09.04.25: H & B; level 2; reading; a Roman father

T. Mānlius Torquātus cōnsul exercitum Rōmānum ad disciplīnam sevērissimam īnstituit. ‘Nēmō’ (sīc mīlitibus ēdīxerat) ‘sōlus extrā ōrdinēs cum hostibus pugnābit.’ Praeerat tum hostium equitibus vir propter virtūtem nōtissimus Geminus Mettius: Mānliī fīlium Mettius ad certāmen prōvocāvit. Mōvit iuvenis animum intrepidum vel īra vel pudor: patris iussa neglēxit hostemque superāvit et occīdit. Tum corpus Mettīī spoliāvit, spolia magnō cum gaudiō ad patrem portāvit. Pater autem ‘Quoniam, T. Mānlī,’ inquit, ‘nec cōnsulis imperium nec patris auctōritātem timēs contrāque imperātōris iussa extrā ōrdinēs sōlus hodiē cum hoste pugnāvistī mīlitāremque disciplīnam neglēxistī, poenās audāciae morte persolvēs. Trīste exemplum erimus, sed reliquīs iuvenibus ūtile.’ Statim patris iussū fīlius ad supplicium dūcitur.

[1] Lines 1 – 2 (T. Mānlius … pugnābit)

[i] How did Manlius Torquatus treat the Roman army? (1)

[ii] What order was given to the soldiers? (2)

[2] Lines 3 – 6; translate into English (15)*:

Praeerat tum hostium equitibus vir propter virtūtem nōtissimus Geminus Mettius: Mānliī fīlium Mettius ad certāmen prōvocāvit. Mōvit iuvenis animum intrepidum vel īra vel pudor: patris iussa neglēxit hostemque superāvit et occīdit. Tum corpus Mettiī spoliāvit, spolia magnō cum gaudiō ad patrem portāvit.

[3] lines 6 – end (Pater, autem … dūcitur)

In your own words explain – with reference to the extract – the Roman attitude towards military discipline (12)**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_Manlius_Imperiosus_Torquatus

Manlius's son disobeys orders and fights a duel with a Latin warrior. Early 20th century book illustration

Titus Manlius Torquatus (Goltzius: c. 1590)

Consul Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus defeating a Gallic in 361 BC (Illustration by Tancredi Scarpelli)

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* [2] [i] At that time Geminus Mettius, ¦ [ii] a man very well-known ¦ [iii] on account of his courage, ¦ [i] was in command ¦ [iv] of the cavalry: ¦ [v] Mettius challenged Manlius’s son ¦ [vi] to a contest / battle. ¦ [vii] Either anger or shame ¦ [viii] stirred the mind ¦ [ix] of the fearless young man; ¦ [x] he ignored / disregarded his father’s commands, ¦ [xi] and conquered ¦ [xii] and killed [xi] the enemy. ¦ [xiii] He then despoiled (robbed) the body of Mettius ¦ [xiv] and, with great joy, ¦ [xv] carried the spoils to his father.

** [3] A military command is absolute; on no account should it be disobeyed. By acting alone and fighting outside the ranks the son disobeys the superior authority of Manlius as consul, commander and father:

… T. Mānlī,’ inquit, ‘nec cōnsulis imperium nec patris auctōritātem timēs contrāque imperātōris iussa extrā ōrdinēs sōlus hodiē cum hoste pugnāvistī …

Manlius’s reference to his son showing no fear (nec patris auctōritātem timēs) may suggest that the latter thought there would be no repercussions since the command had been given by his father. However, military hierarchy is unassailable and superior to family bonds. Consequently, Manlius shows no favoritism towards his son. Despite the son’s killing of Mettius that victory does not justify the disregard of military discipline:

mīlitāremque disciplīnam neglēxistī

The son’s failure to adhere to command is so intolerable that even his own father condemns him to death:

poenās audāciae morte persolvēs

The reference to audācia serves as a warning; here the noun has its full negative sense of “recklessness”. Manlius’s son, provoked by an enemy soldier, fails to maintain self-control and for that he must pay the ultimate price. The father must show to other young soldiers that he will always be consistent in upholding military discipline irrespective of the offender and irrespective of the personal distress his decision will cause:

trīste exemplum erimus, sed reliquīs iuvenibus ūtile

The father is so secure in his own judgement that there is no time for reflection or appeal, the son led straightaway to his punishment in the concisely and dramatically expressed conclusion, the use of the historic present tense (dūcitur) adding to the sense of immediacy:

statim patris iussū fīlius ad supplicium dūcitur