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), 39.46

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[1] In the beginning of this year Publius Licinius Crassus, the pontifex maximus, died, and in his stead Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus was co-opted as pontiff;¹ Gaius Servilius Geminus was elected² pontifex maximus.

[2] On the occasion of the funeral of Publius Licinius a public distribution of meats took place, and one hundred and twenty gladiators fought and funeral games were given for three days, and after the games a banquet.

[3] During this, when the banqueting tables had been arranged through the whole Forum, a storm coming up with great gusts of wind drove most people to set up tents in the Forum: these, a little later, when it³ had cleared up all around, were taken down;

[4] and the general talk was that the omen had been fulfilled, because the soothsayers had declared that it was among the decrees of the fates that it was destined that tents should be set up in the Forum.⁴

[5] When they were freed from this fear another came upon them, because for two days it had rained blood in the precinct of Vulcan;⁵ and a period of prayer was proclaimed by the decemvirs as expiation for this prodigy.

[6] Before the consuls⁶ set out for their provinces, they introduced the embassies from across the seas to the senate. Never before had there been so many people from this region in Rome.

[7] For from the time that the news spread among the tribes that live near Macedonia that charges and complaints against Philip were listened to not inattentively by the Romans, and that many had found it profitable to make complaints, each city and tribe for itself and many individuals privately —for

[8] everyone found him a neighbour hard to get along with —came to Rome either in the hope of redressing their wrongs or for the consolation of lamenting them.

[9] From King Eumenes also came an embassy, including his brother Athenaeus, to complain both because the garrisons were not withdrawn from the cities in Thrace and because aid had been sent to Prusias in Bithynia, who was waging war against Eumenes.

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.) — 39.46 focus

[1] huius principio anni P. Licinius Crassus pontifex maximus mortuus est, in cuius locum M. Sempronius Tuditanus pontifex est cooptatus;

[2] pontifex maximus est creatus C. Servilius Geminus. P. Licinii funeris causa visceratio data, et gladiatores centum viginti pugnaverunt, et ludi funebres per triduum facti, post ludos epulum. in quo cum toto foro strata triclinia essent,

[3] tempestas curm cum magnis procellis coorta coegit plerosque tabernacula statuere in foro:

[4] eadem paulo post, cum undique disserenasset, sublata; defunctosque vulgo ferebant quod inter fatalia vates cecinissent, necesse esse tabernacula in foro statui.

[5] hac religione levatis altera iniecta, quod sanguine per biduum pluvisset in area Vulcani; et per decemviros supplicatio indicta erat eius prodigii expiandi causa. Priusquam priusquam consules in provincias proficiscerentur,

[6] legationes transmarinas in senatum introduxerunt. nec umquam ante tantum regionis eius hominum Romae fuerat.

[7] nam ex quo fama per gentes, quae Macedoniam accolunt, vulgata est crimina querimoniasque de Philippo non neglegenter ab Romanis audiri, multis operae pretium fuisse queri,

[8] pro se quaeque civitates gentesque, singuli etiam privatim — gravis enim accola omnibus erat — Romam aut ad spem levandae iniuriae aut ad deflendae solacium venerunt.

[9] et ab Eumene rege legatio cum fratre eius Athenaeo venit ad querendum simul quod non deducerentur ex Thracia praesidia, simul quod in Bithyniam Prusiae bellum adversus Eumenem gerenti auxilia missa forent.

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.) — 39.46 focus

[1]

huius principio anni P. Licinius Crassus pontifex maximus mortuus est, in cuius locum M. Sempronius Tuditanus pontifex est cooptatus; pontifex maximus est creatus C. Servilius Geminus .

[2] P. Licini funeris causa visceratio data et gladiatores centum viginti pugnarunt et ludi funebres per triduum facti, post ludos epulum.

[3] in quo cum toto foro triclinia strata essent, tempestas cum magnis procellis coorta coegit plerosque tabernacula statuere in foro;

[4] eadem paulo post, cum undique disserenasset, sublata, defunctosque vulgo ferebant, quod inter fatalia vates cecinissent, necesse esse tabernacula in foro statui.

[5] hac religione levatis altera iniecta, quod sanguine per biduum pluvisset in area ¹ Vulcani; et per decemviros supplicatio indicta erat eius prodigii expiandi causa.

[6] priusquam consules in provincias proficiscerentur, legationes transmarinas in senatum introduxerunt. nec umquam ante tantum regionis eius hominum Romae fuerat.

[7] nam ex quo fama per gentes, quae Macedoniam adcolunt, vulgata est, crimina querimoniasque de Philippo non neglegenter ab Romanis audiri, multis operae pretium fuisse queri,

[8] pro se quaeque civitates gentesque, singuli etiam privatim—gravis enim adcola omnibus erat—Romam aut ad spem levandae iniuriae aut ad deflendae solacium venerunt.

[9] et ab Eumene rege legatio cum fratre eius Athenaeo venit ad querendum, simul quod non deducerentur ex Thracia praesidia, simul quod in Bithyniam Prusiae bellum adversus Eumenem gerenti auxilia missa forent.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 39.46 focus

[1]

In the beginning of this year, Publius Licinius Crassus, chief pontiff, died, in whose room was appointed Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus, and Caius Servilius Geminus was raised to the place of chief pontiff.

[2] On occasion of the funeral of Publius Licinius a largess of flesh was distributed to the people, and one hundred and twenty pair of gladiators fought. The funeral games lasted three days; and, after the games, a public feast was given.

[3] During the feast, and while the couches were spread over the forum, a storm came on with violent gusts of wind, and compelled most of the people to pitch tents in that place. The same, on the weather clearing up, in a short time after, were removed.

[4] It was rumoured about, that they had fulfilled a prophecy which soothsayers had pronounced, among the decrees of the fates, that, inevitably, tents would be pitched in the forum.

[5] As soon as they were relieved from those religious fears, they were struck with new ones, by showers of blood falling for two days, in the area of Vulcan's temple, and a supplication was ordered by the decemvirs for the sake of expiating the prodigy.

[6] Before the consuls set out for their provinces, they introduced the embassies from the countries beyond the sea to an audience of the senate; and at no time was there in Rome such a number of people from those regions.

[7] For, as soon as a report spread through the nations which border on Macedon, that accusations and complaints against Philip were listened to by the Romans with some degree of attention, and that it had been of advantage to many to complain;

[8] —all these states and nations, and even individuals, on their own accounts, (for he was a troublesome neighbour to every one,) flocked to Rome, with hopes of obtaining either redress of their injuries, or, at least, the consolation of expressing their griefs.

[9] An embassy came also from king Eumenes, with his brother Athenaeus, to complain of the garrisons not being withdrawn by Philip out of Thrace; and, likewise, of his sending succours into Bithynia, to Prusias, who was at war with Eumenes.

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.) — 39.46 focus

[1]

At the commencement of this year P. Licinius Crassus, the Pontifex Maximus, died. M. Sempronius Tuditanus was co-opted as pontiff to fill the vacancy in the college, and C. Servilius Geminus was elected Pontifex Maximus.

[2] On the day of the funeral of P. Licinius a public distribution of meat was made, and a hundred and twenty gladiators fought in the funeral games which lasted for three days and after the games a public feast.

[3] The couches had been spread all over the Forum when a violent storm of wind and rain burst and compelled most people to put up shelter tents there.

[4] On the sky clearing, everywhere soon after they were removed, and it was commonly said that the people had fulfilled a prediction which the prophets of fate had made that it was necessary for tents to be set up in the Forum.

[5] No sooner were they relieved from their religious fears than another portent followed. There was a rain of blood for two days and the Keepers of the Sacred Books ordered special intercessions to be made to expiate the portent.

[6] Before the consuls left for their provinces they introduced various overseas deputations to the senate. Never before had there been so many men from that part of the world assembled in Rome.

[7] As soon as it became generally known amongst the tribes inhabiting Macedonia that the complaints about Philip were not falling on deaf ears and that many people had found it quite

[8] worth their while to bring forward complaints, they flocked to Rome, cities, tribes, even individual complainants, each with their own grievance-for the hand of their neighbour, Philip, was heavy on them all-in the hope of obtaining redress for their wrongs or comfort under their sufferings.

[9] Eumenes, too, sent his brother Athenaeus with a deputation to complain that the garrisons had not been withdrawn from Thrace, and that Philip had assisted Prusias in his war with Eumenes.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Here the regular method is employed, in contrast with that recorded in the preceding sentence.

2. One of the pontiffs was elected pontifex maximus in the usual way, by the college of pontiffs, and while Livy may at times confuse cooptare and creare he discriminates between them here.

3. B.C. 183

4. Pessimists would naturally expect that the tents of the prophecy would be those of the enemy who was master of the City, but the omen has now been harmlessly fulfilled.

5. It was near the temple of Concord (lvi. 6; XL. xix. 1 below).

6. These events should then belong to the winter of 184- 183 B.C. or the early spring of the latter year. Polybius (XXIV. i. ff.) puts them after the departure of the consuls, and so some months later in 183 B.C.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 39.46

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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