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), 34.44

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[1] The

sacred spring

had been celebrated in the previous year, during the consulship of Marcus Porcius and Lucius Valerius.¹

[2] Since Publius Licinius the pontiff had announced, first to the college, and then, by the direction of the college, to the senate, that this had not been properly performed, the Fathers voted that it should be celebrated anew under the supervision of the pontiffs, and that the Great Games, which had been vowed at the same time,² should be performed with the customary appropriation of the necessary funds;

[3] the

sacred spring

was defined as including all the animals born between the Calends of March and the day preceding the Calends of May in the consulship of Publius Cornelius and Tiberius Sempronius.

[4] The election of censors was then held, and Sextus Aelius Paetus and Gaius Cornelius Cethegus were chosen. As princeps senatus³ they made the consul Publius Scipio their choice, who had been the choice of the previous censors as well.⁴ They passed over⁵ only three senators, none of whom had held a curule office.

[5] They won great favour with that order in⁶ another way, since at the Roman Games they ordered the curule aediles to separate the senatorial seats from those of the commons; for up to that time the seats from which they watched the games were taken indiscriminately. Very few of the knights were degraded by the taking away of their horses, nor was severity shown towards any rank. The atrium Libertatis and the villa publica⁷ were rebuilt and enlarged by the same censors.

[6] The

sacred spring

was celebrated and the votive Roman Games performed according to the vow made by Servius Sulpicius Galba.⁸

[7] While men's minds were intent upon this spectacle, Quintus Pleminius,⁹ who, on account of the many crimes against gods and men which he had committed at Locri, had been thrown into prison, had arranged that men should at night set fire to the city in several places, so that in a state panic-stricken by the disturbance at night the prison might be broken open.

[8] This was revealed by the testimony of his accomplices and was laid before the senate. Pleminius was transferred to the lower prison¹⁰ and put to death.

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.) — 34.44 focus

[1] ver sacrum factum erat priore anno, M. Porcio et L. Valerio consulibus.

[2] id cum P. Licinius pontifex non esse recte factum collegio primum, deinde ex auctoritate collegii patribus renuntiasset, de integro faciendum arbitratu pontificum censuerunt, ludosque magnos, qui una voti essent, tanta pecunia,

[3] quanta adsoleret, faciendos; ver sacrum videri pecus, quod natum esset inter kal. Martias et pridie kal. Maias P. Cornelio et Ti. Sempronio consulibus.

[4] censorum inde comitia sunt habita. creati censores Sex. Aelius Paetus et C. Cornelius Cethegus. principem senatus P. Scipionem consulem, quem et priores censores legerant, legerunt. tris omnino senatores, neminem curuli honore usum, praeterierunt.

[5] gratiam quoque ingentem apud eum ordinem pepererunt, quod ludis Romanis aedilibus curulibus imperarunt, ut loca senatoria secernerent a populo; nam antea in promiscuo spectabant. equitibus quoque perpaucis adempti equi, nec in ullum ordinem saevitum. atrium Libertatis et villa publica ab iisdem refecta amplifcataque.

[6] Ver ver sacrum ludique Romani votivi, quos voverat Ser. Sulpicius Galba consul, facti. cum spectaculo eorum occupati animi hominum essent,

[7] Q. Pleminius, qui propter multa in deos hominesque scelera Locris admissa in carcerem coniectus fuerat, comparaverat homines, qli qui pluribus simul locis urbis nocte incendia facerent, ut in consternata nocturno tumultu civitate refringi career carcer posset.

[8] ea res indicio consciorum palam facta delataque ad senatum est. Pleminius in inferiorem demissus carcerem est necatusque.

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).) — 30.44 focus

[1]

annis ante quadraginta pax cum Carthaginiensibus postremo facta erat, Q. Lutatio, A. Manlio consulibus.

[2] bellum initum annis post tribus et viginti, P. Cornelio, Ti. Sempronio consulibus, finitum est septimo decimo anno, Cn. Cornelio, P. Aelio consulibus. ¹

[3] saepe postea ferunt Scipionem dixisse Ti. Claudi primum cupiditatem, deinde Cn. Corneli fuisse in mora, quo minus id bellum exitio Carthaginis finiret. ²

[4] Carthagini³ cum prima conlatio pecuniae diutino ⁴ bello exhaustis difficilis videretur, maestitiaque et fletus in curia esset, ridentem Hannibalem ferunt conspectum.

[5] cuius cum Hasdrubal Haedus risum increparet in publico fletu, cum ipse lacrimarum causa esset,

[6]

si , quem ad modum oris habitus cernitur oculis,

inquit,

sic et animus intus cerni posset, ⁵ facile vobis appareret non laeti, sed prope amentis malis cordis hunc quem increpatis risum esse; qui tamen nequaquam adeo est intempestivus quam vestrae istae absurdae atque abhorrentes lacrimae sunt.

[7]

tunc flesse decuit cum adempta sunt nobis arma, incensae naves, interdictum externis bellis; illo enim volnere concidimus. nec est cur ⁶ vos otio ⁷ vestro consultum ab Romanis credatis.

[8]

nulla magna civitas diu ⁸ quiescere potest; si foris hostem hosted non habet, domi invenit, ut praevalida corpora ab externis causis tuta videntur, sed ⁹ suis ipsa viribus onerantur.

[9]

tantum nimirum ex publicis malis sentimus quantum ad privatas res pertinet, nec in iis quicquam acrius quam pecuniae damnum stimulat.

[10]

itaque cum spolia victae Carthagini detrahebantur, cum inermem iam ac nudam destitui inter tot armatas gentes Africae cerneretis, ¹⁰ nemo ingemuit;

[11]

nunc, quia tributum ex privato conferendum est, tamquam ¹¹ in publico funere comploratis. quam vereor ne propediem sentiatis levissimo in malo vos hodie lacrimasse.

haec Hannibal apud Carthaginienses.

[12] Scipio contione advocata Masinissam ad regnum paternum Cirta oppido et ceteris urbibus agrisque quae ex regno Syphacis in populi Romani potestatem venissent adiectis donavit.

[13] Cn . Octavium classem in Siciliam ductam Cn. Cornelio consuli tradere iussit, legatos Carthaginiensium Romam proficisci, ut quae ab se ex decem legatorum sententia acta essent, ea patrum auctoritate populique iussu confirmarentur.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 34.44 focus

[1]

ver sacrum factum erat priore anno, M. Porcio et L. Valerio consulibus.

[2] id cum P. Licinius pontifex non esse recte factum collegio primum, deinde ex auctoritate collegii patribus renuntiasset, de integro faciendum arbitratu pontificum ¹ censuerunt, ludosque magnos, qui una voti essent, tanta pecunia, quanta adsoleret, faciendos;

[3] ver sacrum videri pecus, quod natum esset inter kal. Martias et pridie kal. Maias P. Cornelio et Ti. Sempronio consulibus.

[4] censorum inde comitia sunt habita. creati censores Sex. Aelius Paetus et C. Cornelius Cethegus . principem senatus P. Scipionem consulem, quem et priores censores legerant, legerunt. tris omnino senatores, neminem curuli honore usum, praeterierunt, gratiam quoque ingentem apud eum ordinem pepererunt,

[5] quod ludis Romanis aedilibus curulibus imperarunt, ut loca senatoria secernerent a populo; nam antea in promiscuo spectabant. equitibus quoque perpaucis adempti equi, nec in ullum ² ordinem saevitum. atrium Libertatis et villa publica ab iisdem refecta amplificataque.

[6] Ver sacrum ludique Romani votivi, quos voverat Ser. Sulpicius Galba consul, facti. cum spectaculo eorum occupati animi hominum essent,

[7] Q. Pleminius , qui propter multa in deos hominesque scelera Locris admissa in carcerem coniectus fuerat, comparaverat homines, qui pluribus simul locis urbis nocte incendia facerent, ut in consternata nocturno tumultu civitate refringi carcer posset.

[8] ea res indicio consciorum palam facta delataque ad senatum est. Pleminius in inferiorem demissus carcerem est necatusque.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 34.44 focus

[1]

A sacred spring had been celebrated, in the preceding year, during the consulate of Marcus Porcius and Lucius Valerius; but Publius Licinius, one of the pontiffs, having made a report, first, to the college of pontiffs, and afterwards.

[2] under the sanction of the college, to the senate. that it had not been duly performed, they resolved, that it should be celebrated anew, under the direction of the pontiffs; and that the great games, vowed together with it, should be exhibited at the same expense which was customary;

[3] that the sacred spring should be deemed to comprehend all the cattle born between the calends of March and the day preceding the calends of May, in the year of the consulate of Publius Cornelius Scipio and Tiberius Sempronius Longus.

[4] Then followed the election of censors. Sextus Aelius Paetus, and Caius Cornelius Cethegus, being created censors, named as prince of the senate the consul Publius Scipio, whom the former censors likewise had appointed. They passed by only three senators in the whole, none of whom had enjoyed the honour of a curule office.

[5] They obtained, on another account, the highest degree of credit with that body; for, at the celebration of the Roman games, they ordered the curule aediles to set apart places for the senators, distinct from those of the people, whereas, hitherto, all the spectators used to sit promiscuously. Of the knights, also, very few were deprived of their horses; nor was severity shown towards any rank of men. The gallery of the temple of Liberty, and the Villa Publica, were repaired and enlarged by the same censors.

[6] The sacred spring, and the votive games, were celebrated, pursuant to the vow of Servius Sulpicius Galba, when consul.

[7] While every one's thoughts were engaged by the shows then exhibited, Quintus Pleminius, who, for the many crimes against gods and men committed by him at Locri, had been thrown into prison, procured men who were to set fire by night to several parts of the city at once, in order that, while the town was thrown into consternation by this nocturnal disturbance, the prison might be broken open.

[8] But this plot was disclosed by some of the accomplices, and the affair was laid before the senate. Pleminius was thrown into a lower dungeon, and there put to death.

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.) — 34.44 focus

[1]

In the previous year a Sacred Spring had been observed, and the Pontifex Maximus P. Licinius reported to the pontifical college that its observance had not been properly carried out.

[2] The college authorised him to bring the matter to the notice of the senate, and they decided that there should be an entirely fresh observance under the direction of the pontiffs.

[3] The Great Games, which had been vowed at the same time, were also ordered to be celebrated, and the usual outlay incurred upon them. The victims to be offered included all the cattle born between 1st March and 1st May during the consulship of P. Cornelius and Tiberius Sempronius.

[4] Then came the election of the censors. The new censors, Sextus Aelius Paetus and C. Cornelius Cethegus, selected, as their predecessors had done, P. Scipio as leader of the senate. Only three senators in all were removed from the roll, none of whom had enjoyed curule honours.

[5] Another thing which added immensely to their popularity with the patricians was the order they issued to the curule aediles, requiring them to reserve special places for the senators at the Roman Games; previously they sat amongst the crowd. Very few of the equestrian order were deprived of their horses, nor did the censors treat any order in the State harshly. The Hall of Liberty and the Villa Publica were also restored and enlarged by these censors.

[6] The Sacred Spring and the Games, vowed by Servius Sulpicius Galba, were duly carried out.

[7] Q. Pleminius, who for his many crimes against gods and men at Locri had been thrown into prison, seized the opportunity whilst all were preoccupied with the spectacle of the Games to get together a number of men who were to set the City on fire at various points during the night so that he might break out of gaol during the confusion created.

[8] The plot was disclosed by some of his accomplices and the information laid before the senate. Pleminius was thrown into the lowest dungeon and put to death.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. See XXXIII. xliv. 2 and the note.

2. See XXII. x. 7.

3. The princeps senatus was usually chosen from the senators who had held the censorship. He was the first of the senators to be called upon to give his vote.

4. This fact was not mentioned in XXXII. vii. 2, where the previous censorship was reported. Scipio himself was one of the censors in 199 B.C.

5. This constituted exclusion from the senate.

6. B.C. 194

7. These buildings were used by the censors.

8. Livy is probably wrong as to the praenomen of Sulpicius, who is probably the consul who, in 200 B.C., vowed games (XXXI. ix. 6-10).

9. See XXXI. xii. 2 and the note.

10. This was probably the lower cell of the Mamertine Prison.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 34.44

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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