Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 3.48.4–5

Granted leave to question the nurse privately, Verginius leads Verginia aside and kills her with a butcher's knife, declaring it the only freedom left to give her, before turning back toward Appius's tribunal.

 

Tier 1

Ubi Verginius vidit nihil auxilii venire umquam, "quaeso," inquit, "Appi, primum ignosce dolore patris, si in alio modo dixi male et inclementius in te; deinde, permittas me interrogare nutricem in hoc loco de virgine, de hoc verum est, ut, si pater falsus sum, discedam hinc animo contento.

Gratia data, Verginius ducit filiam et nutricem prope ad tabernas prope templum Veneris Cloacinae, quibus nunc nomen est Novis, et in eo loco, cultro sumpto ab lanio (a butcher), "conservo libertatem tuam," inquit, "hoc in uno modo possum, filia."

Deinde pectus puellae cultro transfigit et respectans ad Tribunal Verginius "Consecro" inquit, "Appi, te et caput tuum hoc sanguine."

Written by Robert Amstutz

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