Romae interim satis iam omnibus ut in tali re ad tuendam arcem
compositis turba seniorum domos regressi adventum hostium obstinato ad
mortem animo exspectabant. Qui eorum curules gesserant magistratus, ut
in fortunae pristinae honorumque ac {5} virtutis insignibus morerentur,
quae augustissima vestis est tensas ducentibus triumphantibusve, ea
vestiti medio aedium eburneis sellis sedere. Galli autem ingressi
postero die urbem patente Collina porta in forum perveniunt; ubi eos
plebis aedificiis {10} obseratis, patentibus atriis principum, maior
prope cunctatio tenebat aperta quam clausa invadendi; adeo haud secus
quam venerabundi intuebantur in aedium vestibulis sedentes viros,
praeter ornatum habitumque humano augustiorem maiestate etiam, {15} quam
vultus gravitasque oris prae se ferebat, simillimos dis. Ad eos velut ad
simulacra versi cum starent, M. Papirius, unus ex eis, dicitur Gallo
barbam suam, ut tum omnibus promissa erat, permulcenti scipione eburneo
in caput incusso iram {20} movisse, atque ab eo initium caedis ortum,
ceteros in sedibus suis trucidatos; post principum caedem nulli deinde
mortalium parci, diripi tecta, exhaustis inici ignes.
LIVY, v. 41 (sel.)
[Linenotes:
1. +ut in tali re+ = _considering the circumstances_.
3. +obstinato ad+ = _firmly resolved on_... --Rawlins.
4-5. +curules magistratus+ = _curule magistracies_, i.e. of
Dictator, Censor, Consul, Praetor, Curule Aedile, who possessed the
right of using _sellae curules_ (_the ivory chairs of State_),
originally an emblem of kingly power.
5-6. +in fortunae ... insignibus+ = _in the emblems of their old
rank_ (+fortunae+) _and office_ (+honorum+) _and prowess_
(+virtutis+ i.e. prizes for valour; e.g. _phalerae_ = _bosses_,
_coronae_ = _crowns_).
7. +tensas+ = _state cars_ in which the statues of the gods were
drawn in solemn procession to the Circensian games.
11. +obseratis+ = _shut up_, lit. _barred_, +ob + sera+, cf.
_sĕro_ = join.
14. +vestibulis+ = _entrance-courts_, only found in large houses.
14-15. +praeter ornatum habitumque+ = _not only in their garb and
bearing_. --Whibley.
19. +ut tum ... erat+ = _worn long_ (+promissa+) _as was then the
custom with all_, or _worn long in accordance with the fashion of
the time_. --R.
20. +scipione eburneo+ = _the ivory staff_, one of the _insignia_ of
the _triumphator_.
23. +exhaustis+ (sc. _aedibus_) = _when completely pillaged_.]
+Reference.+ Plutarch, _Camillus_, xxi. xxii.
D25
THE INVASION OF THE GAULS, 390 B.C. (4)
A. _Manlius Capitolinus and the Sacred Geese._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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