οὔπω δὲ τῆς Περὶ ταῦτα πεπαυμένοις ἀσχολίας αὐτοῖς ἐπιπίπτει πόλεμος, Αἰκανῶν μὲν ἅμα καὶ Οὐολούσκων καὶ Λατίνων εἰς τὴν χώραν ἐμβαλλόντων, Τυρρηνῶν δὲ πολιορκούντων Σούτριν, συμμαχίδα Ῥωμαίων πόλιν. ἐπειδὴ δʼ οἱ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχοντες χιλίαρχοι στρατοπεδευσάμενοι Περὶ τὸ Μάρκιον ὄρος ὑπὸ τῶν Λατίνων ἐπολιορκοῦντο καὶ κινδυνεύοντες ἀποβαλεῖν τὸ στρατόπεδον εἰς Ῥώμην ἔπεμψαν ἀποδείκνυται τὸ τρίτον Κάμιλλος δικτάτωρ·
They were not yet done with these pressing tasks when a fresh war broke upon them. The Aequians, Volscians, and Latins burst into their territory all at once, and the Tuscans laid siege to Sutrium, a city allied with Rome. The military tribunes in command of the army, having encamped near Mount Marcius, were besieged by the Latins, and were in danger of losing their camp. Wherefore they sent to Rome for aid, and Camillus was appointed dictator for the third time.
περὶ τούτου τοῦ πολέμου διττοὶ λόγοι λέγονται· δίειμι δὲ τὸν μυθώδη πρότερον. φασὶ τοὺς Λατίνους, εἴτε προφάσει χρωμένους εἴτε βουλομένους ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀναμίξασθαι τὰ γένη πάλιν ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς, πέμψαντας αἰτεῖν παρὰ τῶν Ῥωμαίων παρθένους ἐλευθέρας γυναῖκας, ἀπορούντων δὲ τῶν Ῥωμαίων, τί χρὴ ποιεῖν καὶ γὰρ τὸν πόλεμον ὠρρώδουν οὔπω καθεστῶτες οὐδʼ ἀνειληφότες αὑτούς, καὶ τὴν αἴτησιν τῶν γυναικῶν ὑπώπτευον ἐξομήρευσιν εἶναι, τοῦ δʼ εὐπρεποῦς χάριν ἐπιγαμίαν καλεῖσθαι,
Two stories are told about this war, and I will give the fabulous one first. They say that the Latins, either as a pretext for war, or because they really wished to revive the ancient affinity between the two peoples, sent and demanded from the Romans freeborn virgins in marriage. The Romans were in doubt what to do, for they dreaded war in their unsettled and unrestored condition, and yet they suspected that this demand for wives was really a call for hostages disguised under the specious name of intermarriage.
θεραπαινίδα τοὔνομα Τουτούλαν, ὡς δʼ ἔνιοι λέγουσι, Φιλωτίδα τοῖς ἄρχουσι παραινέσαι πέμπειν σὺν αὐτῇ τῶν δμωίδων τὰς ἐν ὥρᾳ μάλιστα καὶ ταῖς ὄψεσιν ἐλευθερίους, κοσμήσαντας ὡς νύμφας εὐγενεῖς, τὰ λοιπὰ δʼ αὐτῇ μελήσειν. πεισθέντας δὲ τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐπιλέξασθαι τῶν θεραπαινίδων ὅσας ἐκείνη πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἐδοκίμασε, καὶ κοσμήσαν· τὰς ἐσθῆτι καὶ χρυσῷ παραδοῦναι τοῖς Λατίνοις οὐ πάνυ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως στρατοπεδεύουσι.
In their perplexity, a serving-maid named Tutula, or, as some call her, Philotis, advised the magistrates to send her to the enemy with some maidservants of the comeliest sort and most genteel appearance, all arrayed like freeborn brides; she would attend to the rest. The magistrates yielded to her persuasions, chose out as many maid-servants as she thought meet for her purpose, arrayed them in fine raiment and gold, and handed them over to the Latins, who were encamped near the city.
νύκτωρ δὲ τὰς μὲν ἄλλας ὑφελέσθαι τὰ ἐγχειρίδια τῶν πολεμίων, τὴν δʼ εἴτε Τουτούλαν εἴτε Φιλωτίδα προσβᾶσαν ἐρινεῷ μεγάλῳ καὶ παρατείνασαν ὀπίσω τὸ ἱμάτιον ἆραι πυρσὸν εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην, ὥσπερ ἦν συγκείμενον αὐτῇ πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας, οὐδενὸς ἄλλου τῶν πολιτῶν εἰδότος. διʼ ὃ καὶ θορυβώδη γενέσθαι τὴν τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἔξοδον, ὡς κατήπειγον οἱ ἄρχοντες, ἀλλήλους ἀνακαλούντων καὶ μόλις εἰς τὴν τάξιν καθισταμένων, ἐπελθόντας δὲ τῷ χάρακι τῶν πολεμίων οὐ προσδεχομένων καὶ καθευδόντων ἑλεῖν τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ διαφθεῖραι τοὺς πλείστους.
In the night, the rest of the maidens stole away the enemy’s swords, while Tutula, or Philotis, climbed a wild fig-tree of great height, and after spreading out her cloak behind her, held out a lighted torch towards Rome, this being the signal agreed upon between her and the magistrates, though no other citizen knew of it. Hence it was that the soldiers sallied out of the city tumultuously, as the magistrates urged them on, calling out one another’s names, and with much ado getting into rank and file. They stormed the entrenchments of the enemy, who were fast asleep and expecting nothing of the sort, captured their camp, and slew most of them.
τοῦτο δὲ γενέσθαι ταῖς νῦν Ἰουλίαις, τότε δὲ Κυϊντιλίαις νώναις, καὶ τὴν ἀγομένην ἑορτὴν ὑπόμνημα τῆς πράξεως ἐκείνης εἶναι, πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἐξιόντες ἀθρόοι διὰ τῆς πύλης πολλὰ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων καὶ κοινῶν ὀνομάτων βοῇ φθέγγονται, Γάιον, Μᾶρκον, Λούκιον καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια, μιμούμενοι τὴν τότε γενομένην μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀλλήλων ἀνάκλησιν·
This happened on the Nones of what was then called Quintilis, now July, and the festival since held on that day is in remembrance of the exploit. For, to begin with, they run out of the city gate in throngs, calling out loudly many local and common names, such as Gaius, Marcus, Lucius, and the like, in imitation of the way the soldiers once called aloud upon each other in their haste.
ἔπειτα κεκοσμημέναι λαμπρῶς αἱ θεραπαινίδες περιίασι παίζουσαι διὰ σκωμμάτων εἰς τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας, γίνεται δὲ καὶ μάχη τις αὐταῖς πρὸς ἀλλήλας, ὡς καὶ τότε τοῦ πρὸς τοὺς Λατίνους ἀγῶνος συνεπιλαμβανομέναις. ἑστιώμεναι δὲ καθέζονται κλάδοις συκῆς σκιαζόμεναι· καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν νώνας Καπρατίνας καλοῦσιν, ὡς οἴονται διὰ τὸν ἐρινεόν, ἀφʼ οὗ τὴν παιδίσκην τὸν πυρσὸν ἆραι· τὸν γὰρ ἐρινεὸν καπρίφικον ὀνομάζουσιν.
Next, the maidservants, in gay attire, run about jesting and joking with the men they meet. They have a mock battle, too, with one another, implying that they once took a hand in the struggle with the Latins. And as they feast, they sit in the shade of a fig-tree’s branches. The day is called the Capratine Nones, from the wild fig-tree, as they suppose, from which the maid held forth her torch; this goes by the name of caprificus.
ἕτεροι δὲ τούτων τὰ πλεῖστα δρᾶσθαι καὶ λέγεσθαί φασιν ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ Ῥωμύλου πάθει· κατὰ ταύτην γὰρ ἀφανισθῆναι τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτὸν ἔξω πύλης, ζόφου καὶ θυέλλης ἄφνω περισχούσης, ὡς δʼ ἔνιοι νομίζουσιν, ἐκλείψεως ἡλίου γενομένης, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου νώνας Καπρατίνας κληθῆναι, τὴν γὰρ αἶγα κάπραν ὀνομάζουσιν ὁ δὲ Ῥωμύλος ἠφανίσθη δημηγορῶν Περὶ τὸ τῆς αἰγὸς ἕλος προσαγορευόμενον, ὡς ἐν τοῖς Περὶ ἐκείνου γέγραπται.
But others say that most of what is said and done at this festival has reference to the fate of Romulus. For on this same day he vanished from sight, outside the city gates, in sudden darkness and tempest, and, as some think, during an eclipse of the sun. The day, they say, is called the Capratine Nones from the spot where he thus vanished. For the she-goat goes by the name of capra, and Romulus vanished from sight while haranguing an assembly of the people at the Goat’s Marsh, as has been stated in his Life.
τὸν δʼ ἕτερον λόγον οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν συγγραφέων δοκιμάζοντες οὕτω λέγουσιν. ἀποδειχθεὶς δικτάτωρ τὸ τρίτον ὁ Κάμιλλος καὶ πυθόμενος τὸ μετὰ τῶν χιλιάρχων στράτευμα πολιορκούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν Λατίνων καὶ τῶν Οὐολούσκων, ἠναγκάσθη καὶ τοὺς οὐκ ἐν ὥρᾳ τῶν πολιτῶν, ἀλλʼ ἤδη παρηβηκότας καθοπλίσαι.
But most writers adopt the other account of this war, which runs thus. Camillus, having been appointed dictator for the third time, and learning that the army under the military tribunes was besieged by the Latins and Volscians, was forced to put under arms even those of the citizens who were exempt from military duty by reason of advancing years.
περιελθὼν δὲ μακρὰν περίοδον περὶ τὸ Μάρκιον ὄρος καὶ λαθὼν τοὺς πολεμίους ἵδρυσε τὴν στρατιὰν κατόπιν αὐτῶν, καὶ πυρὰ πολλὰ καύσας διεσήμηνε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρουσίαν. οἱ μὲν οὖν πολιορκούμενοι θαρρήσαντες ἐπιέναι διενοοῦντο καὶ μάχην συνάπτειν·
Fetching a long circuit around Mount Marcius and thus eluding the enemy’s notice, he planted his army securely in their rear, and then by lighting many fires made known his presence there. The besieged Romans at once took heart and purposed to sally out and join battle.
οἱ δὲ Λατῖνοι καὶ Οὐολοῦσκοι συστείλαντες εἴσω τοῦ χάρακος ἑαυτούς ἀπεσταύρουν ξύλοις πολλοῖς καὶ διεφράγνυντο πανταχόθεν τὸ στρατόπεδον, ἀμφίβολοι γεγονότες ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων καὶ περιμένειν ἐγνωκότες ἑτέραν οἴκοθεν δύναμιν, ἅμα δὲ καὶ Τυρρηνῶν προσδεχόμενοι βοήθειαν. τοῦτο δʼ αἰσθόμενος ὁ Κάμιλλος καὶ δεδοικὼς παθεῖν ὅπερ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸς τοὺς πολεμίους κυκλωσάμενος ἔσπευδε προλαβεῖν τὸν καιρόν.
But the Latins and Volscians retired within their trenches, fenced themselves in with a great wooden palisade, and barricaded their camp on all sides, for they now had a hostile force in front and rear, and were determined to await reinforcements from home. At the same time they expected aid from the Tuscans also. Camillus, perceiving their design, and fearful of being himself surrounded by the enemy as he had surrounded them, made haste to improve his opportunity.
ὄντος δὲ τοῦ περιφράγματος ξυλίνου καὶ πνεύματος μεγάλου κατιόντος ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν ἅμα φάει, πυροβόλα παρασκευασάμενος καὶ περὶ τὸν ὄρθρον ἐξαγαγὼν τὴν δύναμιν τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἐκέλευσε χρῆσθαι βέλεσι καὶ κραυγῇ καθʼ ἕτερον μέρος, αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς τὸ πῦρ ἀφήσειν μέλλοντας ἔχων ὅθεν εἰώθει μάλιστα προσπίπτειν ὁ ἄνεμος τῷ χάρακι τῶν πολεμίων ἀνέμενε τὴν ὥραν. ἐπεὶ δὲ συνεστώσης τῆς μάχης ὅ τε ἥλιος ἀνῄει καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα λαμπρὸν ἐξέπιπτε, σημήνας ἐπιδρομὴν κατέσπειρε τοῦ χάρακος ἄφθονα τῶν πυροβόλων.
The enemy’s barricades were of wood, and a strong wind blew down from the mountains at sunrise. Accordingly, he equipped himself with fiery darts, and leading his forces out towards day-break, ordered part of them to attack with missiles and loud cries at an opposite point, while he himself, with those appointed to hurl fire, took his post where the wind was wont to smite the enemy’s trenches with the greatest force, and awaited the propitious moment. When battle had been joined and the sun rose and the wind burst forth with fury, he gave orders for an onset, and scattered no end of fiery darts along the trenches.
ταχὺ δὲ τῆς φλογὸς ἐν ὕλῃ πυκνῇ καὶ σταυρώμασι ξυλίνοις ἀνατραφείσης καὶ κύκλῳ περινεμομένης, οὐδὲν ἄκος οὐδὲ σβεστήριον ἔχοντες οἱ Λατῖνοι παρεσκευασμένον, ὡς πλῆρες ἦν ἤδη τὸ στρατόπεδον πυρός, ἐπʼ ὀλίγον συστελλόμενοι τόπον ἐξέπιπτον ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης πρὸς ὡπλισμένους καὶ παρατεταγμένους πρὸ τοῦ χάρακος τοὺς πολεμίους, καὶ τούτων μὲν ὀλίγοι διέφυγον, τοὺς δὲ καταλειφθέντας ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ πάντας διέφθειρε τὸ πῦρ, μέχρι οὗ κατασβέσαντες οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τὰ χρήματα διήρπασαν.
The flames speedily found food in the crowded timbers of the wooden palisades and spread in all directions. The Latins had nothing at hand with which to ward off or quench them, and when at length their camp was full of fire, they were huddled together into a small space, and at last forced to dash out against an enemy who were drawn up in full battle array in front of the trenches. Few of them made their escape, and those who were left behind in the camp were all a prey to the fire until the Romans put it out and fell upon their booty.
γεγονότων δὲ τούτων ἀπολιπὼν ἐπὶ τὸν στρατοπέδου τὸν υἱὸν Λεύκιον φύλακα τῶν ἡλωκότων ἀνθρώπων καὶ χρημάτων αὐτός εἰς τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἐνέβαλε. καὶ τὴν Αἰκανῶν πόλιν ἐξελὼν καὶ προσαγαγόμενος τοὺς Οὐολούσκους εὐθὺς ἦγε τὴν στρατιὰν πρὸς τὸ Σούτριον, οὔπω τὰ συμβεβηκότα τοῖς Σούτριον πεπυσμένος, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἔτι κινδυνεύουσι καὶ πολιορκουμένοις ὑπὸ τῶν Τυρρηνῶν βοηθῆσαι σπεύδων.
This business dispatched, he left his son Lucius in command of the camp to guard the captives and the booty, while he himself invaded the enemy’s country. He captured the city of the Aequians, brought the Volscians to terms, and straightway led his army towards Sutrium. He was not yet apprised of the fate of the Sutrians, but thought they were still in peril of siege by the Tuscans, and so hastened to relieve them.
οἱ δʼ ἔτυχον ἤδη τὴν μὲν πόλιν τοῖς πολεμίοις παραδεδωκότες, αὐτοὶ δὲ πάντων ἐνδεεῖς ἐν ἱματίοις μόνον ἀφειμένοι· καὶ καθʼ ὁδὸν ὄντι τῷ Καμίλλῳ μετὰ παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν ἀπήντων ὀδυρόμενοι τὰς ἑαυτῶν τύχας. ὁ δὲ Κάμιλλος αὐτός τε πρὸς τὴν ὄψιν ἐπικλασθεὶς καὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ὁρῶν ἐμφυομένων αὐτοῖς τῶν Σουτρίνων δακρύοντας καὶ δυσανασχετοῦντας ἐπὶ τοῖς γεγενημένοις, ἔγνω μὴ ποιεῖσθαι τῆς τιμωρίας ἀναβολήν,
But they had already surrendered their city to the enemy, and been sent off in utter destitution, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. As Camillus came marching along they met him, with their wives and children, all lamenting their misfortunes. Camillus himself was filled with compassion at the sight, and noticed that his Romans too, with the Sutrians hanging upon their necks in supplication, were moved to tears and anger at their lot. He therefore determined to make no postponement of his vengeance,
ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς ἄγειν ἐπὶ τὸ Σούτριον ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας, λογιζόμενος ἀνθρώπους εὐδαίμονα καὶ πλουσίαν πόλιν ἄρτι κατειληφότας καὶ μηδένα τῶν πολεμίων ὑπολελοιπότας ἐν αὐτῇ μηδὲ προσδεχομένους ἔξωθεν, ἐκλελυμένους παντάπασι καὶ ἀφυλάκτους εὑρήσειν ὀρθῶς λογισάμενος, οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὴν χώραν ἔλαθε διελθών, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ταῖς πύλαις γενόμενος καὶ τὰ τείχη καταλαβών· ἐφύλαττε γὰρ οὐδείς, ἀλλʼ ἐν οἴνῳ καὶ συνουσίαις ἦσαν ἐσκεδασμένοι κατὰ τὰς οἰκίας.
but to march straight upon Sutrium that very day. He reasoned that men who had just taken a prosperous and opulent city, leaving none of their enemies in it, and expecting none from without, would be found wholly relaxed in discipline and off their guard; and he reasoned correctly. He not only passed unnoticed through the city’s territory, but was actually at its gates and in command of its walls before the enemy knew it. For not a man of them was on guard, but they were all scattered among the houses of the city drinking and feasting.
ἐπεὶ δὲ ᾔσθοντο τοὺς πολεμίους κρατοῦντας ἤδη, οὕτω διέκειντο μοχθηρῶς ὑπὸ πλησμονῆς καὶ μέθης, ὡς μηδὲ πρὸς φυγὴν ὁρμῆσαι πολλούς, ἀλλʼ ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις αἴσχιστα πάντων ὑπομένοντας ἀποθνῄσκειν ἢ παραδιδόναι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τοῖς πολεμίοις. τὴν μὲν οὖν Σουτρίνων πόλιν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ δὶς ἀλοῦσαν οὕτω συνέβη καὶ τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀποβαλεῖν, καὶ τοὺς ἀφῃρημένους ἀπολαβεῖν διὰ Κάμιλλον,
And even when they perceived that their enemies already had the mastery, they were so sluggishly disposed by reason of satiety and drunkenness that many did not so much as try to flee, but awaited there in the houses the most shameful of all deaths, or gave themselves up to their enemies. The city of Sutrium was thus twice captured in a single day, and it came to pass that those who had won it, lost it, and those who had first lost it, won it back, and all by reason of Camillus.
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