De la nature des dieux Passage 6

Itaque et in nostro populo et in ceteris deorum cultus religionumque sanctitates existunt in dies maiores atque meliores; idque evenit non temere nec casu, sed quod et praesentes saepe di vim suam declarant, ut et apud Regillum bello Latinorum, cum A. Postumius dictator cum Octavio Mamillio Tusculano proelio dimicaret, in nostra acie Castor et Pollux ex equis pugnare visi sunt, et recentiore memoria idem Tyndaridae Persem victum nuntiaverunt. P. enim Vatinius avus huius adulescentis, cum e praefectura Reatina Romam venienti noctu duo iuvenes cum equis albis dixissent regem Persem illo die captum, cum senatui nuntiavisset, primo quasi temere de re publica locutus in carcerem coniectus est, post a Paulo litteris allatis cum idem dies constitisset, et agro a senatu et vacatione donatus est. atque etiam cum ad fluvium Sagram Crotoniatas Locri maximo proelio devicissent, eo ipso die auditam esse eam pugnam ludis Olympiae memoriae proditum est. saepe Faunorum voces exauditae, saepe visae formae deorum quemvis aut non hebetem aut impium deos praesentes esse confiteri coegerunt.

Accordingly, both among our people and among others, worship of the gods and the sanctity of religious observances become greater and better every day. This occurs neither rashly nor by chance, but because the gods often manifest their power by their presence. At Regillus in the Latin War, when the dictator Aulus Postumius fought a battle against Octavius Mamilius of Tusculum, Castor and Pollux were seen fighting on horseback in our battle line. In more recent memory, the same sons of Tyndareus announced the defeat of Perseus. For Publius Vatinius, the grandfather of this young man, was coming by night from his prefecture at Reate to Rome when two young men on white horses told him that King Perseus had been captured that day. When he reported it to the Senate, he was at first thrown into prison for speaking irresponsibly about an affair of state. Later, when a letter from Paullus arrived and the date was found to be the same, the Senate rewarded him with land and exemption from service. Tradition also records that when the Locrians defeated the Crotoniats in a great battle at the river Sagra, news of the battle was heard that very day at the Olympic games. Voices of Fauns have often been heard, and forms of gods often seen, compelling anyone who was neither dull nor impious to confess that the gods are present.

Ainsi, chez notre peuple comme chez les autres, le culte des dieux et la sainteté des religions deviennent de jour en jour plus grands et meilleurs. Cela n’arrive ni témérairement ni par hasard, mais parce que les dieux présents manifestent souvent leur puissance. Ainsi, près du lac Régille, pendant la guerre latine, lorsque le dictateur A. Postumius livrait bataille à Octavius Mamilius de Tusculum, on vit Castor et Pollux combattre à cheval dans nos rangs. Et, à une époque plus récente, les mêmes Tyndarides annoncèrent la défaite de Persée. P. Vatinius, grand-père de ce jeune homme, revenait de sa préfecture de Réate vers Rome lorsque, durant la nuit, deux jeunes gens montés sur des chevaux blancs lui dirent que le roi Persée avait été capturé ce jour-là. Après qu’il en eut informé le Sénat, on le jeta d’abord en prison comme s’il avait parlé à la légère d’une affaire publique; mais lorsque des lettres de Paul Émile furent apportées et que la date se révéla identique, le Sénat lui fit don d’une terre et l’exempta du service. On rapporte encore que, lorsque les Locriens eurent infligé aux Crotoniates une défaite décisive près du fleuve Sagra, le bruit de cette bataille fut entendu le même jour aux jeux d’Olympie. Souvent les voix des Faunes se sont fait entendre, souvent les formes des dieux sont apparues, contraignant tout homme qui ne fût ni stupide ni impie à reconnaître la présence des dieux.