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), 36.5

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Section

← Previous Next →

[1] While this was going on at Rome, Antiochus at Chalcis, not to waste the winter in idleness,¹ sometimes was himself stirring up the minds of the states by sending embassies, sometimes was receiving delegations voluntarily sent to him, as, for instance, the Epirotes, who came with the unanimous approval of the people, and the men of Elis from the Peloponnesus.

[2] The Elei were asking aid against the Achaeans, who, they thought, would attack their city first after declaring a war on Antiochus of which the Elei disapproved.²

[3] A thousand infantry were sent to them under command of Euphanes the Cretan. The embassy of the Epirotes showed no outspoken and plain inclination to either side; they were trying to curry favour with the king, meanwhile avoiding giving any offence to the Romans.

[4] For they asked that he should not heedlessly involve them in the affair,³ being placed face to face with Italy, in the forefront of Greece and fated to receive the first attacks of the Romans.

[5] But if he himself could stand guard over Epirus with his armies and fleets, all the Epirotes would eagerly receive him in cities and harbours alike; if he could not, they begged that he should not make them, naked and⁴ unarmed, bear the brunt of the Roman war.

[6] It was clear that the object of the embassy was that either, if, as they rather believed, he kept away from Epirus, they might not be committed to anything in the eyes of the Roman armies, though they had well established their position with the king, since they had been ready to receive him if he

[7] came, or, if he did come, that thus there would be the hope of pardon from the Romans because, not expecting from them aid which was so far away, they had yielded to the might of the king who was so close at hand.⁵

[8] Since there was no sufficiently obvious reply to such an equivocal proposal, he said that he would send ambassadors to them to confer with them concerning the questions which pertained to them and himself alike.

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.) — 36.5 focus

[1] cum haec Romae agebantur, Chalcide Antiochus, ne cessaret per hibernorum tempus, partim ipse sollicitabat civitatium animos mittendis legatis, partim ultro ad eum veniebant, sicut Epirotae communi gentis consensu et Elei e Peloponneso venerunt.

[2] Elei auxilium adversus Achaeos petebant, quos post bellum non ex sua sententia indictum Antiocho primum civitati suae arma illaturos credebant.

[3] mille iis pedites cum duce Cretensi Euphane sunt missi. Epirotarum legatio erat minime in partem ullam liberi aut simplicis animi; apud regem gratiam initam volebant cum eo, ut caverent, ne quid offenderent Romanos.

[4] petebant enim, ne se temere in causam deduceret, expositos adversus Italiam pro omni Graecia et primos impetus Romanorum excepturos;

[5] sed si ipse posset terrestribus navalibusque copiis praesidere Epiro, cupide eum omnis Epirotas et urbibus et portibus suis accepturos; si id non posset, deprecari, ne se nudos atque inermes Romano bello obiceret.

[6] hac legatione id agi apparebat, ut sive, quod magis credebant, abstinuisset Epiro, integra sibi omnia apud exercitus Romanos essent, conciliata satis apud regem gratia,

[7] quod accepturi fuissent venientem, sive venisset, sic quoque spes veniae ab Romanis foret, quod non expectato longinquo ab se auxilio praesentis viribus succubuissent.

[8] huic tam perplexae legationi quia non satis in promptu erat, quid responderet, legatos se missurum ad eos dixit, qui de iis, quae ad illos seque communiter pertinerent, loquerentur.

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).) — 30.5 focus

[1]

his praeparatis advocatoque consilio et dicere exploratoribus iussis quae conperta adferrent Masinissaque, cui omnia hostium nota erant, postremo ipse quid pararet in proximam noctem proponit;

[2] tribunis edicit ut, ubi praetorio dimisso signa concinuissent, extemplo educerent castris legiones.

[3] ita ut imperaverat signa sub occasum solis efferri sunt coepta. ad primam ferme vigiliam agmen explicaverunt; media nocte—septem enim milia itineris erant —modico gradu ad castra hostium perventum est.

[4] Ibi¹ Scipio partem copiarum Laelio Masinissamque ac Numidas adtribuit et castra Syphacis invadere ignesque conicere iubet.

[5] singulos deinde separatim Laelium ac Masinissam seductos ² obtestatur ut, quantum nox providentiae adimat, tantum diligentia ³ expleant curaque:

[6] se Hasdrubalem Punicaque castra adgressurum; ceterum non ante coepturum quam ignem in regiis castris conspexisset.

[7] neque ea res morata diu est; nam ut primis ⁴ casis iniectus ignis haesit, extemplo proxima quaeque et deinceps continua amplexus ⁵ totis se passim dissipavit ⁶ castris.

[8] et trepidatio quidem, quantam ⁷ necesse erat in nocturno effuso tam late incendio, orta est; ceterum fortuitum, non hostilem ac bellicum ignem rati esse, sine armis ad restinguendum incendium effusi in armatos incidere hostes,

[9] maxime Numidas ab Masinissa notitia regiorum castrorum ad exitus itinerum idoneis locis dispositos.

[10] multos⁸ in ipsis cubilibus semisomnos hausit flamma; multi ⁹ praecipiti fuga ruentes super alios alii in angustiis portarum obtriti sunt.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 36.5 focus

[1]

cum haec Romae agebantur, Chalcide Antiochus, ne cessaret per hibernorum tempus, partim ipse sollicitabat civitatium animos mittendis legatis, partim ultro ad eum veniebant, sicut Epirotae communi gentis consensu et Elei e Peloponneso venerunt.

[2] Elei auxilium adversus Achaeos petebant, quos post bellum non ex sua sententia indictum Antiocho primum civitati suae arma illaturos credebant.

[4] petebant enim, ne se temere in causam deduceret, expositos ¹ adversus Italiam pro omni Graecia et primos impetus Romanorum excepturos;

[6] hac legatione id agi apparebat, ut sive, quod magis credebant, abstinuisset Epiro, integra sibi omnia apud exercitus Romanos essent, conciliata satis apud regem gratia,

[7] quod accepturi fuissent venientem, sive venisset, sic quoque spes veniae ab Romanis foret, quod non expectato longinquo ab se auxilio praesentis viribus succubuissent.

[8] huic tam perplexae legationi quia non satis in promptu erat, quid responderet, legatos se missurum ad eos dixit, qui de iis, quae ad illos seque communiter pertinerent, loquerentur.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 36.5 focus

[1]

While these things were occurring at Rome, Antiochus, during the winter season at Chalcis, endeavoured to bring over several of the states by ambassadors sent among them; while many of their own accord sent deputies to him; as the Epirots, by the general voice of the nation, and the Eleans from Peloponnesus.

[2] The Eleans requested aid against the Achaeans; for they supposed, that, since the war had been declared against Antiochus contrary to their judgment, the Achaeans would first turn their arms against them.

[3] One thousand foot were sent to them, under the command of Euphanes, a Cretan. The embassy of the Epirots showed no mark whatever of a liberal or candid disposition. They wished to ingratiate themselves with the king; but, at the same time, to avoid giving cause of displeasure to the Romans.

[4] They requested him,

not hastily to make them a party in the dispute, exposed, as they were, opposite to Italy, and in the front of Greece, where they must necessarily undergo the first assaults of the Romans.

[5]

If he himself, with his land and sea forces, could take charge of Epirus, the inhabitants would eagerly receive him in all their ports and cities. But if circumstances allowed him not to do that, then they earnestly entreated him not to subject them, naked and defenceless, to the arms of the Romans.

[6] Their intention in sending him this message evidently was, that if he declined going into Epirus, which they rather supposed would be the case, they were not implicated with relation to the Roman armies, while they sufficiently recommended themselves to the king by their willingness to receive him on his coming;

[7] and that, on the other hand, if he should come, even then they would have hopes of being pardoned by the Romans, for having yielded to the strength of a prince who was present among them, without waiting for succour from them, who were so far distant.

[8] To this so evasive embassy, as he did not readily think of a proper answer, he replied, that he would send ambassadors to them to confer upon such matters as were of common concernment both to him and 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.) — 36.5 focus

[1]

During these proceedings in Rome Antiochus, who was at Chalcis, was not idle during the winter. Some of the Greek communities he endeavoured to win over by despatching embassies to them, others sent embassies spontaneously to him, as for instance the Epirots, in accordance with the general determination of their people, and also the Eleans from the Peloponnese.

[2] The Eleans sought his assistance against the Achaeans, who having declared war on Antiochus against their wish would, they expected, attack them first of all.

[3] A detachment of infantry 1000 strong was sent to them under the command of Euphanes, a Cretan. The deputation from Epirus showed a by no means honest and straightforward spirit to either side; they wanted to ingratiate themselves with Antiochus, but at the same time to give no offence to the Romans.

[4] They asked the king not to involve them in the war hastily, for from their position on the front of Greece facing Italy they would have to meet the first onslaught of the Romans.

[5] But if he could protect Epirus with his fleet and army all the Epirots would eagerly welcome him in their cities and harbours; if he was unable to do so, they begged him not to expose them unprotected and defenceless to the hostility of Rome. Their object was perfectly clear.

[6] If, as they were inclined to believe, he kept clear of Epirus, all would be safe so far as the Roman armies were concerned, whilst they would have secured the king's good graces by expressing their readiness to receive him, had he gone to them.

[7] If on the other hand he entered Epirus, they hoped that the Romans would pardon them for yielding to the superior strength of one who was on the spot, without waiting for succour from a distance.

[8] As Antiochus was at a loss what reply to make to this ambiguous plea, he said he would send envoys to them to discuss the matters which concerned him and them alike.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Livy now resumes the narrative of events in the east, interrupted at the end of Book XXXV. The winter referred to is that of 192- 191 B.C.

2. To judge by other casual references, such as Plutarch ( Cato xii) and the hints in XXXV. 1, Greece was in a state of great unrest at this time, although Livy minimizes the trouble.

3. Polybius (XX. iii.) is more explicit, defining causa as the war itself.

4. B.C. 191

5. One can hardly blame the Epirotes for trying to guard themselves against any contingency. Apollonia, the usual port of debarkation of the Romans, lay just to the north, and Roman armies would soon be passing through their country (we know little of the whereabouts of the army brought over by Baebius). On the other hand, if the strength of Antiochus in any degree equalled the large forces promised by him, he would probably not hesitate to cut loose from his bases and try to locate the theatre of operations on the west coast.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 36.5

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