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), 31.25

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[1] Next day, when the gates had been closed and then suddenly thrown open, because troops of Attalus from Aegina and Romans from Piraeus had entered the city, the king moved his camp about three miles from the city.

[2] Thence, making for Eleusis, in the hope of capturing, by an unexpected attack, the temple and the citadel which commands and surrounds the temple, when he found that vigilance was not in the least relaxed and that reinforcements were coming from the fleet at Piraeus, he gave up that plan and marched toward Megara and straight on to Corinth, and hearing that the Achaean council¹ was in session at Argos, he suddenly appeared at the meeting itself, to the surprise of the Achaeans.

[3] They were deliberating about a war against Nabis,² the tyrant of Sparta, who, -³ seeing that the military power of the Achaeans had declined with the transfer of command from Philopoemen to Cycliadas,⁴ by no means his equal as a general, had renewed the war and was ravaging their territories and was now even threatening their towns.

[4] While they were debating how many men should be enlisted from each city for the war against this enemy, Philip promised that, so far as Nabis and the Spartans were concerned, he would free them from that responsibility, and by the immediate despatch of

[5] an army would not only prevent Nabis from ravaging the lands of the allies, but would transfer the whole terror of the war into Laconia itself.

[6] When this offer was received with great applause,

nevertheless,

he said,

it is proper that your possessions be defended by my arms in such a way that meantime mine shall not be deprived of protection.

[7]

Prepare, then, if it seems wise, a force of soldiers sufficient to hold Oreus and Chalcis and Corinth, that, with my rear protected, I may safely make war upon Nabis and the Spartans.

[8] The Achaeans were not deceived as to the real meaning of so generous an offer and promise of aid against the Lacedaemonians: the purpose was to lead the Achaean youth as hostages from the Peloponnesus in order to commit the people to war with Rome.

[9] So Cycliadas, praetor of the Achaeans, thinking it not at all to the point to argue about that, when he had simply replied that it was not allowable under the laws of the Achaeans to vote upon other subjects than those for which the meeting was called, after passing a decree regarding raising an army

[10] against⁵ Nabis, adjourned the congress that was held fearlessly and spiritedly, although up to that time he had been counted among the king's partisans.

[11] Philip, disappointed in this great hope, enlisted a few volunteer soldiers and returned to Corinth and to the land of Attica.

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.) — 31.25 focus

[1] postero die cum primo clausae fuissent portae, deinde subito apertae, quia praesidium Attali ab Aegina Romanique ab Piraeo intraverant urbem, castra ab urbe rettulit rex tria ferme milia passuum.

[2] inde Eleusinem profectus spe improviso templi castellique, quod et imminet et circumdatum est templo, capiendi, cum haudquaquam neglectas custodias animadvertisset et classem a Piraeo subsidio venire, omisso incepto Megara ac protinus Corinthum ducit et, cum Argis Achaeorum concilium esse audisset, inopinantibus Achaeis contioni ipsi supervenit.

[3] consultabant de bello adversus Nabim, tyrannum Lacedaemoniorum, qui tralato imperio a Philopoemene ad Cycliadam, nequaquam parem illi ducem, dilapsa cernens Achaeorum auxilia, redintegraverat bellum agrosque finitimorum vastabat et iam urbibus quoque erat terribilis.

[4] adversus hunc hostem cum, quantum ex quaque civitate militum scriberetur, consultarent, Philippus dempturum se eis curam, quod ad Nabim et Lacedaemonios attineret, est pollicitus nec tantum agros sociorum populationibus prohibiturum,

[5] sed terrorem omnem belli in ipsam Laconicam ducto eo extemplo exercitu tralaturum.

[6] haec oratio cum ingenti adsensu hominum acciperetur, “ita tamen aequum est” inquit “me vestra meis armis tutari, ne mea interim nudentur praesidiis.

[7] itaque, si vobis videtur, tantum parate militum, quantum ad Oreum et Chalcidem et Corinthum tuenda satis sit, ut meis ab tergo tutis securus bellum Nabidi inferam et Lacedaemoniis.”

[8] non fefellit Achaeos, quo spectasset tam benigna pollicitatio auxiliumque oblatum adversus Lacedaemonios: id quaeri, ut obsidem Achaeorum iuventutem educeret ex Peloponneso ad inligandam Romano bello gentem.

[9] et id quidem coarguere Cycliadas, praetor Achaeorum, nihil attinere ratus, id modo cum dixisset, non licere legibus Achaeorum de aliis rebus referre, quam propter quas convocati essent,

[10] decreto de exercitu parando adversus Nabim facto consilium fortiter ac libere habitum dimisit, inter adsentatores regios ante eam diem habitus.

[11] Philippus, magna spe depulsus, voluntariis paucis militibus conscriptis Corinthum atque in Atticam terrain terram rediit.

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).) — 30.25 focus

[1]

nondum ab Roma reverterant legati, ¹ neque sciebatur quae senatus Romani de bello aut pace sententia esset, necdum indutiarum dies exierat;

[2] eo indigniorem iniuriam ratus Scipio ab iis qui petissent pacem et indutias et spem pacis et fidem indutiarum violatam esse, legatos Carthaginem L. Baebium, L. Sergium, L. Fabium extemplo misit.

[3] qui cum multitudinis concursu prope violati essent ² nec reditum tutiorem futurum cernerent, petierunt a magistratibus quorum auxilio vis prohibita erat ut naves mitterent quae se prosequerentur.

[4] datae triremes duae cum ad Bagradam flumen pervenissent, unde castra Romana conspiciebantur, Carthaginem rediere.

[5] classis Punica ad Uticam stationem habebat. ex ea tres quadriremes, seu clam misso a Carthagine nuntio ut id fieret, seu Hasdrubale, qui classi praeerat, sine publica fraude auso facinus,

[6] quinqueremem Romanam superantem promunturium ex alto repente adgressae sunt. Sed neque rostro ferire celeritate subterlabentem ³ poterant, neque transilire armati ex humilioribus in altiorem navem, et defendebatur egregie, quoad tela suppeditarunt.

[7] quis deficientibus iam nulla alia res eam quam propinquitas terrae multitudoque a castris in litus effusa tueri potuit. ⁴

[8] concitatam enim remis quanto maximo impetu poterant in terram cum immisissent, navis tantum iactura facta, incolumes ipsi evaserunt.

[9] ita alio super aliud scelere cum haud dubie indutiae ruptae essent, Laelius Fulviusque ab Roma cum legatis Carthaginiensibus supervenerunt.

[10] Quibus Scipio, etsi non indutiarum fides modo a ⁵ Carthaginiensibus, sed ius etiam gentium in legatis violatum esset, tamen se nihil nec institutis populi Romani nec suis moribus indignum in iis facturum esse cum dixisset, dimissis legatis bellum parabat.

[11] Hannibali iam terrae adpropinquanti iussus e nauticis unus ⁶ escendere in malum, ut specularetur quam tenerent regionem,

[12] cum dixisset sepulchrum dirutum proram spectare, abominatus praetervehi iusso gubernatore ad Leptim adpulit classem atque ibi copias exposuit.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 31.25 focus

[1]

postero die cum primo clausae fuissent portae, deinde subito apertae, quia praesidium Attali ab Aegina Romanique ab Piraeo intraverant urbem, castra ab urbe rettulit rex tria ferme milia passuum.

[3] consultabant de bello adversus Nabim, tyrannum Lacedaemoniorum, qui tralato imperio a Philopoemene ad Cycliadam, nequaquam parem ¹ illi ducem, dilapsa cernens Achaeorum auxilia, redintegraverat bellum agrosque finitimorum vastabat et iam urbibus quoque erat terribilis.

[4] adversus hunc hostem cum, quantum ex quaque civitate militum scriberetur, consultarent, Philippus dempturum se eis curam, quod ad Nabim et Lacedaemonios attineret, pollicitus nec tantum agros sociorum populationibus prohibiturum,

[5] sed terrorem omnem belli in ipsam Laconicam ducto eo extemplo exercitu tralaturum.

[6] haec oratio cum ingenti adsensu hominum acciperetur, ‘ita tamen aequum est’ inquit ‘me vestra meis armis tutari, ne mea interim nudentur praesidiis.

[7] itaque, si vobis videtur, tantum parate militum, quantum ad Oreum et Chalcidem et Corinthum tuenda satis sit, ut meis ab tergo tutis securus bellum Nabidi inferam et Lacedaemoniis.

[8] ’ non fefellit Achaeos, quo spectasset tam benigna pollicitatio auxiliumque oblatum adversus Lacedaemonios: id quaeri, ut obsidem Achaeorum iuventutem educeret ex Peloponneso ad inligandam Romano bello gentem.

[9] et id quidem coarguere Cycliadas, praetor Achaeorum, nihil attinere ratus, id modo cum dixisset, non licere legibus Achaeorum de ² aliis rebus referre,

[10] quam propter quas convocati essent, decreto de exercitu parando adversus Nabim facto consilium fortiter ac libere habitum dimisit, inter adsentatores regios ante eam diem habitus.

[11] Philippus, magna spe depulsus, voluntariis paucis militibus conscriptis Corinthum atque in Atticam terram rediit.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 31.25 focus

[1]

Next day, the gates having at first been shut, and afterwards suddenly thrown open, in consequence of a body of Attalus's troops from Aegina, and the Romans from Piraeeus, having entered the city, the king removed his camp to the distance of about three miles.

[2] From thence he proceeded to Eleusis, in hopes of surprising the temple, and a fort which overlooks and surrounds it; but, finding that the watches had not been neglected, and that the fleet was coming from Piraeeus to support them, he laid aside the design, and led his troops, first to Megara, and then to Corinth; where, on hearing that the council of the Achaeans was then sitting at Argos, he went and joined the assembly, unexpected by the Achaeans.

[3] They were at the time consulting about a war against Nabis, tyrant of the Lacedaemonians; who, on the command being transferred from Philopœmen to Cycliades, a general by no means his equal, perceiving that the confederates of the Achaeans were falling off, had renewed the war, was ravaging the territories of his neighbours, and had become formidable even to the cities.

[4] While they were deliberating what number of men should be raised out of each of the states to oppose this enemy, Philip promised that he would relieve them of that care, as far as concerned Nabis and the Lacedaemonians;

[5] and that he would not only secure the lands of their allies from devastation, but transfer the whole terror of the war on Laconia itself, by leading his army thither instantly.

[6] This discourse being received with general approbation, he added, —"It is but reasonable, however, that while I am employed in protecting your property by my arms, my own should not be deprived of protection;

[7] therefore, if you think proper, provide such a number of troops as will be sufficient to secure Orcus, Chalcis, and Corinth; that my affairs being in a state of safety behind me, I may without anxiety make war on Nabis and the Lacedaemonians.

[8] The Achaeans were not ignorant of the tendency of this so kind promise, and of his proffered assistance against the Lacedaemonians; that his purpose was to draw the Achaean youth out of Peloponnesus as hostages, in order to implicate the nation in a war with the Romans.

[9] Cycliades, the Achaean praetor, thinking that it was irrelevant to develope the matter by argument, said nothing more than that it was not allowable, according to the laws of the Achaeans, to take any matters into consideration except those on which they had been called together:

[10] and the decree for levying an army against Nabis being passed, he dismissed the assembly, after having presided in it with much resolution and public spirit, and until that day having been reckoned among the partisans of the king.

[11] Philip, disappointed in a high expectation, after having collected a few voluntary soldiers, returned to Corinth, and from thence into the territories of Athens.

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.) — 31.25 focus

[1]

The following day the closed gates were suddenly thrown open to admit a body of troops sent by Attalus and the Romans from the Piraeus. The king now removed his camp to a distance of about three miles from the city.

[2] From there he marched to Eleusis in the hope of securing by a coup-de-main the temple of the fort which surrounded it and protected it on all sides. When, however, he found that the defenders were quite on the alert, and that the fleet was on its way from the Piraeus to render assistance, he abandoned his project and marched to Megara, and then straight to Corinth. On learning that the Council of the Achaeans was sitting at Argos he made his appearance in the assembly quite unexpectedly.

[3] They were at the time discussing the question of war with Nabis, tyrant of the Lacedaemonians. When the supreme command was transferred from Philopoemen to Cycliades. who was by no means his equal as a general, Nabis, finding that the Achaeans had dismissed their mercenaries, resumed hostilities, and after devastating his neighbours' fields was now threatening their cities.

[4] To oppose this enemy the council were deliberating as to what proportion of troops should be furnished by each State. Philip promised to relieve them from all anxiety so far as Nabis and the Lacedaemonians were concerned;

[5] he would not only protect the soil of his allies from their ravages, but he would at once roll back all the terror of war upon Laconia itself by marching his army thither.

[6] When these words were greeted with loud applause he went on to say, "If, however, your interests are to be protected by my arms it is only fair that my own should not be left undefended.

[7] Furnish me then, if you approve, with such a force as shall suffice to garrison Oreus, Chalcis and Corinth, so that with all safe in my rear I may make war upon Nabis and the Lacedaemonians free from misgivings." The Achaeans were not slow to detect his motive in making such a generous promise and offering aid against the Lacedaemonians.

[8] They saw that his real aim was to draw the fighting strength of the Achaeans out of the Peloponnese as hostages and so bind the nation to a war with Rome.

[9] Cycliades, seeing that further argument would be irrelevant, simply observed that the laws of the Achaeans did not allow discussion on any matters other than those which the council had been convened to consider. After a decree had been passed for raising an army to act against Nabis, he dismissed the council over which he had presided with courage and independence.

[10] Before that day he had been looked upon as a strong supporter of the king.

[11] Philip, whose high hopes were thus suddenly dashed, succeeded in enlisting a few volunteers, after which he returned to Corinth and from there to Attica.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. See the Introductory Note.

2. Nabis had seized authority at Sparta (see the Introductory Note). The war against him conducted by the Romans and their allies is described in XXXIV. xxii. 5 ff.

3. B.C. 200

4. The Achaean League elected a strategus annually, and frequent changes occurred, both in the military efficiency and in the political sympathies of the administration. Philopoemen had been a vigorous and independent magistrate: see Plutarch's biography of him. Cycliadas was an inferior soldier and was suspected of pro-Macedonian tendencies.

5. B.C. 200

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 31.25

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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