[12,15] Ἦν δὲ ἡ Οὐιεντανῶν πόλις οὐθὲν ὑποδεεστέρα τῆς Ῥώμης ἐνοικεῖσθαι γῆν τε πολλὴν καὶ πολύκαρπον ἔχουσα, τὴν μὲν ὀρεινήν, τὴν δὲ πεδιάδα, καὶ τὸν ὑπερκείμενον ἀέρα καθαρώτατον καὶ πρὸς ὑγιείαν ἀνθρώποις ἄριστον, οὔτε ἕλους πλησίον ὄντος, ὅθεν ἕλκονται βαρεῖς ἀτμοὶ καὶ δυσώδεις, οὔτε ποταμοῦ τινος ψυχρὰς ἕωθεν ἀνιέντος αὔρας, ὑδάτων τε οὐ σπανίων ὄντων οὐδ´ ἐπακτῶν, ἀλλ´ αὐθιγενῶν καὶ πλουσίων καὶ πίνεσθαι κρατίστων.

[12,15] Veii was in no respect inferior to Rome as a place in which to live, possessing much fertile land, partly hilly and partly level, and an atmosphere surrounding it that was most pure and conducive to the health of human beings. For there was neither any marsh near by as a source of oppressive and foul vapours nor any river to send up cold breezes at dawn, and its supplies of water were neither scanty nor brought in from outside, but rose in the neighbourhood and were abundant and most excellent for drinking.