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), 31.18

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[1] Before the surrender, Marcus Aemilius, the youngest of the three ambassadors¹ who had been sent to Alexandria, hearing of the siege of Abydus, came to Philip with the consent of his² colleagues.

[2] He protested against the attack on Attalus and the Rhodians, and because Philip was at that very moment besieging Abydus, and when the king replied that Attalus and the Rhodians had made an unprovoked attack upon him, Aemilius asked,

Did the people of Abydus also take up arms against you, unprovoked?

[3] This speech seemed to the king, who was unused to hearing the truth, too arrogant for delivery in the royal presence.

Your age,

he replied,

your good looks,³ and, above all, the Roman name, make you too arrogant.

[4]

I should myself prefer first that you remember the treaties and keep the peace with me; but if you attack me in war, you will find that I too have the resolution to make both the kingdom and the name of Macedonia no less renowned than those of Rome.

[5] Thus dismissing the envoy,⁴ Philip took possession of all the gold, silver, and other accumulated treasure, but lost all the human booty.

[6] For such madness laid hold of the people that all at once, thinking that those who had fallen in the fight had met death from treachery, each reproaching another's perjury, and especially that of the priests, who had delivered alive to the enemy those whom they had consecrated to death, they hastily ran to kill their wives and children and then themselves sought death by every path.

[7] The king, astounded by this frenzy, checked the assaults of his soldiers and announced that he would give the Abydenians three days in which to die.

[8] In this time⁵ the conquered did themselves more violence than they would have suffered from their enraged conquerors, and no living man fell into Philip's hands save those whom chains or some other constraint forbade to die. Philip, leaving a garrison at Abydus, returned to his kingdom.

[9] When, as Hannibal's destruction of Saguntum had aroused the Romans to war against him, so now the slaughter of the people of Abydus had roused them against Philip, word came that the Roman consul was already in Epirus and had sent his army to Apollonia and his fleet to Corcyra to winter.⁶

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.) — 31.18 focus

[1] ante deditionem ex iis legatis, qui Alexandream missi erant, M. Aemilius trium consensu, minimus natu, audita obsidione Abydenorum ad Philippum venit. qui questus Attalo Rhodiisque arma illata,

[2] et quod tur tum maxime Abydum oppugnaret, cum rex ab Attalo et Rhodiis ultro se bello lacessitum diceret, “num Abydeni quoque” inquit “ultro tibi intulerunt arma?”

[3] insueto vera audire ferocior oratio visa est, quam quae habenda apud regem esset. “aetas” inquit “et forma et super omnia Romanum nomen te ferociorem facit.

[4] ego autem primum velim vos foederum memores servare mecum pacem; sin bello lacessitis, mihi quoque animos facere et regnum et Macedonum nomen baud haud minus quam Romanum nobile sentietis.”

[5] ita dimisso legato Philippus auro,

[6] argento quaeque coacervata alia erant acceptis hominum praedam omnem amisit. tanta enim rabies multitudinem invasit, ut repente, proditos rati, rati qui pugnantes mortem occubuissent, periuriumque alius alii exprobrantes et sacerdotibus maxime, qui, quos ad mortem devovissent, eorum deditionem vivorum hosti fecissent,

[7] repente omnes ad caedem coniugum liberorumque discurrerent seque ipsi per omnes vias leti interficerent. obstupefactus eo furore rex suppressit impetum militum et triduum se ad moriendum Abydenis dare dixit.

[8] quo spatio plura facinora in se victi ediderunt, quam infesti edidissent victores, nec, nisi quem vincula aut alia necessitas mori prohibuit, quisquam vivus in potestatem venit. Philippus imposito Abydi praesidio in regnum rediit.

[9] cum velut Sagunti excidium Hannibali, sic Philippo Abydenorum clades ad Romanum bellum animos fecisset, nuntii occurrerunt consulem iam in Epiro esse et Apolloniam terrestris copias, navalis Corcyram in hiberna deduxisse.

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).) — 30.18 focus

[1]

eadem aestate qua haec decreta Romae et in Africa gesta sunt P. Quinctilius Varus praetor et M. Cornelius proconsul in agro Insubrum Gallorum cum Magone Poeno signis conlatis pugnarunt. praetoris legiones in prima acie fuerunt;

[2] Cornelius suas in subsidiis tenuit, ipse ad prima signa equo advectus; proque duobus cornibus praetor ac proconsul milites ad inferenda in hostes signa summa vi hortabantur.

[3] postquam nihil commovebant, tum Quinctilius Cornelio:

lentior , ut vides, fit pugna, et induratur ¹ praeter spem resistendo hostium timor, ac ² ne vertat in audaciam periculum est.

[4]

equestrem procellam excitemus oportet, si turbare ac statu movere ³ volumus. itaque vel tu ad prima signa proelium sustine, ego inducam in pugnam equites; vel ego hic in prima acie rem geram, tu quattuor legionum equites in hostem emitte.

[5] utram vellet praetor muneris partem proconsule accipiente, Quinctilius praetor cum filio, cui Marco praenomen erat, inpigro iuvene, ad equites pergit iussosque escendere in equos repente in hostem emittit.

[6] tumultum equestrem auxit clamor ab legionibus additus, nec stetisset hostium acies, ni Mago ad primum equitum motum paratos elephantos extemplo in proelium induxisset.

[7] ad quorum stridorem odoremque et aspectum territi equi vanum equestre auxilium fecerunt. et ut . . . ⁴ permixtus, ubi cuspide uti et comminus gladio posset, roboris maioris Romanus eques erat, ita in ablatum paventibus procul equis melius ex intervallo Numidae iaculabantur.

[8] simul et peditum legio duodecima, magna ex parte caesa, pudore magis quam viribus tenebat locum;

[9] nec diutius tenuisset, ni ex subsidiis tertia decuma legio in primam aciem inducta proelium dubium excepisset. ⁵ Mago quoque ⁶ ex subsidiis Gallos integrae legioni opposuit.

[10] quibus haud magno ⁷ certamine fusis hastati legionis undecimae conglobant sese atque elephantos iam etiam peditum aciem turbantes invadunt.

[11] In quos cum pila confertos coniecissent, nullo ferme frustra emisso, omnes retro in aciem suorum averterunt; quattuor gravati volneribus conruerunt.

[12] tum primum ⁸ commota hostium acies, simul omnibus equitibus, ⁹ ut aversos videre elephantos, ad augendum pavorem ac tumultum effusis. Sed donec stetit ante signa Mago, gradum sensim referentes, ordines et ¹⁰ tenorem pugnae servabant;

[13] postquam femine transfixo cadentem auferrique ex proelio prope exsanguem videre, extemplo in fugam omnes versi. ad quinque milia hostium eo die caesa et signa militaria duo et viginti capta.

[14] nec Romanis incruenta victoria fuit; duo milia et trecenti de exercitu praetoris, pars multo maxima ex legione duodecima, amissi; inde et tribuni militum duo, M. Cosconius et M. Maevius; tertiae decimae quoque legionis,

[15] quae postremo proelio adfuerat, C. Helvius tribunus militum in restituenda pugna cecidit; et duo et viginti ferme equites inlustres, ¹¹ obtriti ab elephantis, cum centurionibus aliquot perierunt. et longius certamen fuisset, ni volnere ducis concessa victoria esset.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 31.18 focus

[1]

ante deditionem ex iis legatis, qui Alexandream missi erant, M. Aemilius trium consensu, minimus natu, audita obsidione Abydenorum ad Philippum venit. qui questus Attalo Rhodiisque arma illata,

[2] et quod tum maxime Abydum oppugnaret, cum rex ab Attalo et Rhodiis ultro se bello lacessitum diceret, ‘num ¹ Abydeni quoque’

[3] inquit ‘ultro tibi intulerunt arma?’ insueto vera audire ferocior oratio visa est, quam quae habenda apud regem esset. ‘aetas’ inquit ‘et forma et super omnia Romanum nomen te ferociorem facit.

[4] ego autem primum velim vos foederum memores servare mecum pacem; sin bello lacessitis, mihi quoque animos facere et regnum et Macedonum nomen haud minus quam Romanum nobile sentietis.

[5] ’ ita dimisso legato Philippus auro, argento quaeque coacervata erant acceptis hominum praedam omnem amisit.

[6] tanta enim rabies multitudinem invasit, ut repente, proditos rati qui pugnantes mortem occubuissent periuriumque alius alii exprobrantes et sacerdotibus maxime, qui, quos ad mortem devovissent, eorum deditionem vivorum hosti fecissent,

[7] repente omnes ad caedem coniugum liberorumque discurrerent seque ipsi per omnes vias leti interficerent. obstupefactus ² eo furore rex suppressit impetum militum et triduum se ad moriendum Abydenis dare dixit.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 31.18 focus

[1]

Before the surrender, one of the Roman ambassadors, who had been sent to Alexandria, Marcus Aemilius, being the youngest of them, on the joint resolution of the three, on hearing of the present siege, came to Philip, and complained of his having made war on Attalus and the Rhodians;

[2] and particularly that he was then besieging Abydus; and on Philip's saying that he had been forced into the war by Attalus and the Rhodians commencing hostilities against him, —

Did the people of Abydus, too,

said he,

commence hostilities against you?

[3] To him, who was unaccustomed to hear truth, this language seemed too arrogant to be used to a king, and he answered, —

Your youth, the beauty of your form, and, above all, the name of Roman, render you too presumptuous.

[4]

However, my first desire is, that you would observe the treaties, and continue in peace with me; but if you begin an attack, I am, on my part, determined to prove that the kingdom and name of the Macedonians is not less formidable in war than that of the Romans.

[5] Having dismissed the ambassador in this manner, Philip got possession of the gold and silver which had been thrown together in a heap, but lost his booty with respect to prisoners:

[6] for such violent frenzy had seized the multitude, that, on a sudden, taking up a persuasion that those who had fallen in the battle had been treacherously sacrificed, and upbraiding one another with perjury, especially the priests, who would surrender alive to the enemy those persons whom they themselves had devoted, they all at once ran different ways to put their wives and children to death; and then they put an end to their own lives by every possible method.

[7] The king, astonished at their madness, restrained the violence of his soldiers, and said,

that he would allow the people of Abydus three days to die in;

and, during this space, the vanquished perpetrated more deeds of cruelty on themselves than the enraged conquerors would have committed;

[8] nor did any one of them come into his hands alive, except such as chains, or some other insuperable restraint, forbade to die.

[9] Philip, leaving a garrison in Abydus, returned to his kingdom; and, just when he had been encouraged by the destruction of the people of Abydus to proceed in the war against Rome, as Hannibal had been by the destruction of Saguntum, he was met by couriers, with intelligence that the consul was already in Epirus, and had drawn his land forces to Apollonia, and his fleet to Corcyra, into winter quarters.

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.) — 31.18 focus

[1]

Before the surrender actually took place, the Roman envoys who had been sent to Alexandria heard of the siege of Abydos, and the youngest of the three, M. Aemilius, went at the suggestion of his colleagues to Philip.

[2] He remonstrated against the war that had been made on Attalus and the Rhodians, and especially against the attack on Abydos. On the king replying that Attalus and the Rhodians had been the aggressors he asked, "Were the people of Abydos also the first to take up arms?"

[3] To one who seldom heard the truth this language seemed too bold to address to a king. "Your youth, your good looks and, above all, the fact of your being a Roman make you too venturesome.

[4] It is my wish that you should remember treaty obligations and keep the peace with me, but if you begin the attack, I too am quite ready to fight, and you will find the kingdom and name of Macedon no less renowned in war than those of Rome."

[5] After dismissing thus the envoy Philip took possession of the gold and silver which had been collected, but he lost all chance of making prisoners.

[6] For such a madness fell on the people that they believed that all who had met their death in battle had been suddenly betrayed, and they accused one another of perjury, especially the priests, for they were surrendering to the enemy those whom they had devoted to death. Seized by one sudden impulse they all rushed off to kill their wives and children, and then they inflicted death upon themselves in every possible form.

[7] The king was utterly astounded at this outburst of madness and called off his men from the assault, telling them that he would allow the people of Abydos three days in which to die. During this interval the vanquished wrought more horrors upon themselves than the victors would have done, however infuriated they might have been.

[8] Not a single man fell into the hands of the enemy alive, save those for whom chains or some other cause beyond their control made death impossible. After leaving a force in occupation of Abydos, Philip returned to his kingdom. As the destruction of Saguntum strengthened Hannibal's resolve to war against Rome, so the fall of Abydos encouraged Philip to do the same.

[9] On his way he was met by couriers who announced that the consul was now in Epirus and was wintering his troops in Apollonia and his naval force at Corcyra.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. See ii. 3 above.

2. B.C. 200

3. See the similar dialogue quoted by Polybius (XVI. xxxiv. 5); Polybius adds that Aemilius was the handsomest man of his time.

4. According to Justin (XXX. iii. 3-4), the ambassadors carried instructions to Antiochus and Philip to keep their hands off Egypt, and Aemilius was designated to act as a quasi- guardian to the young Ptolemy. For the alliance between Egypt and Rome see XXVII. iv. 10. Livy has abridged his account of the embassy's activities, but it should be remembered that the embassy left Rome before the declaration of war upon Philip.

5. B.C. 200

6. Livy here abandons Polybius and returns to his usual sources, the works of one or more annalists. Since the military year, which began when conditions permitted active operations, the civil year, which began on March 15, and the calendar year did not coincide, Livy has a good deal of difficulty in adjusting his material to his plan of composition. The events related in chaps. xv-xviii preceded Sulpicius' arrival in the east (xiv. 2 above), and we are now ready for his campaign. But since he reached Greece only in time to go into winter quarters, Livy turns aside to narrate events in Rome in the later months of 200 B.C.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 31.18

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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