THE RIVAL CENTURIONS
Illīs in castrīs erant duo centuriōnēs, fortissimī virī, T.
Pullō et L. Vorēnus, quōrum neuter alterī virtūte cēdere volēbat. Inter eōs iam
multōs annōs īnfēnsum certāmen gerēbātur. Tum dēmum fīnis contrōversiae hōc
modō factus est. Diē tertiō postquam Pūblius pervēnit, hostēs, maiōribus
cōpiīs coāctīs, ācerrimum impetum in castra fēcērunt. Tum Pullō, cum Rōmānī
tardiōrēs vidērentur, “Cūr dubitās,” inquit, “Vorēne? Quam commodiōrem
occāsiōnem exspectās? Hic diēs dē virtūte nostrā iūdicābit.” Haec cum dīxisset,
extrā mūnītiōnēs prōcessit et in eam hostium partem quae cōfertissima vidēbātur
inrūpit. Neque Vorēnus quidem tum vāllō sēsē continet, sed Pullōnem
subsequitur. Tum Pullō pīlum in hostīs immittit atque ūnum ex
multitūdine prōcurrentem trāicit. Hunc percussum et exanimātum hostēs
scūtīs prōtegunt et in Pullōnem omnēs tēla coniciunt. Eius scūtum trānsfīgitur
et tēlum in balteō dēfīgitur. Hic cāsus vāgīnam āvertit et dextram manum
eius gladium ēdūcere cōnantis morātur. Eum ita impedītum hostēs
circumsistunt.
Tum vēro eī labōrantī Vorēnus, cum sit inimīcus, tamen
auxilium dat. Ad hunc cōnfestim ā Pullōne omnis multitūdō sē convertit. Gladiō
comminus pugnat Vorēnus, atque, ūnō interfectō, reliquōs paulum
prōpellit. Sed īnstāns cupidius īnfēlīx, pede sē fallente,
concidit.
Huic rūrsus circumventō auxilium
dat Pullō, atque ambō incolumēs, plūribus interfectīs, summā cum laude
intrā mūnītiōnēs sē recipiunt. Sic inimīcōrum alter alterī auxilium dedit nec dē
eōrum virtūte quisquam iūdicāre potuit.
review: participial constructions
Participial constructions are very common in Classical Latin
literature. English may be able to translate them literally but, most often,
they require some type of subordinate clause.
[i] present active participle
īnstāns cupidius īnfēlīx | the
unfortunate man (who is) pressing forward too eagerly
ūnum [acc.] ex multitūdine prōcurrentem
[acc.] trāicit | pierces one man (who is) rushing forward
from the crowd
dextram manum eius [gen.] gladium ēdūcere cōnantis
[gen.] morātur.
(it) hinders the right hand of him / of the man
(who is) attempting to draw his sword = (it) hinders his right hand, while
he is trying to draw his sword
eī [dat.] labōrantī [dat.] Vorēnus
… auxilium dat | Vorenus gives help to him while he is struggling
[ii] perfect passive participle
Eum ita impedītum hostēs
circumsistunt. | The enemy surround him (who has been) hindered
in this way.
Hunc percussum et exanimātum
hostēs scūtīs prōtegunt | With their shields the enemy protect this man (who
has been) struck and killed
Huic rūrsus circumventō
auxilium dat Pullō | Pullo again gives help to him when he has been
surrounded
[iii] ablative absolute
Remember the basic formula of the two parts of an
ablative absolute construction:
(1) with present active participle = with X ¦ Y-ing
Pede [ablative] ¦ sē fallente [ablative]
| literally: with (his) foot ¦ deceiving itself
While it sounds clumsy in style, it is correct. Most often,
however, the translation will use ‘when’, ‘since’ or ‘after’ depending on the
context. In this case:
pede sē fallente | his foot slipping / since his foot slips /
when his foot slips …
(2) with perfect passive participle = with X ¦ having been
Y-ed
… ūnō ¦ interfectō… | with one (man) ¦ having
been killed > after one man had been killed …
Be careful with the translation since the ablative absolute
does not in itself indicate who performed the action:
Gladiō comminus pugnat Vorēnus, atque, ūnō interfectō,
reliquōs paulum prōpellit.
Vorenus fights hand-to-hand with his sword, and, with one
(man) having been killed, drives back the rest a little.
In this context, since Vorenus is fighting hand-to-hand, it is
obviously Vorenus who is being referred to. Therefore, it would be possible to
translate the ablative absolute as:
…and having killed one man / after he killed one man, …
Likewise:
maiōribus cōpiīs ¦ coāctīs | with
larger forces ¦ having been assembled > after larger forces had been
…
hostēs, maiōribus cōpiīs coāctīs,
… impetum … fēcērunt.
The enemy, after larger forces had been assembled, … made an attack.
Again, here, it is obvious that it was the enemy who had
gathered the forces. Therefore, the following translations are possible:
After the enemy had assembled larger forces, they made an
attack.
Having assembled larger forces, the enemy made an attack.
Compare:
plūribus ¦ interfectīs | with many ¦ having been
killed > after many had been killed …
atque ambō incolumēs, plūribus interfectīs,
summā cum laude intrā mūnītiōnēs sē recipiunt.
And with the highest praise both return unharmed within the
fortifications, after many had been killed
It is not implied that both of them killed many men; the
ablative absolute simply describes the circumstances under which they return.
To translate the ablative absolute as: “After they had killed …” or “Having
killed …” would be an assumption that is not conveyed.
If in doubt, keep the impersonal and passive nature of the
ablative absolute i.e. do not refer to a subject. In the translation of the
entire text below, all the ablative absolutes have been expressed in that way.
____________________
In that camp there were two centurions, very brave men, Titus Pullo
and Lucius Vorenus, neither of whom was willing to yield to the other in
courage. Between them there had been for many years a hostile rivalry. At last
the end of the dispute was brought about in the following way.
On the third day after Publius arrived, the enemy, after
larger forces had been gathered, made a very fierce attack on the camp.
Then Pullo, when the Romans seemed to be too slow, said: “Why
do you hesitate, Vorenus? What more favourable opportunity are you waiting for?
This day will judge our courage.” When he had said this, he advanced beyond the
fortifications and burst into that part of the enemy which seemed most densely
packed.
Nor did Vorenus at that time keep himself within the rampart
but follows Pullo.
Then Pullo hurls his javelin at the enemy and pierces one
man rushing forward from the crowd. With their shields the enemy protect
this man, who has been struck and killed, and they throw all their
weapons at Pullo.
His shield is pierced through and a spear is driven into his
belt. This accident turns aside / dislodges his scabbard and hinders his right
hand, while he is trying to draw his sword. The enemy surround him who
has been impeded in this way.
Then indeed Vorenus, although he is his enemy, nevertheless
gives assistance, to him while he is struggling.
At once all the crowd turns from Pullo to him. Vorenus fights
hand-to-hand with his sword, and, one man having been killed, drives
back the rest a little.
But the unfortunate man, pressing forward too eagerly, his
foot slipping, falls.
To him again, when surrounded, Pullo gives aid, and both
return within the fortifications unharmed, after many had been killed,
with the highest praise.
Thus each of the enemies gave help to the other, and no one
could judge between their courage.
