκγόνοις καὶ τὰς μητροπόλεις
ταῖς ἀποικίαις. ταύτας δὴ τὰς συνθήκας οὐδέποτε
ἀναιρεθησομένας ἐκ τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως
οὐχ ἡμεῖς οἱ κυρίας ἀξιοῦντες αἰεὶ διαμένειν παρασπονδοῦμεν,
οὐδ´ ἄν τις ἡμῖν θεῶν ἢ δαιμόνων νεμεσήσειεν
ὡς ἀνόσια πράττουσιν εἰ δουλεύειν τοῖς
ἰδίοις ἐκγόνοις δυσανασχετοῦμεν, ἀλλ´ οἱ καταλύσαντες
αὐτὰς ἀρχῆθεν καὶ ἔργῳ ἐπιχειρήσαντες ἀθεμίτῳ
κρείττω ποιῆσαι τοῦ θείου νόμου τὸν ἀνθρώπινον·
καὶ ὅ τε δαιμόνιος χόλος οὐχ ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τούτοις ἐναντιώσεται
κατὰ τὸ εἰκός, καὶ ἡ παρ´ ἀνθρώπων νέμεσις
εἰς τούτους ἀνθ´ ἡμῶν κατασκήψει. εἰ μὲν οὖν
ταῦτα κράτιστα πᾶσιν ὑμῖν ἔσεσθαι δοκεῖ, πράττωμεν
αὐτὰ θεοὺς καὶ δαίμονας ἀρωγοὺς ἐπικαλεσάμενοι,
εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν τἀναντία ἔγνωκε καὶ δυεῖν θάτερον
ἢ μηδέποτε ἀνασώσασθαι τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀξίωμα τῆς
πόλεως οἴεται δεῖν, ἢ καιρὸν ἕτερόν τινα {τοῦ παρόντος}
ἐπιτηδειότερον περιμένων ἀναβάλλεται τὸν παρόντα,
μὴ κατοκνείτω φέρειν εἰς μέσον ἃ φρονεῖ· ὅ τι
γὰρ ἂν ἅπασιν ὑμῖν κράτιστον φανῇ βούλευμα τούτῳ χρησόμεθα.
|
|
Traduction française :
| [3,23] The king of the Romans, after letting a year pass, during which he made the
necessary (p95) preparations for war, resolved to lead out his army against the city of
the Fidenates. The grounds he alleged for the war were that this people, being called
upon to justify themselves in the matter of the plot that they had formed against the
Romans and Albans, had paid no heed, but immediately taking up arms, shutting
their gates, and bringing in the allied forces of the Veientes, had openly revolted, and
that when ambassadors arrived from Rome to inquire the reason for their revolt, they
had answered that they no longer had anything in common with the Romans since
the death of Romulus, their king, to whom they had sworn their oaths of friendship.
Seizing on these grounds for war, Tullus was not only arming his own forces, but
also sending for those of his allies. The most numerous as well as the best auxiliary
troops were brought to him from Alba by Mettius Fufetius, and they were equipped
with such splendid arms as to excel all the other allied forces. Tullus, therefore,
believing that Mettius had been actuated by zeal and by the best motives in deciding
to take part in the war, commended him and communicated to him all his plans. But
this man, who was accused by his fellow citizens of having mismanaged the recent
war and was furthermore charged with treason, in view of the fact that he continued
in the supreme command of the city for the third year by order of Tullus, disdaining
now to hold any longer a command that was subject to another's command or to be
subordinated rather than himself to lead, devised an abominable plot. He sent
ambassadors here and there secretly to the enemies of the Romans while they were as
yet (p97) wavering in their resolution to revolt and encouraged them not to hesitate,
promising that he himself would join them in attacking the Romans during the battle;
and these activities and plans he kept secret from everybody. Tullus, as soon as he
had got ready his own army as well as that of his allies, marched against the enemy
and after crossing the river Anio encamped near Fidenae. And finding a considerable
army both of the Fidenates and of their allies drawn up before the city, he lay quiet
that day; but on the next he sent for Fufetius, the Alban, and the closest of his other
friends and took counsel with them concerning the best method of conducting the
war. And when all were in favour of engaging promptly and not wasting time, he
assigned them their several posts and commands, and having fixed the next day for
the battle, he dismissed the council.
In the meantime Fufetius, the Alban for his treachery was still a secret to many
even of his own friends calling together the most prominent centurions and
tribunes among the Albans, addressed them as follows:
"Tribunes and centurions, I am going to disclose to you important and unexpected
things which I have hitherto been concealing; and I beg of you to keep them secret if
you do not wish to ruin me, and to assist me in carrying them out if you think their
realization will be advantageous. The present occasion does not permit of many
words, as the time is short; so I shall mention only the most essential matters.
I, from the time we were subordinated to the Romans up to this day, have led a life
(p99) full of sham en grief, though honoured by the king with the supreme command,
which I am now holding for the third year and may, if I should so desire, hold as long
as I live. But regarding it as the greatest of all evils to be the only fortunate man in a
time of public misfortune, and taking it to heart that, contrary to all the rights
mankind look upon as sacred, we have been deprived by the Romans of our
supremacy, I took thought how we might recover it without experiencing any great
disaster. And although I considered many plans of every sort, the only way I could
discover that promised success, and at the same time the easiest and the least
dangerous one, was in hand a war should be started against them by the
neighbouring states. For I assumed that when confronted by such a war they would
have need of allies and particularly of us. As to the next step, I assumed that it would
not require much argument to convince you that it is more glorious as well as more
fitting to fight for our liberty than for the supremacy of the Romans.
"With these thoughts in mind I secretly stirred up a war against the Romans on the
part of their subjects, encouraging the Veientes and Fidenates to take up arms by a
promise of my assistance in the war. And thus far I have escaped the Romans' notice
as I contrived these things and kept in my own hands the opportune moment for the
attack. Just consider now the many advantages we shall derive from this course.
First, by not having openly planned a revolt, in which there would have been a
double (p101) danger either of being hurried or unprepared and of putting everything
to the hazard while trusting to our own strength only, or, while we were making
preparations and gathering assistance, of being forestalled by an enemy already
prepared we shall now experience neither of these difficulties but shall enjoy the
advantage of both. In the next place, we shall not be attempting to destroy the great
and formidable power and good fortune of our adversaries by force, but rather by
those means by which every thing that is overbearing and not easy to be subdued by
force is taken, namely, by guile and deceit; and we shall be neither the first nor the
only people who have resorted to these means. Besides, as our own force is not
strong enough to be arrayed against the whole power of the Romans and their allies,
we have also added the forces of the Fidenates and the Veientes, whose great
numbers you see before you; and I have taken the following precautions that these
auxiliaries who have been added to our numbers may with all confidence be
depended on to adhere to our alliance. For it will not be in our territory that the
Fidenates will be fighting, but while they are defending their own country they will at
the same time be protecting ours. Then, too, we shall have this advantage, which men
look upon as the most gratifying of all and which has fallen to the lot of but few in
times past, namely, that, while receiving a benefit from our allies, we shall ourselves
be thought to be conferring one upon them. And if this enterprise turns out
according to our wish, as (p103) is reasonable to expect, the Fidenates and the Veientes,
in delivering us from a grievous subjection, will feel grateful to us, as if it were they
themselves who had received this favour at our hands.
"These are the preparations which I have made after much thought and which
I regard as sufficient to inspire you with the courage and zeal to revolt. Now hear
from me the manner in which I have planned to carry out the undertaking. Tullus has
assigned me my post under the hill and has given me the command of one of the
wings. When we are about to engage the enemy, I will break ranks and begin to lead
up the hill; and you will then follow me with your companies in their proper order.
When I have gained the top of the hill am securely posted, hear in what manner
I shall handle the situation after that. If I find my plans turning out according to my
wish, that is, if I see that the enemy has become emboldened through confidence in
our assistance, and the Romans disheartened and terrified, in the belief that they
have been betrayed by us, and contemplating, as they likely will, flight rather than
fight, I will fall upon them and cover the field with the bodies of the slain, since I shall
be rushing down hill from higher ground and shall be attacking with a courageous
and orderly force men who are frightened and dispersed. For a terrible thing in
warfare is the sudden impression, even though ill-grounded, of the treachery of allies
or of an attack by fresh enemies, and we know that many great armies in the past
have been utterly destroyed by no other kind of terror so much as by an impression
for which there was no ground. But in our case it will be no vain report, no unseen
terror, (p105) but a deed more dreadful than anything ever seen or experienced. If,
however, I find that the contrary of my calculations is in fact coming to pass (for
mention must be made also of those things which are wont to happen contrary to
human expectations, since our lives bring us many improbable experiences as well),
I too shall then endeavour to do the contrary of what I have just proposed. For I shall
lead you against the enemy in conjunction with the Romans and shall share with
them the victory, pretending that I occupied the heights with the intention of
surrounding the foes drawn up against me; and my claim will seem credible, since
I shall have made my actions agree with my explanation. Thus, without sharing in the
dangers of either side, we shall have a part in the good fortune of both.
"I, then, have determined upon these measures, and with the assistance of the gods
I shall carry them out, as being the most advantageous, not only to the Albans, but
also to the rest of the Latins. It is your part, in the first place, to observe secrecy, and
next, to maintain good order, to obey promptly the orders you shall receive, to fight
zealously yourselves and to infuse the same zeal into those who are under your
command, remembering that we are not contending for liberty upon the same terms
as other people, who have been accustomed to obey others and who have received
that form of government from their ancestors. For we are freemen descended from
freemen, and to us our ancestors have handed down the tradition of holding sway
over our neighbours as a mode of life preserved by them for someone five hundred
years; of which let us not deprive our posterity. And let none of you entertain (p107) the
fear that by showing a will to do this he will be breaking a compact and violating the
oaths by which it was confirmed; on the contrary, let him consider that he will be
restoring to its original force the compact which the Romans have violated, a compact
far from unimportant, but one which human nature has established and the universal
law of both Greeks and barbarians confirms, namely, that fathers shall rule over and
give just commands to their children, and mother-cities to their colonies. This
compact, which is forever inseparable from human nature, is not being violated by us,
who demand that it shall always remain in force, and none of the gods or lesser
divinities will be wroth with us, as guilty of an impious action, if we resent being
slaves to our own posterity; but it is being violated by those who have broken it from
the beginning and have attempted by an impious act to set up the law of man above
that of Heaven. And it is reasonable to expect that the anger of the gods will be
directed against them rather than against us, and that the indignation of men will fall
upon them rather than upon us. 1If, therefore, you all believe that these plans will be
the most advantageous, let us pursue them, calling the gods and other divinities to
our assistance. But if any one of you is minded to the contrary and either believes that
we ought never to recover the ancient dignity of our city, or, while awaiting a more
favourable opportunity, favours deferring our undertaking for the present, let him not
hesitate to propose his thoughts to the assembly. For we shall follow whatever plan
meets with your unanimous approval."
|
|
