20 Sed tibi, protulerit cum totum crastinus orbem 'At certe credemur,' ait 'si verba sequetur Exitus. En audi crastina, quisquis ades. 25 Protulerit terris cum totum Cynthius orbem, Juppiter1 imperii pignora certa dabit.' Discedunt dubii, promissaque tarda videntur, Dependetque fides a veniente die. 30 Mollis erat tellus rorata mane pruina : Innumeri circa stantque silentque viri. Ortus erat summo tantummodo margine Phoebus : 35 Constitit, atque caput niveo velatus amictu 40 Atque ita 'Tempus adest promissi muneris' inquit. "Pollicitam dictis, Juppiter1, adde fidem.' Dum loquitur, totum jam sol emoverat orbem, Et gravis aethereo venit ab axe fragor. Ter tonuit sine nube deus, tria fulgura misit. Credite dicenti. mira, sed acta, loquor. A media caelum regione dehiscere coepit : Summisere oculos cum duce turba suo. 45 Ecce levi scutum versatum leniter aura 50 Decidit. a populo clamor ad astra venit. Plura jubet fieri simili caelata figura, 1 Jupiter. XVI. THE WICKEDNESS OF TULLIA. (FASTI, VI. 587--616.) Tullia, having gained her wicked end in the marriage that she had sought, urges her husband to further crime, to kill her father, and seize the kingdom (1-10). He seats himself on the throne, and the old man is killed (11-14). His corpse lies in the Esquilian road; Tullia, making for the palace, bids the charioteer drive over it (15-22). Hence this road is called 'The wicked street' (23-24). At the temple her father's statue hides, it is said, its face with its hands, lest it should see her (25-30). TULLIA conjugio, sceleris mercede, peracto His solita est dictise stimulare virum : 5 Vivere debuerant et vir meus et tua conjunx1, Regia res scelus est! socero cape regna necato, Sederat. attonitum volgus2 ad arma ruit : 15 Ipse sub Esquiliis, ubi erat sua regia, caesus 20 Filia carpento patrios initura penates, 1 conjux. 2 vulgus. 8 sanguinolentus. 25 Post tamen hoc ausa est templum, monimenta1parentis, Tangere. mira quidem, sed tamen acta loquar. Signum erat in solio residens sub imagine Tulli: Dicitur hoc oculis opposuisse manum. 30 Et vox audita est 'Voltus abscondite nostros, XVII. THE STRATAGEM BY WHICH GABII WAS TAKEN. (FASTI, II. 687-710,) The youngest Tarquin comes by night to the city, and surrenders himself (1-6), telling them what cruel things he had suffered from his father, and showing his mangled back (7-12). They appoint him general (13-14). Having thus possessed himself of power, he sends to his father for advice (15-16). The king takes the messenger round a garden, and cuts down the tallest lilies (17-20). The son, understanding the message, put the chief men of Gabii to death, and delivered up the city to his father (21-24). ULTIMA Tarquinius Romanae gentis habebat Et Gabios turpi fecerat arte suos. 5 Namque trium minimus, proles manifesta Superbi, IO Qui mea crudeli laceravit verbere terga.' Dicere ut hoc posset, verbera passus erat. Luna fuit. spectant juvenem, gladiosque recondunt, Flent quoque, et, ut secum tueatur bella, precantur. 15 Jamque potens, misso genitorem appellat amico 20 Filius 'Agnosco jussa parentis' ait. Nec mora, principibus caesis ex urbe Gabina, XVIII. THE DEATH OF THE THREE HUNDRED FABII. (FASTI, II. 197—242.) The Fabii, undertaking the whole burden of defending Rome, march out, and pitch their camp at the Cremera, whence they go out and scatter the Tuscans (1-8), as lions scatter a flock (9—10). The enemy, often defeated, prepare an ambush (11-14). In a part of the plain where there are hills and woods close at hand, they hide themselves (15-18). Like a winter torrent the Fabii spread themselves over the valley, and fear no danger (19-22). Beware, noble house! (23-24). The enemy occupy the plain (24-25). What shall they do against so many? as the wild boar among the dogs, they are overwhelmed by numbers, and perish, but not unavenged (26-34). All are slain; but one, a boy of tender age, is preserved by the gods to perpetuate the race, and be the ancestor of the Fabius who was to save Rome (35-42). UNA domus vires et onus susceperat urbis : 5 Ut celeri passu Cremeram tetigere rapacem,. ... ΙΟ Castra loco ponunt. destrictis ensibus ipsi Sic iterum, sic saepe cadunt. Ubi vincere aperte 20 In medio paucos armentaque rara relinquunt, Ecce velut torrens undis pluvialibus auctus, Sic Fabii vallem latis discursibus implent, Quodque vident, sternunt. nec metus alter inest. 25 Quo ruitis, generosa domus ? male creditis hosti. Simplex nobilitas, perfida tela cave ! 30 Fraude perit virtus. In apertos undique campos Quid faciant pauci contra tot milia fortes ? Quidve, quod in misero tempore restet, habent? Sicut aper longe silvis Laurentibus actus Fulmineo celeres dissipat ore canes, Mox tamen ipse perit, sic non moriuntur inulti, 40 Ut tamen Herculeae superessent semina gentis, Nam puer impubes et adhuc non utilis armis 1 vulnera. |