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), 39.44

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[1] In reviewing the equites Cato deprived Lucius Scipio Asiaticus of his horse. Also in accepting assessments¹ his censorship was stern and harsh towards all ranks.

[2] Jewels and women's dresses and vehicles which were worth more than fifteen thousand asses he directed the assessors to list at ten times more than their actual value;² likewise slaves less than twenty years old, who had been bought since the previous lustrum for ten thousand asses or more, he directed to be assessed at ten times more than their actual cost, and he ordered that on all these articles a tax of three asses per thousand should be³ imposed.⁴ All public water⁵ flowing into a private dwelling or lot they shut off; and what private persons had built or erected on public property they tore down on thirty days'

[3] notice. Then they let contracts for the public works to be constructed from funds appropriated for that purpose, the paving of

[4] fountain basins with stone, the cleaning of sewers wherever that was necessary, and the construction of new sewers on the Aventine and elsewhere where none had yet been

[5] built. And Flaccus separately built a dike at the Neptunian waters⁶ that the people might have a footpath there, and a road over the hill at Formiae, and Cato built two markets,⁷ the Maenium and the Titium, in the region of the Lautumiae,⁸ and bought four shops for the state and erected there the basilica⁹ which is called

[6] Porcia. The revenues also they farmed at the highest rates and contracted for voluntary services at the

[7] lowest. When the senate, moved by the prayers and tears of the publicani, had ordered these contracts to be cancelled and new ones made, the censors, removing by edict from the place of auction¹⁰ those bidders who had evaded the original contracts, let all the same contracts at slightly lowered

[8] figures. It was a remarkable censorship and full of quarrels, which occupied Marcus Porcius, to whom the severity was attributed, through his whole life. In the same year two colonies, Potentia in the Picene territory, Pisaurum in the Gallic, were¹¹

[9] founded. Six iugera were given to each colonist. The division of the land and the organization of the colonies were the work of the same commissioners, Quintus Fabius Labeo, Marcus Fulvius Flaccus and Quintus Fulvius

[10] Nobilior.¹² The consuls of this year did nothing noteworthy either at home or in the field.

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.) — 39.44 focus

[1] in equitatu recognoscendo L. Scipioni Asiatico ademptus equus. in censibus quoqute quoque accipiendis tristis et aspera in omnes ordines censure fuit.

[2] ornamenta et vestem muliebrem et vehicula, quae pluris quam quindecim milium aeris essent, deciens tanto pltris quam quanti essent in censum referre iuratores iussi; item mancipia minora annis viginti,

[3] quae post proximum lustrum decem milibus aeris aut pluris eo venissent, uti ea quoque deciens tanto pluris quam quanti essent aestimarentur, et his rebus omnibus terni in milia aeris attribuerentur.

[4] aquam publicam omnem in privatum aedificium aut agrum fluentem ademerunt; et quae in loca publica inaedificata immolitave privati habebant, intra dies triginta demoliti sunt.

[5] opera deinde facienda ex decreta in eam rem pecunia, lacus sternendos lapide, detergendasque, qua opus esset, cloacas, in Aventino et in aliis partibus, qua nondum erant, faciendas locaverunt.

[6] et separatim Flaccus molem ad Neptunias aquas, ut iter populo esset, et viam per Formianum montem,

[7] Cato atria duo, Maenium et Titium, in lautumiis, et quattuor tabernas in publicum emit basilicamque ibi fecit, quae Porcia appellata est. et vectigalia summis pretiis, ultro tributa infimis locaverunt.

[8] quas locationes cum senatus precibus et lacrimis victus publicanorum induci et de integro locari iussisset, censores, edicto summotis ab hasta qui ludificati priorem locationem erant, omnia eadem paulunmZZZ paululum imminutis pretiis locaverunt.

[9] nobilis censura fuit simultatiumque plena, quae M. Porcium, cui acerbitas ea adsignabatur, per omnem vitam exercuerunt. eodem anno coloniae duae,

[10] Potentia in Picenum Pisaurum in Gallicum agrum, deductae sunt. sena iugera in singulos data. diviserunt agrum coloniasque deduxerunt iidem tresviri, Q. Fabius Labeo, et M. et Q. Fulvii, Flaccus et Nobilior.

[11] consules eius anni nec domi nec militiae memorabile quicquam egerunt.

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.) — 39.44 focus

[1]

in equitatu recognoscendo L. Scipioni Asiageni ademptus equus. in censibus quoque accipiendis tristis et aspera in omnes ordines censura fuit.

[2] ornamenta et vestem muliebrem et vehicula, quae pluris quam quindecim milium aeris essent, deciens pluris¹ in censum referre iuratores iussi;

[3] item mancipia minora annis viginti, quae post proximum lustrum decem milibus aeris aut pluris eo venissent, uti ea quoque deciens tanto pluris, quam quanti essent, aestimarentur, et his rebus omnibus terni in milia aeris adtribuerentur.

[4] aquam publicam omnem in privatum aedificium ² aut agrum fluentem ademerunt et, quae in loca publica inaedificata inmolitave privati habebant, intra dies triginta demoliti sunt.

[5] opera deinde facienda ex decreta in eam rem pecunia, lacus sternendos lapide detergendasque, qua opus esset, cloacas, in Aventino et in aliis partibus, qua nondum erant, faciendas locaverunt.

[6] et separatim Flaccus molem ad Neptunias aquas, ut iter populo esset, et viam per Formianum montem,

[7] Cato atria duo, Maenium et ³ Titium, in lautumiis et quattor tabernas in publicum emit, basilicamque ibi fecit, quae Porcia adpellata est. et vectigalia summis pretiis, ultro tributa infimis locaverunt.

[8] quas locationes cum senatus precibus et lacrimis victus publicanorum induci et de integro locari iussisset, censores edicto submotis ab hasta, qui ludificati priorem locationem erant, omnia eadem paululum inminutis pretiis locaverunt.

[9] nobilis censura fuit simultatiumque plena, quae M. Porcium , cui acerbitas ea adsignabantur, per omnem vitam exercuerunt. ⁴

[10] eodem anno coloniae duae, Potentia in Picenum, Pisaurum in Gallicum agrum, deductae sunt. sena iugera in singulos data. diviserunt agrum coloniasque deduxerunt iidem tres viri, Q. Fabius Labeo et M. et Q. Fulvii , Flaccus et Nobilior.

[11] consules eius anni nec domi nec militiae memorabile quicquam egerunt.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 39.44 focus

[1]

In the review of the knights, Lucius Scipio Asiaticus was degraded. In fixing the rates of taxation, also, the censor's conduct was harsh and severe to all ranks of men.

[2] People were ordered to give account upon oath, of women's dress, and ornaments, and carriages exceeding in value fifteen thousand asses; ¹ and it was further ordered, that slaves, younger than twenty years, which, since the last survey, had been sold for ten thousand asses ² or more, should be estimated at ten times their value;

[3] and that, on all these articles, a tax should be laid of three denariuses ³ for each thousand asses. ⁴ The censors took away water which belonged to the public running or carried into any private building or field; and they demolished within thirty days all buildings or sheds, in possession of private persons, that projected into public ground.

[4] They then engaged contractors for executing national works, with the money decreed for that purpose, —for

[5] paving cisterns with stone, for cleansing the sewers where it was requisite, and forming new ones on the Aventine, and in other quarters where hitherto there had been none. Then, dividing their tasks, Flaccus built a mole at Nepthunia, on the coast, and made a road through the Formian mountains.

[6] Cato purchased for the use of the people two halls, the Maenian and Titian, in the Lautumiae, and four shops, and built there a court of justice, which was called the Porcian.

[7] They farmed out the several branches of the revenue at the highest prices, and bargained with the contractors for the performance of the public services on the lowest terms.

[8] When the senate, overcome by the prayers and lamentations of the publicans, ordered those bargains to be revoked, and new agreements to be made; the censors, by an edict, excluded from competition the persons who had eluded the former contracts, and farmed out all the same branches at prices very little reduced.

[9] This was a remarkable censorship, and the origin of many deadly feuds: it rendered Marcus Porcius, to whom all the harshness was attributed, uneasy during the remainder of his life.

[10] This year, two colonies were established, Potentia in Picenum, and Pisaurum in the Gallic territory. Six acres were given to each settler. The same commissioners had the ordering of both colonies, and the division of the lands, Quintus Fabius Labeo, Marcus Fulvius Flaccus, and Quintus Fulvius Nobilior.

[11] The consuls of that year performed nothing memorable at home or abroad.

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.) — 39.44 focus

[1]

In the revision of the register of the equites L. Scipio Asiagenes was struck out. In fixing the assessments the censorship was severe and harsh on all classes.

[2] Orders were issued that an account should be taken on oath of all female dress, ornaments and carriages which were valued at more than 15,000 ases, and that they should be assessed at ten times their value.

[3] Similarly, slaves less than twenty years old who had been sold since the last lustrum for 10,000 ases or more were to be assessed at ten times that amount, and on all these assessments a tax was imposed of one-third per cent.

[4] The censors cut off from the public aqueducts all supplies of water for private houses or land, and wherever private owners had built up against public buildings or on public ground, they demolished these structures within thirty days.

[5] They next made contracts for lining the reservoirs with stone and, where it was necessary, cleaning out the sewers, money having been set apart for the purpose, and also for the construction of sewers in the Aventine quarter and in other places where as yet there were none. Flaccus constructed a raised causeway at the Fountain of Neptune to serve as a public road and also a road along the Formian Hill.

[6] Cato purchased for the State two auction halls in the Lautumiae, the Maenium and the Titium, as well as four shops, and on the site he built a basilica, known afterwards as the Porcian.

[7] They farmed the taxes to the highest bidders, and let out the contracts to the lowest tenders.

[8] The senate, yielding to the prayers and lamentations of the tax-farmers, annulled these arrangements and ordered fresh terms to be made. The censors gave public notice that those who had treated the former contracts with contempt should not be allowed to make fresh bids. They signed fresh contracts for everything on slightly easier terms.

[9] This censorship was noteworthy for the feuds and quarrels it gave rise to, and for which Cato through his severity was held responsible; feuds which made his life a stormy one to the end.

[10] Two colonies were founded this year, one at Potentia in the Picene district, the other at Pisaurum in the land of the Gauls. Six jugera were allotted to each colonist; the commissioners who supervised the settlement were Q. Fabius Labeo, M. Fulvius Flaccus and Q. Fulvius Nobilior.

[11] The consuls for this year did nothing worth recording.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. The citizens appeared in person before the censors and declared their property. The censors could revise or refuse their declarations.

2. The emendation (see the critical note) seems to be warranted by the appearance of the same words in sect. 3 below, with reference to other articles of luxury. Perhaps these measures are Cato's revenge for his defeat in the debate over the Oppian law (XXXIV. i. 3 —viii.).

3. B.C. 184

4. If the ordinary tax rate was one as per thousand (XXIV. xv. 9, etc.), this heavier tax on a much higher evaluation must have been, and was probably designed to be, almost confiscatory.

5. It may be accidental that the number of the verb here shifts to the plural. This particular act prevented the piping into private property of water from the aqueducts.

6. Their position is unknown.

7. Cicero ( de lege agraria I. 7) seems to speak of them as auction-rooms.

8. Cf. XXXII. xvi. 7 and the note.

9. This building, used for the law-courts, stood between the comitium and the north end of the Capitoline.

10. Literally,

from the spear.

The hasta or spear was a conventional sign set up to indicate a place where bidding was going on.

11. B.C. 184

12. I have given the names as they stand in the text. It is not impossible that the praenomina of the Fulvii have been interchanged.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 39.44

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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