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), 31.12

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[1] A letter from Quintus Minucius, the praetor in charge of the province of Bruttium, was then read in the senate: money had been stealthily removed at night from the treasure-house of Persephone at Locri, nor were there any clues as to the perpetrators of the crime.

[2] The senate was indignant that such sacrileges should continue to be committed, and that even the case of Pleminius,¹ so recent an example of crime and its punishment, did not deter criminals.

[3] The consul Gaius Aurelius was directed to communicate to the praetor in Bruttium the senate's desire that the plundering of the treasury should be investigated in the manner adopted by the praetor Marcus Pomponius² three years before; that any money discovered be restored; that if there was any shortage, it should be made up, and that, if he saw fit, expiatory sacrifices should be performed as the priests had prescribed in the previous case.

[4] The concern to atone for the violation of this temple was increased by the prodigies which were reported in numerous parts of the country at the same time.

[5] In³ Lucania, flames in the sky were reported; at Privernum, the sun shone red throughout the day in clear weather; at Lanuvium, in the temple of Juno Sospita, a mighty noise was heard during the night.

[6] Further, dread forms of animals were reported in several places: among the Sabines, a child of uncertain sex was born, while another was found whose sex, at the age of sixteen, could not be determined. At Frusino there was born a lamb with a pig's head, at Sinuessa a pig with a man's head, on the public land in Lucania, a colt with five feet.

[7] All these disgusting and monstrous creatures seemed to be signs that nature was confusing species; but beyond all else the hermaphrodites caused terror, and they were ordered to be carried out to sea, as had been done with a similar monstrosity not long before in the consulship of Gaius Claudius and Marcus Livius.⁴

[8] Nevertheless, the decemvirs⁵ were ordered to consult the Books regarding the portent. They, as a result of the investigation, ordered the same rites that had been performed when such a prodigy had appeared before. In addition, they directed that a hymn be sung throughout the city by thrice nine maidens, and that an offering be made to Queen Juno.⁶

[9] Gaius Aurelius the consul saw to the performance of these rites in accordance with the answer of the decemvirs. The hymn, composed in the memory of our fathers by Livius, was on this occasion written by Publius Licinius Tegula.⁷

[10] ⁸

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.) — 31.12 focus

[1] litterae deinde in senatu recitatae sunt Q. Minucii praetoris, cui Bruttii provincia erat: pecuniam Locris ex Proserpinae thensauris nocte clam sublatam, nec, ad quos pertineat facinus, vestigia ulla extare.

[2] indigne passus senatus non cessari ab sacrilegiis, et ne Pleminium quidem, tam clarum recensque noxae simul ac poenae exemplum, homines deterrere.

[3] C. Aurelio consuli negotium datum, ut ad praetorem in Bruttios scriberet senatui placere, quaestionem de expilatis thensauris eodem exemplo haberi, quo M.

[4] Pomponius praetor triennio ante habuisset; quae inventa pecunia esset, reponi; si quo minus inventum foret, expleri, ac piacularia, si videretur, sicut ante pontifices censuissent, fieri.

[5] curam expiandae violationis eius templi prodigia etiam sub idem tempus pluribus locis nuntiata accenderunt. in Lucanis caelum arsisse adferebant, Priverni sereno per diem totum rubrum solem fuisse,

[6] Lanuvi in templo Sospitae Iunonis nocte strepitum ingentem exortum. iam animalium obsceni fetus pluribus locis nuntiabantur: in Sabinis incertus infans natus, masculus an femina esset, alter sedecim iam annorum item ambiguo sexu inventus;

[7] Frusinone agnus cum suillo capite, Sinuessae porcus cum capite humano natus, in Lucanis in agro publico eculeus cum quinque pedibus.

[8] foeda omnia et deformia errantisque in alienos fetus naturae visa; ante omnia abominati semimares iussique in mare extemplo deportari, sicut proxime C. Claudio M. Livio consulibus deportatus similis prodigii fetus erat.

[9] nihile nihilo minus decemviros adire libros de portento eo iusserunt. decemviri ex libris res divinas easdem, quae proxime secundum id prodigium factae essent, imperarunt. carmen praeterea ab ter novenis virginibus cani per urbem iusserunt donumque Iunoni reginae ferri.

[10] ea uti fierent, C. Aurelius consul ex decemvirorum response responso curavit. carmen, sicut patrum memoria Livius, ita tur tum condidit P. Licinius Tegula.

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).) — 30.12 focus

[1]

Ibi Syphax, dum obequitat hostium turmis, si pudore,

[2] si periculo suo fugam sistere posset, equo graviter icto effusus opprimitur capiturque et vivus, laetum ante omnes Masinissae praebiturus spectaculum, ad Laelium pertrahitur. ¹

[3] caedes² in eo proelio minor quam victoria fuit, quia equestri tantummodo proelio certatum fuerat.

[4] non plus quinque milia occisa, minus dimidium eius hominum captum est impetu in castro facto, quo perculsa rege amisso multitudo se contulerat.

[5] Cirta caput regni Syphacis erat, eoque se ³ ingens ⁴ hominum ex fuga ⁵ contulit vis. ⁶

[6] Masinissa sibi quidem dicere nihil esse in praesentia pulchrius quam victorem recuperatum tanto post intervallo patrium invisere regnum; sed tam secundis quam adversis rebus non dari spatium ad cessandum.

[7] si se Laelius cum equitatu vinctoque ⁷ Syphace Cirtam praecedere sinat, trepida omnia metu se oppressurum; Laelium cum peditibus subsequi modicis itineribus posse.

[8] adsentiente Laelio praegressus Cirtam evocari ad conloquium principes Cirtensium iubet. Sed apud ignaros regis casus nec quae acta essent promendo nec minis nec suadendo ante valuit quam rex vinctus in conspectum datus est. ⁸

[9] tum ad spectaculum tam foedum comploratio orta, et partim pavore moenia sunt deserta, partim repentino consensu gratiam apud victorem quaerentium patefactae portae.

[10] et Masinissa praesidio circa portas opportunaque moenium dimisso, ne cui fugae pateret exitus, ad regiam occupandam citato vadit equo.

[11] intranti vestibulum in ipso limine Sophoniba, ⁹ uxor Syphacis, filia Hasdrubalis Poeni, occurrit; et cum in medio agmine armatorum Masinissam ¹⁰ insignem cum armis tum cetero habitu conspexisset, regem esse, id quod erat, rata, genibus advoluta eius

[12]

omnia quidem ut posses

¹¹ inquit

in nobis ¹² di dederunt virtusque et felicitas tua; sed si captivae apud dominum vitae necisque suae vocem supplicem mittere licet, si genua, si victricem attingere dextram, precor quaesoque per maiestatem regiam,

[13]

in qua paulo ante nos quoque fuimus, per gentis Numidarum nomen, quod tibi cum Syphace commune fuit, per huiusce regiae deos, qui te melioribus ominibus accipiant quam Syphacem hinc miserunt,

[14]

hanc veniam supplici des ut ipse quodcumque fert ¹³ animus de captiva tua ¹⁴ statuas neque me in cuiusquam Romani superbum et crudele arbitrium venire sinas.

[15]

si nihil aliud quam Syphacis uxor fuissem, tamen Numidae atque in eadem mecum Africa geniti quam alienigenae et externi fidem experiri mallem;

[16]

quid Carthaginiensi ab Romano, quid filiae Hasdrubalis timendum sit vides. si nulla re alia potes, morte me ut vindices ab Romanorum arbitrio oro obtestorque.

[17] forma erat insignis et florentissima aetas. itaque cum modo genua modo ¹⁵ dextram amplectens in id ne cui Romano traderetur fidem exposceret, propiusque blanditias iam ¹⁶ oratio esset

[18] quam preces, non in misericordiam modo prolapsus est animus victoris, sed, ut est genus Numidarum in ¹⁷ Venerem praeceps, amore captivae victor captus. data dextra in id quod petebatur obligandae fidei in regiam concedit.

[19] institit deinde reputare ¹⁸ secum ipse quem ad modum promissi fidem praestaret. quod cum expedire non posset, ab amore temerarium atque impudens mutuatur consilium;

[20] nuptias in eum ipsum diem parari repente iubet, ne quid relinqueret integri ¹⁹ aut Laelio aut ipsi Scipioni consulendi velut in captivam quae Masinissae iam nupta foret.

[21] factis nuptiis supervenit Laelius, et adeo non dissimulavit improbare se factum ut primo etiam cum Syphace et ceteris captivis detractam eam lecto ²⁰ geniali mittere ad Scipionem conatus sit.

[22] victus deinde precibus Masinissae orantis ut arbitrium -utrius regum duorum fortunae accessio Sophoniba- esset ad Scipionem reiceret, misso Syphace et captivis ceteras urbes Numidiae quae praesidiis regiis tenebantur adiuvante Masinissa recipit. ²¹

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 31.12 focus

[1]

litterae deinde in senatu recitatae sunt Q. Minucii praetoris, cui Bruttii provincia erat: pecuniam Locris ex Proserpinae thensauris nocte clam sublatam, nec, ad quos pertineat facinus, vestigia ulla extare.

[2] indigne passus senatus non cessari ab sacrilegiis, et ne Pleminium quidem, tam clarum recensque noxae simul ac poenae exemplum, homines deterrere.

[3] C. Aurelio consuli negotium datum, ut ad praetorem in Bruttios scriberet senatui placere, quaestionem de expilatis thensauris eodem exemplo haberi, quo M. Pomponius praetor triennio ante habuisset;

[4] quae inventa pecunia esset, reponi; si quo minus inventum foret, expleri, ac piacularia, si videretur, sicut ante pontifices censuissent, ¹ fieri.

[6] iam animalium obsceni fetus pluribus locis nuntiabantur: in Sabinis incertus infans natus, masculus an femina esset, alter sedecim iam annorum item ambiguo sexu inventus;

[7] Frusinone agnus cum suillo capite, Sinuessae porcus cum capite humano natus, in Lucanis in agro publico eculeus cum quinque pedibus.

[9] nihilo minus decemviros adire libros de portento eo iusserunt. decemviri ex libris res divinas easdem, quae proxime secundum id prodigium factae essent, imperarunt. carmen praeterea ab ter novenis virginibus cani per urbem iusserunt donumque Iunoni reginae ferri. ² ea uti fierent, C. Aurelius consul ex decemvirorum responso curavit.

[10] carmen, sicut patrum memoria Livius, ita tum condidit P. Licinius Tegula .

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 31.12 focus

[1]

A letter was then read in the senate, from Quintus Minucius, the praetor, who held the province of Bruttium, that

the money had been privately carried off by night out of the treasury of Proserpine at Locri; and that there were no traces to those to whom the charge applied.

[2] The senate was highly incensed at finding that the practice of sacrilege continued, and that even the fate of Pleminius, an example so recent and so conspicuous both of the guilt and of the punishment, did not deter men from it.

[3] They ordered the consul, Cneius Aurelius, to signify to the praetor in Bruttium, that

it was the pleasure of the senate, that an inquiry be made concerning the robbery of the treasury, according to the method used by Marcus Pomponius, praetor, three years before;

[4]

that the money which could be discovered should be restored, that what was not found should be made up, and that, if he thought proper, atonements should be made for the purpose of expiating the violation of the temple, in the manner formerly prescribed by the pontiffs.

[5] At the same time, also, prodigies were announced as having happened in many places. It was said, that in Lucania the sky had been seen in a blaze; that at Privernum, in clear weather, the sun had been of a red colour during a whole day; that at Lanuvium, in the temple of Juno Sospita, a very loud noise had been heard in the night.

[6] Besides, monstrous births of animals were related to have occurred in many places: in the country of the Sabines, an infant was born whose sex was doubtful; and another was found, sixteen years old, of doubtful sex.

[7] At Frusino a lamb was born with a swine's head; at Sinuessa, a pig with a human head; and in Lucania, in the land belonging to the state, a foal with five feet.

[8] All these were considered as horrid and abominable, and as if nature were straying to strange productions. Above all, the people were particularly shocked at the hermaphrodites, which were ordered to be immediately thrown into the sea, as had been lately done with a production of the same monstrous kind, in the consulate of Caius Claudius and Marcus Livius.

[9] Notwithstanding they ordered the decemvirs to inspect the books in regard of that prodigy; and the decemvirs, from the books, directed the same religious ceremonies which had been performed on an occasion of the same kind. They ordered, besides, a hymn to be sung through the city by thrice nine virgins, and an offering to be made to imperial Juno.

[10] The consul, Caius Aurelius, took care that all these matters were performed according to the direction of the decemvirs. The hymn was composed by Publius Licinius Tegula, as a similar one had been, in the memory of their fathers, by Livius.

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.) — 31.12 focus

[1]

A despatch was read in the House from Q. Minucius, the praetor commanding in Bruttium, in which he stated that money had been stolen by night from the treasury of Proserpine at Locri and there was no clue to the perpetrators of the crime.

[2] The senate were extremely angry at finding that acts of sacrilege were still going on and that not even the example of Pleminius, notorious alike for the guilt and the punishment which so swiftly followed, acted in any way as a deterrent.

[3] C. Aurelius was instructed to write to the praetor and tell him that the senate wished an enquiry to be made into the circumstances of the robbery on the same lines as the one which the praetor M. Pomponius had conducted three years previously.

[4] Whatever money was discovered was to be replaced, and the deficit made up; and should it be thought necessary expiatory sacrifices were to be offered in accordance with the instructions of the pontiffs on the previous occasions.

[5] Their anxiety to atone for the violation of the temple was made all the keener by the simultaneous announcements of portents from numerous localities. In Lucania it was alleged that the heavens had been on fire; at Privernum the sun had been glowing red through the whole of a cloudless day; at the temple of Juno Sospita in Lanuvium a terrible noise was heard in the night.

[6] Numerous monstrous births were also reported amongst the Sabines a child was born of doubtful sex; another similar case was discovered where the child was already sixteen years old; at Frusino a lamb was yeaned with a head like a pig;

[7] at Sinuessa a pig was littered with a human head, and on the public domain-land in Lucania a foal appeared with five feet.

[8] These were all regarded as horrid and monstrous products of a nature which had gone astray to produce strange and hybrid growths; the hermaphrodites were looked upon as of especially evil omen and were ordered to be at once carried out to sea just as quite recently in the consulships of C. Claudius and M. Nero similar ill-omened births had been disposed of.

[9] At the same time the senate ordered the decemvirs to consult the Sacred Books about this portent. Following the instructions found there, they ordered the same ceremonies to be observed as on the occasion of its last appearance. A hymn was to be sung through the City by three choirs, each consisting of nine maidens, and a gift was to be carried to Queen Juno.

[10] The consul C. Aurelius saw that the instructions of the Keepers of the Sacred Books were carried out. The hymn in our fathers' days was composed by Livius, on this occasion by P. Licinius Tegula.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Pleminius, while in command of the garrison at Locri in 204 B.C., had plundered this same temple, and had been severely punished. The story of his sacrilege and its penalty was related in XXIX. xviii-xxii incl.

2. Pomponius, as governor of Sicily, had investigated the charges against Pleminius: cf. the preceding note.

3. B.C. 200

4. Consuls in 207 B.C. (XXVII. xxxvii. 6).

5. A special college of priests entrusted with the guardianship and consultation of the ancient Sibylline Books, which were frequently appealed to for advice under circumstances like these.

6. The number three has, as often, a ritualistic significance. Juno is propitiated as a goddess concerned with birth.

7. Livius Andronicus, whose name stands at the head of the chronological list of Latin writers, wrote the earlier hymn referred to here (cf.

8. XXVII. xxxvii. 7, 13, where Livy names the poet and criticizes his style). The Licinius here named may be the same as the Licinius Imbrex who is said by Gellius (

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 31.12

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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