[28.17] Fabius, by his ‘policy of masterly inactivity,’ gained the title of Cunctātor, ‘the Delayer.’
[28.18] frangō.
[Text-only version] [XII.] Lūcius Virgīnius
Annō trecentēsimō[1] ab urbe[2] conditā prō duōbus cōnsulibus
decemvirī creātī sunt, quī[3] adlātās ē Graeciā lēgēs populō
prōpōnerent.[4] Duodecim[5] tabulīs[6] eae sunt perscrīptae. Cēterum
decemvirī[7] suā[8] ipsōrum īnsolentiā in exitium āctī sunt. Nam
[5] ūnus ex iīs Appius Claudius virginem plēbēiam adamāvit. Quam[9]
cum Appius nōn posset pretiō ac spē perlicere, ūnum ē
clientibus[10] subōrnāvit, quī eam in[11] servitūtem dēpōsceret,[12] facile
victūrum[13] sē spērāns, cum ipse esset et accūsātor et iūdex. Lūcius
Virgīnius, puellae pater, tunc aberat mīlitiae causā. Cliēns igitur
[10] virginī[14] venientī in Forum (namque ibi in tabernīs litterārum[15]
lūdī erant) iniēcit manum, adfīrmāns suam esse servam. Eam
sequī sē iubet; nī faciat,[16] minātur sē vī abstrāctūrum. Pavidā
puellā[17] stupente,[17] ad clāmōrem nūtrīcis fit concursus. Itaque cum
ille puellam vī nōn posset abdūcere, eam vocat in iūs, ipsō
[15] Appiō[17] iūdice.[17]
Intereā missī nūntiī ad Virgīnium properant. Is commeātū
sūmptō ā castrīs profectus prīmā lūce Rōmam advēnit, cum iam
cīvitās in Forō exspectātiōne ērēcta stābat. Virgīnius statim in
Forum lacrimābundus et cīvium opem implōrāns fīliam suam
[20] dēdūcit. Neque[1] eō sētius Appius, cum in tribūnal ēscendisset,
Virgīniam clientī suō addīxit. Tum pater, ubi nihil ūsquam
auxiliī[2] vīdit, “Quaesō,” inquit “Appī, īgnōsce patriō dolōrī[3];
sine mē fīliam ultimum adloquī.” Datā veniā pater cum fīliam
sēdūxisset, ab laniō cultrō[4] adreptō pectus puellae trānsfīgit.
[25] Tum vērō sibi viam facit et respersus cruōre ad exercitum profugit
et mīlitēs ad vindicandum facinus accendit. Concitātus
exercitus montem Aventīnum īnsēdit; decem tribūnōs[5] mīlitum
B.C.
449. creāvit; decemvirōs magistrātū sē abdicāre coēgit[6] eōsque omnēs
aut morte aut exiliō multāvit; ipse Appius Claudius in carcerem
[30] coniectus mortem sibi cōnscīvit.[7]
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[29.1] The dating is not exact, as the Decemvirs were elected in 451 B.C.
[29.2] Cf. [p. 5, n. 15].
[29.3] quī . . . prōpōnerent: i.e. after studying the laws of Greece, they were to draw up a code and submit it to the people.
[29.4] Cf. [p. 5, n. 3].