HORĀTIUS COCLES (6)
Horātius iam in
hostibus sōlus manēbat. Sed adhūc impavidus in flūminis rīpā stābat, et Tiberim
ōrāvit: "Ō Tiberīne pater, tē omnēs Rōmānī adōrāmus; tē patrem vocāmus; tū
hodiē Rōmānī mīlitis vītam cōnservābis, et undīs tuīs tūtum portābis."
Dīxit, et in
spūmōsās Tiberīs undās dēsiluit. Multīs vulneribus et onere armōrum fessus, vix
in undīs spūmōsīs natāvit, sed Tiberīnus pater tam fortem Rōmānum ad alteram
rīpam tulit et tūtum ad cīvēs sollicitōs portāvit.
Magna fuit īra
Etrūscōrum, magnum gaudium Rōmānōrum. Nōmen igitur Horātiī inter Rōmānōs et per
tōtum orbem terrārum semper erat nōtum et praeclārum, quod prō patriā fortiter
pugnāverat. Et omnēs Rōmānī Tiberim flūmen semper adōrābant, et ad flūminis
rīpās dōna libenter ferēbant, quia omnium Rōmānōrum est pater, et urbem Rōmam
fortemque Rōmānum ē ferōcibus Etrūscīs cōnservāvit.
Amātīsne Graecās
Rōmānāsque fābulās? Sī fābulae vōs dēlectant, vōs verba mea in tabulīs
scrībite, et magistrō vestrō recitāte. Ita fābulās praeclārās semper memoriā
tenēbitis. Post paucōs annōs vōs, iam adolēscentēs, multās aliās fābulās
lēgētis.
Horatius was now
left alone among the enemy. But still, unafraid, he stood on the river bank and
prayed to the Tiber: “O father Tiberinus, all the Romans worship you; we call
you father. You today will preserve the life of a Roman soldier, and you will carry
me safely on your waters.”
Hanc ōlim veterēs
vītam coluēre Sabīnī,
hanc Remus et
frāter, sīc fortis Etrūria crēvit
scīlicet et rērum
facta est pulcherrima Rōma,
septemque ūna sibi
mūrō circumdedit arcēs.
Vergilius,
Geōrgicon II.532-535
[i]
nōmen, nōminis
[3/n]: name
onus, oneris
[3/n]: burden
rīpa, -ae [1/f]:
bank
Tiberīnus, -ī
[2/m]: the god of the river Tiber
vulnus, vulneris [3/n]: wound
[ii]
dēsiliō, -īre [4]:
jump down
dīcō, -ere [3]:
say
tulī: part of ferō
(I carried / I brought)
[iii]
hodiē: today
vix: scarcely
____________________
He spoke, and
leapt into the foaming waves of the Tiber. Weakened by many wounds and the
weight of his armour, he scarcely swam in the foaming waters, but Father
Tiberinus carried so brave a Roman to the opposite bank and brought him safely to
the anxious citizens.
Great was the
anger of the Etruscans, great the joy of the Romans. Therefore the name of
Horatius was always known and celebrated among the Romans and throughout the
whole world, because he had fought bravely for his country. And all the Romans
always worshipped the river Tiber and gladly brought gifts to its banks,
because it is the father of all Romans, and it preserved the city of Rome and a
brave Roman from the savage Etruscans.
Do you love Greek
and Roman stories? If stories delight you, write my words in your notebooks and
recite them to your teacher. In this way you will always keep famous stories in
your memory. After a few years, you, now adolescents, will read many other stories.
Hanc ōlim veterēs
vītam coluēre Sabīnī, | At one time ancient Sabines led this life,
hanc Remus et
frāter, sīc fortis Etrūria crēvit | and Remus and his brother, thus Etruria
grew strong,
scīlicet et rērum
facta est pulcherrima Rōma, | no doubt, and Rome became the finest of all
things,
septemque ūna sibi
mūrō circumdedit arcēs. | and surrounded with a single wall her seven citadels.
Vergilius, Geōrgicon II.532-535
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