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), 36.21

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[1] Antiochus, at the approach of the consul,¹ left Chalcis and first proceeded to Tenos, then crossed to Ephesus.

[2] When the consul arrived at Chalcis the gates stood open, since at his approach Aristoteles, the king's prefect, had left the city.

[3] And the other cities of Euboea were given up without a struggle; and a few days later everything was quiet and the army was led back to Thermopylae doing no injury to any city, their moderate conduct after the victory being far more worthy of praise than the actual victory.

[4] Then the consul sent² Marcus Cato to Rome, that from him, a thoroughly trustworthy source, the senate and the Roman people might learn what had happened.

[5] From Creusa —this is the trading-port of the Thespians, lying deep in the Corinthian gulf —he made for Patrae in Achaea; from Patrae he skirted the shores of Aetolia and Acarnania right up to Corcyra and thence crossed to Hydruntum in Italy.

[6] On the fifth day from there in hurried progress by land he arrived in Rome. Entering the City before daybreak he went from the gate straight to the praetor Marcus Junius.³

[7] Junius at daybreak summoned the senate; Lucius Cornelius Scipio,⁴ who had been sent on some days before by the consul, learning on his arrival that Cato had reached there first and was in the senate, came in while he was recounting what had happened.

[8] Then the two legates by order of the senate were taken before the assembly and there told the same story as in the senate about the events in Aetolia.

[9] A period of thanksgiving for three days was proclaimed and the praetor was ordered to sacrifice forty full-grown victims to whatever gods he saw fit.

[10] About the same time too Marcus Fulvius Nobilior,⁵ who two years before had as praetor set out for Spain, entered the City in ovation; he carried in his procession one hundred and thirty thousand silver coins stamped with the two-horse chariot, and

[11] in addition to the minted money twelve thousand pounds of silver and one hundred and⁶ twenty-seven pounds of gold.

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.) — 36.21 focus

[1] Antiochus sub adventum consulis a Chalcide profectus Tenum primo tenuit, inde Ephesum transmisit.

[2] consuli Chalcidem venienti portae patuerunt, cum appropinquante eo Aristoteles praefectus regis urbe excessisset.

[3] et ceterae urbes in Euboea sine certamine traditae; post paucosque dies omnibus perpacatis sine ullius noxa urbis exercitus Thermopylas reductus, multo modestia post victoriam quam ipsa victoria laudabilior.

[4] inde consul M. Catonem, per quem quae gesta essent senatus populusque Romanus baud haud dubio auctore sciret, Romam misit.

[5] is a Creusa — Thespiensium emporium est, in intimo sinu Corinthiaco retractum — Patras Achaiae petit; a Patris Corcyram usque Aetoliae atque Acarnaniae littora legit, atque ita ad Hydruntum Italiae traicit.

[6] quinto die inde pedestri itinere Romam ingenti cursu pervenit. ante lucem ingressus urbem a porta ad praetorem M. Iunium iter intendit.

[7] is prima luce in senatum vocavit; quo L. Cornelius Scipio, aliquot diebus ante a consule dimissus, cum adveniens audisset praegressum Catonem in senatu esse, supervenit exponenti, quae gesta essent.

[8] duo inde legati iussu senatus in contionem sunt producti, atque ibi eadem, quae in — senatu, de rebus in Aetolia gestis exposuerunt.

[9] supplicatio in triduum decreta est et ut quadraginta hostiis maioribus praetor, quibus diis ei videretur,

[10] sacrificaret. — Per per eosdem dies et M. Fulvius Nobilior, qui biennio ante praetor in Hispaniam erat profectus, ovans urbem est ingressus;

[11] argenti bigati prae se tulit centum triginta milia et extra numeratum duodecim milia pondo argenti, auri pondo centum viginti septem.

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).) — 30.21 focus

[1]

Romam per eosdem dies et Magonem et Hannibalem profectos adlatum est. cuius duplicis gratulationis minuit laetitiam et quod parum duces in retinendis iis, cum id mandatum ab senatu esset, aut animi aut virium habuisse videbantur,

[2] et quod solliciti erant, omni belli mole in unum exercitum ducemque inclinata quo evasura esset res.

[3] per eosdem dies legati Saguntini venerunt conprensos cum pecunia adducentes Carthaginienses qui ad conducenda auxilia in Hispaniam traiecissent.

[4] ducenta et quinquaginta auri, octingenta pondo argenti in vestibulo curiae posuerunt.

[5] hominibus acceptis et in carcerem conditis, auro argentoque reddito gratiae legatis actae, atque insuper munera data ac naves quibus in Hispaniam reverterentur.

[6] mentio deinde ab senioribus ¹ facta est segnius homines bona quam mala sentire; transitu in Italiam Hannibalis quantum terroris pavorisque esset ²³ meminisse. quas deinde clades, quos luctus incidisse! visa castra hostium e muris urbis;

[7] quae vota singulorum universorumque fuisse! quotiens in conciliis voces manus ad caelum porrigentium ⁴ auditas,

[8] en umquam ille dies futurus esset quo vacuam hostibus Italiam bona pace florentem visuri essent!

[9] dedisse tandem id deos ⁵ sexto decimo demum anno, nec esse qui deis grates agendas censeat; adeo ne advenientem quidem gratiam homines benigne accipere, nedum ut praeteritae 10 satis memores sint. conclamatum deinde ex omni parte curiae est uti referret P. Aelius praetor; decretumque ut quinque dies circa omnia pulvinaria supplicaretur, victumaeque maiores immolarentur centum viginti.

[10] iam dimisso Laelio legatisque Masinissae cum Carthaginiensium legatos de pace ad senatum venientes Puteolis visos, inde terra venturos adlatum esset, revocari C. Laelium placuit, ut coram eo de pace ageretur.

[11] Q. Fulvius Gillo, legatus Scipionis, Carthaginienses Romam adduxit. quibus vetitis ingredi urbem hospitium in Villa Publica, senatus ad aedem Bellonae datus est.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 36.21 focus

[1]

Antiochus sub adventum consulis a Chalcide profectus Tenum primo tenuit, inde Ephesum transmisit.

[2] consuli Chalcidem venienti portae patuerunt, cum appropinquante eo Aristoteles praefectus regis urbe excessisset.

[4] inde consul M. Catonem , per quem quae gesta essent senatus populusque Romanus haud dubio auctore sciret, Romam misit.

[5] is a Creusa ¹ —Thespiensium emporium est, in intimo sinu Corinthiaco retractum—Patras Achaiae petit; a Patris Corcyram usque Aetoliae atque Acarnaniae littora legit, atque ita ad Hydruntum Italiae traicit.

[6] quinto die inde pedestri itinere Romam ingenti cursu pervenit. ante lucem ingressus urbem a porta ad praetorem M. Iunium iter intendit.

[7] is prima luce in senatum vocavit; quo L. Cornelius Scipio , aliquot diebus ante a consule dimissus, cum adveniens audisset praegressum Catonem in senatu esse, supervenit exponenti, quae gesta essent.

[8] duo inde legati iussu senatus in contionem sunt producti, atque ibi eadem, quae in senatu, de rebus in Aetolia gestis exposuerunt.

[9] supplicatio in triduum decreta est et ut quadraginta hostiis maioribus praetor, quibus diis ei videretur, sacrificaret.

[10] —per eosdem dies et M. Fulvius Nobilior , qui biennio ante praetor in Hispaniam erat profectus, ovans urbem est ingressus;

[11] argenti bigati prae se tulit centum triginta milia et extra numeratum duodecim milia pondo argenti, auri pondo centum viginti septem.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 36.21 focus

[1]

Antiochus, quitting Chalcis before the arrival of the consul, sailed first to Tenus, and thence passed over to Ephesus.

[2] When the consul came to Chalcis, the gates were open to receive him: for Aristoteles, who commanded for the king, on hearing of his approach, had withdrawn from the city.

[3] The rest of the cities of Eubœa also submitted without opposition; and peace being restored all over the island within the space of a few days, without inflicting punishment on any city, the army, which had acquired much higher praise for moderation after victory, than even for the victory itself, was led back to Thermopylae.

[4] From this place, the consul despatched Marcus Cato to Rome, that through him the senate and people might learn what had been achieved from unquestionable authority.

[5] He set sail from Creusa, a sea-port belonging to the Thespians, seated at the bottom of the Corinthian Gulf, and steered to Patrae, in Achaia. From Patrae, he coasted along the shores of Aetolia and Acarnania, as far as Corcyra, and thence he passed over to Hydruntum, in Italy.

[6] Proceeding hence, with rapid expedition, by land, he arrived on the fifth day at Rome. Having come into the city before day, he went on directly from the gate to Marcus Junius, the praetor, who, at the first dawn, assembled the senate.

[7] Here, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, who had been despatched by the consul several days before Cato, and on his arrival had heard that the latter had outstripped him, and was then in the senate, came in, just as he was giving a recital of the transactions.

[8] The two lieutenant-generals were then, by order of the senate, conducted to the assembly of the people, where they gave the same account, as in the senate, of the services performed in Aetolia.

[9] Hereupon a supplication of three days' continuance was decreed, and that the praetor should offer sacrifice to such of the gods as his judgment should direct, with forty victims of the larger kinds.

[10] About the same time, Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, who, two years before, had gone into Farther Spain, in the office of praetor, entered the city in ovation.

[11] He carried in the procession a hundred and thirty thousand silver denarii, ¹ and besides the coin, twelve thousand pounds' weight of silver, and a hundred and twenty-seven pounds' weight of gold.

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.) — 36.21 focus

[1]

Just before the consul's arrival Antiochus left Chalcis and directed his course first to Tenos and from there to Ephesus.

[2] As the consul drew near to Chalcis the king's commandant, Aristoteles, left the city and the gates were thrown open to the consul.

[3] All the other cities in Euboea were delivered up without any fighting, and in a few days peace was established everywhere in the island and the army returned to Thermopylae without injuring a single city.

[4] This moderation displayed after the victory was much more deserving of praise than even the victory itself. In order that the senate and people might receive an authoritative report of the operations the consul sent M. Cato to Rome.

[5] He set sail from Creusa, the emporium of Thespia, situated in the innermost part of the Gulf of Corinth, and made for Patrae in Achaia; from Patrae he went on to Corcyra, skirting the shores of Aetolia and Acarnania, and so made his passage to Hydruntum in Italy.

[6] From there he journeyed by land, and by rapid travelling reached Rome in five days.

[7] Entering the City before it was light he went straight to the praetor, M. Junius, who summoned a meeting of the senate at daybreak. L. Cornelius Scipio had been sent on by the consul some days previously, and on his arrival found that Cato had outstripped him.

[8] He went into the senate house while Cato was making his report and the two generals were conducted by order of the senate to the Assembly, where they gave the same details of the Aetolian campaign as had been given to the senate.

[9] A decree was made that there should be thanksgivings for three days, and the praetor was to sacrifice forty full-grown victims to such of the gods as he thought fit.

[10] M. Fulvius Nobilior, who had gone to Spain as praetor two years previously, entered the City about this time in ovation.

[11] He had carried before him 130,000 silver denarii and 12,000 pounds of other silver, as well as 127 pounds of gold.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. In the light of the narrative that has just preceded the leisurely progress of the consul after the battle is hard to explain or defend. A more relentless pursuit by the cavalry, reinforced with light infantry, and liaison with the fleet of Atilius, which was operating off the eastern coast, might easily have resulted in the capture of the king and the final termination of the war. Instead of following the coast route after the battle, Glabrio marched well inland, with no apparent motive, and the time he thus consumed (note especially per omnes dies in xx. 1 above) gave the king the opportunity to reach Chalcis, reorganize the remnant of his forces, and make good his escape. We should remember that communications were slow and uncertain for both sides and information scanty and unreliable. It should also be pointed out that Livy shows no sign that he considers Acilius delinquent in any way, and there is no mention of any criticism on this ground a year later, when he was sharply criticized for other things (XXXVII. lvii. 10-15).

2. B.C. 191

3. These details might almost have been taken from some eulogistic biography (or autobiography?) of Cato: cf. the note to XXXIV. xxi. 8. The account in Plutarch ( Cato xiv) differs in several respects. According to it Cato was sent immediately after the battle, that he might be the first to report his own achievements; the route was different but the five-day land journey is the same; there is no mention of Scipio.

4. Scipio had been defeated in the consular election for this year (XXXV. xxiv. 4) but was elected for the following year (xlv. 9 below). There is no other reference to his presence in Greece, and Livy may have confused his visit to Rome with one of Publius Scipio to announce a victory in Gaul (xxxix. 4 below).

5. For his appointment to Spain see XXXIV. Iv. 6; cf. also xxxix. 1 below.

6. B.C. 191

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 36.21

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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