Ac pater: “Eīs temporibus, dē quibus dīcit Cicerō, interdum capitis damnātīs data est facultās optandī utrum statim morerentur, an aliquamdiū operam in harēnā eā condiciōne ēderent, ut, sī post certum tempus adhūc superstitēs essent, tum līberī[1] dīmitterentur. Cum hominēs ita inter sē dē lībertāte pugnārent, Cicerō certāmen honestius[2] nec[3] mōribus cīvitātis tam perniciōsum[4] putābat.”
“Nōnne aliquid simile ab Hannibale factum est,” inquit Pūblius, “cum bellum Ītaliae īnferēns Alpēs trānsīret?”
“Rēctē dīcis,” inquit Cornēlius. “Cum enim iam ad summōs[5] montēs pervēnisset et brevī in Ītaliam dēscēnsūrus esset, mīlitēs suōs nōn sōlum verbīs sed etiam rēbus cohortandōs[6] ratus, ad spectāculum eius[7] modī eōs convocāvit:[8]
“Captīvōs montānōs in mediō vīnctōs cōnstituit, armīsque ante pedēs eōrum prōiectīs, interpretem[9] interrogāre iussit, num quis ferrō[10] dēcertāre vellet, sī victor[11] lībertātem arma equumque acciperet.
“Montānī omnēs ad ūnum cupidē ferrum pugnamque poposcērunt. Quārē sorte ēlēctī sunt, quī dēpugnārent. Interim aspiciēbant Hannibalis mīlitēs; quōrum mentēs maximē sunt cōnfirmātae, cum vidērent quam laetī in certāmen dēscenderent barbarī, quamque libenter mortem ipsam oppeterent.”
“Hoc quoque crūdēle mihi vidētur,” inquit Cornēlia. “Nūllane sunt spectācula, quae hominēs morī nōn cōgant?”
“Maximē vērō,” inquit pater. “Saepe populī dēlectātiōnis causā variae rēs īnsolitae et mīrandae indūcuntur.[12] Velut,
- ↑ līberī: pred. nom.
- ↑ honestus, -a, -um, adj., honorable.
- ↑ nec, and not.
- ↑ perniciōsus, -a, -um, adj., harmful.
- ↑ summōs: cf. extrēmam, II, 43.
- ↑ cohortor, -ārī, -ātus sum, tr., encourage.
- ↑ eius: i.e., the following.
- ↑ convocō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus, tr. call together.
- ↑ interpres, -etis, m., interpreter.
- ↑ ferrō: i.e., gladiō.
- ↑ victor, freely, in case of victory.
- ↑ indūcuntur: i.e., are displayed.
