Non digna exempla <quae> tam breviter, nisi maioribus urguerer, referrentur: quid enim tam difficile factu quam copulatae societati generis et imaginum deformem in patriam reditum indicere, aut communioni nominis ac familiae veteris propinquitatis serie cohaerenti virgarum contumeliosa verbera adhibere, aut censorium supercilium adversus fraternam caritatem destringere? Dentur haec singula quamvis claris civitatibus, abunde tamen gloria disciplinae militaris instructae videbuntur: at nostra urbs, quae omni genere mirificorum exemplorum totum terrarum orbem replevit, imperatorum proprio sanguine manantes secures, ne turbato militiae ordine vindicta deesset, ex castris publice speciosas, privatim lugubres duplici vultu recepit, incerta gratulandi prius an alloquendi officio fungeretur.
These examples did not deserve so brief a treatment were I not under pressure from others more important. For what harder to do than to pronounce upon a bond of common heritage and family masks an ignominious return to country, or to inflict humiliating lashes of rods upon a shared name and family linked by a line of ancient kinship, or to unsheath the censorial frown against brotherly affection? Give any one of these to communities no matter how famous and they will seem amply furnished with the glory of military discipline. But our city, that has filled the entire globe with every kind of marvellous examples, received from camp axes streaming with commanders own blood, shed lest punishment be wanting for disturbance of good military order, axes publicly shining, privately lugubrious; received them with dubious countenance, uncertain which duty to perform first, congratulation or condolence.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book2.json