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), 28.41

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[1]

"One thing it will be right, Publius Cornelius, for you to pardon me —inasmuch as in my own case I have never rated what men say more highly than the state —namely, if I do not prefer your glory, either, to the welfare of the state.

[2] If, however, there were no war in Italy, or if the enemy were one from whose defeat no glory was to be earned, only then could a man who kept you in Italy, even if he did so with advantage to the state, be thought to have been bent on taking away the war from you and with it your opportunity for fame.

[3] But since Hannibal as an enemy with army intact is occupying Italy for the fourteenth year, will you be dissatisfied with your fame, Publius Cornelius, if in your consulship you shall have driven out of Italy the enemy who has caused us so many losses, so many disasters, and if you shall have the distinction of finishing the present war, just as Gaius Lutatius had that of ending the former Punic war? ¹

[4] Unless Hamilcar is to be rated above Hannibal as a general, or that war above this one, or unless that victory was greater and more ² famous than this one is to be, if only it be our good fortune to win in your consulship.

[5] Would you rather have dragged Hamilcar away from Drepana or down from Eryx ³ than have driven the Carthaginians and Hannibal out of Italy?

[6] Although you take more delight in glory already won than in glory hoped for, even you would not boast of having rid Spain of the war rather than Italy.

[7] "Not yet has Hannibal reached such a pass that the man who preferred some other war would not seem to have feared rather than despised him. Therefore gird yourself for this war, and not employing your roundabout method —crossing first to Africa, and then hoping Hannibal will follow you thither —but

[8] rather by a direct march from here aim your campaign at the region where Hannibal is, if you seek your glorious palm for bringing the Punic war to an end.

[9] This is also the natural order: first to defend your own possessions, then to proceed to attack those of others. First peace in Italy, then be it war-in Africa! and let our fear abate before we use fear as an offensive weapon against others.

[10] If both can be done under your lead and your auspices, after defeating Hannibal here, storm Carthage over there. If one or the other of these two victories must be left to new consuls, the earlier will prove not only greater and more celebrated but the cause as well of the later victory.

[11] For at the present time, not to mention that the treasury cannot support two widely separated armies, in Italy and in Africa, not to mention that no resources remain out of which we may maintain fleets, out of ⁴ which we may be able to furnish supplies, pray tell me, who does not see how great is the danger involved?

[12] Publius Licinius will carry on the war in Italy, Publius Scipio in Africa.

[13] Tell me, if a victorious Hannibal —may all the gods avert the omen! and my mind even shudders to mention it; but what has happened can happen —if he shall advance towards the city, then and not before, are we to summon you as consul out of Africa, as we summoned Quintus Fulvius ⁵ from Capua?

[14] What of it that in Africa also the fortune of war will make no distinctions? Let your own house be a warning, your father and uncle, slain with their armies within thirty days, and that in a land where for some years by

[15] very great achievements on land and sea they won a most honourable name among foreign nations for the Roman people and for your family.

[16] Time would fail me if I should attempt to enumerate the kings and generals who have rashly invaded the land of their enemies with disastrous defeats for themselves and their armies.

[17] The Athenians, although their state had great foresight, leaving a war at home crossed over to Sicily with a great fleet under the leadership of a young man ⁶ as energetic as he was noble, and in a single naval battle permanently ruined their prosperous state.

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.) — 28.41 focus

[1] illud te mihi ignoscere, P. Corneli, aequum erit, si, cum in me ipso numquam pluris famam hominum quam rem publicam fecerim, ne tuam quidem gloriam bono publico praeponam;

[2] quamquam, si aut bellum nullum in Italia aut is hostis esset, ex quo victo nihil gloriae quaereretur, qui te in Italia retineret, etsi id bono publico faceret, simul cum bello materiam gloriae tuae isse ereptum videri posset.

[3] cum vero Hannibal hostis incolumi exercitu quartum decimum annum Italiam obsideat, paenitebit te, P. Corneli, gloriae tuae, si hostem eum, qui tot funerum, tot cladium nobis causa fuit, tu consul Italia expuleris et, sicut penes C. Lutatium prioris Punici perpetrati belli titulus fuit, ita penes te huius fuerit?

[4] nisi aut Hamilcar iannibali Hannibali dux est praeferundus aut illud bellum huic, aut victoria illa maior clariorque quam haec — modo contingat, ut te consule vincamus — futura est.

[5] ab Drepanis aut Eryce detraxisse Hamilcarem quam Italia expulisse Poenos atque Hannibalem malis?

[6] ne tu quidem, etsi magis partam quam speratam gloriam amplecteris, Hispania potius quam Italia bello liberata gloriatus fueris.

[7] nondum is est Hannibal, quem non magis timuisse videatur quam contempsisse, qui aliud bellum maluerit.

[8] auin quin igitur ad hoc accingeris nec per istos circumitus, ut, cum in Africam traieceris, secuturum te illuc Hannibalem speres potius quam recto hinc itinere, ubi Hannibal est, eo bellum intendis, si egregiam istam palmam belli Punici patrati petis?

[9] hoc et natura prius est tua cum defenderis, aliena ire oppugnatum; pax ante in Italia quam bellum in Africa sit, et nobis prius decedat timor quam ultro aslis aliis inferatur.

[10] si utrumque tuo ductu auspicioque fieri potest, Hannibale hic victo illic Carthaginem expugna; si altera utra victoria novis consulibus relinquenda est, prior cum maior clariorque, tum causa etiam insequentis fuerit.

[11] nam nunc quidem, praeterquam quod et in Italia et in Africa duos diversos exercitus alere aerarium non potest,

[12] praeterquam quod, unde classes tueamur, unde commeatibus praebendis sufficiamus, nihil reliqui est, quid? periculi tandem quantum adeatur, quem fallit?

[13] P. Licinius in Italia, P. Scipio bellum in Africa geret: quid? si — quod omnes dei omen avertant et dicere etiam reformidat animus, sed quae acciderunt accidere possunt — victor Hannibal ire ad urbem perget, tum demum te consulem ex Africa, sicut Q. Fulvium a Capua, arcessemus? quid? quod in Africa quoque Mars communis belli erit?

[14] domus tibi tua, pater patruusque intra triginta dies cum exercitibus caesi documento sint,

[15] ubi per aliquot annos maxumis rebus terra marique gerendis amplissimum nomen apud exteras gentes populi Romani vestraeque familiae fecerant.

[16] dies me deficiat, si reges imperatoresque temere in hostium terram transgressos cum maximis cladibus suis exercituumque suorum enumerare velim.

[17] Athenienses, prudentissima civitas, bello domi relicto, auctore aeque inpigro ac nobili iuvene magna classe in Siciliam tramissa, una pugna navali florentem rem publicam suam in perpetuum adflixerunt.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 28.41 focus

[1]

'illud te mihi ignoscere, P. Corneli , aequum erit, si cum in me ipso nunquam pluris famam hominum quam rem publicam fecerim, ne tuam quidem gloriam bono publico praeponam.

[2] quamquam si aut bellum nullum in Italia aut is hostis esset ex quo uicto nihil gloriae quaereretur, qui te in Italia retineret, etsi id bono publico faceret, simul cum bello materiam gloriae tuae isse ereptum uideri posset.

[3] cum uero Hannibal hostis incolumi exercitu quartum decimum annum Italiam obsideat, paenitebit te, P. Corneli , gloriae tuae si hostem eum qui tot funerum tot cladium nobis causa fuit tu consul Italia expuleris et, sicut penes C. Lutatium prioris Punici perpetrati belli titulus fuit, ita penes te huius fuerit?

[4] nisi aut Hamilcar Hannibali dux est praeferendus aut illud bellum huic, aut uictoria illa maior clariorque quam haec—modo contingat ut te consule uincamus —

[5] futura est? a Drepanis aut Eryce detraxisse Hamilcarem quam Italia expulisse Poenos atque Hannibalem malis?

[6] ne tu quidem, etsi magis partam quam speratam gloriam amplecteris, Hispania potius quam Italia bello liberata gloriatus fueris.

[7] 'nondum is est Hannibal, quem non magis timuisse uideatur quam contempsisse qui aliud bellum maluerit. quin igitur ad hoc accingeris nec per istos circuitus, ut cum in Africam traieceris secuturum te illuc Hannibalem speres, potius quam recto hinc itinere, ubi Hannibal est, eo bellum intendis?

[8] egregiam istam palmam belli Punici patrati petis?

[9] hoc et natura prius est, tua cum defenderis aliena ire oppugnatum. pax ante in Italia quam bellum in Africa sit, et nobis prius decedat timor quam ultro aliis inferatur.

[10] si utrumque tuo ductu auspicioque fieri potest, Hannibale hic uicto, illic Carthaginem expugna: si alterautra uictoria nouis consulibus relinquenda est, prior cum maior clariorque tum causa etiam insequentis fuerit.

[11] nam nunc quidem, praeterquam quod et in Italia et in Africa duos diuersos exercitus alere aerarium non potest, praeterquam quod unde classes tueamur unde commeatibus sufficiamus praebendis nihil reliqui est, quid?

[12] periculi tandem quantum adeatur quem fallit? P. Licinius in Italia, P. Scipio bellum in Africa geret.

[13] quid? si—quod omnes di omen auertant et dicere etiam reformidat animus, sed quae acciderunt accidere possunt—uictor Hannibal ire ad urbem perget, tum demum te consulem ex Africa, sicut Q. Fuluium a Capua, arcessemus?

[14] quid? quod in Africa quoque Mars communis belli erit? domus tibi tua, pater patruusque intra triginta dies cum exercitibus caesi documento sint,

[15] ubi per aliquot annos maximis rebus terra marique gerendis amplissimum nomen apud exteras gentes populi Romani uestraeque familiae fecerant.

[16] dies me deficiat si reges imperatoresque temere in hostium terram transgressos cum maximis cladibus suis exercituumque suorum enumerare uelim.

[17] Athenienses, prudentissima ciuitas, bello domi relicto, auctore aeque impigro ac nobili iuuene, magna classe in Siciliam tramissa, una pugna nauali florentem rem publicam suam in perpetuum adflixerunt.

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).) — 28.41 focus

[1]

" illud te mihi ignoscere, P. Corneli, aequum erit, si, cum in me ipso numquam pluris famam hominum quam rem publicam fecerim, ne tuam quidem gloriam bono publico praeponam. ¹

[2] quamquam , si aut bellum nullum in Italia aut is hostis esset ex quo victo nihil gloriae quaereretur, qui te in Italia retineret, etsi id bono publico faceret, simul cum bello materiam gloriae tuae isse ² ereptum videri posset.

[3] cum vero Hannibal hostis incolumi exercitu quartum decimum annum Italiam obsideat, paenitebit te, P. Corneli, gloriae tuae, si hostem eum qui tot funerum, tot cladium nobis causa fuit, tu consul Italia expuleris et, sicut penes C. Lutatium prioris Punici perpetrati belli titulus fuit, ita penes te huius fuerit?

[4] nisi aut Hamilcar Hannibali dux est praeferundus aut illud bellum huic, aut victoria illa maior ³ clariorque quam haec—modo contingat ut te consule vincamus—futura est.

[5] ab Drepanis aut Eryce detraxisse Hamilcarem quam Italia expulisse Poenos atque Hannibalem malis?

[6] ne tu quidem, etsi magis partam ⁴ quam speratam gloriam amplecteris, Hispania potius quam Italia bello liberata gloriatus fueris.

[7] " nondum is est Hannibal, quem non magis timuisse videatur quam contempsisse qui aliud bellum maluerit.

[8] quin igitur ad hoc accingeris nec per istos circuitus, ut, cum in Africam traieceris, secuturum te illuc Hannibalem speres potius quam recto hinc itinere, ubi Hannibal est, eo bellum intendis, ⁵ si ⁶ egregiam istam palmam belli Punici patrati ⁷ petis?

[9] hoc et natura prius est, tua cum defenderis, aliena ire oppugnatum. pax ante in Italia quam bellum in Africa sit, et nobis prius decedat timor quam ultro aliis inferatur.

[10] si utrumque tuo ductu auspicioque fieri potest, Hannibale hic victo, illic Carthaginem expugna; si altera utra victoria novis consulibus relinquenda est, prior cum maior clariorque, tum tur causa etiam insequentis fuerit.

[11] nam nunc quidem, praeterquam quod et in Italia et in Africa duos diversos exercitus alere aerarium non potest,

[12] praeterquam quod unde classes tueamur, unde ⁸ commeatibus praebendis ⁹ sufficiamus nihil reliqui est, quid? periculi ¹⁰ tandem quantum adeatur quem fallit? P. Licinius in Italia, P. Scipio bellum in Africa geret.

[13] quid ? Si—quod omnes dei omen avertant et dicere etiam reformidat animus, sed quae acciderunt accidere possunt—victor Hannibal ire ad urbem perget, tum demum te consulem ex Africa, sicut Q. Fulvium a Capua, arcessemus?

[14] quid quod in Africa quoque Mars communis belli erit? domus tibi tua, pater patruusque intra triginta dies cum exercitibus caesi documento sint,

[15] ubi per aliquot annos maxumis rebus terra marique gerendis amplissimum nomen apud exteras gentes populi Romani vestraeque familiae fecerant. ¹¹

[16] dies me deficiat, si reges imperatoresque temere in hostium terram transgressos cum maximis cladibus suis exercituumque suorum enumerare velim.

[17] Athenienses , prudentissima civitas, bello domi relicto, auctore aeque inpigro ac nobili iuvene magna classe in Siciliam tramissa, una pugna navali florentem rem publicam suam in perpetuum adflixerunt.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 28.41 focus

[1]

"It is but fair, Publius Cornelius, that you should pardon me, if I, who in my own case never preferred the honour of men to the interest of the state, do not place even your fame before the public good.

[2] Although, if there were either no war in Italy, or an enemy of such a description that no glory could be acquired from conquering him, the man who would retain you in Italy, though actuated by a desire to promote the public good, might appear to wish to deprive you of an opportunity of acquiring renown when he objected to your removing the war.

[3] But since Hannibal is our antagonist, who is besieging Italy for now the fourteenth year, with an army unimpaired, will you have reason to be dissatisfied, Publius Cornelius, with the glory you will acquire, if you in your consulate shall drive out of Italy an enemy who has been the cause of so many deaths and so many disasters to us, and if you should enjoy the distinction of having terminated this, as Caius Lutatius did the former Punic war?

[4] Unless either Hamilcar is a general more worthy of consideration than Hannibal, or a war in Africa of more importance, or a victory there greater and more glorious, (should it be our lot to be victorious while you are consul,) than one here. Would you rather have drawn away Hamilcar from Drepanum and Eryx than have expelled the Carthaginians and Hannibal from Italy?

[5] Although you naturally prize more highly the renown which you have acquired than that which

[6] you hope for, yet surely you would not boast more of having freed Spain from war than of having freed Italy.

[7] Hannibal is not as yet in such a state as that the man who prefers another war would not appear to have feared rather than to have despised him. Why then do you not apply yourself to this, and carry the war in a straightforward manner to the place where Hannibal is, rather than pursue that circuitous course, according to which you expect that when you shall have crossed over into Africa Hannibal will follow you thither? Do you seek to obtain the distinguished honour of having finished the Punic war?

[8] After you have defended your own possessions, for this is naturally the first object, then proceed to attack those of others.

[9] Let there be peace in Italy before war in Africa; and let us be free from fear ourselves before we bring it upon others.

[10] If it is possible that both objects may be accomplished under your conduct and auspices, having first conquered Hannibal here, then go and lay siege to Carthage; but if one or other of these conquests must be left for the succeeding consuls, the former is both the greater and more glorious, and also the cause of the second.

[11] For now indeed, besides that the treasury is not able to maintain two different armies, one in Italy and one in Africa; besides that we have nothing left from which we may equip fleets or be able to furnish provisions, who knows not how great danger would be incurred? 'Publius Licinius will wage war in Italy, Publius Scipio in Africa.

[12] What if, (an omen which may all the gods avert, and which my mind shrinks back with alarm from mentioning, —but what has happened may happen again, —) what I say, if Hannibal, having gained a victory, should advance to the city?

[13] Shall we then at length send for you, our consul, out of Africa, as we formerly sent for Quintus Fulvius from Capua? What shall we say when we consider that in Africa also both parties will be liable to the chances of war?

[14] Let your own house, your father and your uncle, slain together with their armies within the space of thirty days, after that, having spent several years in the performance of the most important services, both by sea and land, they had

[15] inspired foreign nations with the highest reverence for the name of the Roman people and your family, be a warning to you.

[16] The day would fail me were I disposed to enumerate the kings and generals who have brought the most signal calamities upon themselves and their armies by rashly passing into the territories of their enemies.

[17] The Athenians, a state distinguished for prudence, leaving a war at home, sent a great fleet into Sicily at the instance of a youth equally enterprising and illustrious; but by one naval battle they reduced their flourishing republic to a state of humiliation from which she could never recover.

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.) — 28.41 focus

[1]

"It is but fair, Publius Cornelius, that whilst in my own case I have never preferred my own reputation to the interests of the State, you should pardon me for not regarding even your glory as more important than the welfare of the commonwealth. I admit that if there were no war in Italy or only an enemy from whose defeat no glory was to be gained, then the man who would keep you in Italy though acting in the public interest might appear to be depriving you of the chance of winning glory in a foreign war.

[2] But as our enemy Hannibal has been holding Italy for fourteen years with an undefeated army, you will surely not despise the glory of expelling from Italy during your consulship the enemy who has been the cause of so many

[3] defeats, so many deaths, and of leaving it on record that it is you who have terminated this war, as C. Lutatius has the lasting glory of bringing the First Punic War to a close?

[4] Unless, indeed, Hasdrubal was a finer general than Hannibal, or the last war a more serious one than this one, or the victory which closed it a greater and more brilliant one than this will be, should it fall to our lot to conquer whilst you are consul. Would you rather have drawn Hamilcar away from Drepana and Eryx, than expel Hannibal and his Carthaginians from Italy?

[5] Even though you should cling to the glory you have acquired more than to what you hope for, you will not pride yourself upon having delivered Spain from war rather than Italy. Hannibal is not yet such an enemy that the man who prefers to fight against another foe would not be thought to fear rather than to despise him. Why do you not gird yourself to this task? Why do you not march straight from here to where Hannibal is and carry the war thither instead of taking a roundabout course in the hope that when you have crossed over into Africa he will follow you?

[6] You are anxious to win the crowning glory of bringing the Punic War to an end; your natural course will be to defend your own country before you go to attack the enemy's. Let there be peace in Italy before there is war in Africa; let our own fears be banished before we make others tremble. If both objects can be achieved under your generalship and auspices, then when you have conquered Hannibal here, go on and capture Carthage.

[7] If one of the two victories must be left for your successors, the former is the greater and more glorious one and will necessarily lead to the latter. As matters now are, the public exchequer is unable to support two armies in Italy and also in Africa, we have nothing left from which to equip a fleet and furnish it with supplies, and over and above all this who can fail to see what great dangers would be incurred?

[8] P. Licinius, let us suppose, is conducting the campaign in Italy and P. Scipio one in Africa. Well, supposing-may all the gods avert the omen which I shudder at the mention of! but what has happened may happen again-supposing, I say, that Hannibal wins a victory and marches on Rome, are we to wait till then before recalling you from Africa, as we recalled Q. Fulvius from Capua? What, if even in Africa the fortunes of war prove equally favourable for both sides?

[9] Take warning from the fate of your own house, your father and uncle destroyed with their armies within a month of each other in the country where they had raised the name of Rome and the glory of your family high among the nations through their successful operations by land and sea. The daylight would fail me if I attempted to enumerate the kings and captains who by their rash invasion of their enemy's territory have brought the most crushing defeat on themselves and their armies.

[10] Athens, a city most sensible and wise, listened to the advice of a young man of high birth and equally high ability, and sent a great fleet to Sicily before it had disposed of the war at home, and in one naval battle the flourishing republic was, for ever ruined."

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Cf. Periocha 19 fin.; Polybius I. lix.-lxi for the naval victory off the Aegates Islands, 241 B.C. ; XXII. xiv. 13; XXIII. xiii. 4.

2. B.C. 205

3. Now Monte San Giuliano, 2465 ft. It had a famous temple of Aphrodite, whose cult was presumably of Phoenician origin. Cf. XXI. x. 7; xli. 6 ff.; Polybius I. lv. 7 ff.; Strabo VI. ii. 6. Here Hamilcar held out until the Roman naval victory brought the First Punic War to an end. Drepana (Trapani), the seaport, was 41 miles away.

4. B.C. 205

5. Cf. XXVI. viii-xi.

6. I.e. Alcibiades .

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 28.41

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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