Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 2.39

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[1]

As generals for this war the nations all ¹ agreed in choosing Attius Tullius and Gnaeus Marcius, the Roman exile, who inspired rather more hope than did his colleague.

[2] This hope he by no means disappointed, so that it was easy to see that Rome's commanders were a greater source of strength to her than her armies were. Marching first to Circei, he drove out the Roman colonists from that city and turned it over, thus liberated, to the Volsci.

[3] He took Satricum, Longula, Polusca, and Corioli, places which the Romans had recently acquired.

[4] He then recovered Lavinium, and then, passing over by cross-roads into the Latin Way, captured in succession Corbio, Vetelia, Trebium, Labici, and Pedum.

[5] From Pedum he finally led his army against Rome and, pitching his camp at the Cluilian Trenches, five miles from the City, laid waste the Roman territory from that base, sending out guards with the pillagers to preserve intact the farms of the patricians, whether from anger at the plebs, or to sow dissension between them and the Fathers.

[6] And no doubt it would have sprung up, so vehemently did the tribunes seek by their

[7] accusations to rouse the already headstrong commons against the nation's leaders, but dread of invasion, the strongest bond of harmony, tended to unite their feelings, however they might suspect and dislike one another.

[8] In this one point they were unable to agree, that the senate and the consuls saw no hope anywhere but in arms, while the plebs preferred anything to war. Spurius Nautius and Sextus Furius were now consuls. ²

[9] While they were ³ reviewing their levies and distributing garrisons about the walls and the other places where they had seen fit to place pickets and sentries, a great multitude of people demanding peace first terrified them with their rebellious clamour, and then forced them to call the senate together and propose the sending of envoys to Gnaeus Marcius. The Fathers consented to propose it when they saw that the plebeians were growing discouraged, and ambassadors were sent to Marcius to treat for peace.

[10] Stern was the answer they brought back.

[11] If the land of the Volsci were restored to them the question of peace could be taken up; if the Romans wished to enjoy the spoils of war without doing anything, he would forget neither the wrong his fellow-citizens had done him nor the kindness of his hosts, but would strive to show that exile had quickened his courage, not broken it.

[12] When the same envoys were sent back a second time, they were denied admittance to the camp. Even priests, wearing the appropriate fillets, are said to have gone as suppliants to the enemy's camp, where they were no more able than the envoys had been to alter the determination of Marcius.

Ab urbe condita. Titus Livius (Livy). Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor). Medford, MA. .

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

History of Rome (English) (Foster, Benjamin Oliver; Moore, Frank Gardener; Sage, Evan T.; Schlesinger, Alfred C., translators. Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1919-1959. (Loeb Classical Library))

Editions (3)

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.) — 2.39 focus

[1] imperatores ad id bellum de omnium populorum sententia lecti Attius Tullius et Cn. Marcius, exul Romanus, in quo aliquanto plus spei repositum.

[2] quam spem nequaquam fefellit, ut facile appareret ducibus validiorem quam exercitu rem Romanam esse. Cerceios profectus primum colonos inde Romanos expulit liberamque ear eam urbem Volscis tradidit;

[3] inde in Latinam viam transversis tramitibus transgressurus Satricum, Longulam, Poluscam, Coriolos, Mugillam — haec Romanis — oppida ademit;

[4] inde Lavinium recepit; tum deinceps Corbionem, Vitelliam, Trebium, Lavicos, Pedum cepit.

[5] postremum ad urbem a Pedo ducit et ad fossas Cluilias quinque ab urbe milia passuum castris positis populatur inde agrum Romanum custodibus inter populatores missis,

[6] qui patriciorum agros intactos servarent, sive infensus plebi magis, sive ut discordia inde inter patres plebemque oreretur.

[7] quae profecto orta esset — adeo tribuni iam ferocem per se plebem criminando in primores civitatis instigabant — , sed externus timor, maximum concordiae vinculum, quamvis suspectos infensosque inter se iungebat animos. id modo non conveniebat,

[8] quod senatus consulesque nusquam alibi spem quam in armis ponebant, plebes omnia quam bellum malebat. Sp. Nautius iam et Sex.

[9] Furius consules erant. eos recensentes legiones, praesidia per muros aliaque, in quibus stationes vigiliasque esse placuerat, loca distribuentis multitudo ingens pacem poscentium primum seditioso clamore conterruit, deinde vocare senatum, referre de legatis ad Cn. Marcium mittendis coegit. acceperunt relationem patres,

[10] postquam apparuit labare plebis animos, missique de pace ad Marcium oratores. atrox responsum rettulerunt:

[11] si Volscis ager redderetur, posse agi de pace; si praeda belli per otium frui velint, memorem se et civium iniuriae et hospitum beneficii adnisurum, ut appareat exilio sibi inritatos, non fractos animos esse.

[12] iterum deinde iidem missi non recipiuntur in castra. sacerdotes quoque suis insignibus velatos isse supplices ad castra hostium traditum est; nihilo magis quam legatos flexisse animum.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 2.39 focus

[1]

imperatores ad id bellum de omnium populorum sententia lecti Attius Tullius et Cn. Marcius , exsul Romanus, in quo aliquanto plus spei repositum.

[2] quam spem nequaquam fefellit, ut facile appareret ducibus ualidiorem quam exercitu rem Romanam esse. Circeios profectus primum colonos inde Romanos expulit liberamque eam urbem Uolscis tradidit;

[3] Satricum, Longulam, Poluscam, Coriolos, nouella haec Romanis oppida ademit; inde Lauinium recepit; inde in Latinam uiam transuersis tramitibus transgressus,

[4] tunc deinceps Corbionem, Ueteliam, Trebium, Labicos, Pedum cepit.

[5] postremum ad urbem a Pedo ducit, et ad fossas Cluilias quinque ab urbe milia passuum castris positis, populatur inde agrum Romanum, custodibus inter populatores missis qui patriciorum agros intactos seruarent,

[6] siue infensus plebi magis, siue ut discordia inde inter patres plebemque oreretur.

[7] quae profecto orta esset—adeo tribuni iam ferocem per se plebem criminando in primores ciuitatis instigabant—; sed externus timor, maximum concordiae uinculum, quamuis suspectos infensosque inter se iungebat animos.

[8] id modo non conueniebat quod senatus consulesque nusquam alibi spem quam in armis ponebant, plebes omnia quam bellum malebat.

[9] Sp. Nautius iam et Sex. Furius consules erant. eos recensentes legiones, praesidia per muros aliaque in quibus stationes uigiliasque esse placuerat loca distribuentes, multitudo ingens pacem poscentium primum seditioso clamore conterruit, deinde uocare senatum, referre de legatis ad Cn. Marcium mittendis coegit.

[10] acceperunt relationem patres, postquam apparuit labare plebis animos; missique de pace ad Marcium oratores atrox responsum rettulerunt:

[11] si Uolscis ager redderetur, posse agi de pace: si praeda belli per otium frui uelint, memorem se et ciuium iniuriae et hospitum beneficii adnisurum, ut appareat exsilio sibi inritatos, non fractos animos esse.

[12] iterum deinde iidem missi non recipiuntur in castra. sacerdotes quoque suis insignibus uelatos isse supplices ad castra hostium traditum est; nihilo magis quam legatos flexisse animum.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Livy in Fourteen Volumes. Foster, Benjamin Oliver; Moore, Frank Gardener; Schlesinger, Alfred C., editors. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1919-1959 (printing).) — 2.39 focus

[1]

imperatores ad id bellum de omnium ¹ populorum sententia lecti Attius Tullius et Cn. Marcius, exsul Romanus, in quo aliquanto plus spei repositum.

[2] quam spem nequaquam fefellit, ut facile appareret ducibus validiorem quam exercitu rem Romanam esse Circeios profectus primum colonos inde Romanos expulit liberamque eam earn urbem Volscis tradidit;

[3] Satricum , Longulam, Poluscam, Coriolos, novella haec Romanis oppida ademit;

[4] inde Lavinium recepit; inde in Latinam viam transversis tramitibus transgressus, ² tune deinceps Corbionem, Veteliam, Trebium, Labicos, Pedum cepit.

[5] postremum ad urbem a Pedo ducit et ad fossas Cluilias ³ quinque ab urbe milia passuum castris positis populatur inde

[6] agrum Romanum custodibus inter populatores missis, qui patriciorum agros intactos servarent, sive infensus plebi magis, sive ut discordia inde inter patres plebemque oreretur.

[7] quae profecto orta esset—adeo tribuni iam ferocem per se plebem criminando in primores civitatis instigabant,—sed externus timor, maximum concordiae vinculum, quamvis suspectos infensosque inter se iungebat animos.

[8] id modo non conveniebat, quod senatus consulesque nusquam alibi spem quam in armis ponebant, plebes omnia quam bellum malebat.

[9] Sp . Nautius iam et Sex. Furius consules erant. eos recensentes legiones, praesidia ⁴ per muros aliaque in quibus stationes vigiliasque esse placuerat loca distribuentis multitudo ingens pacem poscentium primum seditioso clamore conterruit, deinde vocare senatum, referre de legatis ad Cn. Marcium mittendis coegit.

[10] acceperunt relationem patres, postquam apparuit labare plebis animos, missique de pace ad Marcium oratores.

[11] atrox responsum rettulerunt: si Volscis ager redderetur, posse agi de pace; si praeda belli per otium frui velint, memorem se et civium iniuriae et hospitum beneficii adnisurum ut appareat exsilio sibi inritatos non fractos animos esse.

[12] iterum deinde iidem missi non recipiuntur in castra. sacerdotes quoque suis insignibus velatos isse supplices ad castra hostium traditum est; nihilo magis quam legatos flexisse animum.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 2.39 focus

[1]

The generals selected for that war by the unanimous choice of all the states were Attius Tullus and Caius Marcius; in the latter of whom their chief hope was reposed.

[2] And this hope he by no means disappointed: so that it clearly appeared that the Roman commonwealth was more powerful by reason of its generals than its army. Having marched to Circeii, he expelled from thence the Roman colonists, and delivered that city in a state of freedom to the Volscians.

[3] From thence passing across the country through byroads into the Latin way, he deprived the Romans of their recently acquired towns, Satricum, Longula, Polusca, Corioli. He next retook Lavinium: he then took in succession Corbio, Vitellia, Trebia, Lavici, and Pedum:

[4] Lastly he marches from Pedum to the city, ¹ and having pitched his camp at the Cluilian trenches five miles from the city, he from thence ravages the Roman territory, guards being sent among the devastators to preserve the lands of the patricians intact;

[5] whether as being incensed chiefly against the plebeians, or in order that dissension might arise between the senators and the people. And this certainly would have arisen, so powerfully did the tribunes, by inveighing against the leading

[6] men of the state, incite the plebeians, already sufficiently violent of themselves; but their apprehensions of the foe, the strongest bond of concord, united their minds, distrustful and rancorous though they were. The only matter not agreed on was this, that the senate and consuls rested their hopes on nothing else than on arms; the plebeians preferred any

[7] thing to war. Sp. Nautius and Sex. Furius were now consuls. Whilst they were reviewing the legions, posting guards along the walls and other places where they had determined th t there should be posts and watches, a vast multitude of persons de- manding peace terrified them first

[8] by their seditious clamour; then compelled them to convene the senate, to consider the question of sending ambassadors to C. Marcius. The senate entertained the question, when it became evident that the spirits of the plebeians were giving way, and ambassadors being sent to Marcius concerning peace, brought back

[9] a harsh answer:

If their lands were restored to the Volscians, that they might then consider the question of peace; if they were disposed to enjoy the plunder of war at their ease, that he, mindful both of the injurious treatment of his countrymen, as well as

[10]

of the kindness of strangers, would do his utmost to make it appear that his spirit was irritated by exile, not crushed.

When the same persons are sent back a second time, they are not admitted into the camp. It is recorded that the priests also, arrayed in their insignia, went as suppliants to the enemy's camp; and that they did not influence his mind more than the ambassadors.

History of Rome Perseus (Volumes 1-2. Roberts, Canon, Rev, translator. London, New York: J. M. Dent and Sons; E. P. Dutton and Co., 1912.) — 2.39 focus

[1] By the unanimous vote of the states, the conduct of the war was entrusted to Attius Tullius and Cn. Marcius, the Roman exile, on whom their hopes chiefly rested.

[2] He fully justified their expectations, so that it became quite evident that the strength of Rome lay in her generals rather than in her army. He first marched against Cerceii, expelled the Roman colony and handed it over to the Volscians as a free city.

[3] Then he took: Satricum , Longula, Polusca, and Corioli, towns which the Romans had recently acquired. Marching across country into the Latin road, he recovered Lavinium , and then, in succession, Corbio, Vetellia, Trebium Labici, and Pedum.

[4] Finally, he advanced from Pedum against the City.

[5] He entrenched his camp at the Cluilian Dykes, about five miles distant, and from there he ravaged the Roman territory. The raiding parties were accompanied by men whose business it was to see that the lands of the patricians were not touched;

[6] a measure due either to his rage being especially directed against the plebeians, or to his hope that dissensions might arise between them and the patricians.

[7] These certainly would have arisen —to such a pitch were the tribunes exciting the plebs by their attacks on the chief men of the State —had not the fear of the enemy outside —the strongest bond of union —brought men together in spite of their mutual suspicions and aversion.

[8] On one point they disagreed; the senate and the consuls placed their hopes solely in arms, the plebeians preferred anything to war. Sp. Nautius and Sex.

[9] Furius were now consul. Whilst they were reviewing the legions and manning the walls and stationing troops in various places, an enormous crowd gathered together. At first they alarmed the consuls by seditious shouts, and at last they compelled them to convene the senate and submit a motion for sending ambassadors to Cn. Marcius. As the courage of the plebeians was evidently giving way, the senate accepted the motion, and a deputation was sent to Marcius with proposals for peace.

[10] They brought back the stern reply: If the territory were restored to the Volscians, the question of peace could be discussed;

[11] but if they wished to enjoy the spoils of war at their ease, he had not forgotten the wrongs inflicted by his country-men nor the kindness shown by those who were now his hosts, and would strive to make it clear that his spirit had been roused, not broken, by his exile.

[12] The same envoys were sent on a second mission, but were not admitted into the camp. According to the tradition, the priests also in their robes went as suppliants to the enemies' camp, but they had no more influence with him than the previous deputation.

Notes on the current edition

Ab Urbe Condita With An English Translation, books 1-10, 21-45, with periochae 11-20

1. B.C. 488

2. Livy implies that they were not the immediate successors of the consuls for 491, and in fact he seems to have omitted two sets, Q. Sulpicius Camerinus and Serg. Larcius Flavus (490), and C. Julius Iulus and P. Pinarius Rufus (489), though at III. xxxiii. 1 and v. liv. 5 he reckons in these two years. The missing names are supplied by Dion. Hal. vii. 68 and viii. 1.

3. B.C. 488

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 2.39

Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor)

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