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), 28.39

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[1]

Thereupon he presented the ambassadors from Saguntum. The eldest of these spoke as follows: "Although no calamity exists which goes beyond what we have suffered, conscript fathers, in our desire to keep our faith with you to the very end, nevertheless, such have been your services and those of your generals towards us that we do not regret our disasters.

[2] You undertook the war on our account; having undertaken it you have carried it on with such persistence through thirteen years that often you yourselves reached the extreme of danger and brought the Carthaginian people often to the same pass.

[3] Although in Italy you had so terrible a war and Hannibal as your enemy, you sent a consul with his army into Spain, as if to gather up the flotsam of our shipwreck.

[4] Publius Cornelius and Gnaeus Cornelius from the time when they came into the province never ceased doing what was in our favour and against our enemies.

[5] First of all they restored our city to us; they sent men all over Spain in search of our citizens who had been sold and out of slavery ¹ restored them to freedom.

[6] When now we had almost attained an enviable lot after the utmost misery, Publius Cornelius and Gnaeus Cornelius, your generals, brought almost more sorrow to us than to you by their death.

[7] ."Then indeed we seemed to ourselves to have been dragged back from distant places to our former abode merely to perish again and to witness a second destruction of our native city.

[8] We were thinking also that there was no need whatever of a Carthaginian general or army for our ruin, that we could be wiped out by the Turduli, ² our oldest enemies, who had been responsible for our former destruction as well, when suddenly and unexpectedly you sent us this Publius Scipio.

[9] In seeing him declared consul and in reporting, as we intend, to our citizens that we have seen him, our hope, our help, our safety, so elected we deem ourselves the most fortunate of all the Saguntines.

[10] On capturing many cities of your enemies in Spain he everywhere separated Saguntines from the number of captives and sent them back to their native city. Finally, as for Turdetania, which was so hostile to us that Saguntum could not stand if that tribe was

[11] preserved, he so crushed it in war that not only we, but even our descendants do not need to fear it —without boasting be it said! We see the ruined city of a people to favour whom Hannibal had destroyed Saguntum.

[12] We receive from their territory a revenue which is not more ³ welcome to us as income than as vengeance. For these things —and we could not hope or pray for greater things from the immortal gods —the

[13] senate and people of Saguntum have sent us, ten ambassadors, to you to express our thanks, at the same time to congratulate you because for these years you have so conducted the war in Spain

[14] and in Italy that you hold Spain subdued by arms, not merely so far as the river Hiberus, but even where Ocean sets bounds to the most distant lands, and have left the Carthaginian only so much of Italy as the fortification of his camp encircles.

[15] To Jupiter greatest and best, defender of the Capitoline citadel, we have been bidden not merely to render thanks for all this but with your permission to carry this gift of a golden wreath also to the Capitol on account of your victory. We beg you to permit this, and if it seems best to you, that you ratify and perpetuate by your authority those advantages which your generals have bestowed upon us.

[16] The senate replied to the Saguntine ambassadors that the destruction and restoration of Saguntum would be to all nations an example of a loyalty which both allies have maintained;

[17] that its generals had been entirely right and had complied with the wish of the senate in restoring Saguntum and rescuing the citizens of Saguntum from slavery;

[18] and that where ever the generals had treated them with consideration the senate had approved of such action; that they permitted them to deposit their gift on the Capitol. It was then ordered that lodgings and comforts ⁴ be provided for the ambassadors, and that to ⁵ each of them be presented not less than ten thousand asses as a gift. ⁶

[19] Then the rest of the embassies were introduced into the senate and had their hearing.

[20] And upon request of the Saguntines that they might make

[21] a tour of Italy so far as they could safely do so, guides were furnished them and letters sent to the different towns, bidding them to receive the Spaniards hospitably.

[22] Thereupon the senate took up matters concerning the state, the enrolment of armies, the assignment of posts. ⁷

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.) — 28.39 focus

[1] tum Saguntinorum legatos in senatum introduxit. ex eis maximus natu: “etsi nihil ultra malorum est, patres conscripti, quam quod passi sumus, ut ad ultimum fidem vobis praestaremus, tamen ea vestra merita imperatorumque vestrorum erga nos fuerunt, ut nos cladium nostrarum non paeniteat.

[2] bellum propter nos suscepistis, susceptum quartum decimum annum tam pertinaciter geritis, ut saepe ad ultimum discrimen et ipsi veneritis et populum Carthaginiensem adduxeritis.

[3] cum in Italia tam atrox bellum et Hannibalern Hannibalem hostem haberetis, consulem cum exercitu in Hispaniam velut ad conligendas reliquias naufragii nostri misistis.

[4] P. et Cn. Cornelii ex quo in provinciam venerunt, nullo tempore destiterunt, quae nobis secunda quaeque adversa hostibus nostris essent, facere.

[5] iam omnium primum oppidum nobis restituerunt, per omnem Hispaniam cives nostros venum datos, dimissis qui conquirerent, ex servitute in libertatem restituerunt.

[6] cum iam prope esset ut optabilem ex miserrima fortunam haberemus, P. et Cn. Cornelii imperatores vestri luctuosius nobis prope quam vobis perierunt.

[7] tum vero ad hoc retracti ex distantibus locis in sedern sedem antiquam videbamur, ut iterum periremus et alterum excidium patriae videremus,

[8] nec ad perniciem nostram Carthaginiensi utique aut duce aut exercitu opus esse; ab Turdulis nos, veterrimis hostibus, qui prioris quoque excidii causa nobis fuerant, extingui posse:

[9] cum ex insperato repente misistis nobis hunc P. Scipionem, quem fortunatissimi omnium Saguntinorum videmur quia consulem declaratum videmus ac vidisse nos civibus nostris renuntiaturi sumus, spem, opem, salutern salutem nostram;

[10] qui cum plurimas hostium vestrorum cepisset in Hispania urbes, ubique ex captorum numero excretos Saguntinos in patriam remisit:

[11] postremo Turdetaniam, adeo infestam nobis, ut illa gente incolumi stare Saguntum non posset, ita bello adflixit, ut non modo nobis, sed — absit verbo invidia — ne posteris quidem timenda nostris esset.

[12] deletam urbem cernimus eorum, quorum in gratiam Saguntum deleverat Hannibal; vectigal ex agro eorum capimus, quod nobis non fructu iucundius est quam ultione.

[13] ob haec, quibus maiora nec sperare nec optare ab dis minmortalibus immortalibus poteramus, gratias actum nos decem legatos Saguntinus senatus populusque ad vos misit, simul gratulatum,

[14] quod ita res per hos annos in Hispania atque Italia gessistis, uti Hispaniam non Hibero amnne amne tenus, sed qua terrarum ultimus finis Oceanus, domitam armis habeatis, Italiae, nisi quatenus vallum castrorum cingit, nihil reliqueritis Poeno.

[15] Iovi optimo maximo, praesidi Capitolinae arcis, non grates tantum ob haec agere iussi sumus, sed donum hoc etiam, si vos permitteretis, coronam auream in Capitolium victoriae ergo ferre.

[16] id uti permittatis quaesumus, utique, si vobis ita videretur, quae nobis imperatores vestri commoda tribuerunt,

[17] ea rata atque perpetua auctoritate vestra faciatis.” senatus legatis Saguntinis respondit et dirutum et restitutum Saguntum fidei socialis utrimque servatae documentum omnibus gentibus fore;

[18] suos imperatores recte et ordine et ex voluntate senatus fecisse, quod Saguntum restituerint civesque Saguntinos servitio exemerint; quaeque alia eis benigne fecerint, ea senatum ita voluisse fieri;

[19] donum permittere ut in Capitolio ponerent. locus inde lautiaque legatis praeberi iussa, et muneris ergo in singulos dari ne minus dena milia aeris.

[20] legationes deinde ceterae in senatum introductae auditaeque.

[21] et petentibus Saguntinis, ut, quatenus tuto possent, Italiam spectatum irent, duces dati litteraeque per oppida missae, ut Hispanos comiter acciperent.

[22] tum de re publica de exercitibus scribendis, de provinciis relatum.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 28.39 focus

[1]

tum Saguntinorum legatos in senatum introduxit. ex eis maximus natu: 'etsi nihil ultra malorum est, patres conscripti, quam quod passi sumus ut ad ultimum fidem uobis praestaremus, tamen ea uestra merita imperatorumque uestrorum erga nos fuerunt ut nos cladium nostrarum non paeniteat.

[2] bellum propter nos suscepistis; susceptum quartum decimum annum tam pertinaciter geritis ut saepe ad ultimum discrimen et ipsi ueneritis et populum Carthaginiensem adduxeritis.

[3] cum in Italia tam atrox bellum et Hannibalem hostem haberetis, consulem cum exercitu in Hispaniam uelut ad conciliandas reliquias naufragii nostri misistis.

[4] P. et Cn. Cornelii ex quo in prouinciam uenerunt nullo tempore destiterunt quae nobis secunda quaeque aduersa hostibus nostris essent facere.

[5] iam omnium primum oppidum nobis restituerunt; per omnem Hispaniam ciues nostros uenum datos, dimissis qui conquirerent, ex seruitute in libertatem restituerunt.

[6] cum iam prope esset ut optabilem ex miserrima fortunam haberemus, P. et Cn. Cornelii imperatores uestri luctuosius nobis prope quam uobis perierunt.

[7] 'tum uero ad hoc retracti ex distantibus locis in sedem antiquam uidebamur ut iterum periremus et alterum exci-

[8] dium patriae uideremus—nec ad perniciem nostram Carthaginiensi utique aut duce aut exercitu opus esse: ab Turdulis nos ueterrimis hostibus, qui prioris quoque excidii causa nobis fuerant,

[9] exstingui posse—cum ex insperato repente misistis nobis hunc P. Scipionem , quem fortunatissimi omnium Saguntinorum uidemur quia consulem declaratum uidemus ac uidisse nos ciuibus nostris renuntiaturi sumus, spem, opem, salutem nostram;

[10] qui cum plurimas hostium uestrorum cepisset in Hispania urbes, ubique ex captorum numero excretos Saguntinos in patriam remisit;

[11] postremo Turdetaniam, adeo infestam nobis ut illa gente incolumi stare Saguntum non posset, ita bello adflixit ut non modo nobis sed—absit uerbo inuidia—ne posteris quidem timenda nostris esset.

[12] deletam urbem cernimus eorum quorum in gratiam Saguntum deleuerat Hannibal; uectigal ex agro eorum capimus quod nobis non fructu iucundius est quam ultione.

[13] ob haec, quibus maiora nec sperare nec optare ab dis immortalibus poteramus, gratias actum nos decem legatos Saguntinus senatus populusque ad uos misit;

[14] simul gratulatum quod ita res hos annos in Hispania atque Italia gessistis ut Hispaniam non Hibero amne tenus sed qua terrarum ultimas finit Oceanus domitam armis habeatis, Italiae nisi quatenus uallum castrorum cingit nihil reliqueritis Poeno.

[15] Ioui optimo maximo, praesidi Capitolinae arcis, non grates tantum ob haec agere iussi sumus sed donum hoc etiam, si uos permitteretis, coronam auream in Capitolium uictoriae ergo ferre.

[16] id uti permittatis quaesumus, utique, si uobis ita uidetur, quae nobis imperatores uestri commoda tribuerunt, ea rata atque perpetua auctoritate uestra faciatis.'

[17] senatus legatis Saguntinis respondit et dirutum et restitutum Saguntum fidei socialis utrimque seruatae documentum omnibus gentibus fore;

[18] suos imperatores recte et ordine et ex uoluntate senatus fecisse quod Saguntum restituerint ciuesque Saguntinos seruitio exemerint; quaeque alia eis benigne fecerint, ea senatum ita uoluisse fieri; donum permittere ut in Capitolio ponerent.

[19] locus inde lautiaque legatis praeberi iussa et muneris ergo in singulos dari ne minus dena milia aeris.

[20] legationes deinde ceterae in senatum introductae auditaeque;

[21] et petentibus Saguntinis ut quatenus tuto possent Italiam spectatum irent, duces dati litteraeque per oppida missae ut Hispanos comiter acciperent.

[22] tum de re publica, de exercitibus scribendis, de prouinciis relatum.

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).) — 28.39 focus

[1]

tum Saguntinorum legatos in senatum introduxit. ex eis maximus natu: " etsi nihil ultra malorum est, patres conscripti, quam quod passi sumus, ut ad ultimum fidem vobis praestaremus, tamen ea vestra merita imperatorumque vestrorum erga nos fuerunt ut nos cladium nostrarum non paeniteat.

[2] bellum propter nos suscepistis, susceptum quartum decimum annum tam pertinaciter geritis ut saepe ad ultimum discrimen et ipsi veneritis et populum Carthaginiensem adduxeritis.

[3] cum in Italia tam atrox bellum et Hannibalem hostem haberetis, consulem cum exercitu in Hispaniam velut ad conligendas ¹ reliquias naufragii nostri misistis.

[4] P. et Cn. Cornelii, ex quo in provinciam venerunt, nullo tempore destiterunt quae nobis secunda quaeque adversa hostibus nostris essent facere.

[5] iam omnium primum oppidum nobis restituerunt; per omnem Hispaniam cives nostros venum datos dimissis qui conquirerent, ex servitute in ² libertatem restituerunt.

[6] cum iam prope esset ut optabilem ex miserrima fortunam ³ haberemus, P. et Cn. Cornelii imperatores vestri luctuosius nobis prope ⁴ quam vobis perierunt.

[7] " tum vero ad hoc retracti ex distantibus locis in sedem antiquam videbamur ut iterum periremus et

[8] alterum excidium patriae videremus—nec ad perniciem nostram Carthaginiensi utique aut duce aut exercitu opus esse; ab Turdulis nos, veterrimis hostibus, qui prioris quoque excidii causa nobis fuerant, exstingui

[9] posse—cum ex insperato repente misistis nobis hunc P. Scipionem, quem fortunatissimi omnium Saguntinorum videmur, quia consulem consuler declaratum videmus ac vidisse nos civibus nostris renuntiaturi sumus, spem, opem, ⁵ salutem nostram;

[10] qui cum plurimas hostium vestrorum cepisset in Hispania urbes, ubique ex captorum numero excretos Saguntinos in patriam remisit;

[11] postremo Turdetaniam, adeo infestam nobis ut illa gente incolumi ineolumi stare Saguntum non posset, ita bello adflixit ut non modo nobis, sed ⁶ — absit verbo invidia—ne posteris quidem timenda nostris esset.

[12] deletam urbem cernimus eorum quorum in gratiam Saguntum deleverat Hannibal; vectigal ex agro eorum capimus, quod nobis non ⁷⁸ fructu iucundius est quam ultione.

[13] ob haec, quibus maiora nec sperare nec optare ab dis immortalibus poteramus, gratias actum nos decem legatos Saguntinus senatus populusque ad vos misit,

[14] simul gratulatum, quod ita res per hos ⁹ annos in Hispania atque Italia gessistis ut ¹⁰ Hispaniam non Hibero amne tenus, sed qua terrarum ultimas finit ¹¹ Oceanus, domitam armis habeatis, Italiae, nisi quatenus vallum castrorum cingit, nihil reliqueritis Poeno.

[15] Iovi optimo maximo, praesidi Capitolinae arcis, non grates tantum ob haec agere iussi sumus, sed donum hoc etiam, si vos permitteretis, coronam auream in Capitolium victoriae ergo ferre.

[16] id uti permittatis quaesumus, utique, si vobis ita videtur, ¹² quae nobis imperatores vestri commoda tribuerunt, ea rata atque perpetua auctoritate vestra faciatis.

[17] senatus legatis Saguntinis respondit et dirutum et restitutum Saguntum fidei socialis utrimque servatae documentum omnibus gentibus fore;

[18] suos imperatores recte et ordine et ex voluntate senatus fecisse, quod Saguntum restituerint civesque Saguntinos servitio exemerint; quaeque alia eis ¹³ benigne fecerint, ea senatum ita voluisse fieri; donum permittere ut in Capitolio ponerent.

[19] locus inde lautiaque legatis praeberi iussa, et muneris ergo in singulos ¹⁴¹⁵ dari ne minus dena milia aeris.

[20] legationes deinde ceterae in senatum introductae ¹⁶ auditaeque.

[21] et petentibus Saguntinis ut, quatenus tuto possent, Italiam spectatum irent, duces dati litteraeque per oppida missae ut Hispanos comiter acciperent.

[22] tum de re publica, de exercitibus scribendis, de provinciis relatum.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 28.39 focus

[1]

He then introduced into the senate the Saguntine ambassadors, the eldest of whom thus spoke:

Although there remains no degree of suffering, conscript fathers, beyond what we have endured, in order that we might keep our faith towards you to the last; yet such are the benefits which we have received both from yourselves and your generals, that we do not repent of the calamities to which we have ourselves been exposed.

[2]

On our account you undertook the war, and having undertaken it, you have continued to carry it on for now the fourteenth year with such inflexible perseverance, that frequently you have both yourselves been reduced, and have brought the Carthaginians to the last extremity.

[3]

At a time when you had a war of such a desperate character in Italy, and Hannibal as your antagonist, you sent your consul with an army into Spain, to collect, as it were, the remains of our wreck.

[4]

Publius and Cneius Cornelius, from the time they entered the province, never ceased from adopting such measures as were favourable to us and detrimental to our enemies.

[5]

First of all, they restored to us our town; and, sending persons to collect our countrymen, who were sold and dispersed throughout all Spain, restored them from a state of slavery to freedom.

[6]

When our circumstances, from being wretched in the extreme, had nearly assumed a desirable state, your generals Publius and Cneius Cornelius fell, more to be lamented by ourselves even than by you.

[7]

Then truly we seemed to have been dragged back from distant places to our ancient abode, to perish again, and witness the second destruction of our country. Nor did it appear that there was any need forsooth of a Carthaginian army or general to effect our destruction;

[8]

but that we might be annihilated by the Turdulans, our most inveterate enemies, who had also been the cause of our former overthrow. When suddenly, to our great surprise, you sent us this Publius Scipio, in seeing whom declared consul, and in having it in

[9]

our power to carry word back to our countrymen that we have seen it, for on him our hopes and safety entirely rest, we consider ourselves the most fortunate of all the Saguntines.

[10]

He, when he had taken a great number of the cities of your enemies in Spain, on all occasions separated the Saguntines out of the mass of captives, and sent them back to their country; and lastly, by his arms he reduced to so low a state Turdetania, which harboured such animosity against us, that if that

[11]

nation continued to flourish it was impossible that Saguntum could stand, that it not only was not an object of fear to us, but, and may I say it without incurring odium, not even to our posterity.

[12]

We see the city of those persons demolished, to gratify whom Hannibal destroyed Saguntum. We receive tribute from their lands, which is not more acceptable to us from the advantage we derive from it than from revenge.

[13]

In consideration of these benefits, than which we could not hope or wish for greater from the immortal gods, the senate and people of Saguntum have sent us ten ambassadors to you to return their thanks;

[14]

and at the same time to offer you their congratulations on your having carried on your operations in Spain and Italy so successfully of late years, that you have subdued by your arms, and have gotten possession of Spain, not only as far as the river Iberus, but also to where the ocean forms the limit of the remotest regions of the world; while in Italy you have left nothing to the Carthaginian except so much space as the rampart of his camp en- closes.

[15]

We have been desired, not only to return thanks for these blessings to Jove most good and great, the guardian deity of the capitoline citadel, but also, if you should permit us, to carry into the Capitol this present of a golden crown in token of victory.

[16]

We request that you would permit us so to do; and, if you think proper, that you would, by your authority, perpetuate and ratify the advantages which your generals have conferred upon us.

[17] The senate replied to the Saguntines,

that the destruction and restoration of Saguntum would form a monument to all the nations of the world of social faith preserved on both sides.

[18]

That, in restoring Saguntum, and rescuing its citizens from slavery, their generals had acted properly, regularly, and according to the wishes of the senate; and that, whatever other acts of kindness they had done to them, were in conformity with the wishes of the senate. That they gave them permission to deposit their present in the Capitol.

[19] Orders were then given to furnish the ambassadors with apartments and entertainment, and that not less than ten thousand asses should be given to each as a present. After this, the rest of the embassies were introduced and heard.

[20] On the request of the Saguntines that they

[21] might go and take a view of Italy as far as they could with safety, they were furnished with guides, and letters were sent to the several towns, requiring them to entertain the Spaniards kindly.

[22] The senate then took into consideration the state of public affairs, the levying troops, and the provinces.

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.) — 28.39 focus

[1]

The senate held a session in the Capitol. A resolution was passed on the motion of P. Scipio that he should celebrate the Games which he had vowed during the mutiny and defray the cost out of the money which he had brought into the treasury.

[2] Then he introduced a deputation from Saguntum, the senior member of which addressed the House in the following terms: "Although there is no form of suffering, senators, which we have not endured in order to keep our faith with you to the last, still the kindness which you and your generals have shown to us has made us forget our misery.

[3] For us you have undertaken war and for fourteen years have carried it on with such determination that often you have brought yourselves and often reduced the Carthaginians to the last extremities. Though you had in the heart of Italy such a terrible war and such an enemy as Hannibal, you nevertheless sent a consul with his army to Spain to collect, as it were, the remains of our wreckage. From the day that the two Scipios, Publius and C. Cornelius, came into the province they never at any moment failed to do good to us and injury to our enemies.

[4] First of all, they restored our city to us, and sent men all over Spain to find out those of us who had been sold into slavery and set them free. When our fortunes, from being utterly miserable, had become almost enviable, your two generals Publius and C. Cornelius met with their deaths, a loss which we felt even more bitterly than you. It seemed at the time as though we had been brought back from distant exile to our old home only to see for the second time our own ruin and our country's destruction.

[5] It did not require a Carthaginian general or army to effect our annihilation, the Turduli, our inveterate enemies who had been the cause of our former collapse, would have been quite able to extinguish us.

[6] And just when we had lost all hope, you suddenly sent P. Scipio, whom we are more fortunate than all our fellow-citizens in seeing here today. We shall carry back to our people the news that we have seen, as your consul-elect, the one man in whom we placed all our hopes of safety.

[7] City after city has been taken by him from your enemies throughout Spain, and in every instance he picked out the Saguntines from the mass of prisoners and sent them home. And lastly the Turdetani, such deadly enemies to us that had their strength remained unimpaired Saguntum must have fallen, even they have been brought so low by his arms that they are no longer to be feared by us, nor, if I may dare to say so, by our posterity.

[8] The tribe in whose favour Hannibal destroyed Saguntum have had their own city destroyed before our eyes. We take tribute from their land, but it is not the profit, but the revenge that we enjoy most.

"For these blessings, the greatest that we could hope for or ask heaven to grant, the senate and people of Saguntum have sent this deputation to convey their grateful thanks.

[9] We are at the same time to convey their congratulations to you on having been so successful these last years in Spain and Italy that you have subjugated the one country by the might of your arms, not only as far as the Ebro, but even to its most distant shores which the ocean bounds, whilst in the other you have left the Carthaginian nothing outside the rampart of his camp. To the great Guardian of your stronghold in the Capitol, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, we are bidden not only to render thanks for these boons, but also, if you allow us, to offer and carry to him in the Capitol this gift of a golden crown, as a memorial of your victories.

[10] We pray that you will sanction this and further, if

[11] it seem good to you, that you will ratify and confirm for all time the advantages which your generals have conferred upon us."

[12] The senate replied to the effect that the destruction and restoration of Saguntum would both alike be a proof to all the world of the faith which each side had kept to the other.

[13] Their generals had acted wisely and properly and in accordance with the wishes of the senate in restoring Saguntum and rescuing its citizens from slavery, and all other acts of kindness which they had performed were such as the senate wished to have done. They accorded permission to the envoys to place their gift in the Capitol. Free quarters and hospitality were provided for them at the cost of the State, and orders were given for each to be presented with a sum of not less than 10,000 ases.

[14] The other deputations were then admitted to an audience of the senate. The Saguntines also asked to be allowed to make a tour through Italy as far as they could with safety, and guides were furnished them and letters sent to the different towns requesting them to give the Spaniards a hospitable reception

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 205

2. The most that we know about this tribe is that they were neighbours of the Turdetani in Baetica, fully 250 miles from Saguntum, which was in the land of the Edetani. Livy and his source (probably Coelius) ignored the impossible distance and made the Turdetani (§ 11), or here the Turduli, responsible. App. Hisp. 10 has Torbolh=tai, and if any Greek source had such a reading as Tordolh=tai, the confusion might perhaps be accounted for. Cf. XXI. vi. 1; XXIV. xlii. 11; Strabo III. i. 6; ii. 11, 15; iii. 5; E. Meyer, Kl. Schr. II. 408. In Polybius' account no tribe is mentioned (III. xiv. f., xvii).

3. B.C. 205

4. The term lautia by its derivation from lavare at first meant bathing facilities, but came to include other comforts provided for guests of the state. Cf. XXX. xvii. 14.

5. B.C. 205

6. Cf. XXX. l.c., for a gift in money to ambassadors.

7. This last had already been done (xxxviii. 12 f.). Popular feeling, however, favoured at least giving Scipio power to cross over from Sicily to Africa if he should deem it best (xlv. 8), or even substituting Africa for Sicily as his assignment.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 28.39

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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