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), 38.29

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[1] Nor was any measure overlooked by the Sameans by which either the works or the enemy could be interfered with.

[2] Nevertheless, their resistance depended mainly upon two things; first, the construction of a new wall, equally strong throughout,¹ on the inner side and in place of the wall that was destroyed; second, their sudden sallies, now against the enemy's siegeworks, now against his outguards; and generally in these battles they had the advantage.

[3] One device was found to hold them in check, though trivial to mention.

[4] A hundred slingers were recruited from Aegium and Patrae and Dymae. These peoples were trained from boyhood, in accordance with a tradition of the race, in hurling with a sling at the open sea the round stones which, mingled with the sand, generally strew the coasts.

[5] In consequence they use this weapon at longer range, with greater accuracy and with more powerful effect than the Balearic slinger.

[6] Moreover, the sling is not composed of a single strap, like those of the Baleares and other peoples, but the bullet-carrier is triple, strengthened with numerous seams, that the missile may not fly out at random, from the pliancy of the strap at the moment of discharge, but, seated firmly while being whirled, may be shot out as if from a bow-string.²

[7] Having been trained to shoot through rings of moderate circumference from long distances, they would wound not merely the heads of their enemies but any part of the face at which they might have aimed.

[8] These slings prevented the Sameans from making sallies so frequently or so boldly, to such an extent that from the walls they begged the Achaeans³ to withdraw for a while and in quiet to watch them fighting with the Roman outguards.

[9] For four months Same underwent the siege. Since every day some of their small number were killed or wounded and those who remained were wearied in both body and mind, the Romans at night, by way⁴ of the citadel which they call Cyneatis —for

[10] the city slopes towards the sea and faces west —crossed the wall and entered the market-place. When the Sameans realized that part of the city had been captured by the enemy, they took refuge with their wives and children in the larger citadel.

[11] Then the next day the city was plundered and all who had surrendered were sold as slaves.

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.) — 38.29 focus

[1] nec ab Samaeis quicquam, quo aut opera aut hostis arceri posset, praetermissum est.

[2] duabus tamen maxime resistebant rebus, una, interiorem semper iuxta validum pro diruto novum obstruentes murum, altera, eruptionibus subitis nunc in opera hostium, nunc in stationes; et plerumque his proeliis superiores erant.

[3] una ad coercendos inventa, baud haud magna memoratu, res est.

[4] centum funditores ab Aegio et Patris et Dymis acciti. a pueris ii more quodam gentis saxis globosis, quibus ferme harenae immixtis strata litora sunt, funda mare apertur apertum incessentes exercebantur.

[5] itaque longius certiusque et validiore ictu quam Baliaris funditor eo telo usi sunt.

[6] et est non simplicis habenae, ut Baliarica aliarumque gentium funda, sed triplex scutale, crebris suturis duratum, ne fluxa habena volutetur in iactu glans, sed librata cum sederit, velut nervo missa excutiatur.

[7] coronas modici circuli magno ex intervallo loci adsueti traicere non capita solum hostium vulnerabant, sed quem locum destinassent oris.

[8] hae fundae Samaeos cohibuerunt, ne tam crebro neve tam audacter erumperent, adeo ut precarentur ex muris Achaeos, ut parumper abscederent et se cum Romanis stationibus pugnantis quiete spectarent.

[9] quattuor menses obsidionem Same sustinuit. cum ex paucis cotidie aliqui eorum caderent aut vulnerarentur, et qui supererant fessi et corporibus et animis essent,

[10] Romani nocte per arcem, quam † Cyneatidem vocant — nam urbs in mare devexa in occidentem vergit — , muro superato in forum pervenerunt.

[11] Samaei postquam captam partem urbis ab hostibus senserunt, cum coniugibus ac liberis in maiorem refugerunt arcem. inde postero die dediti direpta urbe sub corona omnes venierunt.

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).) — 43.23 focus

[1]

Rex cum non ¹ minore vexatione iumentorum hominumque quam venerat in Macedoniam rediit; Appium tamen ab obsidione Phanotes fama ducentis ad Stratum Persei summovit.

[2] Cleuas cum praesidio impigrorum iuvenum insecutus sub radicibus prope inviis montium ² ad mille hominum ex agmine impedito occidit, ad ducentos cepit.

[3] Appius superatis angustiis in campo quem Meleona vocant stativa dierum paucorum habuit. interim Cleuas assumpto Philostrato, qui quingentos ex ³ Epirotarum gente habebat, in agrum Antigonensem transcendit. ⁴ Macedones ad depopulationem profecti;

[4] Philostratus⁵ cum cohorte sua in insidiis loco ⁶ obscuro consedit. in palatos populatores cum erupissent ab Antigonea armati, ⁷ fugientes eos persequentes effusius in vallem insessam ab hostibus praecipitant.

[5] ibi ad mille ⁸ occisis, centum ferme captis, et ubique prospere gesta re prope stativa Appi castra movent, ne qua vis sociis suis ab Romano exercitu inferri possit.

[6] Appius nequiquam in his locis terens tempus, dimissis Chaonum Thesprotorumque ⁹ et si qui alii Epirotae erant praesidiis, cum Italicis militibus in Illyricum regressus, per Parthinorum ¹⁰ socias urbes in hiberna militibus divisis, ¹¹ ipse Romam sacrificii causa redit.

[7] Perseus ex Penestarum gente mille pedites, ducentos equites revocatos Cassandream, praesidio ut essent, misit.

[8] Ab Gentio eadem adferentes redierunt. nec deinde alios atque alios mittendo temptare eum destitit, cum appareret, quantum in eo praesidii esset, nec tamen impetrare ab animo posset, ut impensam in rem maximi ad omnia momenti faceret.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 38.29 focus

[1]

nec ab Samaeis quicquam, quo aut opera aut hostis arceri posset, praetermissum est. duabus tamen maxime resistebant rebus,

[2] una, interiorem semper iuxta validum pro diruto novum obstruentes murum, altera, eruptionibus subitis nunc in opera hostium, nunc in stationes; et plerumque his proeliis superiores erant.

[3] una ad coercendos inventa haud magna memoratu res est.

[4] centum funditores ab Aegio et Patris et Dymis acciti. a pueris ii more quodam gentis saxis globosis, quibus ferme harenae immixtis strata litora sunt, funda mare apertum incessentes exercebantur.

[5] itaque longius certiore et validiore ictu quam Baliaris funditor eo telo usi sunt.

[6] et est non simplicis habenae, ut ¹ Baliarica aliarumque gentium funda, sed triplex scutale, crebris suturis duratum, ne fluxa habena volutetur in iactu glans, sed librata cum sederit, velut nervo missa excutiatur.

[7] coronas modici circuli magno ex intervallo loci adsueti traicere non capita solum hostium vulnerabant, sed quem locum destinassent oris.

[9] quattuor menses obsidionem Same sustinuit. cum ex paucis cotidie aliqui eorum caderent aut vulnerarentur, et qui supererant fessi et corporibus et animis essent,

[10] Romani nocte per arcem, quam Cyatidem vocant — nam urbs in mare devexa ² in occidentem vergit —, muro superato in forum pervenerunt.

[11] Samaei postquam captam partem urbis ab hostibus senserunt, cum coniugibus ac liberis in maiorem refugerunt arcem. inde postero die dediti direpta urbe sub corona omnes venierunt.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 38.29 focus

[1]

The townsmen omitted nothing by which the works or the motions of the besiegers could be obstructed.

[2] But they resisted in two ways in particular; one of which was to raise constantly, instead of the part of the wall knocked down, a new wall of equal strength on the inside; and the other was to make sudden sallies, at one time against the enemy's works, at another against his advanced guards; and in those attacks, they generally got the better.

[3] The only plan that was invented to confine them within the walls, though ineffectual, deserves to be recorded.

[4] One hundred slingers were brought from Aegium, Patrae, and Dymae. These men, according to the customary practice of that nation, were exercised from their childhood in throwing with a sling, into the open sea, the round pebbles, with which, mixed with sand, the shores were generally strewn;

[5] therefore they cast weapons of that sort to a greater distance, with surer aim, and more powerful effect, than even the Balearian slingers.

[6] Besides, their sling does not consist merely of a single strap, like the Balearic and that of other nations, but the thong of the sling is three-fold, and made firm by several seams, that the bullet may not, by the yielding of the strap in the act of throwing, be let fly at

[7] random, but after sticking fast while whirled about, it may be discharged as if sent from the string of a bow.

[8] Being accustomed to drive their bullets through circular marks of small circumference, placed at a great distance, they not only hit the enemy's heads, but any part of their face that they aimed at. These slings checked the Samaeans from sallying either so frequently or so boldly; insomuch that they would, sometimes, from the walls, beseech the Achaeans to retire for a while, and be quiet spectators of their fight with the Roman guards.

[9] Same supported a siege of four months. When some of their small number were daily killed or wounded, and the survivors were, through continual fatigues, greatly reduced both in strength

[10] and spirits, the Romans, one night scaling the wall of the citadel, which they call Cyatides, (for the city sloping towards the sea verges towards the west,) made their way into the forum.

[11] The Samaeans, on discovering that a part of the city was taken, fled, with their wives and children, into the greater citadel; but submitting next day, they were all sold as slaves, their city being plundered.

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.) — 38.29 focus

[1]

Nothing was left undone by the Samaeans in the way of defence against siege-works or assaults. Their method of resistance was mainly two-fold.

[2] On the one hand, where the wall was destroyed they always built a strong one inside close to it, and on the other they made sudden sorties, at one time against the siege-works, at another against the outposts. In these actions they generally proved superior.

[3] One method was discovered of keeping them back; a simple one, but worth mentioning.

[4] A hundred slingers were sent for from Aegium, Patrae and Dymae. These men had been in the habit, as their fathers had before them, of practicing with their slings, with which they used to hurl into the sea the round stones lying on the beach.

[5] In this way they gained a more accurate and longer range than the Baliaric slingers. Their slings, too, were not made of a single strap, like those of the Baliarics and other nations, but they consisted of three thongs, stiffened by beings sewn together.

[6] This prevented the bullet from flying off at random when the thong was let go; when fixed in the sling it could be so whirled round as to fly out as though from the string of a bow.

[7] They used to send their stones through rings at a great distance, as targets, and were thus able to hit not only the head but whatever part of the face they aimed at.

[8] These slings kept the Samaeans from making such frequent or such daring sorties; so much so in fact that they called to the Achaeans from their walls and begged them to retire for a time and remain quiet spectators while they fought with the Roman outposts.

[9] Same sustained a siege of four months. Day by day some of their scanty numbers fell or were wounded, and the survivors became exhausted in mind and body.

[10] At last the Romans surmounted the wall and forced their way through the citadel which they call the Cyatis-the city extends on the west down to the sea-and appeared in the forum. When the Samaeans found that the city was partly captured by the enemy they took refuge in the larger citadel with their wives and children.

[11] The next day they surrendered; the city was sacked, and the whole of its population sold into slavery.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 189

2. The corresponding passage in Polybius is lost, and the source of this description is uncertain. A somewhat similar account is found in XLII. lxv. 10, but it does not seem from either that Livy entirely understood what he was describing.

3. i.e. the slingers.

4. B.C. 189

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 38.29

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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