Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, D. Spillan, A.M., M.D. (Translator), Cyrus Edmonds (Translator), William A. McDevitte (Translator), 1.26

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[1]

Before they parted from thence, when Mettus, in conformity to the treaty which had been concluded, asked what orders he had to give, Tullus orders him to keep the youth in arms, that he designed to employ them, if a war should break out with the Veientes.

[2] After this both armies returned to their homes. Horatius marched foremost, carrying before him the spoils of the three brothers: his sister, a maiden who had been betrothed to one of the Curiatii, met him before the gate Capena: and having recognized her lover's military robe, which she herself had wrought, on her brother's shoulders, she tore her hair, and with bitter wailings called by name on her deceased lover.

[3] The sister's lamentations in the midst of his own victory, and of such great public rejoicings, raised the indignation of the excited youth.

[4] Having therefore drawn his sword, he run the damsel through the body, at the same time chiding her in these words:

Go hence, with thy unseasonable love to thy spouse, forgetful of thy dead brothers, and of him who survives, forgetful of thy native country.

[5]

So perish every Roman woman who shall mourn an enemy.

This action seemed shocking to the fathers and to the people; but his recent services outweighed its guilt. Nevertheless he was carried before the king for judgment. The king, that he himself might not be the author of a decision so melancholy, and so disagreeable to the people, or of the punishment consequent on that decision, having summoned an assembly of the people, says,

I appoint, according to law, duumvirs to pass sentence on Horatius for ¹ treason.

[6] The law was of dreadful import. ²

Let the duumvirs pass sentence for treason. If he appeal from the duumvirs, let him contend by appeal; if they shall gain the cause, ³ cover his head; hang him by a rope from a gallows; scourge him either within the pomœrium or without the pomœrium.

[7] When the duumvirs appointed by this law, who did not consider that, according to the law, they could ⁴ acquit even an innocent person, had fond him guilty; one of them says,

P. Horatius, I judge thee guilty of treason.

[8]

Go, lictor, bind his hands.

The lictor had approached him, and was fixing the rope. Then Horatius, lay the advice of Tullus, ⁵ a favourable interpreter of the law, says,

I appeal.

[9] Accordingly the matter was contested by appeal to the people. On that trial persons were much affected, especially by P. Horatius the father declaring, that he considered his daughter deservedly slain; were it not so, that he would by his authority as a father have inflicted punishment on his son. ⁶ He then en- treated that they would not render childless him whom but a little while ago they had beheld with a fine progeny.

[10] During these words the old man, having embraced the youth, pointing to the spoils of the Curiatii fixed up in that place which is now called Pila Horatia,

Romans,

said he,

can you bear to see bound beneath a gallows amidst scourges and tortures, him whom you just now beheld marching decorated (with spoils) and exulting in victory; a sight so shocking as the eyes even of the Albans could scarcely endure.

[11]

Go, lictor, bind those hands, which but a little while since, being armed, established sovereignty for the Roman people. Go, cover the head of the liberator of this city; hang him on the gallows; scourge him, either within the pomœrium, so it be only amid those javelins and spoils of the enemy; or without the pomœrium, only amid the graves of the Curiatii. For whither can you bring this youth, where his own glories must not redeem him from such ignominy of punishment?

[12] The people could not withstand the tears of the father, or the resolution of the son, so undaunted in every danger; and acquitted him more through admiration of his bravery, than for the justice of his cause. But that so notorious a murder might be atoned for by some expiation, the father was commanded to make satisfaction for the son at the public charge.

[13] He, having offered certain expiatory sacrifices, which were ever after continued in the Horatian family, and laid a beam across the street, made his son pass under it as under a yoke, with his head covered. This remains even to this day, being constantly repaired at the expense of the public; they call it Sororium Tigillum.

[14] A tomb of square stone was erected to Horatia in the place where she was stabbed and fell.

Ab urbe condita. Titus Livius (Livy). D. Spillan, A.M., M.D. (Translator), Cyrus Edmonds (Translator), William A. McDevitte (Translator). Medford, MA. .

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

History of Rome (English) (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library))

Editions (3)

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.) — 1.26 focus

[1] priusquam inde digrederentur, roganti Mettio, ex foedere icto quid imperaret, imperat Tullus, uti iuventutem in armis habeat; usurum se eorum opera, si bellum cum Veientibus foret. ita exercitus inde domos abducti.

[2] princeps Horatius ibat trigemina spolia prae se gerens; cui soror virgo, quae desponsa uni ex Curiatiis fuerat, obvia ante portam Capenam fuit; cognitoque super umeros fratris paludamento sponsi, quod ipsa confecerat, solvit crines et flebiliter nomine sponsum mortuum appellat.

[3] movet feroci iuveni animum conploratio sororis in victoria sua tantoque gaudio publico. stricto itaque gladio simul verbis increpans transfigit puellam.

[4] “abi hinc cum inmaturo amore ad sponsum” inquit, “oblita fratrum mortuorum vivique, oblita patriae.

[5] sic eat, quaecumque Romana lugebit hostem.” atrox visum id facinus patribus plebique, sed recens meritum facto obstabat. tamen raptus in ius ad regem. rex, ne ipse tamen tristis ingratique ad vulgus iudicii ac secundum iudicium supplicii auctor esset, concilio populi advocato “duumviros” inquit, “qui Horatio perduellionem iudicent, secundum legem facio.”

[6] lex horrendi carminis erat: duumviri perduellionem iudicent; si a duumviris provocarit, provocatione certato; si vincent, caput obnubito; infelici arbori reste suspendito; verberato vel intra pomerium vel extra pomerium.

[7] hac lege duumviri creati. qui se absolvere non rebantur ea lege ne innoxium quider quidem posse, cum condemnassent, turn tum alter ex iis “P. Horati, tibi perduellionem iudico” inquit;

[8] “i, lictor, conliga manus.” accesserat lictor iniciebatque laqueum. turn tum Horatius auctore Tullo, clemente legis interprete, “provoco” inquit.

[9] ita de provocatione certatum ad populum est. moti homines sunt in eo iudicio maxime P. Horatio patre proclamante se filiam iure caesam iudicare; ni ita esset, patrio iure in filium animadversurum fuisse. orabat deinde, ne se, quem paulo ante cum egregia stirpe conspexissent, orbum liberis facerent.

[10] inter haec senex iuvenem amplexus, spolia Curiatiorum fixa eo loco, qui nunc pila Horatia appellatur, ostentans “huncine” aiebat, “quem modo decoratum ovantemque victoria incedentem vidistis, Quirites, eum sub furca vinctum inter verbera et cruciatus videre potestis? quod vix Albanorum oculi tam deforme spectaculum ferre possent.

[11] i, lictor, conliga manus, quae paulo ante armatae imperium populo Romano pepererunt. i, caput obnube liberatoris urbis huius; arbore infelici suspende; verbera vel intra pomerium, modo inter illa pila et spolia hostium, vel extra pomerium, modo inter sepulcra Curiatiorum. quo enim ducere hunc iuvenem potestis, ubi non sua decora eum a tanta foeditate supplicii vindicent?”

[12] non tulit populus nec patris lacrimas nec ipsius parem in omni periculo animum, absolveruntque admiratione magis virtutis quam iure causae. itaque, ut caedes manifesta aliquo tamen piaculo lueretur, imperatum patri, ut filium expiaret pecunia publica.

[13] is quibusdam piacularibus sacrificiis factis, quae deinde genti Horatiae tradita sunt, transmisso per viam tigillo capite adoperto velut sub iugum misit iuvenem. id hodie quoque publice semper refectum manet; sororium tigillum vocant.

[14] Horatiae sepulcrum, quo loco corruerat icta, conjLtructum constructum est saxo quadrato.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 1.26 focus

[1]

priusquam inde digrederentur, roganti Mettio ex foedere icto quid imperaret, imperat Tullus uti iuuentutem in armis habeat: usurum se eorum opera si bellum cum Ueientibus foret.

[2] ita exercitus inde domos abducti. princeps Horatius ibat, trigemina spolia prae se gerens; cui soror uirgo, quae desponsa uni ex Curiatiis fuerat, obuia ante portam Capenam fuit, cognitoque super umeros fratris paludamento sponsi quod ipsa confecerat, soluit crines et flebiliter nomine sponsum mortuum appellat.

[3] mouet feroci iuueni animum comploratio sororis in uictoria sua tantoque gaudio publico. stricto itaque gladio simul uerbis increpans transfigit puellam.

[4] 'abi hinc cum immaturo amore ad sponsum,' inquit, 'oblita fratrum mortuorum uiuique, oblita patriae. sic eat quaecumque Romana lugebit hostem.'

[5] atrox uisum id facinus patribus plebique, sed recens meritum facto obstabat. tamen raptus in ius ad regem. rex ne ipse tam tristis ingratique ad uolgus iudicii ac secundum iudicium supplicii auctor esset, concilio populi aduocato 'duumuiros' inquit, 'qui Horatio perduellionem iudicent, secundum legem facio.' lex horrendi carminis erat:

[6] 'duumuiri perduellionem iudicent; si a duumuiris prouocarit, prouocatione certato; si uincent, caput obnubito; infelici arbori reste suspendito; uerberato uel intra pomerium uel extra pomerium.'

[7] hac lege duumuiri creati, qui se absoluere non rebantur ea lege ne innoxium quidem posse, cum condemnassent, tum alter ex iis 'Publi Horati, tibi perduellionem iudico' inquit. 'i, lictor, colliga manus.'

[8] accesserat lictor iniciebatque laqueum. tum Horatius auctore Tullo, clemente legis interprete, 'prouoco' inquit. itaque prouocatione certatum ad populum est.

[9] moti homines sunt in eo iudicio maxime P. Horatio patre proclamante se filiam iure caesam iudicare; ni ita esset, patrio iure in filium animaduersurum fuisse. orabat deinde ne se quem paulo ante cum egregia stirpe conspexissent orbum liberis facerent.

[10] inter haec senex iuuenem amplexus, spolia Curiatiorum fixa eo loco qui nunc Pila Horatia appellatur ostentans, 'huncine' aiebat, 'quem modo decoratum ouantemque uictoria incedentem uidistis, Quirites, eum sub furca uinctum inter uerbera et cruciatus uidere potestis? quod uix Albanorum oculi tam deforme spectaculum ferre possent.

[11] i, lictor, colliga manus, quae paulo ante armatae imperium populo Romano pepererunt. i, caput obnube liberatoris urbis huius; arbore infelici suspende; uerbera uel intra pomerium, modo inter illa pila et spolia hostium, uel extra pomerium, modo inter sepulcra Curiatiorum; quo enim ducere hunc iuuenem potestis ubi non sua decora eum a tanta foeditate supplicii uindicent?'

[12] non tulit populus nec patris lacrimas nec ipsius parem in omni periculo animum, absolueruntque admiratione magis uirtutis quam iure causae. itaque ut caedes manifesta aliquo tamen piaculo lueretur, imperatum patri ut filium expiaret pecunia publica.

[13] is quibusdam piacularibus sacrificiis factis quae deinde genti Horatiae tradita sunt, transmisso per uiam tigillo, capite adoperto uelut sub iugum misit iuuenem. id hodie quoque publice semper refectum manet; sororium tigillum uocant.

[14] Horatiae sepulcrum, quo loco corruerat icta, constructum est saxo quadrato.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Livy in Fourteen Volumes. Foster, Benjamin Oliver; Moore, Frank Gardener; Schlesinger, Alfred C., editors. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1919-1959 (printing).) — 1.26 focus

[1]

priusquam inde digrederentur, roganti Mettio, ex foedere icto, quid imperaret, imperat Tullus uti iuventutem in armis habeat: usurum se eorum opera, si bellum cum Veientibus foret. ita exercitus inde domos abducti.

[3] movet feroci iuveni animum conploratio sororis in victoria sua tantoque gaudio publico. stricto itaque gladio simul verbis increpans transfigit puellam.

[4]

abi hinc cum immaturo amore ad sponsum

inquit,

oblita fratrum mortuorum vivique, oblita patriae.

[5]

sic eat quaecumque Romana lugebit hostem.

atrox visum id facinus patribus plebique, sed recens meritum facto obstabat. tamen raptus in ius ad regem. rex , ne ipse tam tristis ingratique ad volgus iudicii ac ¹ secundum iudicium supplicii auctor esset, concilio populi advocato

duumviros ,

inquit, ²

qui Horatio perduellionem iudicent, secundum legem facio.

[7] hac lege duumviri creati. qui se absolvere non rebantur ea lege ne innoxium quidem posse, cum condemnassent, tum tur alter ex iis ³

P. Horati, tibi perduellionem iudico,

inquit;

i, lictor, ⁴ colliga manus.

[8] accesserat lictor iniciebatque laqueum. tum tur Horatius auctore Tullo, clemente legis interprete,

provoco ,

inquit. itaque⁵ provocatione certatum ad populum est.

[9] moti homines sunt in eo iudicio maxime P. Horatio patre proclamante se filiam iure caesam iudicare: ni ita esset, patrio iure in filium ⁶ animadversurum fuisse. orabat deinde, ne se, quem paulo ante cum egregia stirpe conspexissent, orbum liberis facerent.

[10] inter haec senex iuvenem amplexus, spolia Curiatiorum fixa eo loco qui nunc pila Horatia appellatur ostentans,

huncine

aiebat,

quem modo decoratum ovantemque victoria incedentem vidistis, ⁷ Quirites, eum sub furca vinctum inter verbera et cruciatus videre potestis? quod vix Albanorum oculi tam deforme spectaculum ferre possent.

[11]

I, lictor, colliga manus, quae paulo ante armatae imperium populo Romano pepererunt. I, caput obnube liberatoris urbis huius; arbore infelici suspende; verbera vel intra pomerium, modo inter illa pila et spolia hostium, vel extra pomerium, modo inter sepulcra Curiatiorum. quo enim ducere hunc iuvenem potestis, ubi non sua decora eum a tanta foeditate supplicii vindicent?

[12] non tulit populus nec patris lacrimas nec ipsius parem in omni periculo animum, absolveruntque admiratione magis virtutis quam iure causae. itaque , ut caedes manifesta aliquo tamen piaculo lueretur, imperatum patri ut filium expiaret pecunia publica.

[14] Horatiae sepulcrum, quo loco corruerat icta, constructum est saxo quadrato.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Foster, Benjamin Oliver; Moore, Frank Gardener; Sage, Evan T.; Schlesinger, Alfred C., translators. Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1919-1959. (Loeb Classical Library)) — 1.26 focus

[1]

Before they left the field Mettius asked, in pursuance of the compact, what Tullus commanded him to do, and the Roman ordered him to hold his young men under arms, saying that he should employ their services, if war broke out with the Veientes.

[2] The armies then marched home. In the van of the Romans came Horatius, displaying his triple spoils. As he drew near the Porta Capena he was met by his unwedded sister, who had been promised in marriage to one of the Curiatii. When she recognized on her brother's shoulders the military cloak of her betrothed, which she herself had woven, she loosed her hair and, weeping, called on her dead lover's name.

[3] It enraged the fiery youth to hear his sister's lamentations in the hour of his own victory and the nation's great rejoicing. And so, drawing his sword and at the same time angrily upbraiding her, he ran her through the body.

[4]

Begone

he cried,

to your betrothed, with your ill-timed love, since you have forgot your brothers, both the dead and the living, and forgot your country!

[5]

So perish every Roman woman who mourns a foe!

Horrid as this deed seemed to the Fathers and the people, his recent service was an off-set to it; nevertheless he was seized and brought before the king for trial. The king, that he might not take upon himself the responsibility for so stern and unpopular a judgement, and for the punishment which must follow sentence, called together the council of the people ¹ and said:

In accordance with the law I appoint duumvirs to pass judgement upon Horatius for treason.

[6] The dread formula of the law ran thus:

Let the duumvirs pronounce him guilty of treason; if he shall appeal from the duumvirs, let the appeal be tried; if the duumvirs win, let the lictor veil his head; let him bind him with a rope to a barren tree; let him scourge him either within or without the pomerium.

[7] By the terms of this law duumvirs were appointed. They considered that they might not acquit, under that act, even one who was innocent, and having given a verdict of guilty, one of them pronounced the words,

Publius Horatius, I adjudge you a traitor; go, lictor, bind his hands.

[8] The lictor had approached and was about to fit the noose. Then Horatius, at the prompting of Tullus, who put a merciful construction upon the law, cried,

I appeal!

[9] And so the appeal was tried before the people. What influenced men most of all in that trial was the assertion of Publius Horatius, the father, that his daughter had been justly slain; otherwise he should have used a father's authority and have punished his son, himself. He then implored them not to make him childless whom they had beheld a little while before surrounded by a goodly offspring.

[10] So saying, the old man embraced the youth, and pointing to the spoils of the Curiatii set up in the place which is now called

the Horatian Spears,

⁴ he exclaimed,

This man you saw but lately advancing decked with spoils and triumphing in his victory; ⁵ can you bear, Quirites, to see him bound beneath a fork and scourged and tortured? Hardly could Alban eyes endure so hideous a sight.

[11]

Go, lictor, bind the hands which but now, with sword and shield, brought imperial power to the Roman People! Go, veil the head of the liberator of this city! Bind him to a barren tree! Scourge him within the pomerium, if you will —so it be amidst yonder spears and trophies of our enemies —or outside the pomerium —so it be amongst the graves of the Curiatii! For whither can you lead this youth where his own honours will not vindicate him from so foul a punishment?

[12] The people could not withstand the father's tears, or the courage of Horatius himself, steadfast in every peril; and they acquitted him, more in admiration of his valour than from the justice of his cause. And so, that the flagrant murder might yet be cleansed away, by some kind of expiatory rite, the father was commanded to make atonement for his son at the public cost.

[13] He therefore offered certain piacular sacrifices, which were thenceforward handed down in the Horatian family, and, erecting a beam across the street, to typify a yoke, he made his son pass under it, with covered head. It remains to this day, being restored from time to time at the state's expense, and is known as

the Sister's Beam.

[14] Horatia's tomb, of hewn stone, was built on the place where she had been struck down.

History of Rome Perseus (Volumes 1-2. Roberts, Canon, Rev, translator. London, New York: J. M. Dent and Sons; E. P. Dutton and Co., 1912.) — 1.26 focus

[1] Before the armies separated, Mettius inquired what commands he was to receive in accordance with the terms of the treaty. Tullus ordered him to keep the Alban soldiery under arms, as he would require their services if there were war with the Veientines.

[2] Both armies then withdrew to their homes. ¹ Horatius was marching at the head of the Roman army, carrying in front of him his triple spoils. His sister, who had been betrothed to one of the Curiatii, met him outside the Capene gate. She recognised on her brother's shoulders the cloak of her betrothed, which she had made with her own hands; and bursting into tears she tore her hair and called her dead lover by

[3] name. The triumphant soldier was so enraged by his sister's outburst of grief in the midst of his own triumph and the public rejoicing that he drew his sword and stabbed the

[4] girl. “Go,” he cried, in bitter reproach, “go to your betrothed with your ill-timed love, forgetful as you are of your dead brothers, of the one who still lives and of your

[5] country! So perish every Roman woman who mourns for an enemy!” The deed horrified patricians and plebeians alike; but his recent services were a set-off to it. He was brought before the king for trial. To avoid responsibility for passing a harsh sentence, which would be repugnant to the populace, and then carrying it into execution, the king summoned an assembly of the people, and said: “I appoint two duumvirs to judge the treason of Horatius according to

[6] law.” The dreadful language of the law was: “The duumvirs shall judge cases of treason; if the accused appeal from the duumvirs the appeal shall be heard; if their sentence be confirmed the lictor shall hang him by a rope on the fatal tree and shall scourge him either within or without the

[7] pomoerium.” ² The duumvirs appointed under this law did not think that by its provisions they had the power to acquit even an innocent person. Accordingly they condemned him; then one of them said “Publius Horatius, I pronounce you guilty

[8] of treason. Lictor, bind his hands.” The lictor had approached and was fastening the cord, when Horatius, at the suggestion of Tullus, who placed a merciful interpretation on the law, said

[9] “I appeal.” The appeal was accordingly brought before the people. Their decision was mainly influenced by Publius Horatius the father, who declared that his daughter had been justly slain , had it not been so, he would have exerted his authority as a father in punishing his son. Then he implored them not to bereave of all his children the man whom they had so lately seen surrounded with such

[10] noble offspring. Whilst saying this he embraced his son, and then, pointing to the spoils of the Curiatii suspended on the spot now called the Pila Horatia, he said: “Can you bear, Quirites, to see bound scourged, and tortured beneath the gallows the man whom you saw, lately, coming in triumph adorned with his foemen's spoils? Why, the Albans themselves could not bear the sight of such a

[11] hideous spectacle. Go, lictor, bind those hands which when armed but a little time ago won dominion for the Roman people. Go, cover the head of the liberator of this City! Hang him on the fatal tree, scourge him within the pomoerium if only it be amongst the trophies of his foes or without if only it be amongst the tombs of the Curiatii! To what place can you take this youth where the monuments of his splendid exploits will not vindicate him from such a

[12] shameful punishment?” The father's tears and the young soldier's courage ready to meet every peril were too much for the people. They acquitted him because they admired his bravery rather than because they regarded his cause as a just one. But since a murder in broad daylight demanded some expiation, the father was commanded to make an atonement for his son at the cost of

[13] the State. After offering certain expiatory sacrifices he erected a beam across the street and made the young man pass under it, as under a yoke, with his head covered. This beam exists to-day, having always been kept in repair by the State: it is called “The

[14] Sister's Beam.” A tomb of hewn stone was constructed for Horatia on the spot where she was murdered.

Notes on the current edition

History of Rome, books 1-10, 21-45

1. Perduellio, (duellum, bellum,) high treason against the state or its sovereign; but in those times any offence deserving capital punishment was included under that of treason, Qui Horatio perduellionem judicent, to pass sentence on Horatius, as being manifestly guilty of murder; not to try whether he was guilty or not.

2. Duumviri, etc. Niebuhr considers these to be the very words of the old formula.

3. If the sentence (of the duumviri) be confirmed by the people.

4. The letter of the law allowed of no justification or extenuation of the fact. It left no alternative to the judge.

5. He kindly pointed out the loop-hole in the law, which left an opening for the culprit's acquittal.

6. By the laws of Romulus, a father had the power of life and death over his children.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 1.26

D. Spillan, A.M., M.D. (Translator), Cyrus Edmonds (Translator), William A. McDevitte (Translator)

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