At last, my companions, consider that where you are now, you might forfeit your honor, and where I wish to take you, you could merely forfeit your life." 

Porsenna, these are some of the arguments I employed to convince these brave young maidens to follow me. And I would argue, in honor of them and of my country, that I have successfully persuaded them to adopt my feelings. None of them opposed my viewpoint. They contemplated death with cool heads and left the shore joyfully, albeit with thoughts of their impending demise. Yet, because our intentions were entirely innocent, the gods took it upon themselves to guide us. They bolstered our weakness, helped us cross the waters of the Tiber, and led us to the other side. However, we did not find the peace we had hoped for there, because the stern law upheld by all Romans was such that our parents took no joy in seeing us return. They admired our audacity, praised our act, but out of respect for the public commitment they had made to you, they decided we should be brought back to your camp.

An escort has been provided to accompany us there. Look, Porsenna, at who the daughters of Rome are, after this adventure, who prefer risking their lives and breaking their word over giving up their honor. And note who the Roman men are, who would rather jeopardize the lives and the dignity of their daughters than break their word.

Yes, Porsenna, both these actions are praiseworthy. And in fairness, we give our parents the same honors that they have given us. They have praised our flight, despite handing us back into your custody, and we too admire their integrity, even though it deprives us of the freedom we had attained. Our intention to preserve our honor motivated our flight, and not wanting to tarnish their reputation motivated our return. You might think it's hard to understand how the same action can be both admirable and despicable and how our returning is undeniable proof that our flight was a crime. 

No, Porsenna, this matter should not be viewed from this perspective. It must be examined more closely to be judged fairly. I am convinced that, if viewed impartially, it will be recognized that our flight has brought glory for us, and our return has done the same for our parents. I admit that, in a way, it seems we have broken our public commitment. However, before condemning us for this breach, allow me to defend our cause. One cannot deny that honor should be the reason for all of men's actions. It is for honor that one risks life in war, renounces all natural sentiments at times, dedicates oneself to the salvation of one's country, upholds the public commitment scrupulously, and motivates all initiative. Hence, do not be surprised if, to preserve our honor, we have risked our lives and broken our public promise. Because we wished to retain honor itself, we were allowed to violate it, as we could only preserve it by preventing the brutal reality of becoming slaves.

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