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), 30.37

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[1]

On the following day the envoys were recalled and with repeated upbraiding for their treachery ¹ were advised that, being taught at last by so many disasters, they should believe that the gods and an oath mean something.

[2] Whereupon the peace terms were stated to them: they were to live as free men under their own laws; to hold the cities and territories ² which they had held before the war, with the same boundaries; and the Roman was on that day to make an end of devastation.

[3] They were to deliver all deserters and runaway slaves and captives to the Romans, and to surrender their war-ships except ten triremes, and the trained elephants ³ in their possession, and not to train others;

[4] to wage war neither in Africa nor outside of ⁴ Africa without consent of the Roman people.

[5] They were to make restitution to Masinissa and frame a treaty with him; to furnish grain and pay to the auxiliaries ⁵ until the envoys should return from Rome; to pay ten thousand silver talents, ⁶ divided into equal payments for fifty years; to give a hundred hostages selected by Scipio, not younger than fourteen nor older than thirty years.

[6] He would grant an armistice, he said, provided the transports captured during the previous armistice and whatever was on board the ships should be returned; otherwise there would be no armistice nor any hope of a peace.

[7] Such terms the envoys were bidden to carry home, and as they announced them in the assembly Gisgo ⁷ came forward to oppose the peace.

[8] While the multitude was listening, equally incapable of keeping a peace and of carrying on a war, Hannibal, indignant that such things should be said and heard at so critical a moment, seized Gisgo and with his own hand dragged him down from the platform.

[9] When this novelty for a free state called forth protests from the people, the man of arms, confounded by freedom in the city, said

At nine years of age I left you, and after thirty-six years I have returned. With the soldier's arts, in which from boyhood first my own lot, and then a public exigency gave me training, I may pass as well acquainted. In the rights, laws, usages of the city and the marketplace it is you who should train me.

[10] Having apologized for his ignorance, he discoursed at length upon the peace, showing how far from unjust it was ⁸ and how inevitable. ⁹

[11] The most troublesome point of all was that of the ships captured during the armistice nothing was to be seen except the ships themselves, and investigation was not easy since the accused were opponents of the peace.

[12] It was decided that the ships should be returned and the men at all costs traced; that appraisal of whatever else was lacking be committed to Scipio, and that thus the Carthaginians should pay the amount in cash.

[13] —There are some historians ¹⁰ who relate that Hannibal leaving the battle made his way to the sea and then on a ship prepared for him at once sailed to King Antiochus; and that when Scipio demanded above all things that Hannibal be surrendered to him, the answer was that Hannibal was not in Africa.

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.) — 30.37 focus

[1] postero die revocatis legatis et cum multa castigatione perfidiae monitis, ut tot cladibus edocti tandem deos et ius iurandum esse crederent, condiciones pacis dictae, ut liberi legibus suis viverent;

[2] quas urbes quosque agros quibusque finibus ante bellum tenuissent, tenerent, populandique finem eo die Romanus faceret;

[3] perfugas fugitivosque et captivos omnes redderent Romanis et naves rostratas praeter decem triremes traderent elephantosque, quos haberent, domitos, neque domarent alios;

[4] bellum neve in Africa neve extra Africam iniussu populi Romani gererent;

[5] Masinissae res redderent foedusque cum eo facerent; frumentum stipendiumque auxiliis, donec ab Roma legati redissent, praestarent. decem milia talentum argenti, discripta pensionibus aequis in annos quinquaginta, solverent; obsides centum arbitratu Scipionis darent,

[6] ne minores quattuordecim annis neu triginta maiores. indutias ita se daturum, si per priores indutias naves onerariae captae, quaeque fuissent in navibus, restituerentur; aliter nec indutias nec spem pacis ullam esse.

[7] has condiciones legati cum domum referre iussi in contione ederent, et Gisgo ad dissuadendam pacem processisset audireturque a multitudine inquieta eadem et inbelli,

[8] indignatus Hannibal dici ea in tali tempore 57S audirique, arreptum Gisgonem manu sua ex superiore loco detraxit. quae insueta liberae civitati species cum fremitum populi movisset, perturbatus militaris vir urbana libertate

[9] “novem” inquit “annorum a vobis profectus post sextum et tricesimum annum redii. militares artes, quas me a puero fortuna nunc privata nunc publica docuit, probe videor scire;

[10] urbis ac fori iura, leges, mores vos me oportet doceatis.” excusata inprudentia de pace multis verbis disseruit, quam nec iniqua et necessaria esset.

[11] id omnium maxime difficile erat, quod ex navibus per indutias captis nihil praeter ipsas comparebat naves; nec inquisitio erat facilis, adversantibus paci qui arguerentur.

[12] placuit naves reddi et homines utique inquiri; cetera, quae abessent, aestimanda Scipioni permitti, atque ita pecunia luere is Carthaginienses.

[13] sunt, qui Hannibalem ex acie ad mare pervenisse, inde praeparata nave ad regem Antiochum extemplo profectum tradant, postulantique ante omnia Scipioni, ut Hannibal sibi traderetur, responsum esse Hannibalem in Africa non esse.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 30.37 focus

[1]

postero die reuocatis legatis et cum multa castigatione perfidiae monitis ut tot cladibus edocti tandem deos et ius iurandum esse crederent, condiciones pacis dictae ut liberi legibus suis uiuerent:

[2] quas urbes quosque agros quibusque finibus ante bellum tenuissent tenerent, populandique finem eo die Romanus faceret:

[3] perfugas fugitiuosque et captiuos omnes redderent Romanis, et naues rostratas praeter decem triremes traderent elephantosque quos haberent domitos, neque domarent alios:

[4] bellum neue in Africa neue extra Africam iniussu populi Romani gererent: Masinissae res redderent foedusque cum eo facerent:

[5] frumentum stipendiumque auxiliis donec ab Roma legati redissent praestarent: decem milia talentum argenti discripta pensionibus aequis in annos quinquaginta soluerent:

[6] obsides centum arbitratu Scipionis darent ne minores quattuordecim annis neu triginta maiores. indutias ita daturum, si per priores indutias naues onerariae captae quaeque fuissent in nauibus restituerentur; aliter nec indutias nec spem pacis ullam esse.

[7] has condiciones legati cum domum referre iussi in contione ederent et Gisgo ad dissuadendam pacem processisset audireturque a multitudine inquieta eadem et imbelli,

[8] indignatus Hannibal dici ea in tali tempore audirique arreptum Gisgonem manu sua ex superiore loco detraxit. quae insueta liberae ciuitati species cum fremitum populi mouisset,

[9] perturbatus militaris uir urbana libertate 'nouem' inquit 'annorum a uobis profectus post sextum et tricesimum annum redii. militares artes, quas me a puero fortuna nunc priuata nunc publica docuit, probe uideor scire: urbis ac fori iura, leges, mores uos me oportet doceatis.'

[10] excusata imprudentia de pace multis uerbis disseruit quam nec iniqua et necessaria esset.

[11] id omnium maxime difficile erat quod ex nauibus per indutias captis nihil praeter ipsas comparebat naues, nec inquisitio erat facilis aduersantibus paci qui arguerentur.

[12] placuit naues reddi et homines utique inquiri: cetera quae abessent aestimanda Scipioni permitti atque ita pecunia luere Carthaginienses.

[13] —sunt qui Hannibalem ex acie ad mare peruenisse, inde praeparata naue ad regem Antiochum extemplo profectum tradant, postulantique ante omnia Scipioni ut Hannibal sibi traderetur responsum esse Hannibalem in Africa non esse.

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).) — 30.37 focus

[1]

postero die revocatis legatis et cum multa castigatione perfidiae monitis ut tot cladibus edocti tandem deos et ius iurandum esse crederent, condiciones pacis dictae, ut liberi legibus suis viverent;

[2] quas urbes quosque agros quibusque finibus ante bellum tenuissent tenerent, populandique finem eo die Romanus faceret;

[3] perfugas fugitivosque et captivos omnes redderent Romanis, ¹ et naves rostratas praeter decem triremes traderent elephantosque quos haberent domitos, neque domarent ² alios;

[4] bellum neve in Africa neve extra Africam iniussu ³ populi Romani gererent; Masinissae res redderent foedusque cum eo facerent;

[5] frumentum stipendiumque auxiliis, donec ab Roma ⁴ legati redissent, praestarent; decem milia talentum argenti, discripta pensionibus aequis in annos quinquaginta, solverent;

[6] obsides centum arbitratu Scipionis darent, ne minores quattuordecim annis neu triginta maiores. indutias ita se ⁵ daturum, si per priores indutias naves onerariae captae quaeque fuissent in navibus restituerentur; aliter nec indutias nec spem pacis ullam esse.

[7] has condiciones legati cum domum referre ⁶ iussi in contione ederent et Gisgo ad dissuadendam pacem processisset audireturque a multitudine inquieta eadem ⁷ et inbelli,

[8] indignatus Hannibal dici ea in tali tempore audirique, arreptum Gisgonem manu sua ex superiore loco detraxit. quae insueta liberae civitati species cum fremitum populi movisset,

[9] perturbatus militaris vir urbana libertate

novem

inquit

annorum a vobis profectus post sextum et tricesimum annum redii. militares artes, quas me a puero fortuna nunc privata nunc publica docuit, probe videor scire; urbis ac fori iura, leges, mores vos me oportet doceatis.

[10] excusata inprudentia de pace multis verbis ⁸ disseruit, quam nec iniqua et ⁹ necessaria esset.

[11] id omnium maxime difficile erat, quod ex navibus per indutias captis nihil praeter ipsas comparebat naves; nec inquisitio erat facilis, adversantibus paci qui ¹⁰ arguerentur.

[12] placuit naves reddi et homines utique inquiri; cetera quae abessent aestimanda Scipioni permitti atque ita pecunia luere Carthaginienses.

[13] —Sunt qui Hannibalem ex acie ad mare pervenisse, inde praeparata nave ad regem Antiochum extemplo profectum tradant, postulantique ante omnia Scipioni ut Hannibal sibi traderetur responsum esse Hannibalem in Africa non esse.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 30.37 focus

[1]

The next day the ambassadors being called in again, and, with many rebukes for their perfidy, warned that, in- structed by so many disasters, they would at length believe in the existence of the gods, and the obligation of an oath, these conditions of the peace were stated to them:

[2]

That they should enjoy their liberty and live under their own laws; that they should possess such cities and territories as they had enjoyed before the war, and with the same boundaries, and that the Romans should on that day desist from devastation.

[3]

That they should restore to the Romans all deserters and fugitives, giving up all their ships of war except ten triremes, with such tamed elephants as they had, and that they should not tame any more.

[4]

That they should not carry on war in or out of Africa without the permission of the Roman people. That they should make restitution to Masinissa, and form a league with him.

[5]

That they should furnish corn, and pay for the auxiliaries until the ambassadors had returned from Rome. That they should pay ten thousand talents of silver, in equal annual instalments distributed over fifty years.

[6]

That they should give a hundred hostages, according to the pleasure of Scipio, not younger than fourteen nor older than thirty. That he would grant them a truce on condition that the transports, together with their cargoes, which had been seized during the former truce, were restored. Otherwise they would have no truce, nor any hope of a peace.

[7] When the ambassadors who were ordered to bear these conditions home reported them in an assembly, and Gisgo had stood forth to dissuade them from the terms, and was being listened to by the multitude, who were at once indisposed for peace and unfit for war, Hannibal, indignant that such language should

[8] be held and listened to at such a juncture, laid hold of Gisgo with his own hand, and dragged him from his elevated position. This unusual sight in a free state having raised a murmur among the people, the soldier, disconcerted at the liberties which the citizens took, thus addressed them:

Having left you when nine years old, I have returned after a lapse of thirty-six years.

[9]

I flatter myself I am well acquainted with the qualifications of a soldier, having been instructed in them from my childhood, sometimes by my own situation, and sometimes by that of my country. The privileges, the laws, and customs of the city and the forum you ought to teach me.

Having thus apologized for his indiscretion, he discoursed largely concerning the peace, showing how inoppressive the terms were, and how necessary it was.

[10] The greatest difficulty was, that of the ships which had been seized during the truce nothing was to be found except the ships themselves:

[11] nor was it easy to collect the property, because those who were charged with having it were opposed to the peace.

[12] It was resolved that the ships should be restored, and that the men at least should be looked up; and as to whatever else was missing, that it should be left to Scipio to put a value upon it, and that the Carthaginians should make compensation accordingly in money.

[13] There are those who say that Hannibal went from the field of battle to the sea-coast; whence he immediately sailed in a ship, which he had ready for the purpose, to king Antiochus; and that when Scipio demanded above every thing that Hannibal should be given up to him, answer was made that Hannibal was not in Africa.

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.) — 30.37 focus

[1]

The next day the envoys were again summoned before the council and severely taken to task for their want of truth and honesty, and they were admonished to lay to heart the lesson taught by their numerous defeats and to believe in the power of the gods and the sanctity of oaths.

[2] The conditions of peace were then stated to them. They were to be a free State, living under their own laws;

[3] all the cities, all the territory and all the frontiers that they had held before the war they were to continue to hold, and the Romans would on that day cease from all further depredations.

[4] They were to restore to the Romans all the deserters, refugees and prisoners, to deliver up their warships, retaining only ten triremes and all their trained elephants, at the same time undertaking not to train any more. They were not to make war either within or beyond the frontiers of Africa without the permission of Rome.

[5] They were to restore all his possessions to Masinissa and make a treaty with him. Pending the return of the envoys from Rome they were to supply corn and pay to the auxiliaries in the Roman army.

[6] They were also to pay a war indemnity of 10,000 talents of silver, the payment to be in equal annual instalments, extending over fifty years. One hundred hostages were to be handed over, to be selected by Scipio between the ages of fourteen and thirty years. Finally, he undertook to grant them an armistice if the transports which had been seized during the previous truce were restored with all that they contained.

[7] Otherwise there would be no armistice, nor any hopes of peace.

When the envoys brought these terms back and laid them before the Assembly, Gisgo came forward and protested against any proposals for peace.

[8] The populace, alike opposed to peace and incapable of war, were giving him a favourable hearing when Hannibal, indignant at such arguments being urged at such a crisis, seized him and dragged him by main force off the platform. This was an unusual sight in a free community, and the people were loud in their disapproval.

[9] The soldier, taken aback by the free expression of opinion on the part of his fellow-citizens, said, "I left you when I was nine years old, and now after thirty-six years' absence I have returned. The art of war which I have been taught from my boyhood, first as a private soldier and then in high command, I think I am fairly well acquainted with. The rules and laws and customs of civic life and of the forum I must learn from you."

[10] After this apology for his inexperience, he discussed the terms of peace and showed that they were not unreasonable and that their acceptance was a necessity.

[11] The greatest difficulty of all concerned the transports seized during the armistice, for nothing was to be found but the ships themselves, and any investigation would be difficult, as those who would be charged were the opponents of peace.

[12] It was decided that the ships should be restored and that in any case search should be made for the crews. It was left to Scipio to put a value on whatever else was missing and the Carthaginians were to pay the amount in cash.

[13] According to some writers, Hannibal went down to the coast straight from the battlefield, and going on board a ship which was in readiness, set sail immediately for the court of King Antiochus, and when Scipio insisted before all else upon his surrender, he was told that Hannibal was not in Africa.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Condensing Polybius xvii. 3. The following peace terms (with minor differences) are taken from his ch. xviii. Cf. above xvi. 10 ff. for terms previously proposed. See Appian Pun. 54; Dio Cass. frag. 57. 82; De Sanctis 616 ff.; Scullard 254 ff.

2. In Africa, that is, as Livy's source (xviii. 1) takes care to make clear.

3. The most were sent to Rome, the rest given to Masinissa; Zonaras IX. xiv. 11. Some of them were used by the Romans (first instance) in Macedonia, 200 B.C. ; XXXI. xxxvi. 4.

4. B.C. 202

5. In Polybius xviii. 6 grain for the entire army for three months and pay until a reply from Rome came.

6. Pliny N.H. XXXIII. 51 (16,000 lbs. of silver a year for 50 years).

7. Unknown, Polybius is here the main source, but he mentions no name; xix. 2 ff.

8. B.C. 202

9. Livy condenses Hannibal's plea for a treaty of peace; Polyb. xix. 5-7.

10. Unknown. For his escape, 195 B.C. , to Tyre, and so to Antiochus at Ephesus cf. XXXIII. xlviii f.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 30.37

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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