(1) Annō trecentēsimō et alterō ab urbe conditā imperium cōnsulāre cessāvit et prō duōbus cōnsulibus decem factī sunt, quī summam potestātem habērent, decemvirī nōminātī.
(2) Sed cum prīmō annō bene ēgissent, secundō ūnus ex hīs, Ap. Claudius, Virgīniī cūiusdam, quī honestīs iam stīpendiīs contrā Latīnōs in monte Algidō mīlitābat, fīliam virginem corrumpere voluit. Quam pater occīdit, nē stuprum ā decemvirō sustinēret, et regressus ad mīlitēs mōvit tumultum. Sublāta est decemvirīs potestās ipsīque damnātī sunt.
notes
The rule of the Decemviri (451-450 BCE)
(1) alterō: = secundō (Hazzard)
ab urbe conditā: "from the founding of the city" (Hazzard). One of the two standard terms for Roman dating, the other being a statement of consuls in charge for that year
quī summam potestātem habērent: relative clause of purpose (AG 531.2)
decemvirī: In 451 BCE ten patrician commissioners [decemvirī] were appointed to collect and publish on tablets in the Forum the most important rules of Roman customary law which had previously been confined to patrician pontifices. The process took two years, during which the regular constitution was suspended. The XII Tables were never abolished and at least until Cicero’s day were learned by heart by schoolboys. In later years much in them became obsolete but some fundamentals remained until Justinian’s codification (529–534 CE) (Bird).
nōminātī: supply sunt
(2) cum prīmō annō bene ēgissent: "although..." cum here is concessive (AG 527)
ūnus ex hīs: "one of them." Cardinal numerals (except mīlia) regularly take the ablative with ē (ex) or dē instead of the partitive genitive (AG 346.c).
Ap. Claudius: according to tradition Appius Claudius acted tyrannically and Verginia was killed by her father to save her from Claudius’ lust. A second secession of the plebeians occurred, the decemvirs abdicated, constitutional government was restored, ten tribunes were appointed and two consuls elected for 449 BCE (Bird).
in monte Algidō: for the campaign in Mount Algidus, see Brev. 1.17
corrumpere: "sexually assault"
Quam: connecting relative referring to fīliam (AG 308.f)
nē stuprum ā decemvirō sustinēret: negative purpose clause signaled by nē (AG 531)
regressus: from regredior, a deponent verb (AG 190)
Sublāta est: from tollō
ipsīque: decemvirī
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
| cōnsulāris, e [cōnsul], adj. |
of a consul, of consular rank; as subst., an ex-consul |
| cessō, āre, āvī, ātus [freq. of cēdō] |
to be inactive, loiter, delay; come to an end, cease |
| decemvir, ī [decem + vir], m. |
one of a commission of ten men, decemvir |
| nōminō, āre, āvī, ātus [nōmen] | to name, call, mention |
| Appius, ī, m. (abbr. Ap.) |
a praenomen especially common in the Claudian gens 2 |
| Claudius, ī, m. |
the name of one of the oldest and most famous of the Roman gentes. (1.) Claudius I. Tib. Claudius Drusus Nero, Roman emperor, 41–54 A.D.; (2) Claudius II., M. Aurelius Claudius Gothicus, Roman emperor, 268–270 A.D. |
| Virgīnius, ī, m. |
(1) L. (T.) Virgīnius, consul 479 B.C.; (2) (L.) Virgīnius, father of Virginia, consul 449 B.C. |
| stīpendium, ī [stips, gift + pendō], n. | a payment; salary, pay; campaign |
| Latīnī, ōrum, pl. m. | the Latins |
| Algidus, ī, m. | a mountain in Latium |
| mīlitō, āre, āvī, ātus [mīles] | to be a soldier, wage war |
| stuprum, ī, n. | rape |
| regredior, gredī, gressus sum | to step back, retreat, return |
| tumultus, ūs, m. |
a disturbance, uproar; rebellion, riot |