[10,6] Ὁ μὲν οὖν δῆμος ἥδετο πάνυ τοῖς λόγοις καὶ χαρίζεσθαι τὸ μειράκιον τῷ πατρὶ πρόθυμος ἦν. ὁ δὲ Οὐεργίνιος ὁρῶν, ὅτι μὴ δόντος ἐκείνου δίκην ἀφόρητον ἔσται τὸ θράσος τῶν αὐθαδῶν μειρακίων, ἀνίσταται καί φησιν· Σοὶ μέν, ὦ Κοίντιε, ἥ τε ἄλλη μαρτυρεῖται πᾶσα ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ πρὸς τοὺς δημοτικοὺς εὔνοια, ἀνθ´ ὧν τὸ τιμᾶσθαί σοι πάρεστιν. ἡ δὲ τοῦ μειρακίου βαρύτης καὶ ἡ πρὸς ἅπαντας ἡμᾶς ὑπερηφανία παραίτησιν ἢ συγγνώμην οὐδεμίαν ἐπιδέχεται· ὅστις ὑπὸ τοῖς σοῖς ἤθεσι τραφεὶς οὕτως οὖσι δημοτικοῖς καὶ μετρίοις, ὡς ἅπαντες ἴσμεν, τῶν μὲν σῶν ὑπερεῖδεν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, τυραννικὴν δὲ αὐθάδειαν καὶ βαρβάρων ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν ἠγάπησε, καὶ πονηρῶν ἔργων ζῆλον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν εἰσαγήοχεν. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐλάνθανέ σε τοιοῦτος ὤν, νῦν ὅτ´ ἔγνωκας ἀγανακτεῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν δίκαιος ἂν εἴης· εἰ δὲ συνῄδεις τε καὶ συνέπραττες οἷς προεπηλάκιζε τὴν τῶν πενήτων πολιτῶν τύχην, πονηρὸς ἄρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἦσθα, καὶ ἡ τῆς καλοκἀγαθίας δόξα οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ δικαίου σοι περιγέγονεν. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὅτι ἠγνόεις αὐτὸν οὐκ ὄντα τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς ἄξιον, ἐγώ σοι τοῦτ´ ἔχω μαρτυρεῖν. ἀπολύων δέ σε τοῦ τότε συναδικεῖν ἡμᾶς μέμφομαι τοῦ νῦν ἡμῖν μὴ συναγανακτεῖν. ἵνα δὲ μᾶλλον μάθῃς, ἡλίκον ἄρα τῇ πόλει κακὸν ἐπιτρέφων ἐλάνθανες, ὡς ὠμὸν καὶ τυραννικὸν καὶ οὐδὲ φόνου πολιτικοῦ καθαρόν, ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ φιλότιμον ἔργον καὶ ἀντιπαρεξέτασον αὐτῷ τὰς ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἀριστείας· καὶ ὑμῶν ὅσοι συνεπαθεῖτε ἀρτίως οἰκτιζομένῳ τῷ ἀνδρὶ σκοπεῖτε, εἰ ἄρα καλῶς ὑμῖν ἔχει τοιούτου φείσασθαι πολίτου.

[10,6] The people were exceedingly pleased with this speech and were eager to grant the life of the youth to his father. But Verginius, perceiving that if he were not punished the boldness of the headstrong youths would become intolerable, rose up and said: "As for you, Quintius, not only all your other merits, but also your goodwill toward the plebeians is amply attested, and for these you have received (p181) honour. But the offensive behaviour of this youth and his haughtiness toward us all admit of no palliation or pardon; for though nurtured in your principles, which are so democratic and moderate, as we are all aware, he despised your ways of life and grew fond of a tyrannical arrogance and a barbarian insolence, and has introduced into our commonwealth an emulation of base deeds. If, therefore, you were unaware hitherto of his character, now that you know it, you ought in justice to be indignant on our account; but if you were privy to and took part in the foul abuse he was wont to pour out upon the unhappy lot of the poor citizens, then you too were base and did not deserve the reputation for uprightness that has come to you. But that you did not know him to be unworthy of your excellence I myself can bear you witness. nevertheless, though I acquit you of joining with him in injuring us at that time, I blame you for not joining with us now in resenting those injuries. And that you may know better how great a bane you have reared up unwittingly against the commonwealth, how cruel and tyrannical and not even free from the murder of his fellow citizens, listen to an ambitious exploit of his and balance it against the rewards of valour he received in the wars. And as many of you plebeians as were just now affected with the compassion which this man endeavoured to arouse, consider whether it is after all well for you to spare such a citizen."