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), 31.31

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[1] Then the Roman delegate spoke:

First the Macedonians, then the Athenians, have changed the whole tenor of my argument.

[2]

For the Macedonians, when I had come to complain of the injuries inflicted by Philip upon so many states allied with us, by taking the lead in accusing the Romans, have caused me to prefer a defence

[3]

of ourselves to an accusation of them, and when the Athenians have described his cruel and inhuman crimes against the gods above and below, what have they left for me or anyone else with which to reproach him further?

[4]

Consider that these same complaints are made by the people of Cius,¹ Abydus, Aenus, Maronea, Thasos, Paros, Samos, Larisa, Messene here from Achaea, and that those complaints are of more grievous and cruel treatment wherever he had greater power to do harm.

[5]

For as to those matters with which he has charged us, unless they merit glory, I confess that they cannot be defended. He has reproached us with Rhegium and Capua and Syracuse.

[6]

Take Rhegium: in the war with Pyrrhus a legion sent by us when the townspeople of Rhegium themselves begged us to send troops for their protection, criminally seized the city it was sent to guard.

[7]

Did we, then, approve this crime? Or did we, making war upon the guilty legion and reducing it to submission, when we had made it pay to the allies the penalty, with scourgings² and beheadings, did we restore to the people of Rhegium their city, their lands and all their possessions along with their liberty and laws?

[8]

When we had given aid to the Syracusans, oppressed by foreign tyrants, a thing which made their fate more pitiable, and when we had been worn out by besieging, for nearly three years, the city strongly fortified by land and sea, since now the Syracusans themselves preferred to be ruled by tyrants to being captured by us, we delivered to them a city taken and liberated by these same arms.³

[9]

We do not deny that Sicily is our province and that the cities which were on the side of Carthage and in agreement with her made war on us are our vassals and tributaries; nay, on the contrary, we wish both you and all nations to know this, that each one's fortune is proportioned to his services to us.

[10]

Or should we be ashamed of the punishment of the Campanians, of which not even they can complain?

[11]

These people, when we had warred with the Samnites on their behalf for almost seventy years, with great losses to ourselves, and when after that we had bound them to us, first by treaty, then by intermarriages

[12]

and personal ties, finally by the gift of citizenship, were the first of all the states of Italy who in our time of stress foully murdered our garrison and went over to Hannibal, and then, enraged because they were besieged by us, sent Hannibal to attack Rome.

[13]

If neither their city nor any man of them survived, who could say that they had been punished more severely than they⁴ themselves deserved?

[14]

More of them, from consciousness of their guilt, committed suicide than were punished by us.

[15]

From the rest we did indeed take away their town and their fields, but in such a way that we left them enough land and room to dwell in, and we permitted the city itself to stand safe and uninjured, so that he who sees it to-day finds no sign of its assault and capture. But why do I mention Capua, when we gave peace and liberty to conquered Carthage?

[16]

This is the greater danger, that by treating the vanquished too generously we may thereby incite more peoples to try the fortune of war against us.

[17]

Let this be our defence of ourselves and our answer to Philip, whose murders within his family, whose slaughterings of friends and relatives, whose passions, more unnatural almost than his cruelty, you know better than I, as you are nearer neighbours to Macedonia.

[18]

So far as you are concerned, men of Aetolia, we undertook the war with Philip for you and you made peace with him without us.

[19]

And perhaps you will argue that when we were busy with the Punic war, you, compelled by fear, received terms of peace from him who was at that time more powerful; and that we, in the press of greater matters, ourselves neglected the war which you abandoned.

[20]

But now, by the grace of the gods, having finished the Punic war, we have addressed ourselves with all our energy to Macedonia, and to you, accordingly, is offered the opportunity of reinstating yourselves in our alliance and friendship, unless you prefer perishing with Philip to conquering with the Romans.

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.) — 31.31 focus

[1] tum Romanus legatus: “totam orationis mea formam Macedones primum,

[2] deinde Athenienses mutarunt. nam et Macedones, cum ad conquerendas Philippi iniurias in tot socias nobis urbes venissem, ultro accusando Romanos, defensionem ut accusatione potiorem haberem effecerunt,

[3] et Athenienses in deos inferos superosque nefanda atque inhumana scelera eius referendo quid mihi aut cuiquam reliquerunt, quod obicere ultra possim?

[4] eadem haec Cianos, Abydenos, Aenios, Maronitas, Thasios, Parios, Samios, Larisenses, Messenios hinc ex Achaia existimate queri, graviora acerbioraque eos, quibus nocendi maiorem facultatem habuit.

[5] nam quod ad ea attinet, quae nobis obiecit, nisi gloria digna sunt, fateor ea defendi non posse. Regium et Capuam et Syracusas nobis obiecit.

[6] regium Pyrrhi bello legio a nobis Reginis ipsis, ut mitteremus, orantibus in praesidium missa urbem, ad quam defendendam missa erat, per scelus possedit.

[7] comprobavimus ergo id facinus? an bello persecuti sceleratam legionem, in potestatem nostram redactam, tergo et cervicibus poenas sociis pendere cum coegissemus, urbem, agros suaque omnia cum libertate legibusque Reginis reddidimus?

[8] Syracusanis oppressis ab externis tyrannis, quo indignius esset, cum tulissemus opem et fatigati prope per triennium terra marique urbe munitissima oppugnanda essemus, cum iam ipsi Syracusani servire tyrannis quam capi a nobis mallent, captam iisdem armis et liberatam urbem reddidimus.

[9] neque infitias imus Siciliam provinciam nostram esse et civitates, quae in parte Carthaginiensium fuerunt et uno animo cum illis adversus nos bellum gesserunt, stipendiarias nobis ac vectigales esse; quin contra hoc et vos et omnes gentes scire volumus, pro merito cuique erga nos fortunam esse.

[10] an Campanorum poenae, de qua ne ipsi quidem queri possunt, nos paeniteat? hi homines, cum pro iis bellum adversus Samnites per annos prope septuaginta cum magnis nostris cladibus gessissemus,

[11] ipsos foedere primum, deinde conubio atque cognationibus, postremo civitate nobis coniunxissemus,

[12] tempore nostro adverso primi omnium Italiae populorum, praesidio nostro foede interfecto, ad Hannibalem defecerunt, deinde indignati se obsideri a nobis Hannibalem ad oppuguandam oppugnandam Romam miserunt.

[13] horum si neque urbs ipsa neque homo quisquam superesset, quis id durius quam pro merito ipsorum statutum indignari posset?

[14] plures sibimet ipsi conscientia scelerum mortem consciverunt, quam ab nobis supplicio adfecti sunt. ceteris ita oppidum,

[15] ita agros ademimus, ut agrum locumque ad habitandum daremus, urbem innoxiam stare incolumem pateremur, ut, qui hodie videat earn, eam, nullum oppugnatae captaeve ibi vestigium inveniat. sed quid ego Capuam dico, cum Carthagini victae pacem ac libertatem dederimus?

[16] magis illud est periculum, ne nimis facile victis ignoscendo plures ob id ipsum ad experiundam adversus nos fortunam belli incitemus.

[17] haec pro nobis dicta sint, haec adversus Philippum, cuius domestica parricidia et cognatorum amicorumque caedes et libidinem inhumaniorem prope quam crudelitatem vos, quo propiores Macedoniae estis, melius nostis.

[18] quod ad vos attinet, Aetoli, nos pro vobis bellum suscepimus adversus Philippum, vos sine nobis cum eo pacem fecistis.

[19] et forsitan dicatis bello Punico occupatis nobis coactos metu vos leges pacis ab eo, qui tur tum plus poterat, accepisse; et nos, cum alia maiora urgerent, depositum a vobis bellum et ipsi omisimus.

[20] nunc et nos deum benignitate Punico perfecto bello totis viribus nostris in Macedoniam incubuimus, et vobis restituendi vos in amicitiam societatemque nostram fortuna oblata est, nisi perire cum Philippo quam vincere cum Romanis mavultis.”

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).) — 30.31 focus

[1]

adversus haec imperator Romanus in hanc fere sententiam respondit: " non me fallebat, ¹ Hannibal, adventus ² tui spe Carthaginienses et praesentem indutiarum fidem et spem pacis turbasse;

[2] neque tu id sane dissimulas, qui de condicionibus superioribus ³ pacis omnia subtrahas praeter ea quae iam pridem in nostra potestate sunt.

[3] ceterum ut ⁴ tibi curae est sentire cives tuos quanto per te onere leventur, sic mihi laborandum est ne ⁵ quae tum ⁶ pepigerunt hodie subtracta ex condicionibus pacis praemia perfidiae habeant.

[4] indigni quibus eadem pateat condicio, etiam ut prosit vobis fraus petitis. neque patres nostri priores de Sicilia, neque nos de Hispania fecimus bellum; et tunc ⁷ Mamertinorum sociorum periculum et nunc Sagunti excidium nobis pia ac iusta induerunt arma.

[5] vos lacessisse et tu ipse fateris et dei testes sunt, qui et illius belli exitum secundum ius fasque dederunt et huius dant et dabunt.

[6]

quod ad me attinet, et humanae infirmitatis memini et vim Fortunae reputo et omnia quaecumque agimus subiecta esse mille casibus scio;

[7]

ceterum, quem ad modum superbe et violenter me faterer facere, si, priusquam in Africam traiecissem, te tua voluntate cedentem Italia et inposito in naves exercitu ipsum venientem ad pacem petendam aspernarer,

[8]

sic nunc, cum prope manu conserta ⁸ restitantem ac tergiversantem in Africam ⁹ adtraxerim, ¹⁰ nulla sum tibi verecundia obstrictus.

[9]

proinde si quid ad ea in quae tum pax conventura videbatur, quasi ¹¹ multa navium cum commeatu per indutias expugnatarum ¹² legatorumque violatorum, adicitur, est quod referam ad consilium; sin illa quoque gravia videntur, bellum parate, quoniam pacem pati non potuistis.

[10] ita infecta pace ex conloquio ad suos cum se recepissent, frustra verba iactata ¹³ renuntiant: armis decernendum esse habendamque eam earn fortunam quam dei dedissent.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 31.31 focus

[1]

tum Romanus legatus: ‘totam orationis meae formam Macedones primum, deinde Athenienses mutarunt.

[2] nam et Macedones, cum ad conquerendas Philippi iniurias in tot socias nobis urbes venissem, ultro accusando Romanos, defensionem ut accusatione potiorem haberem effecerunt,

[3] et Athenienses in deos inferos superosque nefanda atque inhumana scelera eius referendo quid mihi aut cuiquam reliquerunt, quod obicere ultra possim?

[5] nam quod ad ea attinet, quae nobis obiecit, nisi gloria ¹ digna sunt, fateor ea defendi non posse. Regium et Capuam et Syracusas nobis obiecit.

[6] regium Pyrrhi bello legio a nobis Reginis ipsis, ut mitteremus, orantibus in praesidium missa urbem, ad quam defendendam missa erat, per scelus possedit.

[8] Syracusanis oppressis ab externis tyrannis, quo indignius esset, cum tulissemus opem et fatigati fagitati prope per triennium terra marique urbe munitissima oppugnanda essemus, cum iam ipsi Syracusani servire tyrannis quam capi a nobis mallent, captam iisdem armis et liberatam urbem reddidimus.

[9] neque infitias imus Siciliam provinciam nostram esse et civitates, quae in parte Carthaginiensium fuerunt et uno animo cum illis adversus nos bellum gesserunt, stipendiarias nobis ac vectigales esse; quin contra hoc et vos et omnes ² gentes scire volumus, pro merito cuique erga nos fortunam esse.

[10] an Campanorum poenae, de qua ne ipsi quidem queri possunt, nos paeniteat? hi homines, cum pro iis bellum adversus Samnites per annos prope septuaginta cum magnis nostris cladibus gessissemus,

[11] ipsos foedere primum, deinde conubio atque cognationibus, postremo civitate nobis coniunxissemus,

[12] tempore nostro adverso primi omnium Italiae populorum, praesidio nostro foede interfecto, ad Hannibalem defecerunt, deinde indignati se obsideri a nobis Hannibalem ad oppugnandam Romam miserunt.

[13] horum si neque urbs ipsa neque homo quisquam superesset, quis id durius quam pro merito ipsorum statutum indignari posset?

[14] plures sibimet ipsi conscientia scelerum mortem consciverunt, quam ab nobis supplicio adfecti sunt. ceteris ita oppidum, ita agros ademimus,

[15] ut agrum locumque ad habitandum daremus, urbem innoxiam stare incolumem pateremur, ut, qui hodie videat eam, nullum oppugnatae captaeve ibi vestigium inveniat. sed quid ego Capuam dico, cum Carthagini victae pacem ac libertatem ³ dederimus?

[16] magis illud est periculum, ne nimis facile victis ignoscendo plures ob id ipsum ad experiundam adversus nos fortunam belli incitemus.

[18] quod ad vos attinet, Aetoli, nos pro vobis bellum suscepimus adversus Philippum, vos sine nobis cum eo pacem fecistis.

[19] et forsitan dicatis bello Punico occupatis nobis coactos metu vos leges pacis ab eo, qui tum plus poterat, accepisse; et nos, cum alia maiora urgerent, depositum a vobis bellum et ipsi omisimus.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 31.31 focus

[1]

The Roman ambassador then replied:

The Macedonians first, and afterwards the Athenians, have obliged me to change entirely the method of my discourse.

[2]

For, on the one hand, the Macedonians, by aggressively introducing charges against the Romans, when I had come prepared to make complaint of the injuries committed by Philip against so many cities in alliance with us, have obliged me to think of defence rather than accusation;

[3]

and, on the other hand, what have the Athenians, after relating his inhuman and impious crimes against the gods both celestial and infernal, left for me, or any one else, which I can further urge against him.

[4]

You are to suppose, that the same complaints are made by the Cianians, Abydenians, Aeneans, Maronites, Thasians, Parians, Samians, Larissenians, Messenians, on the side of Achaia; and complaints, still heavier and more grievous, by those whom he had it more in his power to injure.

[5]

For as to those proceedings which he censures in us, if they are not deserving of honour, I will admit that they cannot be defended at all. He has objected to us, Rhegium, and Capua, and Syracuse.

[6]

As to Rhegium, during the war with Pyrrhus, a legion which, at the earnest request of the Rhegians themselves, we had sent thither as a garrison, wickedly possessed themselves of the city which they had been sent to defend.

[7]

Did we then approve of that deed? or did we exert the force of our arms against that guilty legion, until we reduced them under our power; and then, after making them give satisfaction to the allies, by their stripes and the loss of their heads, restore to the Rhegians their city, their lands, and all their effects, together with their liberty and laws?

[8]

To the Syracusans, when oppressed, and that by foreign tyrants, which was a still greater indignity, we lent assistance; and after enduring great fatigues in carrying on the siege of so strong a city, both by land and sea, for almost three years, (although the Syracusans themselves chose to continue in slavery to the tyrants rather than be taken to us,) yet, becoming masters of the place, and by exertion of the same force setting it at liberty, we restored it to the inhabitants.

[9]

At the same time, we do not deny that Sicily is our province, and that the states which sided with the Carthaginians, and, in conjunction with them, waged war against us, pay us tribute and taxes;

[10]

on the contrary, we wish that you and all nations should know, that the condition of each is such as it has deserved at our hands: and ought we to repent of the punishment inflicted on the Campanians, of which even they themselves cannot complain?

[11]

These men, after we had on their account carried on war against the Samnites for near seventy years, with great loss on our side; had united them to ourselves, first by treaty, and then by intermarriages, and the relationships arising thence;

[12]

and lastly, by the right of citizenship; yet, in the time of our adversity, were the first of all the states of Italy which revolted to Hannibal, after basely putting our garrison to death, and afterwards, through resentment at being besieged by us, sent Hannibal to attack Rome.

[13]

If neither their city nor one man of them had been left remaining, who could take offence, or consider them as treated with more severity than they had deserved?

[14]

From consciousness of guilt, greater numbers of them perished by their own hands, than by the punishments inflicted by us.

[15]

And while from the rest we took away the town and the lands, still we left them a place to dwell in, we suffered the city which partook not of the guilt to stand uninjured; so that he who should see it this day would find no trace of its having been besieged or taken. But why do I speak of Capua, when even to vanquished Carthage we granted peace and liberty?

[16]

The greatest danger is, that, by our too great readiness to pardon the conquered, we may encourage others to try the fortune of war against us.

[17]

Let so much suffice in our defence, and against Philip, whose domestic crimes, whose parricides and murders of his relations and friends, and whose lust, more disgraceful to human nature, if possible, than his cruelty, you, as being nearer to Macedonia, are better acquainted with.

[18]

As to what concerns yourselves, Aetolians, we entered into a war with Philip on your account: you made peace with him without consulting us. Perhaps you will say, that while we were occupied in the Punic war, you were constrained by fear to accept terms of pacification, from him who at that time possessed superior power;

[19]

and that on our side, pressed by more urgent affairs, we suspended our operations in a war which you had laid aside.

[20]

At present, as we, having, by the favour of the gods, brought the Punic war to a conclusion, have fallen on Macedonia with the whole weight of our power, so you have an opportunity offered you of regaining a place in our friendship and alliance, unless you choose to perish with Philip, rather than to conquer with the Romans.

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.) — 31.31 focus

[1]

Then the Roman legate spoke as follows: "The Macedonians and then the Athenians have compelled me to alter entirely the address I was going to make.

[2] I came to protest against Philip's wrongful action against all those cities of our allies, but the Macedonians by the charges they have brought against Rome have made me a defendant rather than an accuser.

[3] The Athenians, again, by their recital of his impious and inhuman crimes against the gods above and those below, have left nothing more for me or for any one else to bring up against him.

[4] Consider that the same things have been said by the inhabitants of Chios and Abydos, by the Aeneans, the Maronites, the Thasians, by the natives of Paros and Samos, of Larissa and Messene, and by the people over there in Achaia, and that those upon whom he was able to inflict most injury have made the gravest and most serious charges.

[5] As to those actions which he has brought up against us as crimes, I frankly admit that if they do not deserve praise they cannot be defended.

[6] He mentioned, as instances, Regium, Capua and Syracuse. In the case of Regium, the inhabitants themselves begged us during the war with Pyrrhus to send a legion for their protection, and the soldiers, forming a criminal conspiracy, took forcible possession of the town which they were sent to defend.

[7] Did we therefore approve their action? Did we not on the contrary take military measures against the criminals, and when we had them within our power did we not compel them to make satisfaction to our allies by scourgings and executions, and then did we not restore to the Regians their city, their lands and all their possessions, together with their liberty and their laws?

[8] As to Syracuse, when it was oppressed by foreign tyrants-a still greater indignity-we came to its help and spent three weary years in making attacks by sea and land upon its almost impregnable fortifications.

[9] And though the Syracusans themselves would rather have remained under that servile tyranny than let their city be taken by us, we captured it, and the same arms which effected its capture won and secured its freedom. At the same time we do not deny that Sicily is one of our provinces, and the communities which took the side of the Carthaginians and in full sympathy with them urged war against us are now tributary, and pay us the tenth of all their produce.

[10] We do not deny this; on the contrary we with you and the whole world know that each has been treated in accordance with its deserts. It was the same with Capua. Do you suppose that we regret the punishment meted out to the Capuans, a punishment which they themselves cannot make a ground of complaint?

[11] It was on their behalf that we remained at war with the Samnites for nearly seventy years, during which time we suffered severe defeats; we were united with them by treaty, then by intermarriage, and at last by common citizenship.

[12] And yet these men were the first of all the Italian nationalities to take advantage of our difficulties and revolt to Hannibal after massacring our garrison, and then in revenge for our besieging them sent him to attack Rome.

[13] If neither their city nor a single inhabitant had survived, who could feel any indignation at their fate or charge us with having adopted harsher measures than they deserved?

[14] Those whom a consciousness of guilt drove to suicide were more numerous than those who were punished by us, and though we deprived the survivors of their city and territory we gave them land and a place to dwell in.

[15] The city itself had not injured us, and we left it standing uninjured, so much so that any one who sees it today would find no trace of its having been stormed and captured.

But why do I speak of Capua when even to conquered Carthage we have given peace and liberty?

[16] The danger is rather that by showing too much leniency to the conquered we should incite them all the more to try the fortune of war against us.

[17] So much in defence of our conduct. With respect to the charges against Philip-the bloodshed in his own family, the murders of his kinsmen and friends, his lust almost more inhuman than his cruelty-you who live nearest to Macedonia know most about them.

[18] As regards you Aetolians, it was on your behalf that we undertook war against him; you made peace with him without any reference to us.

[19] Perhaps you will say that as we were fully occupied with the Punic War, you were compelled to accept terms of peace from the man whose power was at that time in the ascendant, to which we should reply that it was only after you had laid aside hostilities that we too abandoned them, as greater matters claimed our attention.

[20] Now, however, that through the favour of the gods the Punic War is over, we have thrown our whole strength on Macedonia and the opportunity offers itself for you to regain our friendship and support, unless indeed you prefer to perish with Philip rather than conquer with the Romans."

Notes on the current edition

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

1. The towns named in this list had all at one time or another suffered at Philip's hands. Furius maintains that Rome's treatment of Capua and other towns was kind and generous in comparison.

2. B.C. 200

3. After the death of Hieronymus, tyrant of Syracuse, Hippocrates and Epicydes, born in Carthage but descended on their father's side from a Syracusan exile, persuaded the Syracusans to join Carthage. After a three years' siege (214- 212 B.C.) the city was taken by Marcellus. The Roman victory meant both the capture ( captain) by the Romans and the liberation ( liberatam) of the city from its

foreign tyrants

Hippocrates and Epicydes. See XXIV-XXV, passim.

4. B.C. 200

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 31.31

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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