24.05.27: Level 1-2 (review); Julia (a Latin Reader) [14]

Mettius Curtius

Ōlim in Forō Rōmānō terra discessit, et hiātus lātus altusque appāruit. Cīvēs omnēs saxa plūrima in hiātum dēiēcērunt; hiātus autem nūllō modō explēbātur, sed in diēs crēscēbat. Tum cīvēs perterritī, "Sine dubiō," inquiunt, "Dī Immortālēs summam calamitātem Rōmae praedīcunt."

Itaque Rōmānī ē Librīs Sibyllīnīs ōrāculum petīvērunt. Ē Librīs Sibyllīnīs sacerdōtēs respōnsum mīrum cīvibus nūntiāvērunt. "Numquam," inquiunt, "hiātus in Forō Rōmānō explēbitur, nisi eō omnium rērum pretiōsissimam Rōmānī dēiēcerint."

Cīvēs igitur ad Forum aurum, argentum, gemmās contulērunt, et in hiātum dēiēcērunt. Nihilō magis autem hiātus explētus est. Tum Mettius Curtius, eques Rōmānus, "Ūna rēs," exclāmāvit, "Rōmānīs est omnibus aliīs pretiōsior. Nec aurum nec argentum, sed iuvenēs Rōmānōs, arma Rōmāna, in summō honōre habēmus. Ego iuvenem Rōmānum, arma Rōmāna, Dīs Mānibus dēdicō."

Tum armīs splendidīs ōrnātus, equum incitāvit et in hiātum dēsiluit. Statim hiātus explētus est, nec posteā iterum terra discessit.

appāreō, -ēre [2]: appear, become visible

cōnferō, -ferre [irreg.]: bring together

crēscō, -ere [3]: grow

dēdicō, -āre [1]: dedicate

discēdō, -ere [3]: go away, part asunder

expleō, -ēre [2]: fill up

hiātus, -ūs [4/m]: gap, hole

Librī Sibyllīnī: Sibylline Books, books of prophecy possessed by the Romans

modō: after the manner of

modus, -ī [2/m]: manner, method

nihilōmagis: none the more

ornātus, -a, -um: adorned, equipped

plūrimus, -a, -um: very many, most

sacerdōs, -ōtis [3 m/f]: priest, priestess

___________________

At one time, in the Roman Forum, the earth split open, and a wide and deep hole appeared. All the citizens threw very many stones into the hole; however, the hole was not filled in any way, but grew day by day. Then the terrified citizens said, “Without a doubt, the Immortal Gods are predicting a great disaster for Rome.”

And so the Romans sought an oracle from the Sibylline Books. The priests announced a strange response to the citizens from the Sibylline Books. “Never,” they said, “will the hole in the Roman Forum be filled unless the Romans throw into it the most precious thing of all.”

Therefore, the citizens brought gold, silver and jewels to the Forum and threw them into the hole. However, the chasm was no more filled than before. Then Mettius Curtius, a Roman horseman, exclaimed, “One thing is more precious to all the Romans than all other things. We hold neither gold nor silver, but Roman young men and Roman arms, in the highest honour. I dedicate a Roman youth and Roman arms to the Spirits of the Dead.”

Then, adorned with splendid armour, he spurred on his horse and leapt into the hole. Immediately the hole was filled, and afterwards the earth never split open again.