Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 1.59.6–8

The armed band's arrival spreads the same outrage through Rome as at Collatia, and Brutus, casting aside his long-affected simplemindedness, addresses the forum crowd with a full account of Sextus Tarquinius's crimes against Lucretia.

 

Tier 1

Cum armata multitudo in ullo loco venit, facit metuum et clamorem perturbatum; omnes, cum turba tantos viros civitatis ire vident, quidquid sit, putant causam esse.

Tam atrox res facit nec minorem tempestatem animorum Romae quam Collatiae fecerat; ergo omnes currunt ex omnibus locis urbis in forum.

In quo cum primum ventum est, nuntius populum advocavit ad tribunum celerum (Celeres, a public office), in quo tum Brutus erat forte magistratu.

Ibi Brutus orationem fecit quae non erat habita eius cordis et naturae, quae simulata ad eam diem fuerat,

Brutus orationem fecit de vi et libidine Sexti Tarquini, de rapina infanda et miserabili caede Lucretiae, de filia amissa Tricipitini, cui causa mortis filiae indignior et miserabilior esset quam mors Lucretiae ipsius.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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