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), 36.40

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Section

← Previous Next →

[1] To this the consul replied that the Ligures had not been allotted to him as his province, that he had not waged war with the Ligures, that he was not asking for a triumph over them;

[2] he felt sure that in a short time Quintus Minucius, having conquered them, would ask and receive a well-earned triumph;

[3] he was asking for a triumph over the Gallic Boii, whom he had defeated in battle, whom he had stripped of their camp, whose entire population he had, two days after the battle, received in surrender, from whom he had taken hostages as a guarantee of future peace.

[4] But this, as a matter of fact, was of far greater importance —that he had slain a greater number of thousands of Gauls in battle¹ than any commander before him had ever fought with, at least so far as the Boii were concerned.²

[5] More than half of their fifty thousand men were killed,³ many thousands captured; old men and boys only were now left to the Boii.

[6] Could anyone then wonder why a victorious army, since it left no enemy in the province, should come to Rome to celebrate the triumph of the consul?

[7] If the senate wished to use the assistance of these soldiers in another province also, in which way, pray, would it believe them to be more ready to meet another danger and new toil, if without any objection the reward had been paid them for their previous danger and toil, or if they sent them away with hope in place of reality, when they had once been deceived as to their original expectation?

[8] So far as he personally was concerned, he had won sufficient glory for his whole life on that day when the senate had judged him the best man and sent him to receive the Idaean Mother.⁴

[9] From that one inscription, even if no consulship or triumph were added, the imago⁵ of Publius Scipio Nasica would have enough of honour and regard.

[10] The entire senate of its own accord not only agreed to vote the triumph but by its influence compelled the tribune to withdraw his veto. Publius Cornelius while consul triumphed over the Boii.

[11] In that triumph he transported in Gallic carts arms and standards and spoils of every description and Gallic vases of bronze, and along with prisoners of high rank a herd of captured⁶ horses. He carried also golden necklaces to the number of one thousand four hundred and seventy-one, and besides he had two hundred and forty-seven pounds of gold, of

[12] silver, unwrought and wrought in Gallic vases, not unskilfully, in their manner, two thousand three hundred and forty pounds, of coins stamped with the two-horse chariot, two hundred and thirty-four thousand.⁷ To the soldiers who followed his car he gave one hundred and twenty-five asses to each infantryman, twice that sum to each centurion and thrice to each cavalryman.

[13] The next day he called an assembly, and when he had spoken of his achievements and of the injury done by

[14] the tribune who tried to entangle him in another's war, in order to cheat him of the fruits of his victory, he absolved his soldiers of their oaths and discharged them.

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.) — 36.40 focus

[1] ad ea consul neque se Ligures provinciam sortitum esse ait, neque cum Liguribus bellum gessisse, neque triumphum de iis postulare;

[2] Q. Minucium confidere brevi subactis iis meritum triumphum postulaturum atque impetraturum esse;

[3] se de Gallis Bois postulare triumphum, quos acie vicerit, castris exuerit, quorum gentem biduo post pugnam totam acceperit in deditionem, a quibus obsides abduxerit, pacis futurae pignus.

[4] verum enimvero illud multo maius esse, quod tantum numerum Gallorum occiderit in acie, quoi quot cum milibus certe Boiorum nemo ante se imperator pugnaverit.

[5] plus partem dimidiam ex quinquaginta milibus hominum caesam, multa milia capta; senes puerosque Bois superesse.

[6] itaque id quemquam mirari posse, cur victor exercitus, cum hostem in provincia neminem reliquisset, Romam venerit ad celebrandum consulis triumphum?

[7] quorum militum si et in alia provincia opera uti senatus velit, utro tandem modo promptiores ad aliud periculum novumque laborem ituros credat, si persoluta eis sine detractatione prioris periculi laborisque merces sit, an si spem pro re ferentis dimittant, iam semel in prima spe deceptos?

[8] nam quod ad se attineat, sibi gloriae in omnem vitam illo die satis quaesitum esse, quo se virum optimum iudicatum ad accipiendam matrem Idaeam misisset senatus.

[9] hoc titulo, etsi nec consulatus nec triumphus addatur, satis honestam honoratamque P. Scipionis Nasicae imaginem fore.

[10] universus senatus non ipse modo ad decernendum triumphum consensit, sed etiam tribunum plebis auctoritate sua compulit ad remittendam intercessionem.

[11] P. Cornelius consul triumphavit de Bois. in eo triumpho Gallicis carpentis arma signaque et spolia omnis generis travexit et vasa aenea Gallica et cum captivis nobilibus equorum quoque captorum gregem traduxit.

[12] aureos torques transtulit mille quadringentos septuaginta unum, ad hoc auri pondo ducenta quadraginta septem, argenti infecti factique in Gallicis vasis, non infabre suo more factis, duo milia trecenta quadraginta pondo,

[13] bigatorum nummorum ducenta triginta quattuor. militibus, qui currum secuti sunt, centenos vicenos quinos asses divisit, duplex centurioni, triplex equiti.

[14] postero die contione advocata de rebus ab se gestis et de iniuria tribuni bello alieno se illigantis, ut suae victoriae fructu se fraudaret, cum disseruisset, milites exauctoratos dimisit.

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).) — 30.40 focus

[1]

legati ex Africa Romani simul Carthaginiensesque cum venissent Romam, senatus ad aedem Bellonae habitus est.

[2] ubi¹ cum L. Veturius Philo pugnatum cum Hannibale esse suprema Carthaginiensibus pugna finemque tandem lugubri bello inpositum ² ingenti laetitia patrum exposuisset,

[3] adiecit Verminam etiam Syphacis filium, quae parva bene gestae rei accessio erat, devictum. In contionem inde ³ prodire iussus gaudiumque id populo inpertire.

[4] tum patefacta ⁴ gratulationi ⁵ omnia in urbe templa supplicationesque in triduum decretae. legatis Carthaginiensium et Philippi regis nam hi ⁶ quoque venerant—petentibus ut senatus sibi daretur responsum iussu patrum ab dictatore est consules novos iis senatum daturos esse.

comitia inde habita.

[5] creati consules Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, P. Aelius Paetus; praetores M. Iunius Pennus, cui sors urbana evenit, M. Valerius Falto Bruttios, M. Fabius Buteo Sardiniam, P. Aelius Tubero Siciliam est sortitus.

[6] De provinciis consulum nihil ante placebat agi quam legati Philippi regis et Carthaginiensium auditi essent; belli finem alterius, alterius principium prospiciebant animis.

[7] Cn . Lentulus consul cupiditate flagrabat provinciae Africae, seu bellum foret, facilem ⁷ victoriam, ⁸ seu iam finiretur, finiti tanti belli se ⁹ consule gloriam petens.

[8] negare itaque prius quicquam agi passurum quam sibi provincia ¹⁰ Africa decreta esset, concedente conlega, moderato viro et prudenti, qui gloriae eius ¹¹ certamen cum Scipione, praeterquam quod iniquum esset, etiam inpar futurum cernebat.

[9] Q. Minucius Thermus et M'. Acilius Glabrio tribuni plebis rem priore anno ¹² nequiquam temptatam ab Ti. Claudio consule Cn. Cornelium temptare aiebant;

[10] ex auctoritate patrum latum ad populum esse cuius vellent imperium in Africa esse; omnes quinque et triginta tribus P. Scipioni id imperium decrevisse. ¹³

[11] multis contentionibus et in senatu et ad populum acta res postremo eo deducta est ut senatui permitterent.

[12] patres igitur iurati—ita enim convenerat—censuerunt uti consules provincias inter se conpararent sortirenturve uter Italiam, uter classem navium quinquaginta haberet; cui classis obvenisset in Siciliam navigaret;

[13] si pax cum Carthaginiensibus componi nequisset, in Africam traiceret; consul mari, Scipio eodem quo adhuc iure imperii terra rem gereret;

[14] si condiciones convenirent pacis, tribuni plebis populum rogarent utrum consulem an P. Scipionem iuberent pacem dare, et quem, si deportandus exercitus victor ex Africa esset, deportare;

[15] si pacem per P. Scipionem dari atque ab eodem exercitum deportari iussissent, ne consul ex Sicilia in Africam traiceret.

[16] alter consul, cui Italia evenisset, duas legiones a M. Sextio ¹⁴ praetore acciperet.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 36.40 focus

[1]

ad ea consul neque se Ligures provinciam sortitum esse ait, neque cum Liguribus bellum gessisse, neque triumphum de iis postulare;

[2] Q. Minucium confidere brevi subactis iis meritum triumphum postulaturum atque impetraturum esse:

[3] se de Gallis Bois postulare triumphum, quos acie vicerit, castris exuerit, quorum gentem biduo post pugnam totam acceperit in deditionem, a quibus obsides abduxerit, pacis futurae pignus.

[4] verum enimvero illud ¹ multo maius esse, quod tantum numerum Gallorum occiderit in acie, quot cum milibus certe Boiorum nemo ante se imperator pugnaverit.

[5] plus partem dimidiam ex quinquaginta milibus hominum caesam, multa milia capta; senes puerosque Bois superesse.

[6] itaque id quemquam mirari posse, cur victor exercitus, cum hostem in provincia neminem reliquisset, Romam venerit ad celebrandum consulis triumphum?

[8] nam quod ad se attineat, sibi gloriae in omnem vitam illo die satis quaesitum esse, quo se virum optimum iudicatum ad accipiendam matrem Idaeam misisset senatus.

[9] hoc titulo, etsi nec consulatus nec triumphus addatur, satis honestam honoratamque ² P. Scipionis Nasicae imaginem fore.

[10] universus senatus non ipse modo ad decernendum triumphum consensit, sed etiam tribunum plebis auctoritate sua compulit ad remittendam intercessionem.

[13] militibus, qui currum secuti sunt, centenos vicenos quinos asses divisit, duplex centurioni, triplex equiti.

[14] postero die contione advocata de rebus ab se gestis et de iniuria tribuni bello alieno se illigantis, ut suae victoriae fructu se fraudaret, cum disseruisset, milites exauctoratos dimisit.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 36.40 focus

[1]

To this the consul answered, that

neither had the province of Liguria fallen to his lot, nor had he waged war with the Ligurians, nor did he demand a triumph over them.

[2]

He confidently hoped, that in a short time Quintus Minucius, after completing their reduction, would demand and obtain a well-deserved triumph.

[3]

For his part, he demanded a triumph over the Boian Gauls, whom he had conquered in battle and had driven out of their camp; of whose whole nation he had received an absolute submission within two days after the fight; and from whom he had brought home hostages to secure peace in future.

[4]

But there was another circumstance, of much greater magnitude: he had slain in battle so great a number of Gauls, that no commander, before him, ever met in the field so many thousands, at least of the Boians.

[5]

Out of fifty thousand men, more than one-half were killed, and many thousands made prisoners; so that the Boians had now remaining only old men and boys.

[6]

Could it, then, be a matter of surprise to any one, that a victorious army, which had not left one enemy in the province, should come to Rome to attend the triumph of their consul?

[7]

And if the senate should choose to employ the services of these troops in another province also, which of the two kinds of treatment could it be supposed would make them enter on a new course of danger and another laborious enterprise with the greater alacrity; the paying them the reward of their former toils and dangers without defalcation; or, the sending them away, with the prospect, instead of the reality, when they had once been disappointed in their first expectation?

[8]

As to what concerned himself personally, he had acquired a stock of glory sufficient for his whole life, on that day, when the senate adjudged him to be the best man (in the state), and commissioned him to give a reception to the Idaean Mother.

[9]

With this inscription (though neither consulship nor triumph were added) the statue of Publius Scipio Nasica would be sufficiently honoured and dignified.

[10] The unanimous senate not only gave their vote for the triumph, but by their influence prevailed on the tribune to desist from his protest. Publius Cornelius, the consul, triumphed over the Boians.

[11] In this procession he carried, on Gallic waggons, arms, standards, and spoils of all sorts; the brazen utensils of the Gauls; and, together with the prisoners of distinction, he led a train of captured horses.

[12] He deposited in the treasury a thousand four hundred and seventy golden chains; and besides these, two hundred and forty-five pounds' weight of gold; two thousand three hundred and forty pounds' weight of silver, some unwrought, and some formed in vessels of the Gallic fashion, not without beauty; and two hundred and thirty-four thousand denarii. ¹ To the soldiers, who followed his chariot, he distributed three hundred and twenty-five asses² each, double to a centurion, triple to a horseman.

[13] Next day, he summoned an assembly, and after expatiating on his own services, and the ill-treatment shown him by the tribune who wanted to

[14] entangle him in a war which did not belong to him, in order to defraud him of the fruits of his success, he absolved the soldiers of their oath, and discharged them.

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.) — 36.40 focus

[1]

The consul in his reply reminded the tribune that he did not receive Liguria as his province nor was it with the Ligurians that he had been at war, nor was it

[2] over the Ligurians that he asked for a triumph.

[3] Q. Minucius would, he felt quite sure, soon subjugate them, and then he would ask for a triumph and it would be granted him because it would be well deserved.

[4] He (the speaker) was asking for a triumph over the Boii after defeating them in battle, depriving them of their camp, receiving the submission of the entire nation two days after the battle, and bringing away a number of hostages as a guarantee of peace for the future.

[5] But a much stronger reason for his request being granted was the fact that the number of Gauls killed amounted to more than all the thousands of Boii, to say the least, with which any Roman general before his time had ever fought.

[6] Out of 50,000 men more than half had fallen, many thousands had been made prisoners, only old men and boys were left among the Boii.

[7] Could then anyone wonder why the victorious army after leaving not a single active enemy in the province had come to Rome to grace the consul's triumph? "If," he continued, "the senate wishes to employ these soldiers in another field, in what way do you think they will be made more ready to face fresh toils and dangers?

[8] By recompensing them in full for the perils and labours they have already undergone, or by sending them off with expectations instead of rewards after they have been cheated of the hopes already formed? As for myself, I had glory enough to last my lifetime on the day when the senate judged me to be the best and worthiest in the commonwealth and sent me to receive Mater Idaea.

[9] The bust of P. Scipio Nasica will be sufficiently honoured by bearing that record inscribed upon it though neither consulship nor triumph were added."

[10] Not only were the senate unanimous in decreeing a triumph, but the tribune bowed to their authority and withdrew his opposition.

[11] So the consul P. Cornelius triumphed over the Boii. In the triumphal procession armour, weapons, standards and booty of all descriptions, including bronze vases, were carried in Gaulish wagons. There were also borne in the procession 1471 golden torques, 247 pounds of gold, 2340 pounds of silver, partly in bars, partly wrought, not inartistically, into native vessels, and 23,400 silver denarii.

[12] To each of the soldiers who marched behind his chariot he gave as largesse 125 ases, twice as much to each centurion, and three times as much to each of the horsemen.

[13] The next day the Assembly met, and in his speech he gave an account of his campaign and dwelt on the injustice of their tribune in trying to involve him in a war which was outside his province, and so rob him of the fruits of the victory which he had won.

[14] At the close of his speech he released his men from their military oath and discharged them.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 191

2. If the text is sound, it means that more Gauls had fallen in this battle than the Boi had ever been able to put in the field in previous engagements.

3. Cf. xxxviii. 6 above.

4. Cf. xxxvi. 3 above and the note.

5. A Roman house had a special room set aside for the imagines or masks of distinguished ancestors. To each was attached a tablet ( titulus) listing the offices each man had held and the other honours he had won.

6. B.C. 191

7. This is said to be the first Gallic triumph in which no copper coins were displayed: cf. XXXIII. xxxvii. 11.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 36.40

Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Perseus

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers