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), 29.35

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[1]

On the same day on which these events took place the ships which had carried booty to Sicily happened to return with supplies, as though with a presentiment that they had come for booty a second time.

[2] Not all the historians vouch for the slaying of two Carthaginian commanders of the same name in two cavalry battles, fearing, I suppose, unwittingly to tell the same story twice. ¹ Coelius and Valerius, to be sure, relate that Hanno too was captured. ²

[3] Scipio bestowed conspicuous rewards upon the commanders and the horsemen according to the service each had rendered, and above all on Masinissa.

[4] And having posted a strong garrison at Salaeca, he set out himself with the rest of the army. Laying waste not merely the farms wherever he went, but storming certain cities also and villages, while the alarm of the war was spread far and wide, on the seventh day after his departure he returned to camp bringing a great number of men and cattle and much booty of every kind; and again he sent away the ships loaded down with spoils of the enemy.

[5] Then, giving up small raids and petty pillaging, he applied all his military

[6] resources to the siege of Utica, with ³ the intention of having that city, if captured, as a base henceforth for all remaining operations.

[7] From the fleet marines were brought up to the city on the side where it is washed by the sea, ⁴ and at the same time land forces on the side where a height almost overhung the very walls.

[8] Artillery and engines he had not only brought with him but they had also been sent from Sicily with the supplies, and new ones were being made in an arsenal where many makers of such devices had been interned for the purpose. ⁵

For the people of Utica, completely beset by so great a force, all their hope was in the Carthaginian people; for the Carthaginians it was in Hasdrubal, provided he should prevail upon Syphax. But everything was moving more slowly than people in need of help desired.

[9] Although Hasdrubal by most intensive recruiting had made up a

[10] total of about thirty thousand infantry and three thousand cavalry, it was not before the arrival of Syphax, however, that he dared to move his camp nearer to the enemy.

[11] Syphax came with fifty thousand foot-soldiers and ten thousand horsemen, whereupon Hasdrubal, at once moving his camp away from Carthage, established himself not far from Utica and the Roman fortifications.

[12] Their arrival had this effect at any rate, that Scipio, after besieging Utica for about ⁶ forty days to no purpose in spite of all his attempts, retired from the place, having failed in his undertaking.

[13] And as winter was now at hand, he fortified a winter camp on a promontory which is connected with the mainland by a narrow ridge, but extends for a considerable distance into the sea. ⁷

[14] By a single earthwork he enclosed the naval camp as well. The camp of the legions being placed on the middle of the ridge, its northern side was occupied by the beached ships and the men to man them, its southern slope, descending to the other shore, by the cavalry.

[15] Such were the events in Africa down to the end of autumn.

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.) — 29.35 focus

[1] eodem forte, quo haec gesta sunt, die naves, quae praedam in Siciliam vexerant, cum commeatu rediere, velut ominatae ad praedam alteram repetendam sese venisse.

[2] duos eodem nomine Carthaginiensium duces duobus equestribus proeliis interfectos non omnes auctores sunt, veriti, credo, ne falleret bis relata eadem res; Coelius quidem et Valerius captum Hannonem tradunt.

[3] Scipio praefectos equitesque prout cuiusque opera fuerat, ante omnes Masinissam, insignibus donis donat;

[4] et firmo praesidio Salaecae imposito ipse cum cetero exercitu profectus, non agris modo, quacumque incedebat, populatis, sed urbibus etiam quibusdam vicisque expugnatis,

[5] late fuso terrore belli, septimo die, quam profectus erat, magnam vim hominum et pecoris et omnis generis praedae trahens in castra redit gravesque iterum hostilibus spoliis naves dimittit.

[6] inde omissis expeditionibus parvis populationibusque ab oppugnandam Uticam omnes belli vires convertit, ear eam deinde, si cepisset, sedem ad cetera exsequenda habiturus.

[7] simul et a classe navales socii, qua ex parte urbs mari adluitur, simul et terrestris exercitus ab imminente prope ipsis moenibus tumulo est admotus.

[8] tormenta machinasque et advexerat secum et ex Sicilia missa cum commeatu erant et nova in armamentario, multis talium operum artificibus de industria inclusis, fiebant.

[9] Uticensibus tanta undique mole circumsessis in Carthaginiensi populo, Carthaginiensibus in Hasdrubale ita, si is movisset Syphacem, spes omnis erat; sed desiderio indigentium auxilii tardius cuncta movebantur.

[10] Hasdrubal intentissima conquisitione cum ad triginta milia peditum, tria equitum confecisset, non tamen ante adventum Syphacis castra propius hostem movere est ausus.

[11] Syphax cum quinquaginta milibus peditum, decem equitum advenit, confestimque motis a Carthagine castris haud procul Utica munitionibusque Romanis consedit.

[12] quorum adventus hoc tamen momenti fecit, ut Scipio, cum quadraginta ferme dies nequiquam omnia experiens obsedisset Uticam, abscederet inde inrito incepto. et —

[13] iam enim hiems instabat — castra hiberna in promunturio, quod tenui iugo continenti adhaerens in aliquantum maris spatium extenditur, communit; uno vallo et navalia castra amplectitur.

[14] iugo medio legionum castris inpositis latus ad septentrionem versum subductae naves navalesque socii tenebant, meridianam vallem ad alterum litus devexam equitatus. haec in Africa usque ad extremum autumni gesta.

[15]

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 29.35 focus

[1]

eodem forte quo haec gesta sunt die naues quae praedam in Siciliam uexerant cum commeatu rediere, uelut ominatae ad praedam alteram repetendam sese uenisse.

[2] duos eodem nomine Carthaginiensium duces duobus equestribus proeliis interfectos non omnes auctores sunt, ueriti, credo, ne falleret bis relata eadem res: Coelius quidem et Ualerius captum etiam Hannonem tradunt.

[3] Scipio praefectos equitesque prout cuiusque opera fuerat et ante omnes Masinissam insignibus donis donat;

[4] et firmo praesidio Salaecae imposito ipse cum cetero exercitu profectus, non agris modo quacumque incedebat populatis sed urbibus etiam quibusdam uicisque expugnatis late fuso terrore belli septimo die quam profectus erat magnam uim hominum et pecoris et omnis generis praedae trahens in castra redit,

[5] grauesque iterum hostilibus spoliis naues dimittit.

[6] inde omissis expeditionibus paruis populationibusque ad oppugnandam Uticam omnes belli uires conuertit, eam deinde si cepisset sedem ad cetera exsequenda habiturus.

[7] simul et a classe nauales socii, qua ex parte urbs mari adluitur, simul et terrestris exercitus ab imminente prope ipsis moenibus tumulo est admotus.

[8] tormenta machinasque et aduexerat secum, et ex Sicilia missa cum commeatu erant; et noua in armamentario multis talium operum artificibus de industria inclusis fiebant. Uticensibus tanta undique mole circumsessis in Carthaginiensi populo, Carthaginiensibus in Hasdrubale ita si is mouisset Syphacem, spes omnis erat;

[9] sed desiderio indigentium auxilii tardius cuncta mouebantur.

[10] Hasdrubal intentissima conquisitione cum ad triginta milia peditum, tria equitum confecisset, non tamen ante aduentum Syphacis castra propius hostem mouere est ausus.

[11] Syphax cum quinquaginta milibus peditum, decem equitum aduenit confestimque motis a Carthagine castris, haud procul Utica munitionibusque Romanis consedit.

[12] quorum aduentus hoc tamen momenti fecit ut Scipio, cum quadraginta ferme dies nequiquam omnia experiens obsedisset Uticam, abscederet inde inrito incepto.

[13] et—iam enim hiemps instabat— castra hiberna in promunturio, quod tenui iugo continenti adhaerens in aliquantum maris spatium extenditur, communit.

[14] uno uallo et naualia et castra amplectitur; iugo medio legionum castris impositis, latus ad septentrionem uersum subductae naues naualesque socii tenebant, meridianam uallem ad alterum litus deuexam equitatus.

[15] haec in Africa usque ad extremum autumni gesta.

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).) — 29.35 focus

[1]

eodem forte quo haec gesta sunt die naves quae praedam in Siciliam vexerant cum commeatu rediere, velut ominatae ad praedam alteram repetendam sese venisse.

[3] Scipio praefectos equitesque, prout cuiusque opera fuerat, ² ante ³ omnes Masinissam insignibus donis donat;

[4] et firmo praesidio Salaecae imposito ipse cum cetero exercitu profectus, non agris modo quacumque incedebat populatis, sed urbibus etiam quibusdam vicisque expugnatis,

[5] late fuso terrore belli, septimo die quam profectus erat magnam vim hominum et pecoris et omnis generis praedae trahens in castra redit, gravesque ⁴ iterum hostilibus ⁵ spoliis naves dimittit.

[6] inde omissis expeditionibus parvis populationibusque ⁶ ad oppugnandam Uticam omnes belli ⁷ vires convertit, eam deinde, si cepisset, sedem ad cetera exsequenda habiturus.

[7] simul et a classe navales socii, qua ex parte urbs mari adluitur, et ⁸ terrestris exercitus ab ⁹ imminente prope ipsis moenibus tumulo est admotus.

[8] tormenta machinasque et advexerat secum, et ex Sicilia missa cum commeatu erant, et nova in armamentario, multis talium operum artificibus de industria inclusis, fiebant.

[10] Hasdrubal intentissima conquisitione cum ad triginta milia peditum, tria equitum confecisset, ¹⁰ non tamen ante adventum Syphacis castra propius hostem movere est ausus.

[11] Syphax cum quinquaginta milibus peditum, decem equitum advenit, confestimque motis a Carthagine castris haud procul Utica munitionibusque Romanis consedit.

[12] quorum adventus hoc tamen momenti fecit ut Scipio, cum quadraginta ferme dies nequiquam omnia ¹¹ experiens obsedisset Uticam, abscederet inde inrito incepto.

[13] et —iam enim ¹² hiems instabat—castra hiberna in promunturio, quod tenui iugo continenti adhaerens in aliquantum maris spatium extenditur, communit.

[14] uno vallo et navalia ¹³ castra amplectitur; iugo medio legionum castris inpositis, latus ¹⁴ ad septentrionem versum subductae naves navalesque socii tenebant, meridianam vallem ad alterum litus devexam equitatus. ¹⁵

[15] haec in Africa usque ad extremum autumni gesta.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 29.35 focus

[1]

It happened that the same day on which these events occurred, the ships which had carried the plunder to Sicily returned with provisions, as if divining that they came to take another cargo of booty.

[2] All the writers do not vouch for the fact that two generals of the Carthaginians bearing the same name were slain in the battles of the cavalry; fearing, I believe, lest the same circumstance related twice should lead them into error. Caelius, indeed, and Valerius, make mention of a Hanno also who was made prisoner.

[3] Scipio rewarded his officers and horsemen according to the service they had respectively rendered, but he presented Masinissa above all the rest with distinguished gifts.

[4] Leaving a strong garrison at Saleca, he set out with the rest of his army; and having not only devastated the country wherever he marched, but taken some cities and towns, thus spreading the terrors of war far and wide, he returned to his camp on the seventh day after he set out, bringing with him an immense quantity of men and cattle, and booty of every description, and sent away his ships again loaded with the spoils of the enemy.

[5] Then giving up all expeditions of a minor kind, and predatory excursions, he directed the

[6] whole force of the war to the siege of Utica, that he might make it for the time to come, if he took it, a position from which he might set out for the execution of the rest of his designs.

[7] At one and the same time his marines attacked the city from the fleet in that part which is washed by the sea, and the land forces were brought up from a rising ground which almost immediately overhung the walls.

[8] He had also brought with him engines and machines which had been conveyed from Sicily with the stores, and fresh ones were made in the armoury, in which he had for that purpose employed a number of artificers skilled in such works. The people of Utica, thus beset on all sides with so formidable a force, placed all their hopes in the Carthaginians, and the Carthaginians in the chance there was that Hasdrubal could induce Syphax to take arms.

[9] But all their movements were made too slowly for the anxiety felt by those who were in want of assistance.

[10] Hasdrubal, though he had by levies, conducted with the utmost diligence, made up as many as thirty thousand infantry and three thousand horse, yet dared not move nearer to the enemy before the arrival of Syphax.

[11] Syphax came with fifty thousand foot and ten thousand horse, and, immediately decamping from Carthage, took up a position not far from Utica and the Roman works.

[12] Their arrival produced, however, this effect, that Scipio, who had been besieging Utica for forty days, during which he had tried every expedient without effect, left the place without accomplishing his object;

[13] and as the winter was now fast approaching, fortified a camp for the winter upon a promontory, which being attached to the continent by a narrow isthmus, stretched out a considerable way into the sea.

[14] He included his naval camp also within one and the same rampart. The camp for the legions being stationed on the middle of the isthmus, the ships, which were drawn on land, and the mariners occupied the northern shore, the cavalry a valley on the south inclining towards the other shore.

[15] Such were the transactions in Africa up to the close of autumn.

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.) — 29.35 focus

[1]

On the very day on which this action was fought, it happened that the ships which had carried the plunder to Sicily returned with supplies, as though they had divined that they would have to carry back a second cargo of spoils of war.

[2] Not all the authorities state that two Carthaginian generals of the same name were killed in two separate actions, they were afraid, I think, of being misled into repeating the same incident twice over. Coelius at all events, and Valerius tell us that Hanno was taken prisoner.

[3] Scipio distributed amongst the cavalry and their officers rewards proportioned to the service each had rendered; Masinissa was distinguished above the rest by some splendid presents.

[4] After placing a strong garrison in Salaeca he continued his advance with the rest of his army, and not only stripped the fields along his line of march, but captured various towns and villages as well, spreading terror far and wide.

[5] After a week's marching he returned to camp with a long train of men and cattle and all sorts of booty, and the ships were sent off for the second time heavily loaded with the spoils of war.

[6] He now abandoned his plundering expeditions and devoted all his strength to an attack on Utica, intending if he took it to make that the base of his future operations.

[7] His naval contingent was employed against the side of the city which faced the sea, while his land army operated from some rising ground which commanded the walls.

[8] Some artillery and siege engines he had brought with him, and some had been sent with the supplies from Sicily, new ones were also being constructed in an arsenal where a large number of artisans trained in this work were assembled. Under the pressure of such a vigorous investment all the hopes of the people of Utica rested on Carthage, and all the hopes of the Carthaginians rested on Hasdrubal and on whatever assistance he could obtain from Syphax.

[9] In their anxiety for relief everything seemed to be moving too slowly.

[10] Hasdrubal had been doing his utmost to obtain troops, and had actually assembled a force of 30,000 infantry and 3000 cavalry, but he did not venture to move nearer the enemy till Syphax joined him.

[11] He came with 50,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry, and with their united forces they at once advanced from Carthage and took up a position not far from Utica and the Roman lines.

[12] Their approach led to one important result at least: after prosecuting the siege of Utica with all the resources at his command Scipio abandoned any further attempts on the place, and as winter

[13] was coming on he constructed an intrenched camp on a tongue of land which projected into the sea and was connected by a narrow isthmus with the mainland.

[14] He enclosed the military and naval camps within the same lines. The legions were stationed in the middle of the headland; the ships, which had been beached, and their crews occupied the northern side; the low ground on the south side was allotted to the cavalry.

[15] Such were the incidents in the African campaign down to the end of the autumn.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Livy appears to have followed a lost part of Polybius. Two annalists only are mentioned (next sentence) who accepted but one encounter with cavalry commanded by a Hanno. Cf. Appian l.c. 14; Dio Cass. l.c. ( = Zonaras IX. xii. 4 f.). These tell the story quite differently. Modern historians are divided, some insisting that one of the battles is a doublet, e.g. De Sanctis III. 2. 581 f.; C.A.H. VIII. 100, n. 2. Not so Gsell, op. cit. 216, n. 4; Neumann, Das Zeitalter der punischen Kriege 522; Karstedt, Gesch. der Karthager III. 337 f., 545.

2. This is the statement of Appian also and Dio Cass. (Zon.), who add ( ll. cc. ) that the prisoner was exchanged for Masinissa's own mother. So much detail seems to establish the historicity of the second engagement reported. As for the first (xxix. 1), something more than identity of a name (especially of a common name) is needed to stamp it as necessarily fictitious.

3. B.C. 204

4. At the north-east end of a long ridge. Just beyond there was a small island on which lay the oldest quarter of the city, at least 200 years older than Carthage (cf. Gades, p. 141, n. 1). The Medjerda (Bagradas) has since changed its winding course far to the west, and coming within less than half a mile of the ridge, has brought down alluvial deposits so extensive that the ruins of Utica are now about 7 miles from the nearest coast-line. Cf. Caesar B.C. II. xxiv. 1, 3; Polybius I. lxxv. 5; XV. ii. 8 (his name for the river is Macaras); Strabo XVII. iii. 13 fin.; Pliny N.H. V. 24. Appian Pun. 75 errs as to the distance from Carthage, which was 27 miles ( Itin. Ant. 22).

5. The artisans as captives had become public slaves of the Roman people. Cf. those taken at New Carthage, XXVI. xlvii. 2; Polybius X. xvii. 6, 9.

6. B.C. 204

7. Caesar describes the site, still called Castra Corneli(an)a in his time and much later; B.C. II. xxiv; cf. Appian B.C. II. 44; Pliny N.H. V. 29; Ptolemy IV. 3. It was at the north-east end of a long ridge projecting into the sea (a cape Polybius calls it, XIV. vi. 7), and parallel to the ridge on which lay Utica, nearly two miles farther west, with a broad marsh between them. Caesar's text gives half the actual distance.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 29.35

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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