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), 29.22

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[1]

While they were on their way to Syracuse Scipio prepared tangible evidence, not words, in his defence. He ordered the entire army to be concentrated there, and the fleet to be cleared for action, as if on that day he must fight on land and sea with the Carthaginians.

[2] On the day of their arrival they were hospitably entertained, and the next day he showed them his land and naval forces, not merely drawn up in line, but the soldiers in manœuvres ¹ and the fleet likewise manœuvring in mimicry of a naval battle in the harbour.

[3] Then the praetor and the legati were conducted on a tour of inspection of arsenals and magazines and other equipment for war.

[4] And so much was their admiration aroused for particular things and for the sum total that they fully believed the Carthaginian people could be defeated either by that general and army or by no other, and bade

[5] him with the blessing of the gods to cross over, and at the first possible moment to bring to the Roman people the fulfilment of the hope inspired on the day on which all the centuries had named him consul first.

[6] So happy also were they ² on leaving the city, it was if they were to carry to Rome the news of a victory, not of a magnificent preparation for war.

[7] Pleminius and those who were involved in the same charge, upon their arrival in Rome, were at once put in the prison. And when first brought before the people by the tribunes, while men's minds were already filled with the sufferings of the Locrians, they found no room left for pity.

[8] Later, as they were brought out repeatedly, ³ men's anger was subsiding as animosity now waned, and even Pleminius' disfigurement and the memory of the absent Scipio won them support among the populace.

[9] He died, however, in prison before his trial in the assembly of the people could be completed.

Clodius Licinus ⁴ in the third book of his Roman History relates of this Pleminius that during the votive games which Africanus was conducting at Rome in his second consulship, ⁵ he made an attempt, with the aid of certain men whom he had bribed, to set fire to the city in a number of places, in order to have a chance to break out of prison and escape;

[10] that then, when his crime was revealed, he was ⁶ consigned to the Tullianum ⁷ in accordance with a decree of the senate.

[11] In regard to Scipio no action was taken anywhere except in the senate, in which both legati and tribunes united in praise of the fleet, army and general. Consequently the senate voted that at the earliest possible moment the crossing to Africa must take place, and that out of the armies then in Sicily Scipio should be permitted to choose for himself what forces he would transport with him to Africa, and what he would leave as a garrison

[12] for the province.

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.) — 29.22 focus

[1] Venientibus iis Syracusas Scipio res, non verba ad purgandum sese paravit. exercitum omnem eo convenire, classem expediri iussit, tamquam dimicandum eo die terra marique cum Carthaginiensibus esset.

[2] quo die venerunt hospitio comiter acceptis, postero die terrestrem navalemque exercitum, non instructos modo, sed hos decurrentes, classem in portu simulacrum et ipsam edentem navalis pugnae, ostendit;

[3] tum circa armamentaria et horrea bellique alium apparatum visendum praetor legatique ducti;

[4] tantaque admiratio singularum universarumnque rerum incussa, ut satis crederent aut illo duce atque exercitu vinci Carthaginiensem populum aut nullo alio posse,

[5] iuberentque, quod di bene verterent, traicere et spei conceptae, quo die ilium illum omnes centuriae priorem consulem dixissent, primo quoque tempore compotem populum Romanum facere;

[6] adeoque laetis inde animis profecti sunt, tamquam victoriam, non belli magnificum apparatum nuntiaturi Romam essent.

[7] Pleminius quique in eadem causa erant postquam Romam est ventum, extemplo in carcerem conditi. ac primo producti ad populum ab tribunis apud praeoccupatos Locrensium clade animos nullum misericordiae locum habuerunt;

[8] postea cum saepius producerentur, iam senescente invidia molliebantur irae, et ipsa deformitas Plemini memoriaque absentis Scipionis favorem ad vulgum conciliabat.

[9] mortuus tamen prius in vinclis est, quam iudicium de eo populi perficeretur.

[10] hunc Pleminium Clodius Licinus in libro tertio rerum Romanarum refert ludis votivis, quos Romae Africanus iterum consul faciebat, conatum per quosdam, quos pretio corruperat, aliquot locis urbem incendere, ut effringendi carceris fugiendique haberet occasionem; patefacto dein scelere delegatum in Tullianum ex senatus consulto.

[11] de Scipione nusquam nisi in senatu actum, ubi omnes legatique et tribuni, classem, exercitum ducemque verbis extollentes, effecerunt, ut senatus censeret primo quoque tempore in Africam traiciendum Scipionique permitteretur,

[12] ut ex iis exercitibus, qui in Sicilia essent, ipse eligeret, quos in Africam secum traiceret, quos provinciae relinqueret praesidio.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 29.22 focus

[1]

uenientibus iis Syracusas Scipio res, non uerba ad purgandum sese parauit. exercitum omnem eo conuenire, classem expediri iussit, tamquam dimicandum eo die terra marique cum Carthaginiensibus esset.

[2] quo die uenerunt hospitio comiter acceptis, postero die terrestrem naualemque exercitum, non instructos modo sed hos decurrentes, classem in portu simulacrum et ipsam edentem naualis pugnae ostendit;

[3] tum circa armamentaria et horrea bellique alium apparatum uisendum praetor legatique ducti.

[4] tantaque admiratio singularum uniuersarumque rerum incussa ut satis crederent aut illo duce atque exercitu uinci Carthaginiensem populum aut alio nullo posse,

[5] iuberentque quod di bene uerterent traicere et spei conceptae quo die illum omnes centuriae priorem consulem dixissent primo quoque tempore compotem populum Romanum facere;

[6] adeoque laetis inde animis profecti sunt, tamquam uictoriam non belli magnificum apparatum nuntiaturi Romam essent.

[7] Pleminius quique in eadem causa erant postquam Romam est uentum extemplo in carcerem conditi. ac primo producti ad populum ab tribunis apud praeoccupatos Locrensium clade animos nullum misericordiae locum habuerunt: postea cum saepius producerentur, iam senescente inuidia molliebantur irae;

[8] et ipsa deformitas Plemini memoriaque absentis Scipionis fauorem ad uolgum conciliabat.

[9] mortuus tamen prius in uinclis est quam iudicium de eo populi perficeretur. hunc Pleminium Clodius Licinus in libro tertio rerum Romanarum refert ludis uotiuis quos Romae Africanus iterum consul faciebat conatum per quosdam quos pretio corruperat aliquot locis urbem incendere ut effringendi carceris fugiendique haberet occasionem;

[10] patefacto dein scelere delegatum in Tullianum ex senatus consulto.

[11] de Scipione nusquam nisi in senatu actum, ubi omnes legatique et tribuni classem exercitum ducemque uerbis extollentes effecerunt ut senatus censeret primo quoque tempore in Africam traiciendum Scipionique permitteretur ut ex iis exercitibus qui in Sicilia essent ipse eligeret quos in Africam secum traiceret,

[12] quos prouinciae relinqueret praesidio.

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).) — 29.22 focus

[1]

venientibus iis Syracusas Scipio res, non verba ad purgandum sese paravit. exercitum omnem eo convenire, classem expediri iussit, tamquam dimicandum eo die terra marique cum Carthaginiensibus esset.

[2] quo die venerunt hospitio comiter acceptis, ¹ postero die terrestrem navalemque exercitum, non instructos modo, sed hos decurrentes, classem in portu simulacrum et ipsam edentem navalis pugnae ostendit;

[3] tum circa armamentaria et horrea bellique alium apparatum ² visendum praetor legatique ducti.

[4] tantaque admiratio singularum universarumque rerum incussa ut satis crederent aut illo duce atque exercitu vinci Carthaginiensem populum aut alio nullo ³ posse,

[5] iuberentque, quod di bene verterent, traicere ⁴ et spei conceptae quo die illum ilium omnes centuriae priorem consulem dixissent primo quoque tempore compotem populum Romanum facere; ⁵

[6] adeoque laetis inde animis profecti sunt, ⁶ tamquam victoriam, non belli magnificum apparatum nuntiaturi Romam essent.

[7] Pleminius quique in eadem causa erant, postquam Romam est ventum, extemplo in carcerem conditi. ac primo producti ad populum ab tribunis apud praeoccupatos Locrensium clade animos nullum misericordiae locum habuerunt;

[8] postea cum saepius producerentur, iam senescente invidia molliebantur irae, et ipsa deformitas Plemini memoriaque absentis Scipionis favorem ad volgum conciliabat.

[9] mortuus tamen prius in vinclis est quam iudicium de eo populi ⁷ perficeretur.

[10] hunc Pleminium Clodius Licinus in libro tertio rerum Romanarum refert ludis votivis quos Romae Africanus iterum consul faciebat conatum per quosdam, quos pretio corruperat, aliquot locis urbem incendere, ut effringendi ⁸ carceris fugiendique haberet occasionem; patefacto dein scelere ⁹ delegatum ¹⁰ in Tullianum ex senatus consulto.

[11] De Scipione nusquam nisi in senatu actum, ubi omnes legatique et tribuni, classem, ¹¹ exercitum ducemque verbis extollentes, effecerunt ¹² ut senatus censeret primo quoque tempore in Africam traiciendum

[12] scipionique permitteretur ut ex iis exercitibus qui in Sicilia essent ipse eligeret quos in Africam secum traiceret, quos provinciae relinqueret praesidio.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 29.22 focus

[1]

While they were on their way to Syracuse, Scipio prepared to clear himself, not by words but facts. He ordered all his troops to assemble there, and the fleet to be got in readiness, as though a battle had been to be fought that day with the Carthaginians, by sea and land.

[2] On the day of their arrival he entertained them hospitably, and on the next day presented to their view his land and naval forces, not only drawn up in order, but the former performing evolutions, while the fleet in the harbour itself also exhibited a mock naval fight.

[3] The praetor and the deputies were then conducted round to view the armouries, the granaries, and other preparations for the war.

[4] And so great was the admiration excited in them of each particular, and of the whole together, that they firmly believed, that under the conduct of that general, and with that army, the Carthaginians would be vanquished, or by none other.

[5] They bid him, with the blessing of the gods, cross over, and, as soon as possible, realize to the Roman people the hopes they conceived on that day when all the centuries concurred in naming him first consul.

[6] Thus they set out on their return in the highest spirits, as though they were about to carry to Rome tidings of a victory, and not of a grand preparation for war.

[7] Pleminius, and those who were implicated in the same guilt with him, when they arrived at Rome, were thrown immediately into prison. At first, when brought before the people by the tribunes, they found no place in their compassion, as their minds were previously engrossed by the sufferings of the Locrians; but afterwards, being repeatedly brought before them, and the hatred with which they were regarded subsiding, their resentment was softened.

[8] Besides, the mutilated appearance of Pleminius, and their recollections of the absent Scipio, operated in gaining them favour with the people.

[9] Pleminius, however, died in prison, before the people had come to a determination respecting him. Clodius Licinius, in the third book of his Roman history, relates, that this Pleminius, during the celebration of the votive games, which Africanus, in his second consulate, exhibited at Rome, made an attempt, by means of certain persons whom he had corrupted by bribes, to set fire to the city in several places, that he might have an opportunity of breaking out of prison, and making his escape;

[10] and that afterwards, the wicked plot having been discovered, he was consigned to the Tullian dungeon, according to a decree of the senate.

[11] The case of Scipio was considered no where but in the senate; where all the deputies and tribunes, bestowing the highest commendations on the fleet, the army, and the general, induced the senate to vote that he should cross over into Africa as soon as possible;

[12] and that permission should be given him to select himself, out of those armies which were in Sicily, those forces which he would carry with him into Africa, and those which he would leave for the protection of the province.

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.) — 29.22 focus

[1]

Whilst they were on their way to Syracuse Scipio prepared to justify himself, not by words but by acts. He gave orders for the whole of the army to muster at Syracuse and the fleet to be prepared for action as though he had to engage the Carthaginians that day both by land and sea.

[2] When the commission had landed he received them courteously, and the following day he invited them to watch the maneuvers of his land and sea forces, the troops performing their evolutions as in

[3] battle, whilst the ships in the harbour engaged in a sham sea-fight.

[4] Then the praetor and the commissioners were taken for a tour of inspection round the arsenals and magazines and the other preparations for war, and the impression made by the whole and by each separate detail was such as to convince them that if that general and that army could not conquer Carthage, no one ever could.

[5] They bade him sail for Africa with the blessing of heaven, and fulfil as speedily as possible the hopes and expectations in which the centuries had unanimously chosen him as their consul.

[6] They left in such joyous spirits that they seemed to be taking back the announcement of a victory, and not simply reporting the magnificent preparations for war.

[7] Pleminius and his fellow criminals were thrown into prison as soon as they reached Rome. When they were first brought before the people by the tribunes the minds of all were too full of the sufferings of the Locrians to leave any room for pity.

[8] But after they had been brought forward several times the feeling against them became gradually less embittered, the mutilation which Pleminius had suffered and the thought of the absent Scipio who had befriended him disposed the populace in his favour.

[9] However, before the trial was over he died in prison. Clodius Licinius in the Third Book of his Roman History says that Pleminius bribed some men to set fire to various parts of the City during the Games which Scipio Africanus was celebrating, in fulfilment of a vow, during his second consulship, to give him an opportunity of breaking out of gaol and making his escape.

[10] The plot was discovered, and he was by order of the senate consigned to the Tullianum.

[11] No proceedings took place with regard to Scipio except in the senate, where all the commissioners and the tribunes spoke in such glowing terms of the general and his fleet and army that the senate resolved that an expedition should start for Africa as soon as possible.

[12] They gave Scipio permission to select from the armies in Sicily what troops he would like to take with him, and what he would leave in occupation of the island.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. It is a sham battle, as et ipsam proves. No parade here; no more than in XXVI. li. 4.

2. B.C. 204

3. A defendant charged with perduellio was brought before a contio in the Forum three times, not on successive days. At the close of the third contio the tribunes pronounced judgment, repeating their demand for a penalty or changing it in either direction. Then they announced a final hearing 28 days later( quarta accusatio ). On that date the case would be finally decided by vote of the comitia tribute (if a fine was demanded), or of the centuriata (if a death penalty). Cf. XXVI. iii. 9 ff. (Vol. VII. pp. 13 ff. and notes p. 12); Mommsen, Staatsrecht III. 354 if. Confinement was in the Career, § 7; cf. p. 296, n. 1.

4. A younger contemporary of Livy, consul suffectus in A.D. 4. His history must have begun with the end of the Second Punic War. Cf. Suet. de Gram. 20. Rare in Livy is so precise a reference to any authority.

5. 194 B.C. ; XXXIV. xliv. 6 if., the same story under a different date and with omission of the source.

6. B.C. 204

7. The older underground chamber beneath the Carcer. Mere mention of it implies that Pleminius was executed there, as is explicitly stated l.c. xliv. 8. Cf. xix. 5; Val. Max. I. i. 21.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 29.22

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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