165. obtestans: obtestari, to call to witness, implore, entreat.
deum: poetic form = deorum.
testabatur: testari,to bear witness to, declare, assert; governing both fugere and fore in IND. STATE.
nequiquam: adv., in vain, to no purpose.
166. transitum pontem: the bridge, after they had crossed it (lit., the crossed bridge). a tergo: we would say at their rear or behind them.
167. Capitolio: Capitolium; the Capitoline hill and the Palatine were situated in Rome across the Tiber from the Janiculum.
169. monere, praedicere: the HIST. INF. (with subj., if there is one, in the nom.) can be used as the main vb. in a passage of lively, rapid narration and is regularly translated as a past tense; here, he warned, he instructed. ASYNDETON adds further speed and intensity to the narrative.
170. interrumpant: interrumpere, to break down.
se…excepturum (171): sc. esse and some speech vb., e.g., saying that.
quantum: adv. in so far as.
171. posset obsisti: impers. pass.
vadit: vadere,to go, rush.
aditum: aditus,approach, entrance.
Some Ordeals of the Early Republic
The Tarquins flee to Lars Porsenna of Clusium, who leads an army against Rome.
Iam Tarquinii ad Lartem Porsennam, Clusinum regem, perfugerant. Ibi miscendo consilium precesque nunc orabant ne se, 150 oriundos ex Etruscis, eiusdem sanguinis nominisque, egentes exsulare pateretur; nunc monebant etiam ne orientem morem pellendi reges inultum sineret. Porsenna, cum regem esse Romae tum Etruscae gentis regem amplum Tuscis ratus, Romam infesto exercitu venit. Non umquam alias ante tantus terror senatum 155 invasit: adeo valida res tum Clusina erat magnumque Porsennae nomen. (II.2.2–9.5, excerpts)
Horatius Codes is posted to defend the bridge at Rome.
Cum hostes adessent, pro se quisque in urbem ex agris demigrant, urbem ipsam saepiunt praesidiis. Alia muris, alia Tiberi obiecto videbantur tuta. Pons sublicius iter paene hostibus 160 dedit, ni unus vir fuisset, Horatius Cocles: id munimentum illo die fortuna urbis Romanae habuit. Qui positus forte in statione pontis, cum captum repentino impetu Ianiculum atque inde citatos decurrere hostes vidisset, trepidamque turbam suorum arma ordinesque relinquere, reprehensans singulos, obsistens 165 obtestansque deum et hominum fidem, testabatur nequiquam deserto praesidio eos fugere; si transitum pontem a tergo reliquissent, iam plus hostium in Palatio Capitolioque quam in Ianiculo fore.
Codes orders the bridge to be destroyed behind him, while he holds the Etruscans at the entrance.
Itaque monere, praedicere ut pontem ferro, igni, quacumque 170 vi possint, interrumpant; se impetum hostium, quantum corpore uno posset obsisti, excepturum. Vadit inde in primum aditum pontis, insignisque inter conspecta cedentium pugnae terga, obversis comminus ad ineundum proelium armis, ipso miraculo audaciae obstupefecit hostes. Duos tamen cum eo pudor tenuit, 175 Sp. Larcium ac T. Herminium, ambos claros genere factisque. Cum his primam periculi procellam et quod tumultuosissimum pugnae erat parumper sustinuit; deinde eos quoque ipsos, exigua parte pontis relicta, revocantibus qui rescindebant, cedere in tutum coegit. Circumferens inde truces minaciter oculos ad 180 proceres Etruscorum, nunc singulos provocare, nunc increpare omnes, servitia regum superborum, suae libertatis immemores alienam oppugnatum venire. Cunctati aliquamdiu sunt, dum alius alium, ut proelium incipiant, circumspectant. Pudor deinde commovit aciem, et, clamore sublato, undique in unum hostem 185 tela coniciunt. Quae cum in obiecto cuncta scuto haesissent, neque ille minus obstinatus ingenti pontem obtineret gradu, iam impetu conabantur detrudere virum, cum simul fragor rupti pontis, simul clamor Romanorum alacritate perfecti operis sublatus, pavore subito impetum sustinuit.
172. insignis…inter…terga: lit., conspicuous among the visible backs of those yielding to the fight = conspicuous among those who were clearly turning their backs to the fight.
173. comminus: adv., hand to hand, at close quarters.
174. obstupefecit: obstupefacere, to astonish, amaze.
175. Sp. Larcium ac T. Herminium: Spurius Larcius and Titus Herminius; both family names are of Etruscan origin.
ambos:both.
176. procellam: procella, storm, onset.
tumultuosissimum:the most turbulent part of.
177. parumper: adv., for a little while.
exigua:scanty, small, little.
178. revocantibus: sc. eis as antecedent of qui; those dismantling (rescindere) the bridge were calling out to Larcius and Herminius to retreat.
179. circumferens…oculos: Eng. would say casting…glances.
truces:savage, fierce.
minaciter: adv., menacingly, threateningly.
180. proceres: procer, chief, noble.
provocare…increpare: both HIST. INFS.
181. servitia: = servos.
immemores…venire (182): sc. eos, (saying) that they, forgetful…, were coming.
182. alienam: sc. libertatem, obj. of oppugnatum.
oppugnatum:to attack, acc. of the supine.
183. alius alium…circumspectant: idiomatic, one looked at one, one at another, hence the pl. vb.
