Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 3.44.1–4

Livy introduces a new outrage born of lust: Appius Claudius, the decemvir, desires Verginia, and when bribery fails turns to force — a situation Livy explicitly parallels to the crime that had brought down the Tarquins.

 

Tier 1

Secundum nefas sequitur in urbe. Venerat ab libidine quae non fuit minus foeda quam id quod expulerat Tarquinios urbe regnoque. Fuit similis stupro et caedi (to the rape and murder) Lucretiae.

Similis illi crimini fuit quia idem crimen regum non solum fuit finis decemviris sed etiam libido eadem causa imperii amittendi esset.

Appius Claudius voluit stuprare virginem plebeiam, Verginia nomine. Pater virginis erat vir exempli recti et domi et militiae, Lucius Verginius. Pater ducebat milites in Algido.

Uxor Verginii fuerat docta in eodem modo et liberi quoque docti erant in eodem modo. Itaque Verginia fuit proba atque honesta virginis. Verginius desponderat filiam suam Lucio Icilio Tribunicio. Lucius fuit vir acer et virtus eius experta fuit pro causa plebis.

Appius, insanus amore, temptavit attrahere hanc virginem formosam pretio et spe. Postquam Appius animadvertit eam defensam pudore, animum suum convertit ad crudelem et arrogantiam vim.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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