Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus

Omnia relinquit servare Republicam

English

(This poor translation has been done using a software translator. A properlly human written one is on it's way and should be here shortly.)

If to Rome a serious danger threatened to him, internal or external, the Senate named a dictator by a period of six months and it invested to him with a limitless power on the community, including the life of the citizens. In the days of war or situations that they demanded fast decisions preferred to trust the power to a single man, to a single will. At such moments he is dangerous to divide the supreme power between people of equal authority. The one of dictator was because a limited position, exceptional, and nobody could exert it by but of six months; fulfilled its mission, the dismissed one returned to be a citizen anyone, arranged to render accounts on the measures taken during its mandate.

Certain time, the Romans got involved in a dangerous war against a neighboring town, the eucos. The bad news happened: one of the consuls was of an incredible military incompetencia. Desperate, the Romans single saw a solution: to concentrate all the powers into the hands of a single man. And they chose to Cincinato (ensortijado hair), a patricio that acquired fame like consul by its value and its political talent. When the envoys of the Senate arrived at wing small farm that Cincinato had to the other side of the Tíber to communicate the result to him of the voting, the old consul was plowing his field.

To the following morning I appear in the Forum with dictator gown purple trimming and called to all the Romans to all the citizens to the arms. It fitted them in legions and it was put to the front of the troops. To midnight, I exercise Roman arrived at the field of the ecuos and, protected by the dark, it surrounded the enemy and it erected a fence throughout its lines. Finished almost the work, Cincinato ordered to his that would profirieran shouts military. The compatriots surrounded by the enemy animated and lanzaronse to the attack; and with its fortifications already finished, the dictator secundó. The ecuos, taken between two fires, requested La Paz. Cincinato allowed them on condition that to march free to lay down the weapons and to give the heads to the Romans. Fulfilled his mission, the dictator despoliation of the trimmed gown of purple, passed hardly six days, and although still could prolong the power during six months, returned to his plow. In ahead, Cincinato constituted a symbol of the civic spirit of the Romans.

The American city of Cincinnati perpetuates its memory. Was denominated thus it in tribute to which then it was considered like the Cincinato of the United States: George Washington.

Twenty years after its victory on the ecuos, Cincinato returned to save its town. An influential Roman, Spurious Melio, tried in 439 a coup d'etat. At least, he accused himself to him of it. Man riquísimo, to the being Rome afflicted by the hunger thought that he could seize of the control thanks to his fortune. The situation was so desperate that, according to Tito Livio, there were some who threw themselves to the Tíber to shorten their sufferings. It was then when Melio bought much wheat to the Etruscans and it distributed it between the hungry town.

He distributed wheat to the commons person, who followed seduced to him by the gifts everywhere, obtaining that they watched to him and they raised surpassing all decent measurement for an individual; they formally prometian the consulate to him by its favors and promises; he himself, in aim (that man is insatiable with whatever offers the fortune to him), aspired to higher and prohibited goals.

Of course, Melio had ambitious intentiones and shameful and the authorities soon obtained tests of their culpability. One knew that Melio stored arms in its house, that maintained meetings secret, that it forged plans to destroy the republic and bribed to the tribunos of the town. The freedom of Rome was in threatened danger and, and juzgose that single a dictator could save it. It was chosen again to Cincinato. Ten {ia then eighty years, but its physical and intellectual vigor was even intact. Shipment to Servilio (head of the cavalry, to magister equitum) to communicate to Melio that the dictator called to him. Melio included/understood that that citation was suspicious and I flee requesting protection to the town. Pero Servilio stopped to him and it gave death him. Later, it related the facts to Cincinato and this one atájole: “Servilio Key, Thanks for your value!

The State has been saved” Text extraido of: “Universal History Volume 3 - ROME” Daimon Editions, Author: Carl Grimberg (pags 29-30).