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), 39.50

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[1] It was now growing dark, and not only were all other things uncertain, but even where they could guard him with sufficient safety even for the ensuing night.

[2] They had been awed by the greatness of his former success and courage, and neither did they dare to receive him into their own homes for guarding nor were they satisfied to entrust the guardianship of him to any one man.

[3] Then someone reminded them that there was a public treasury underground, walled in by hewn stones.¹ Bound, he was let down into it and a great stone by which it was closed placed by machinery over it.

[4] So, thinking that they should trust the place, rather than any man, to keep him safe, they waited for the coming morning.

[5] The next day the whole multitude, mindful of his former services to the state, considered that he should be spared and that through him remedies should be sought out for their present troubles:

[6] the authors of the revolt, who had the administration in' their hands, held a secret consultation, and all were agreed upon his death. But it was not agreed whether they should act at once or delay.

[7] The faction that was more insistent on punishment prevailed, and a man was sent to take him the poison. Receiving the² cup, he asked only if Lycortas —he was the other commander³ of the Achaeans —was safe and if the cavalry had escaped.

[8] When he was assured that they were safe, he said

it is well,

and courageously draining the cup perished no long time afterwards. The persons responsible for this act of cruelty had no great time in which to rejoice in his death.

[9] For Messenê, being conquered in the war, at the demand of the Achaeans handed over the guilty persons, and the bones of Philopoemen were given back and he was buried by the whole Achaean League, all human distinctions being heaped upon him to such a degree that they did not even refrain from divine honours.

[10] Greek and Latin historians pay such tribute to this man that some of them have put it on record, as if it were a conspicuous brand of infamy set against this year, that three famous generals died during this year —Philopoemen, Hannibal, Publius Scipio:

[11] on terms of such equality have they placed him with the greatest commanders of the two most. powerful nations.⁴

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.) — 39.50 focus

[1] iam invesperascebat, et non modo cetera, sed ne in proximam quidem noctem ubi satis tuto custodiretur, expediebant.

[2] obstupuerant ad magnitudinem pristinae eius fortunae virtutisque, et neque ipsi domum recipere custodiendum audebant nec cuiquam uni custodiam eius satis credebant.

[3] admonent deinde quidam esse thesaurum publicum sub terra, saxo quadrato saeptum. eo vinctus demittitur, et saxum ingens, quo operitur, machina superimpositum est.

[4] ita loco potius quam homini cuiquam credendam custodiam rati, lucem insequentem exspectaverunt. postero die multitudo quidem integra,

[5] memor pristinorum eius in civitatem meritorum, parcendum ac per eum remedia quaerenda esse praesentium malorum censebant:

[6] defectionis auctores, quorum in manu res publica erat, in secreto consultantes omnes ad necem eius consentiebant. sed utrum maturarent an differrent, ambigebatur.

[7] vicit pars avidior poenae, missusque qui venenum ferret. accepto poculo nihil aliud locutum ferunt quam quaesisse, si incolumis Lycortas — is alter imperator Achaeorum erat — equitesque evasissent.

[8] postquam dictum est incolumes esse, “bene habet” inquit et poculo impavide exhausto haud ita multo post exspiravit.

[9] non diuturnum mortis eius vaudium gaudium auctoribus crudelitatis fuit. victa namque Messene bello exposcentibus Achaeis dedidit noxios, ossaque reddita Philopoemenis sunt, et sepultus ab universo Achaico est concilio, adeo omnibus humanis congestis honoribus, ut ne divinis quidem abstineretur.

[10] ab scriptoribus rerum Graecis Latinisque tantum huic viro tribuitur, ut a quibusdam eorum, velut ad insignem notam huius anni, memoriae mandatum sit tres claros imperatores eo anno decessisse, Philopoemenem, Hannibalem, P. Scipionem:

[11] adeo in aequo eum duarum potentissimarum gentiunl gentium summis imperatoribus posuerunt.

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.) — 39.50 focus

[1]

iam invesperascebat, et non modo cetera, sed ne in proximam quidem noctem ubi satis tuto custodiretur, expediebant.

[2] obstupuerant ad magnitudinem pristinae eius fortunae virtutisque, et neque ipsi domum recipere custodiendum audebant nec cuiquam uni custodiam eius satis credebant.

[3] admonent deinde quidam esse thesaurum publicum sub terra, saxo quadrato saeptum. eo vinctus demittitur, et saxum ingens, quo operitur, machina superinpositum est.

[4] ita loco potius quam homini cuiquam credendam custodiam rati lucem insequentem expectaverunt.

[5] postero die multitudo quidem integra, memor pristinorum eius in civitatem meritorum, parcendum ac per eum remedia quaerenda esse praesentium malorum censebant;

[6] sed defectionis auctores, quorum in manu res publica erat, in secreto consultantes omnes ad necem eius consentiebant, sed, utrum maturarent an differrent, ambigebatur.

[7] vicit pars avidior poenae; missusque qui venenum ferret. accepto poculo nihil aliud locutum ferunt quam quaesisse, si incolumis Lycortas—is alter imperator Achaeorum erat—

[8] equitesque evasissent. postquam dictum est incolumes esse, “bene habet” inquit, et poculo inpavide ¹ exhausto haud ita multo post exspiravit.

[9] non diuturnum mortis eius gaudium auctoribus crudelitatis fuit. victa namque Messene bello exposcentibus Achaeis dedidit noxios, ossaque reddita Philopoemenis sunt et sepultus ab universo Achaico est concilio, adeo omnibus humanis congestis honoribus, ut ne divinis quidem abstineretur.

[10] ab scriptoribus rerum Graecis Latinisque tantum huic viro tribuitur, ut a quibusdam eorum, velut ad insignem notam huius anni, memoriae mandatum sit, tres claros imperatores eo anno decessisse, Philopoemenem Hannibalem P. Scipionem .

[11] adeo in aequo eum duarum potentissimarum gentium summis imperatoribus posuerunt. ²

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 39.50 focus

[1]

The evening came on while they were still at a loss, not only about other matters, but even about the place where he might be kept with proper security during the following night.

[2] They were quite confounded at the greatness of his former fortune and merit; and they neither dared to undertake the guarding of him at their houses, nor thought it safe to trust the custody of him to any individual.

[3] At last some persons reminded them of a public treasury under ground, enclosed with hewn stone; into this place he was put down, in chains, and a huge stone, with which it is generally covered, was placed over it, with the help of a machine.

[4] After having thus determined to trust to the place, rather than to any man, for his safe keeping, they waited with impatience for the dawn.

[5] On the following day, the whole populace, mindful of his former services to the state, declared their opinion, that they ought to spare him, and to seek through his means some remedies for their present misfortunes.

[6] But the authors of the revolt, in whose hands was the management of affairs, con- sulting in secret, unanimously resolved to put him to death; but whether they should do it speedily, or defer it, was for some time a matter of doubt.

[7] The party that were more eager for his immediate execution, at length prevailed, and a person was sent to him with poison.

[8] They relate, that on receiving the cup, he only asked if Lycortas, the other commander of the Achaeans, and the horsemen had escaped; and being told that they were safe, he said,

It is well,

and then intrepidly drinking the contents of the cup, expired shortly after.

[9] The actors of this piece of cruelty, however, did not long rejoice at his death; for Messene being conquered in war, delivered up the guilty individuals to the Achaeans, when they positively demanded them. The bones of Philopœmen were restored, and his funeral was attended by the whole Achaean council, every human honour being heaped on him to such a degree, that they did not withhold divine ones.

[10] So much is conceded to this man by historians, both Greek and Latin, that several of them have recorded, as a circumstance remarkably distinguishing this year, that three illustrious commanders died in it, Philopœmen, Hannibal, and Publius Scipio.

[11] To such an extent have they placed him on an equal footing with the most consummate generals of the two most powerful nations.

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.) — 39.50 focus

[1]

Evening was now coming on, and they were not only unable to get through their other business but they could not even agree as to where he could be safely kept during the night.

[2] They were dazed by the greatness of the man and the splendour of his career, and they did not dare to take him to their own homes or trust his custody to any single individual.

[3] Somebody reminded them of the public treasury which was an underground chamber, walled with hewn stone. Here he was let down in chains and the huge stone with which it was covered was lowered with pulleys.

[4] Having thus made up their minds that his safe-keeping ought to be entrusted to a place rather than to any man, they waited for the day.

[5] On the morrow the whole population, bearing in mind his former services to their city, considered that he ought to be spared and that through his means they must look for the remedy for their present troubles.

[6] The authors of the secession, who were in control of the government, held a secret meeting and unanimously decided that he must be put to death, but they were not agreed whether they should act at once or not.

[7] The party who were eager for his death carried the day, and a man was sent to him with the poison. It is said that he took the bowl and merely asked whether Lycortas was safe and whether the cavalry had escaped.

[8] When he was assured that they were safe he said, "It is well," and without the slightest sign of fear drained the bowl and shortly afterwards expired.

[9] The authors of this cruelty did not congratulate themselves on his death for long. Messene was captured in the war, and on the demand of the Achaeans the criminals were surrendered. The remains of Philopoemen were restored to them and the whole of the Achaean council were present at his funeral. After heaping upon him every human honour they did not shrink from according to him divine honours.

[10] Greek and Latin historians pay this man so high a tribute that some of them have placed on record as a notable feature of this year that three illustrious generals died during its course-Philopoemen, Hannibal and Lucius Scipio.

[11] To such an equality with the greatest generals of the most powerful nations in the world have they raised him.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. It resembled the Tullianum in Rome, in design if not in use.

2. B.C. 183

3. The hipparchus or praefectus equitum (XXXV. xxxiv. 9) was second in command.

4. This revives the question of the date of Scipio's death, to which Livy had found no answer when he wrote the latter chapters of Book XXXVIII, and which he discusses again in chap. lii. below. (It remains a mystery why he did not consolidate this chapter with his earlier discussion.) Antiquity was fond of coincidences, and it was convenient, if only for mnemonic reasons, 'to have the three greatest generals associated in death, even if only two were associated in life (Philopoemen had been compared with Flamininus rather than with Scipio: cf. XXXV. xxx. 12-13 and the note).

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 39.50

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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