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.
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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.
