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), 34.7

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[1]

All other orders, all men, will feel the change for the better in the state; shall our wives alone get no enjoyment from national peace and tranquillity?

[2]

Shall we men wear purple and walk clad in the toga praetexta¹ while holding priesthoods and offices? Shall our sons wear togas bordered with purple? Shall officials² in the colonies and the municipal towns, and here in Rome, the ward-masters,³ the lowest official rank, be allowed to wear the toga praetexta, and enjoy so great a distinction not only during life, but even after death be burned with it:⁴ shall women and women alone be forbidden the⁵ use of purple?

[3]

And when you, a man, are allowed to have purple on your outer garment, will you not permit your wife to own a purple cloak, and will the trappings of your horse be more splendid than the dress of your wife?

[4]

In the matter of purple, which is worn out and destroyed, I see some reason — not a good one, it is true — for niggardliness; but in regard to gold, in which there is no loss except the cost of manufacture, what spitefulness does the law show! It is rather a safeguard for use in both private and public emergency, as in fact you have experienced.⁶

[5]

He said there would be no rivalry among individuals if no one owned anything. But, by Hercules, there is mourning and anger among all when they see the wives of allies of the Latin

[6]

confederacy permitted the ornaments which are refused to them, when they see them decked out in gold and purple, when they see them riding through the city, and themselves following on foot, as if dominion resided in the Latin towns and not in Rome.

[7]

A thing like this would hurt the feelings even of men: what do you think is its effect upon weak women, whom even little things disturb?

[8]

No offices, no priesthoods, no triumphs, no decorations, no gifts, no spoils of war can come to them; elegance of appearance, adornment, apparel — these are the woman's badges of honour; in these they rejoice and take delight; these our ancestors called the woman's world.⁷

[9]

What else do they lay aside in times of mourning than purple and jewellery?

[10]

What do they put on when they have finished their time of mourning? What do they add save more splendid jewels in times of congratulation and thanks⁸ giving?

[11]

Of course, if you repeal the Oppian law, you will have no authority if you wish to forbid any of these things which now the law forbids; daughters, wives, even sisters of some will be less under control — never

[12]

while their males survive is feminine slavery shaken off; and even they abhor the freedom which loss of husbands and fathers gives.⁹

[13]

They prefer to have their finery under your control and not the law's; you too should keep them in control and guardianship and not in slavery, and should prefer the name of father or husband to that of master. The consul a while ago used words intended to create prejudice when he spoke of female 'sedition' and 'secession.'

[14]

For the danger, he tells you, is that they will seize the Sacred Mount or the Aventine, as the angered plebeians once did: in reality their frail nature must endure whatever you decree.

[15]

The greater the authority you exercise, the greater the self-restraint with which you should use your power.

¹⁰

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.) — 34.7 focus

[1] omnes alii ordines, ones omnes homines mutationem in meliorem statum rei publicae sentient: ad coniuges tantum nostras pacis et tranquillitatis publicae fructus non perveniet?

[2] purpura vri viri utemur, praetextati in magistratibus, in sacerdotiis; liberi nostri praetextis purpura togis utentur; magistratibus in coloniis municipiisque, hie hic Romae infimo generic, generi, magistris vicorum, togae praetextae habendae ius permittemus,

[3] nec ut vivi solum habeant † tantum insigne, sed etiam ut cum eo crementur mortui: feminis dumtaxat purpurae usu interdicemus? et, cum tibi viro liceat purpura in vestem stragulam uti, matrem familiae tuam purpureum amiculum habere non sines, et equus tuus speciosius instratus erit quam uxor vestita?

[4] sed in purpura, quae teritur absumitur, iniustam quidem, sed aliquam tamen causam tenacitatis video; in auro vero, in quo praeter manupretium Uihil nihil intertrimenti fit, quae malignitas est? praesidium potius in eo est et ad privatos et ad publicos usus,

[5] siclt sicut experti estis. nullam aemulationem inter se singularum, quoniam nulla haberet, esse aiebat. at hercule universis dolor et indignatio est,

[6] cum sociorum Latini nominis uxoribus vident ea concessa ornamenta, quae sibi adempta sint, cum insignis eas esse auro et purpura, cum illas vehi per urbem, se pedibus sequi, tamquam in illarum civitatibus, non in sua imperium sit.

[7] virorum hoc animos vulnerare posset; quid muliercularum censetis, quas etiam parva movent?

[8] non magistratus nec sacerdotia nec triumphi nec insignia nec dona aut spolia bellica iis contingere possunt;

[9] munditiae et ornatus et cultus, haec feminarum insignia sunt, his gaudent et gloriantur, hunc mundum muliebrem appellarunt maiores nostri.

[10] quid aliud in luctu quam purpuram atque aurum deponunt? quid, cum eluxerunt, sumunt? quid in gratulationibus supplicationibusque nisi excellentiorem ornatum adiciunt?

[11] scilicet, si legem Oppiam abrogaritis, non vestri arbitrii erit, si quid eius vetare volueritis, quod nunc lex vetat;

[12] minus filiae, uxores, sorores etiam quibusdam in manu erunt; — numquam salvis suis exuitur servitus muliebris; et ipsae libertatem, quam viduitas et orbitas facit, detestantur.

[13] in vestro arbitrio suum ornatum quam in legis malunt esse; et vos in manu et tutela, non in servitio debetis habere eas et malle patres vos aut viros quam dominos dici.

[14] invidiosis nominibus utebatur modo consul seditionem muliebrem et secessionem appellando. id enim periculum est, ne Sacrum montem, sicut quondam irata plebs, aut Aventinum capiant; —

[15] patiendum huic infirmitati est, quodcumque vos censueritis. quo plus potestis, eo moderatius imperio uti debetis.”

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).) — 30.7 focus

[1]

Hasdrubal ex fuga cum paucis Afrorum urbem proximam petierat, eoque omnes qui supererant vestigia ducis sequentes se contulerant; metu deinde ne dederetur Scipioni urbe excessit.

[2] mox eodem patentibus portis Romani accepti, nec quicquam hostile, quia voluntate concesserant in dicionem, factum. duae subinde urbes captae direptaeque. ea praeda et quae castris incensis ex igne rapta erat militi concessa est.

[3] Syphax octo milium ferme inde spatio ¹ loco munito ² consedit; Hasdrubal Carthaginem contendit, ne quid per metum ex recenti clade mollius consuleretur.

[4] quo tantus primo terror est adlatus ut omissa Utica Carthaginem crederent extemplo Scipionem obsessurum. ³

[5] senatum itaque sufetes, quod velut consulare imperium apud eos erat, vocaverunt.

[6] Ibi tribus sententiis certatum ⁴ ; una de pace legatos ad Scipionem decernebat, altera Hannibalem ad tuendam ab exitiabili bello patriam revocabat, tertia Romanae in adversis rebus constantiae erat;

[7] reparandum exercitum Syphacemque hortandum ne bello absisteret censebat. haec sententia, quia Hasdrubal praesens Barcinaeque omnes factionis bellum malebant, vicit.

[8] inde dilectus in urbe agrisque haberi coeptus, et ad Syphacem legati missi, summa ope et ipsum reparantem bellum, cum uxor non iam ut ante blanditiis, satis potentibus ad animum amantis,

[9] sed precibus et misericordia valuisset, plena lacrimarum obtestans ne patrem suum patriamque proderet isdemque flammis Carthaginem quibus castra conflagrassent absumi sineret.

[10] spem quoque opportune oblatam adferebant legati: quattuor milia Celtiberorum circa urbem nomine Obbam, ab conquisitoribus suis ⁵ conducta in Hispania, egregiae iuventutis, sibi occurrisse; et Hasdrubalem propediem adfore cum manu haudquaquam contemnenda.

[11] igitur non benigne modo legatis respondit, sed ostendit etiam ⁶ multitudinem agrestium Numidarum, quibus per eosdem ⁷ dies arma equosque dedisset, et omnem iuventutem adfirmat ex regno exciturum;

[12] scire incendio, non proelio cladem acceptam; eum bello inferiorem esse qui armis vincatur.

[13] haec legatis responsa, et post dies paucos rursus Hasdrubal et Syphax copias iunxerunt. is omnis exercitus fuit triginta ferme milium ⁸ armatorum.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 34.7 focus

[1]

omnes alii ordines, omnes homines mutationem in meliorem statum rei publicae sentient: ad coniuges tantum nostras pacis et tranquillitatis publicae fructus non perveniet?

[2] purpura viri utemur, praetextati in magistratibus, in sacerdotiis; liberi nostri praetextis purpura togis utentur; magistratibus in coloniis municipiisque, hic Romae infimo generi, magistris vicorum, togae praetextae habendae ius permittemus, nec ut vivi solum habeant [tantum] insigne,

[3] sed etiam ut cum eo ¹ crementur mortui; feminis dumtaxat purpurae usu interdicemus ? et, cum tibi viro liceat purpura in vestem stragulam uti, matrem familiae tuam purpureum amiculum habere non sines, et equus tuus speciosius instratus erit quam uxor vestita?

[4] sed in purpura, quae teritur absumitur, iniustam quidem, sed aliquam tamen causam tenacitatis video; in auro vero, in quo praeter manu pretium nihil intertrimenti fit, quae malignitas est? praesidium potius in eo est et ad privatos et ad publicos usus, sicut experti estis.

[5] nullam aemulationem inter se singularum, quoniam nulla haberet, esse aiebat. at hercule universis dolor et indignatio est, cum sociorum Latini nominis uxoribus vident ea concessa ornamenta,

[6] quae sibi adempta sint, cum insignis eas esse auro et purpura, cum illas vehi per urbem, se pedibus sequi, tamquam in illarum civitatibus, non in sua imperium sit.

[7] virorum hoc animos vulnerare posset; quid muliercularum censetis, quas etiam parva movent?

[8] non magistratus nec sacerdotia nec triumphi nec insignia nec dona aut spolia bellica iis contingere possunt;

[9] munditiae et ornatus et cultus, haec feminarum insignia sunt, his ² gaudent et gloriantur, hunc mundum muliebrem appellarunt maiores nostri, quid aliud in luctu quam purpuram atque aurum deponunt?

[10] quid, cum eluxerunt, sumunt? quid in gratulationibus supplicationibusque nisi excellentiorem ornatum adiciunt?

[11] scilicet, si legem Oppiam abrogaritis, non vestri arbitrii erit, si quid eius vetare volueritis, quod nunc lex vetat; minus filiae, uxores, sorores etiam quibusdam in manu erunt;

[12] — numquam salvis suis exuitur servitus muliebris; et ipsae libertatem, quam viduitas et orbitas facit,

[13] detestantur, in vestro arbitrio suum ornatum quam in legis malunt esse; et vos in manu et tutela, non in servitio debetis habere eas et malle patres vos aut viros quam ³ dominos dici.

[14] invidiosis nominibus utebatur modo consul seditionem muliebrem et secessionem appellando. id enim periculum est, ne Sacrum montem, sicut quondam irata plebs, aut Aventinum capiant;

[15] — patiendum huic infirmitati est, quodcumque vos censueritis. quo plus potestis, eo moderatius imperio uti debetis.’

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 34.7 focus

[1]

Shall, then, every other class of people, every indi- vidual, feel the improvement in the condition of the state; and shall our wives alone reap none of the fruits of the public peace and tranquillity?

[2]

Shall we men have the use of purple, wearing the purple-bordered gown in magistracies and priests' offices? Shall our children wear gowns bordered with purple? Shall we allow the privilege of wearing the toga praetexta to the magistrates of the colonies and borough towns, and to the very lowest of them here at Rome, the superintendents of the streets; and not only of wearing such an ornament of distinction while alive, but of being buried with it when dead; and shall we interdict the use of purple to women alone?

[3]

And when you, the husband, may wear purple in your great coat, will you not suffer your wife to have a purple mantle? Shall your horse be more splendidly caparisoned than your wife is clothed?

[4]

But with respect to purple, which will be worn out and consumed, I can see an unjust, indeed, but still a sort of reason, for parsimony; but with respect to gold, in which, excepting the price of the workmanship, there is no waste, what objection can there be? It rather serves as a reserve fund for both public and private exigencies, as you have already experienced. He says there will be no emulation between individuals, when no one is possessed of it.

[5]

But, in truth, it will be a source of grief and indignation to all, when they see those ornaments allowed to the wives of the Latin confederates of which they themselves have been deprived;

[6]

when they see those riding through the city in their carriages, and decorated with gold and purple, while they are obliged to follow on foot, as if the seat of empire were in the country of the others, not in their own. This would hurt the feelings even of men, and what do you think must be its effect on those of weak women, whom even trifles can disturb?

[7]

Neither offices of state, nor of the priesthood, nor triumphs, nor badges of distinction, nor military presents, nor spoils, can fall to their share.

[8]

Elegance of appearance, and ornaments, and dress, these are the women's badges of distinction; in these they delight and glory; these our ancestors called the women's world.

[9]

What else do they lay aside when in mourning, except their gold and purple? And what else do they resume when the mourning is over?

[10]

How do they distinguish themselves on occasion of public thanksgivings and supplications, but by adding unusual splendour of dress? But then, (it may be said,) if you repeal the Oppian law, should you choose to prohibit any of those particulars which the law at present prohibits, you will not have it in your power;

[11]

your daughters, wives, and even the sisters of some, will be less under control.

[12]

The bondage of women is never shaken off without the loss of their friends; and they themselves look with horror on that freedom which is purchased with the condition of the widow or the orphan.

[13]

Their wish is, that their dress should be under your regulation, not under that of the law; and it ought to be your wish to hold them in control and guardianship, not in bondage; and to prefer the title of father or husband to that of master.

[14]

The consul just now made use of some invidious terms, calling it a female sedition and secession; because, I suppose, there is danger of their seizing the sacred mount, as formerly the angry plebeians did; or the Aventine. Their feeble nature must submit to whatever you think proper to enjoin;

[15]

and, the greater power you possess, the more moderate ought you to be in the exercise of your authority.

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.) — 34.7 focus

[1]

"All orders of society, all men will feel the change for the better in the condition of the republic; are our wives alone to be debarred from the enjoyment of peace and prosperity?

[2] We, their husbands, shall wear purple, the toga praetexta will mark those holding magisterial and priestly offices, our children will wear it, with its purple border; the right to wear it belongs to the magistrates in the military colonies and the municipal towns.

[3] Nor is it only in their lifetime that they enjoy this distinction; when they die they are cremated in it. You husbands are at liberty to wear a purple wrap over your dress, will you refuse to allow your wives to wear a purple mantle? Are the trappings of your horses to be more gorgeous than the dress of your wives?

[4] Purple fabrics, however, become frayed and worn out, and in their case I recognise some reason, though a very unfair one, for his opposition; but what is there to offend with regard to gold, which suffers no waste except on the cost of working it? On the contrary, it rather protects us in the time of need and forms a resource available for either public or private requirements, as you have learnt by experience. Cato said that there was no individual rivalry amongst them since none possessed what might make others jealous.

[5] No, but most certainly there is general grief and indignation felt among them when they see the wives of our Latin allies permitted to wear ornaments which they have been deprived of, when

[6] they see them resplendent in gold and purple and driving through the City while they have to follow on foot, just as though the seat of empire was in the Latin cities and not in their own. This would be enough to hurt the feelings of men, what then think you must be the feelings of poor little women who are affected by small things?

[7] Magistracies, priestly functions, triumphs, military decorations and rewards, spoils of war-none of these fall to their lot.

[8] Neatness, elegance, personal adornment, attractive appearance and looks-these are the distinctions they covet, in these they delight and pride themselves; these things our ancestors called the ornament of women.

[9] What do they lay aside when they are in mourning except their gold and purple, to resume them when they go out of mourning?

[10] How do they prepare themselves for days of public rejoicing and thanksgiving beyond assuming richer personal adornment? I suppose you think that if you repeal the Oppian Law, and should wish to forbid anything which the law forbids now, it will not

[11] be in your power to do so, and that some will lose all legal rights over their daughters and wives and sisters.

[12] No; women are never freed from subjection as long as their husbands and fathers are alive; they deprecate the freedom which orphanhood and widowhood bring. They would rather leave their personal adornment to your decision than to that of the law.

[13] It is your duty to act as their guardians and protectors and not treat them as slaves; you ought to wish to be called fathers and husbands, instead of lords and masters. The consul made use of invidious language when he spoke of female sedition and secession.

[14] Do you really think there is any danger of their seizing the Sacred Mount as the exasperated plebs once did, or of their taking possession of the Aventine? Whatever decision you come to, they in their weakness will have to submit to it.

[15] The greater your power, so much the more moderate ought you to be in exercising it."

Notes on the current edition

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

1. See the note on XXXIII. xlii. 1.

2. While not strictly possessed of these privileges, communities of these types freely imitated Roman customs.

3. These officials had certain duties in connection with the games, and so enjoyed special privileges.

4. So in Petronius (lxxi. 9), Trimalchio wishes himself to be represented on his monument wearing the accumulated distinctions won in his public career.

5. B.C. 195

6. Cf. vi. 14 and the note above,

7. To balance Cato's pun on signa, Valerius makes one on mundus, which signifies both universe and adornment. See note on sect. 15 below.

8. B.C. 195

9. Under the stricter Roman law, a woman was throughout life under the potestas of her father or his representative or the manus of her husband. Valerius makes the point that this domestic authority will be resumed in full with the repeal of the law, and that the same restrictions which the law provided can be enforced if desired.

10. This pair of speeches seems to make an elaborate rhetorical exercise, with careful attention, at least in Cato's speech, to characterization of the speaker. It must be admitted, however, that the psychology of Cato is more cleverly presented than his style, for critics find little trace of the real Cato in the speech. None of the fragments of the actual speech of Cato (collected, e.g., in Meyer's Oratorum Romanorum Fragmenta, s.v.) is to be found in Livy.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 34.7

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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