Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 3.48.1-3

Appius, his mind wholly given over to lust, declares that he knows from reliable evidence, not only from the previous day's uproar caused by Icilius and Verginius, that seditious gatherings took place throughout the city the previous night, and that he descended armed not to harm the peaceful but to punish those disturbing the public order; he orders the lictor to clear the crowd and make way for Marcus to seize the girl, and at his furious outburst the crowd parts of its own accord, leaving Verginia standing alone as easy prey for the injustice.

 

Tier 1

Decemvir, Appius Claudius, actus libidine est. Dicit se scire, non tantum ex clamore hesterno Icili et ex violentia Vergini, sed etiam certis signis, se scire turbam factam esse ad movendam seditionem in urbe tota nocte.

Appius Claudius dicit se descendisse armatis quia consilium eorum pugnandi scivit. Appius Claudius dicit se non descendisse ut quietum violaret, sed ut puniret turbantes otium civitatis pro maiestate rei publicae.

Appius: "Ergo erit melius quiesse. Lictor, age submove turbam et da viam domino Marco Claudio ad prehendendam ancillam."

Cum Appius iratus clamavisset haec verba, multitudo ipsa, sine iusso, se movit et puella deserta stabat praeda iniuriae.

Written by Robert Amstutz