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), 39.13

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[1] The woman, thinking without a doubt, as was indeed the fact, that Aebutius had revealed the secret, threw herself at the feet of Sulpicia, and at first began to plead with

[2] her not to try to turn the chatter of a freedwoman with her lover into something that was not merely serious but even fatal: she had spoken thus for the purpose of frightening¹ him, not because she knew anything.

[3] At this point Postumius, inflamed with wrath, said that she believed even then that she was jesting with her lover Aebutius, and not speaking in the house of a most respectable matron and in the presence of a consul. Sulpicia too lifted up the terror-stricken woman, and at the same time encouraged her and mollified the anger of her son-in-law.

[4] At length regaining her self-control, and complaining much of the treachery of Aebutius, who had returned such gratitude to one who deserved so well of him, she declared that she feared greatly the wrath of the

[5] gods whose hidden mysteries she was to reveal, but far more the wrath of the men who would, if she informed against them, with their own hands tear her limb from limb.

[6] Accordingly she begged Sulpicia and the consul that they would banish her somewhere outside Italy, where she could pass the rest of her life in safety.

[7] The consul bade her be of good cheer and assured her that it would be his responsibility to see that she could safely live in Rome. Then Hispala set forth the origin of the mysteries.

[8] At first, she said, it was a ritual for women,² and it was the custom that no man should be admitted to it. There had been three days appointed each year on which they held initiations into the Bacchic rites by day; it was the rule to choose the matrons in turn as priestesses.

[9] Paculla Annia, a Campanian, she said, when priestess, had changed all this as if by the advice of the gods; for she had been the first to initiate men, her sons, Minius and Herennius Cerrinius; she had held the rites by night and not by day, and instead of a mere three days a year she had established five days of initiation in every month.

[10] From the time that the rites were performed in common,³ men mingling with women and the freedom of darkness added, no form of crime, no sort of wrongdoing, was left untried. There were more lustful practices among men with one another than among women. If any of them were disinclined to endure abuse or reluctant to commit crime, they were sacrificed as victims.

[11] To consider nothing wrong, she continued, was the highest form of religious devotion among them. Men, as if insane, with fanatical tossings of their bodies, would utter prophecies.

[12] Matrons in the dress of Bacchantes, with dishevelled hair and carrying blazing torches, would run down to the Tiber, and plunging their torches in the water (because they contained live sulphur mixed with calcium) would bring them out still burning.⁴

[13] Men were alleged to have been carried off by the gods who had been bound to a machine and borne away out of sight to hidden caves: they were those who had refused either to conspire or to join in the crimes or to suffer abuse.

[14] Their number, she said, was very great, almost constituting a second state; among them were certain men and women of high rank. Within the last two years it had been ordained that no one beyond the age of twenty years should be initiated: boys of such age were sought for as admitted both vice and corruption.

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.) — 39.13 focus

[1] mulier haud dubie, id quod erat, Aebutium indicem arcani rata esse, ad pedes Sulpiciae procidit, et earn eam primo orare coepit,

[2] ne mulieris libertinae cum amatore sermonem in rem non seriam modo sed capitalem etiam verti vellet: se terrendi eius causa, non quod sciret quicquam, ea locutam esse.

[3] hic Postumius accensus ira turn tum quoque ait ear eam cum Aebutio se amatore cavillari credere, non in domo gravissimae feminae et cum consule loqui. et Sulpicia attollere paventem, simul illam adhortari, simul iram generi lenire.

[4] tandem confirmata, multum incusata perfidia Aebutii, qui optime de ipso meritae talem gratiam rettulisset,

[5] magnum sibi metum deorum, quorum occulta initia enuntiaret, maiorem multo dixit hominum esse qui se indicem manibus suis discerpturi essent.

[6] itaque hoc se Sulpiciam, hoc consulem orare, ut se extra Italiam aliquo ablegarent, ubi reliquum vitae degere tuto posset.

[7] bono animo esse iubere earn eam consul, et sibi curae fore dicere, ut Romae tuto habitaret.

[8] turn tum Hispala originem sacrorum expromit. primo sacrarium id feminarum fuisse, nec quemquam eo virum admitti solitum. tres in anno statos dies habuisse, quibus interdiu Bacchis initiarentur; sacerdotes in vice matronas creari solitas.

[9] Pacullam Anniam Campanam sacerdotem omnia, tamquam deum monitu, immutasse: nam et viros ear eam primam filios suos initiasse, Minium et Herennium Cerrinios; et nocturnum sacrum ex diurno, et pro tribus in anno diebus quinos singulis mensibus dies initiorum fecisse.

[10] ex quo in promiscuo sacra sint et permixti viri feminis, et noctis licentia accesserit, nihil ibi facinoris, nihil flagitii praetermissum. plura virorum inter sese quam feminarum esse stupra.

[11] si qui minus patientes dedecoris sint et pigriores ad facinus, pro victimis immolari. nihil nefas ducere, hanc summam inter eos religionem esse.

[12] viros, velut mente capta, cum iactatione fanatica corporis vaticinari; matronas Baccharum habitu crinibus sparsis cum ardentibus facibus decurrere ad Tiberim, demissasque in aquam faces, quia vivum sulpur cum calce insit, integra flamma efferre.

[13] raptos a diis homines dici, quos machinae illigatos ex conspectu in abditos specus abripiant:

[14] eos esse, qui aut coniurare aut sociari facinoribus aut stuprum pati noluerint. multitudinem ingentem, alterum iam prope populum esse; in his nobiles quosdam viros feminasque. biennio proximo institutum esse, ne quis maior viginti annis initiaretur: captari aetates et erroris et stupri patientes.

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).) — 43.13 focus

[1]

non sum nescius ab eadem neglegentia qua nihil deos portendere vulgo nunc credant, neque nuntiari admodum ulla ¹ prodigia in publicum neque ² in annales referri.

[2] ceterum et mihi vetustas res scribenti ³ nescio quo pacto antiquus fit animus et quaedam religio tenet, quae illi prudentissimi viri publice suscipienda censuerint, ea pro indignis ⁴ habere, quae in meos annales referam.

[3] Anagnia duo prodigia eo anno sunt nuntiata, facem in caelo conspectam et bovem feminam locutam; eam ⁵⁶ publice ali. menturnis minturnis⁷ quoque per eos dies caeli ardentis species affulserat.

[4] Reate imbri lapidavit. cumis in arce Apollo triduum ac tris noctes lacrimavit. in urbe Romana duo aeditui nuntiarunt, alter in aede Fortunae anguem iubatum a compluribus visum esse,

[5] alter in aede Primigeniae ⁸ Fortunae quae in colle est duo diversa prodigia, palmam in area enatam ⁹ et sanguine interdiu pluvisse.

[6] duo non suscepta prodigia sunt, alterum quod in privato loco factum esset, - palmam enatam in ¹⁰ impluvio suo T. Marcius Figulus nuntiabat - alterum quod in loco peregrino: Fregellis in domo L. Atrei hasta, quam filio militi emerat, interdiu plus duas horas arsisse ita ut nihil eius ambureret ignis, dicebatur.

[7] publicorum prodigiorum causa libri a decemviris aditi: quadraginta maioribus hostiis quibus diis consules sacrificarent ediderunt,

[8] et uti supplicatio ¹¹ fieret cunctique magistratus circa omnia pulvinaria victimis maioribus sacrificarent populusque coronatus esset. omnia¹² uti decemviri praeierunt facta.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 39.13 focus

[1]

mulier haud dubie, id quod erat, Aebutium indicem arcani rata esse, ad pedes Sulpiciae procidit et eam primo orare coepit,

[2] ne mulieris libertinae cum amatore sermonem in rem non seriam modo, sed capitalem etiam verti vellet: se terrendi eius causa, non quod sciret quicquam, ea locutam esse.

[3] hic Postumius accensus ira, tum quoque ait eam cum Aebutio se amatore cavillari credere, non in domo gravissimae feminae et cum consule loqui; et Sulpicia adtollere paventem, simul illam adhortari, simul iram generi lenire.

[4] tandem confirmata, multum incusata perfidia Aebuti, qui optime in eo ipso meritae talem gratiam rettulisset,

[5] magnum sibi metum deorum, quorum occulta initia enuntiaret, maiorem multo dixit hominum esse, qui se indicem manibus suis discerpturi essent.

[6] itaque hoc se Sulpiciam, hoc consulem orare, ut se extra Italiam aliquo ablegarent, ubi reliquum vitae degere tuto posset.

[7] bone animo esse iubere eam consul, et sibi curae fore dicere, ut Romae tuto habitaret. tum Hispala originem sacrorum expromit:

[8] primo sacrarium id feminarum fuisse, nec quemquam eo virum ¹ admitti solitum; tres in anno statos dies habuisse, quibus interdiu Bacchis initiarentur, sacerdotes in vicem matronas creari solitas.

[9] Pacullam Anniam Campanam sacerdotem omnia, tamquam deum monitu, inmutasse; nam et viros eam primam filios suos initiasse, Minium et Herennium Cerrinios, et nocturnum sacrum ex diurno et pro tribus in anno diebus quinos singulis mensibus dies initiorum fecisse.

[10] ex quo in promiscuo sacra sint et permixti viri feminis, et noctis licentia accesserit, nihil ibi facinoris, nihil flagitii praetermissum. plura virorum inter sese quam feminarum esse stupra.

[11] si qui minus patientes dedecoris sint et pigriores ad facinus, pro victimis inmolari. nihil nefas ducere, hanc summam inter eos religionem esse.

[12] viros velut mente capta cum iactatione fanatica corporis vaticinari; matronas Baccharum habitu crinibus sparsis cum ardentibus facibus decurrere ad Tiberim demissasque in aquam faces, quia vivum sulphur cum calce insit, integra flamma efferre.

[13] raptos a diis homines dici, quos machinae inligatos ex conspectu in abditos specus abripiant; eos esse, qui aut coniurare aut sociari facinoribus aut stuprum pati noluerint.

[14] multitudinem ingentem, alterum iam prope populum esse, in his nobiles quosdam viros feminasque. biennio proximo institutum esse, ne quis maior ² viginti annis initiaretur; captari aetates et erroris et stupri patientes.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 39.13 focus

[2] The woman, now thinking without a doubt that it must certainly be Aebutius who had discovered the secret, threw herself at Sulpicia's feet, and at first began to beseech her,

not to let the private conversation of a freedwoman with her lover be turned not only into a serious business, but even capital charge;

declaring that

she had spoken of such things merely to frighten him, and not because she knew any thing of the kind.

[3] On this Postumius, growing angry, said,

she seemed to imagine that then too she was wrangling with her gallant Aebutius, and not that she was speaking in the house of a most respectable matron, and to a consul.

Sulpicia raised her, terrified, from the ground, and while she encouraged her to speak out, at the same time pacified her son-in-law's anger.

[4] At length she took courage, and, having censured severely the perfidy of Aebutius, because he had made such a return for the extraordinary kindness shown to him in that very instance, she declared that

she stood in great dread of the gods, whose secret mysteries she was to divulge;

[5]

and in much greater dread of the men implicated, who would tear her asunder with their hands if she became an informer.

[6]

Therefore, she entreated this favour of Sulpicia, and likewise of the consul, that they would send her away to some place out of Italy, where she might pass the remainder of her life in safety.

[7] The consul desired her to be of good spirits, and said that it should be his care that she might live securely in Rome.

Hispala then gave a full account of the origin of the mysteries.

[8]

At first,

she said,

those rites were performed by women. No man used to be admitted. They had three stated days in the year on which persons were initiated among the Bacchanalians, in the day-time. The matrons used to be appointed priestesses, in rotation.

[9]

Paculla Minia, a Campanian, when priestesss, made an alteration in every particular, as if by the direction of the gods. For she first introduced men, who were her own sons, Minucius and Herrenius, both surnamed Cerrinius; changed the time of celebration, from day to night; and, instead of three days in the year, appointed five days of initiation, in each month.

[10]

From the time that the rites were thus made common, and men were intermixed with women, and the licentious freedom of the night was added, there was nothing wicked, nothing flagitious, that had not been practised among them. There were more frequent pollution of men, with each other, than with women. If any were less patient in submitting to dishonour, or more averse to the commission of vice, they were sacrificed as victims.

[11]

To think nothing unlawful, was the grand maxim of their religion. The men, as if bereft of reason, uttered predictions, with frantic contortions of their bodies;

[12]

the women, in the habit of Bacchantes, with their hair dishevelled, and carrying blazing torches, ran down to the Tiber; where, dipping their torches in the water, they drew them up again with the flame unextinguished, being composed of native sulphur and charcoal. They said that those men were carried off by the gods, whom the machines laid hold of and dragged from their view into secret caves.

[13]

These were such as refused to take the oath of the society, or to associate in their crimes, or to submit to defilement.

[14]

Their number was exceedingly great now, almost a second state in themselves, and among them were many men and women of noble families. During the last two years it had been a rule, that no person above the age of twenty should be initiated; for they sought for people of such age as made them more liable to suffer deception and personal abuse.

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.) — 39.13 focus

[1]

The woman being convinced, and quite rightly, that Aebutius was the informer, flung herself at Sulpicia's feet and implored her not to let a conversation between a freedwoman and her lover be treated so seriously as to amount to treason.

[2] What she had told him was for the purpose of frightening, not because she really knew anything.

[3] Postumius was very angry, and told her that she must be imagining that she was joking with her lover, and not speaking in the house of a grave and august lady and in the presence of the consul. Sulpicia raised the terrified woman from the floor, spoke soothingly to her and tried to quiet her.

[4] At length she became calm, and after bitterly reproaching Aebutius for the return he had made after all she had done for him, and declared that while she stood in great fear of the gods, whose occult mysteries

[5] she was revealing, she stood in much greater fear of men who would tear her to pieces if she turned informer.

[6] So she begged Sulpicia and the consul to remove her to some place outside the borders of Italy where she could pass the rest of her days in safety. The consul bade her be under no apprehension; he would see to it that she found a safe home in Rome.

[7] Then Hispala gave an account of the origin of these rites.

[8] At first they were confined to women; no male was admitted, and they had three stated days in the year on which persons were initiated during the daytime, and matrons were chosen to act as priestesses. Paculla Annia, a Campanian, when she was priestess, made a complete change, as though by divine monition, for she was the first to admit men, and she initiated her own sons, Minius Cerinnius and Herennius Cerinnius.

[9] At the same time she made the rite a nocturnal one, and instead of three days in the year celebrated it five times a month. When once the mysteries had assumed this promiscuous character, and men were mingled with women with all the licence of nocturnal orgies, there was no crime, no deed of shame, wanting.

[10] More uncleanness was wrought by men with men than with women. Whoever would not submit to defilement, or shrank from violating others, was sacrificed as a victim. To regard nothing as impious or criminal was the very sum of their religion.

[11] The men, as though seized with madness and with frenzied distortions of their bodies, shrieked out prophecies;

[12] the matrons, dressed as Bacchae, their hair dishevelled, rushed down to the Tiber with burning torches, plunged them into the water, and drew them out again, the flame undiminished, as they were made of sulphur mixed with lime.

[13] Men were fastened to a machine and hurried off to hidden caves, and they were said to have been rapt away by the gods; these were the men who refused to join their conspiracy or take a part in their crimes or submit to pollution.

[14] They formed an immense multitude, almost equal to the population of Rome; amongst them were members of noble families both men and women. It had been made a rule for the last two years that no one more than twenty years old should be initiated; they captured those to be deceived and polluted.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 186

2. One thinks of the Bacchae of Euripides.

3. B.C. 186

4. The torches probably contained the elements mentioned in the form of a mixture of free sulphur and calcium sulphate, which is still to be found in Italy. A torch of this composition, if burning well, would not be extinguished by a brief or partial immersion in water, so that the Bacchanals could perform the feat mentioned if they were reasonably swift in their movements. Calcium sulphate will not burn; free elementary sulphur burns, and we should probably translate vivum as

free

elementary

and therefore

burnable.

But it is rather remarkable that Livy, who was not a scientist, should have approached scientific fact so closely. I am indebted for this information to Dr. E. Ward Tillotson, Assistant Director, and Dr. W. W. Duecker, Senior Industrial Fellow, both of the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research of the University of Pittsburgh.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 39.13

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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