Other nations, Egyptians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, even Greeks, would have insisted upon a treaty of submission on the part of the"barbarians," The Romans did nothing of the sort. They gave the "outsider"a chance to become partners in a common "res publica"-or commonwealth.
其他国家，比如埃及、巴比伦、腓尼基甚至希腊，它们都曾坚持要那些非我族类的"野蛮人"签定归顺条约，才肯提供必要的保护。可聪明的罗马人没这样做。相反，他们给子"外来者"一个平等的机会，让他们成为"共和国"或共同体的一员。
"You want to join us," they said. "Very well, go ahead and join. We shall treat you as if you were full-fledged citizens of Rome. In return for this privilege we expect you to fight for our city, the mother of us all, whenever it shall be necessary."
"你想加入我们，"罗马人说，"那好，尽管来加人吧！我们可以将你视为具有充分权利的罗马公民一样来对待。但作为这种优待的回报，当我们的城市、我们共同的母亲遭遇外敌人侵的危险，需要你拔刀相助时，我们希望你全力为它而战！"
The "outsider" appreciated this generosity and he showed his gratitude by his unswerving loyalty.
这些"外来者"当然有感于罗马人对他们的慷慨，于是便以无比坚定的忠诚来报答罗马。
Whenever a Greek city had been attacked, the foreign residents had moved out as quickly as they could. Why defend something which meant nothing to them but a temporary boarding house in which they were tolerated as long as they paid their bills? But when the enemy was before the gates of Rome, all the Latins rushed to her defence. It was their Mother who was in danger. It was their true "home" even if they lived a hundred miles away and had never seen the walls of the sacred Hills.
在古希腊，每当某座城市遭受攻击的时刻，所有外国居民总是迅速地收拾细软逃之夭夭。他们认为，这里不过是他们临时寄居的场所，仅仅因为不间断地缴纳税款，才得到主人勉为其难的接待，凭什么要冒着生命危险去保卫对自己不存在丝毫意义的城市呢？相反，一旦敌人兵临罗马城下，所有的拉丁人便会不约而同地拿起刀剑，紧急驰援。因为这是他们共同的母亲正在遭受危难。也许有些人可能居住在100英里之外，在其有生之年从未看过罗马的城墙和圣山，但他们仍视之为自己真正的"家园"。
No defeat and no disaster could change this sentiment. In the beginning of the fourth century B.C. the wild Gauls forced their way into Italy. They had defeated the Roman army near the River Allia and had marched upon the city. They had taken Rome and then they expected that the people would come and sue for peace. They waited, but nothing happened. After a short time the Gauls found themselves surrounded by a hostile population which made it impossible for them to obtain supplies.
没有什么了不起的失败和灾难能动摇他们对罗马城的深厚情感。公元前4世纪初，野蛮的高卢人气势汹汹地闯进意大利。他们在阿里亚河附近击溃了罗马军队，浩浩荡荡地向罗马进军，最终顺利拿下了这座城市。他们料想罗马人会主动找上门来，以屈辱的条件吁求和平。他们悠闲惬意地等待着，等了好久，可什么事情也没发生。过不多久，高卢人突然发现自己陷入了莫名的包围之中，四处遍布充满敌意的眼睛和紧闭的门户，使他们根本无法得到必需的给养。