Hic Torquatus, avum fronte aequavisse severa nobilis: heu Capua portantes talia dicta Romuleis durastis, ait, succedere muris? ad quos non ausi Carthago atque Hannibal arma post Cannas afferre suas? numquamne per aures it vestras, in Tarpeia cum sede Latini orarent paria, haud verbis, haud voce, sed acri propulsum dextra, qui tum mandata superbo ore apportabat, tanto per limina templi turbine praecipitem revoluti corporis actum, ut, saevo afflictus saxo, spectante piaret tristia dicta Iove et lueret verba impia leto? en ego progenies eius, qui sede Tonantis expulit orantem et nuda Capitolia consul defendit dextra.
Then Torquatus rose. His brow severe recalled that of his noble ancestor.a How now? he asked. Have you dared to bring such a message from Capua to the walls of Rome'these walls which Carthage and Hannibal, even after their victory at Cannae, dared not attack? Have you never heard how it fared with the insolent spokesman of the Latins, when they came to the Capitol and made a like request? Not a word was spoken: he was flung forth from the temple doors and rolled down with such violence that he was dashed against the pitiless rock. Thus he atoned, under the eyes of Jupiter, for his insolence; and the penalty for his blasphemous speech was death. Look at me! I am descended from that consul who drove the speaker forth from the Thunderers temple, and whose unarmed hand defended the Capitol.
final_alignments\Silius_Italicus_Punica_Book11.json