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), 30.16

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[1]

Scipio, having sent Gaius Laelius with Syphax and other captives to Rome, while with these went Masinissa's legates also, himself moved his camp back again to Tynes and completed the fortifications he had already begun. ¹

[2] The Carthaginians, on account of their attack upon the fleet with considerable success for the moment, had been filled with a joy not only short-lived but almost unfounded. But on hearing of the capture of Syphax, on whom they had rested their hopes almost more than on Hasdrubal and their own army, they were discouraged. No longer listening to any advocate of war, they sent their thirty elder statesmen to plead for peace. This was their privy council, ² and it had great influence even in guiding the senate.

[3] When they reached the Roman camp and headquarters they fell to the ground after the custom of courtiers, having derived that ceremony, I suppose, from the region from which they sprang. ³

[4] Such humble obeisance was matched by their discourse, as they did not try to clear themselves of blame, but shifted the original blame to Hannibal and to those who supported his power.

[5] They craved pardon for a ⁴ state now twice overthrown by the rashness of its citizens, to

[6] be saved a second time by the favour of its foes. It was power, they said, that the Roman people sought from vanquished enemies, not their destruction.

[7] They were ready to be obedient servants; let him give them whatever commands he pleased.

[8] Scipio said he had come to Africa in the hope that he would carry home a victory, not a treaty of peace; that his hope had been also confirmed by a successful issue of the war.

[9] Nevertheless, although he had victory almost within his grasp, he was not rejecting a peace, in order that all nations might know that the Roman people acted fairly both in beginning and ending wars.

[10] He said that he announced the following terms of peace: that they restore captives and deserters and fugitive slaves; that they withdraw their armies from Italy and Gaul; ⁵ that they have nothing to do with Spain; that they give up ownership of all the islands lying between Italy and Africa; ⁶ that they deliver all their war-ships except twenty, and 500,000 pecks of wheat, 300,000 pecks of barley. ⁷

[11] —As for money, there is no agreement as to the sum which he imposed.

[12] In one source I find that 5,000 talents ⁸ were imposed, in another 5,000 pounds of silver, in another double the pay of his soldiers.

[13] —

Whether on these terms,

said he,

you are disposed ⁹ to make peace, on that point three days will be given you for deliberation. If that shall be your decision, make an armistice with me, send your embassy to the senate at Rome.

[14] Dismissed with these words, the Carthaginians agreed that no peace terms should be rejected, since they were seeking to gain time for Hannibal to cross over to Africa. ¹⁰

[15] Accordingly they sent one embassy to Scipio to arrange an armistice and another to Rome to sue for peace, ¹¹ taking with them a few captives and deserters and fugitive slaves for appearance' sake, that they might more readily obtain peace.

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.) — 30.16 focus

[1] Scipio C. Laelio cum Syphace aliisque captivis Romam misso, cum quibus et Masinissae legati profecti sunt, ipse ad Tyneta rursus castra refert et quae munimenta inchoaverat permunit.

[2] Carthaginienses non brevi solum, sed prope vano gaudio ab satis prospera in praesens oppugnatione classis perfusi, post famam rcapti capti Syphacis, in quo plus prope quam in Hasdrubale atque exercitu suo spei reposuerant, perculsi,

[3] iam nullo auctore belli ultra audito oratores ad pacem petendam mittunt triginta seniorum principes;

[4] id erat sanctius apud illos consilium maximaque ad ipsum senatum regendum vis. qui ubi in castra Romana et in praetorium pervenerunt, more adulantium — accepto, credo, ritu ex ea regione, ex qua oriundi erant — procubuerunt.

[5] conveniens oratio tam humili adulationi fruit, non culpam purgantium, sed transferentium initium culpae in Hannibalem potentiaeque eius fautores.

[6] veniam civitati petebant civium temeritate bis iam eversae, incolumi futurae iterum hostium beneficio;

[7] imperium ex victis hostibus populum Romanum, non perniciem petere;

[8] paratis oboedienter servire imperaret, quae vellet. Scipio et venisse ea spe in Africam se ait et spem suam prospero belli eventu auctam, victoriam se, non pacem domum reportaturum esse;

[9] tamen, cum victoriam prope in manibus habeat, pacem non abnuere, ut omnes gentes sciant populum Romanum et suscipere iuste bella et finire.

[10] leges pacis se has dicere: captivos et perfugas et fugitives fugitiuos restituant; exercitus ex Italia et Gallia deducant; Hispania abstineant; insulis omnibus, quae inter Italiam atque Africam sint, decedant;

[11] naves longas praeter viginti omnes tradant, tritici quingenta, hordei trecenta milia modium.

[12] pecuniae summam quantam imperaverit, parum convenit; alibi quinque milia talentum, alibi quinque milia pondo argenti, alibi duplex stipendium militibus imperatum invenio.

[13] “his condicionibus” inquit “placeatne pax triduum ad consultandum dabitur. si placuerit, mecum indutias facite,

[14] Romam ad senatum mittite legatos.” ita dimissi Carthaginienses nullas recusandas condiciones pacis cum censuissent,

[15] quippe qui moram temporis quaererent, dum Hannibal in Africam traiceret, legatos alios ad Scipionem, ut indutias facerent, alios Romam ad pacem petendam mittunt, ducentes paucos in speciem captivos perfugasque et fugitives fugitiuos, quo impetrabilior pax esset.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 30.16 focus

[1]

Scipio C. Laelio cum Syphace aliisque captiuis Romam misso, cum quibus et Masinissae legati profecti sunt, ipse ad Tyneta rursus castra refert et quae munimenta incohauerat permunit.

[2] Carthaginienses non breui solum sed prope uano gaudio ab satis prospera in praesens oppugnatione classis perfusi, post famam capti Syphacis in quo plus prope quam in Hasdrubale atque exercitu suo spei reposuerant perculsi, iam nullo auctore belli ultra audito oratores ad pacem petendam mittunt triginta seniorum principes;

[3] id erat sanctius apud illos consilium maximaque ad ipsum senatum regendum uis.

[4] qui ubi in castra Romana et in praetorium peruenerunt more adulantium—accepto, credo, ritu ex ea regione ex qua oriundi erant—procubuerunt.

[5] conueniens oratio tam humili adulationi fuit non culpam purgantium sed transferentium initium culpae in Hannibalem potentiaeque eius fautores.

[6] ueniam ciuitati petebant ciuium temeritate bis iam euersae, incolumi futurae iterum hostium beneficio;

[7] imperium ex uictis hostibus populum Romanum, non perniciem petere; paratis oboedienter seruire imperaret quae uellet.

[8] Scipio et uenisse ea spe in Africam se ait, et spem suam prospero belli euentu auctam, uictoriam se non pacem domum reportaturum esse;

[9] tamen cum uictoriam prope in manibus habeat, pacem non abnuere, ut omnes gentes sciant populum Romanum et suscipere iuste bella et finire.

[10] leges pacis se has dicere: captiuos et perfugas et fugitiuos restituant; exercitus ex Italia et Gallia deducant; Hispania abstineant; insulis omnibus quae inter Italiam atque Africam sint decedant;

[11] naues longas praeter uiginti omnes tradant, tritici quingenta, hordei trecenta milia modium.

[12] —pecuniae summam quantam imperauerit parum conuenit; alibi quinque milia talentum, alibi quinque milia pondo argenti, alibi duplex stipendium militibus imperatum inuenio.

[13] —'his condicionibus' inquit 'placeatne pax triduum ad consultandum dabitur. si placuerit, mecum indutias facite, Romam ad senatum mittite legatos.'

[14] ita dimissi Carthaginienses nullas recusandas condiciones pacis cum censuissent quippe qui moram temporis quaererent dum Hannibal in Africam traiceret,

[15] legatos alios ad Scipionem ut indutias facerent, alios Romam ad pacem petendam mittunt ducentes paucos in speciem captiuos perfugasque et fugitiuos quo impetrabilior pax esset.

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).) — 30.16 focus

[1]

Scipio C. Laelio cum Syphace aliisque captivis Romam misso, cum quibus et Masinissae legati profecti sunt, ipse ad Tyneta rursus castra refert et quae munimenta incohaverat permunit.

[2] Carthaginienses non brevi solum, sed prope vano gaudio ab satis prospera in praesens oppugnatione classis perfusi, post famam capti Syphacis, in quo plus prope quam in Hasdrubale atque exercitu suo spei reposuerant, perculsi,

[3] iam nullo auctore belli ultra audito oratores ad pacem petendam mittunt triginta seniorum principes; id erat sanctius apud illos consilium maximaque ad ipsum senatum regendum vis.

[4] qui ubi in castra Romana et in praetorium pervenerunt, more adulantium—accepto, credo, ritu ex ea regione ex qua oriundi erant—procubuerunt.

[5] conveniens oratio tam humili adulationi fuit, non culpam purgantium, sed transferentium initium culpae in Hannibalem potentiaeque eius fautores.

[6] veniam civitati petebant civium temeritate bis iam ¹² eversae, incolumi futurae iterum hostium beneficio; imperium ex victis hostibus populum Romanum,

[7] non perniciem petere; paratis oboedienter servire imperaret quae vellet.

[8] Scipio et venisse ea spe in Africam se ait, et spem suam prospero belli eventu auctam, victoriam se, non pacem domum reportaturum esse;

[9] tamen, cum victoriam prope in manibus habeat, pacem non abnuere, ut omnes gentes sciant populum Romanum et suscipere iuste bella et finire.

[10] leges pacis se has dicere: captives et perfugas et fugitiuos fugitives restituant; exercitus ex Italia et Gallia deducant; Hispania abstineant; insulis omnibus quae inter Italiam atque ³ Africam sint, ⁴ decedant;

[11] naves longas praeter viginti ⁵ omnes tradant, tritici quingenta, hordei trecenta milia modium.

[12] pecuniae summam quantam imperaverit parum convenit; alibi quinque milia talentum, ⁶ alibi quinque ⁷ milia pondo argenti, alibi duplex stipendium militibus imperatum invenio.

[13]

his condicionibus

inquit

placeatne pax triduum ad ⁸ consultandum dabitur. si placuerit, mecum indutias facite, Romam ad senatum mittite legatos.

[14] ita dimissi Carthaginienses nullas recusandas condiciones pacis cum censuissent, quippe qui moram temporis quaererent, dum Hannibal in Africam traiceret, legatos alios ad Scipionem,

[15] ut indutias facerent, alios Romam ad pacem petendam mittunt, ducentes paucos in speciem captivos perfugasque et fugitivos, quo impetrabilior pax esset.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 30.16 focus

[1]

Scipio, having sent Caius Laelius with Syphax and the rest of the prisoners to Rome, with whom went also ambassadors from Masinissa, led his troops back again to Tunes, and completed the fortifications which he had before begun.

[2] The Carthaginians, who had experienced not only a short-lived but almost groundless joy, from their attack upon the fleet, which, under existing circumstances, was tolerably successful, were so dismayed at the account of the capture of Syphax, in whom they reposed almost greater confidence than in Hasdrubal and his army, that now listening no longer to any who advocated war, they sent thirty of their principal elders as deputies to solicit peace. With them the council of elders is held in the highest reverence, and has supreme power even to control the senate itself.

[3] When they came into the Roman camp and entered the pavilion, they prostrated themselves after the manner

[4] of those who pay profound adoration to kings, adopting the custom, I suppose, from the country from which they derived their origin.

[5] Their language corresponded with such abject humiliation, for they did not endeavour to deny their guilt, but charged Hannibal and the favourers of his violent measures with being the originators of it.

[6] They implored pardon for their state, which had been now twice brought to the brink of ruin by the temerity of its citizens, and would again owe its safety to the indulgence of its enemies.

[7] They said, the object the Roman people aimed at in the subjugation of their enemies was dominion, and not their destruction; that he might enjoin what he pleased upon them, as being prepared submissively to obey.

[8] Scipio replied,

that he had come into Africa with the hope, and that hope had been increased by the success he had experienced in his operations, that he should carry home victory and not terms of peace.

[9]

Still, though he had victory in a manner within his grasp, he would not refuse all accommodation, that all the nations of the world may know that the Roman people both undertake and conclude wars with justice.

[10] The terms of peace which he prescribed were these:

That they should restore the prisoners, deserters, and fugitives; withdraw their armies from Italy and Gaul; give up all claim to Spain; retire from all the islands between Italy and Africa;

[11]

deliver up all their ships of war except twenty, and furnish five hundred thousand pecks of wheat, and three hundred thousand of barley.

[12] Authors are not agreed as to the sum of money he demanded. In some I find five thousand talents; in others five thousand pounds' weight of silver; in others, that double pay for the troops was required.

[13]

Three days,

he said,

shall be allowed to deliberate whether you accept of peace on these terms.

[14]

If you do accept it, make a truce with me, and send deputies to Rome to the senate.

The Carthaginians being thus dismissed, as they thought it proper to accept of any conditions of peace, for their only object was to gain

[15] time for Hannibal to cross over into Africa, sent some ambassadors to Scipio to conclude a truce, and others to Rome to solicit peace; the latter taking with them a few prisoners, deserters, and fugitives, in order to facilitate the attainment of peace.

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.) — 30.16 focus

[1]

Laelius was sent in charge of Syphax and the other prisoners to Rome, and envoys from Masinissa accompanied him. Scipio returned to his camp at Tyneta and completed the fortifications which he had commenced.

[2] The rejoicing of the Carthaginians over the temporary success of their naval attack was short-lived and evanescent, for when they heard of the capture of Syphax, on whom they had rested their hopes almost more than on Hasdrubal and his army, they completely lost heart. The war party could no longer gain a hearing and the senate sent the "Thirty Seniors" to Scipio to sue for peace. This body was the most august council in their state and controlled to a very large extent even the senate itself.

[3] When they reached the headquarters tent in the Roman camp, they made a profound obeisance and prostrated themselves-a practice, I believe, which they brought with them from their original home.

[4] Their language corresponded to their abject posture. They made no excuse for themselves, but threw the responsibility for the war on Hannibal and his supporters.

[5] They craved pardon for a city which had been twice ruined by the recklessness of its citizens and could only be preserved in safety by the good-will of its enemy.

[6] What Rome sought, they pleaded, was the homage and submission of the vanquished, not their annihilation.

[7] They professed themselves ready to execute any commands which he chose to give. Scipio replied that he had come to Africa in the hope-a hope which his successes had confirmed-of taking back to Rome a complete victory, and not merely proposals for peace.

[8] Still, though victory was almost within his grasp, he would not refuse to grant terms of peace, that all nations

[9] might know that Rome was actuated by the spirit of justice, whether she was undertaking a war or putting an end to one.

[10] He stated the terms of peace, which were the surrender of all prisoners, deserters and refugees; the withdrawal of the armies from Italy and Gaul; the abandonment of all action in Spain; the evacuation of all the islands lying between Italy and Africa and the surrender of their entire navy with the exception of twenty vessels.

[11] They were also to provide 500,000 pecks of wheat and 300,000 of barley, but the actual amount of the money indemnity is doubtful.

[12] In some authors I find 5000 talents, in others 5000 pounds of silver mentioned; some only say that double pay for the troops was demanded. "You will be allowed," he added, "three days to consider whether you will agree to peace on these terms.

[13] If you decide to do so, arrange an armistice with me, and send envoys to the senate in Rome." The Carthaginians were then dismissed.

[14] As their object was to gain time to allow of Hannibal's sailing across to Africa they resolved that no conditions of peace should be rejected, and accordingly they sent delegates to

[15] conclude an armistice with Scipio, and a deputation was also sent to Rome to sue for peace, the latter taking with them a few prisoners and deserters for the sake of appearance, in order that peace might more be readily granted.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. For previous fortifications cf. ix. 11.

2. Cf. below, xxxvi. 9. They formed a separate body, the gerousi/a; Polybius I. lxxxvii. 3; X. xviii. 1 (this at New Carthage).

3. I.e. as being of Phoenician (Tyrian) origin. Cf. XLII. xxiii. 10; Polybius XV. i. 6.

4. B.C. 203

5. Cisalpine Gaul; cf. xviii. 1. Mago was to abandon the Ligurian coast as well; cf. xix. 2, 4,12; and for his death at sea off Sardinia cf. ibid. § 5.

6. Since the large islands in these waters were already held by the Romans, the Baleares, Pityusae and Malta are probably meant here, possibly Pantelleria and Lampedusa also.

7. This would be for the use of the Roman army during an armistice lasting until the treaty of peace was ratified. Double pay for the army (below) would be for the same length of time.

8. So Polybius XV. viii. 7; 1600 talents, Appian Pun. 32. Cf. Dio Cass. frag. 57. 74 (no figures); Zonaras IX. xiii. 8 (do.). These were not the final terms, for which see xxxvii. 1 ff.; Polybius xviii. fin.

9. B.C. 203

10. They had previously voted to recall him; ix. 7 f.

11. In Polybius, Scipio's terms had been embodied in a treaty which was duly ratified by the Roman senate and people after Hannibal was out of Italy; XV. i. 3, 9, 11; iv. 8; viii. 9. Livy has the senate summarily rejecting a peace embassy from Carthage; below, xxii. f. This was surely the invention of some Roman annalist. See De Sanctis III. ii. 544.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 30.16

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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