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), 39.6

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[1] The time for the consular elections was now at hand; for these, since Marcus Aemilius, to whom this responsibility had fallen by lot, was unable to¹ come, Gaius Flaminius came to Rome. He announced the choice of Spurius Postumius Albinus and Quintus Marcius Philippus as consuls.

[2] Then the praetors were elected, Titus Maenius, Publius Cornelius Sulla, Gaius Calpurnius Piso, Marcus Licinius Lucullus, Gaius Aurelius Scaurus, Lucius Quinctius Crispinus.² At the end of the year, when the new magistrates had already been elected, on the third day before the Nones of March, Gnaeus Manlius Volso triumphed over the Gauls who inhabit Asia.

[3] His purpose in delaying so long to celebrate his triumph was to avoid pleading his cause under the Petillian

[4] law before the praetor Quintus Terentius Culleo and being himself consumed in the flames of another's trial, in which Lucius Scipio had been condemned,³ seeing that the jurors were far more hostile to him than to Scipio because it was rumoured

[5] that he, when he succeeded Scipio, had ruined the military discipline, strictly maintained by his predecessor, by permitting every kind of licence. Nor was this only a matter of unfavourable report of what was said to have happened in the province, far from their eyes, but still more of what was apparent every day among his soldiers.

[6] For the beginnings of foreign luxury were introduced into the City by the army from Asia.

[7] They for the first time imported into Rome couches of bronze, valuable robes for coverlets, tapestries and other products of the loom, and what at that time was considered luxurious furniture —tables with one pedestal and sideboards.⁴ Then female players of⁵ the lute and the harp and other festal delights of entertainments⁶ were made adjuncts to banquets; the banquets themselves, moreover, began to be planned with both greater care and greater expense.

[8] At that time the cook, to the ancient Romans the most worthless of slaves, both in their judgment of values and in the use they made of him, began to have value, and what had been merely a necessary service came to be regarded as an art.

[9] Yet those things which were then looked upon as remarkable were hardly even the germs of the luxury to come.

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.) — 39.6 focus

[1] iam consularium comitiorum appetebat tempus; quibus quia M. Aemilius, cuius sortis ea cura erat, occurrere non potuit, C. Flaminius Romam venit. ab eo creati consules Sp. Postumius Albinus Q. Marcius Philippus.

[2] praetores inde facti T. Maenius P. Cornelius Sulla C. Calpurnius Piso M. Licinius Lucullus C. Aurelius Scaurus L. Quinctius Crispinus. extremo anni,

[3] magistratibus iam creatis, ante diem tertium nonas Martias Cn. Manlius Vulso de Gallis qui Asiam incolunt triumphavit.

[4] serius ei triumphandi causa fuit, ne Q. Terentio Culleone praetore causam lege Petillia diceret, et incendio alieni iudicii, quo L. Scipio damnatus erat,

[5] conflagraret, eo infensioribus in se quam in illum iudicibus, quod disciplinam militarem severe ab eo conservatam successorem ipsum omni genere licentiae corrupisse fama attulerat.

[6] neque ea sola infamiae erant, quae in provincia procul ab oculis facta narrabantur, sed ea etiam magis, quae in militibus eius quotidie aspiciebantur.

[7] luxuriae enim peregrinae origo ab exercitu Asiatico invecta in urbem est. ii primum lectos aeratos, vestem stragulam pretiosam, plagulas et alia textilia, et quae tum magnificae supellectilis habebantur, monopodia et abacos Romam advexerunt.

[8] tunc psaltriae sambucistriaeque et convivalia alia ludorum oblectamenta addita epulis; epulae quoque ipsae et cura et sumptu maiore apparari coeptae. tum coquus,

[9] vilissimum antiquis mancipium et aestimatione et usu, in pretio esse, et quod ministerium fuerat, ars haberi coepta. vix tamen illa quae turn tum conspiciebantur, semina erant futurae luxuriae.

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).) — 43.6 focus

[1]

multarum simul Graeciae Asiaeque civitatium legati Romam convenerunt.

[2] primi Athenienses introducti; ii se, ¹ quod navium habuerint militumque

[3] P. Licinio consuli et C. Lucretio praetori misisse exposuerunt; quibus eos non usos frumenti sibi centum milia imperasse; quod, quamquam sterilem terram ararent, ² ipsosque etiam agrestis peregrino frumento alerent, tamen, ne deessent officio, ³ confecisse; et alia quae imperarentur praestare paratos esse.

[4] milesii nihil, quod ⁴ praestitissent, memorantes, si quid imperare ad bellum senatus vellet praestare se paratos esse polliciti sunt.

[5] alabandenses templum Urbis Romae se fecisse commemoravere ⁵ ludosque anniversarios ei divae instituisse; et coronam auream quinquaginta pondo,

[6] quam in Capitolio ponerent donum Iovi optimo maximo, attulisse et scuta equestria trecenta; ea, cui iussissent, tradituros. donum ut in Capitolio ponere et sacrificare liceret, petebant.

[7] hoc et ⁶ Lampsaceni, octoginta pondo coronam afferentes, petebant,

[8] commemorantes discessisse se a Perseo, ⁷ postquam Romanus exercitus ⁸ in Macedoniam venisset, cum sub dicione Persei et ante Philippi fuissent.

[9] pro eo et quod imperatoribus Romanis omnia praestitissent, id se tantum orare, ut in amicitiam populi Romani reciperentur, et, si pax cum Perseo fieret, ⁹ exciperentur, ne in regiam potestatem reciderent.

[10] ceteris legatis comiter responsum; Lampsacenos ¹⁰ in sociorum formulam referre Q. Maenius praetor iussus. munera omnibus in singulos binum milium aeris data. alabandenses scuta reportare ad A. Hostilium consulem in Macedoniam iussi.

[11] et ex Africa legati simul Carthaginiensium et Masinissae venerunt: legati Carthaginiensium ¹¹ tritici deciens centum milia et hordei quingenta ¹² indicantes se ad mare devecta habere, ut, quo senatus censuisset, deportarent;

[12] id munus officiumque suum scire minus esse quam pro meritis populi Romani et voluntate sua; sed saepe alias bonis in rebus utriusque populi se gratorum fideliumque socium ¹³ muneribus functos esse.

[13] item Masinissae legati tritici eandem summam polliciti et mille et ducentos equites, duodecim elephantos; et si quid aliud opus esset, uti imperaret senatus: aeque propenso animo et ea ¹⁴ et, quae ipse ultro pollicitus sit, praestaturum esse.

[14] gratiae et Carthaginiensibus et regi actae, ¹⁵ rogatique ut ea quae pollicerentur ¹⁶ ad Hostilium consulem in Macedoniam deportarent. legatis in singulos binum milium aeris munera missa.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 39.6 focus

[1]

iam consularium comitiorum adpetebat tempus; quibus quia M. Aemilius , cuius sortis ea cura erat, occurrere non potuit, C. Flaminius Romam venit. ab eo creati consules Sp. Postumius Albinus Q. Marcius Philippus .

[2] praetores inde facti T. Maenius P. Cornelius Sulla C. Calpurnius Piso M. Licinius Lucullus C. Aurelius Scaurus L. Quinctius Crispinus .

[3] extremo anni, magistratibus iam creatis, ante diem tertium nonas Martias Cn. Manlius Vulso de Gallis qui Asiam incolunt triumphavit.

[4] serius ei triumphandi causa fuit, ne Q. Terentio Culleone praetore causam lege Petillia diceret et incendio alieni iudicii,

[5] quo L. Scipio damnatus erat, conflagraret, eo ¹ infensioribus in se quam in illum iudicibus, quod disciplinam militarem severe ab eo conservatam successorem ipsum omni genere licentiae conrupisse fama adtulerat.

[6] neque ea sola infamiae erant, quae in provincia procul ab oculis facta narrabantur, sed ea etiam magis, quae in militibus eius quotidie aspiciebantur.

[7] luxuriae enim peregrinae origo ab exercitu Asiatico invecta in urbem est. ii primum lectos aeratos, vestem stragulam pretiosam, plagulas et alia textilia et, quae tum magnificae supellectilis habebantur, monopodia et abacos Romam advexerunt.

[8] tunc psaltriae ² sambucistriaeque et convivalia [alia] ludorum oblectamenta addita epulis;

[9] epulae quoque ipsae et cura et sumptu maiore adparari coeptae. tum coquus. vilissimum antiquis mancipium et aestimatione et usu, in pretio esse et, quod ministerium fuerat, ars haberi coepta. vix tamen illa, quae tum conspiciebantur, semina erant futurae luxuriae.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 39.6 focus

[1]

The time of the election of consuls now approached; and as Marcus Aemilius, to whose lot that business had fallen, could not attend, Caius Flaminius came home to Rome. Spurius Posthumius Albinus and Quintus Marcus Philippus were elected consuls by him.

[2] Then were chosen as praetors, — Titus Maenius, Publius Cornelius Sulla, Caius Calpurnius Piso, Marcus Licinius Lucullus, Caius Aurelius Scaurus, and Lucius Quintius Crispinus. At the close of the year, after the magistrates were appointed, on the third day before the nones of March, Cneius Manlius Vulso triumphed over the Gauls inhabiting Asia.

[3] The reason of his deferring his triumph so long was, to avoid standing a trial under the Petillian law, during the praetorship of Quintus Terentius Culleo;

[4] and the being involved in the ill consequences of the sentence passed on another, that by which Lucius Scipio was condemned;

[5] especially as the judges would be more disposed to severity against him than against Scipio, for this reason, because fame had reported, that he, Scipio's successor, had, by tolerating every description of licentiousness, ruined military discipline, so strictly preserved by his predecessor.

[6] Nor were the facts, which were reported to have happened in the province far from the eyes of spectators, the only things that disgraced his character; but still more so, those circumstances which were every day beheld in his soldiers; for by this army returning from Asia was the origin of foreign luxury imported into the city.

[7] These men first brought to Rome gilded couches, rich tapestry, with hangings and other works of the loom; and, what were then deemed magnificent furniture, single-footed tables and buffets. At entertainments, likewise, were introduced female players on the harp and timbrel, with buf- foons for the diversion of the guests.

[8] Their meats also began to be prepared with greater care and cost; while the cook, whom the ancients considered as the meanest of their slaves both in estimation and use, became highly valuable, and what was considered as a servile office began to be considered an art.

[9] Nevertheless, those introductions which were then looked on as remarkable were scarcely even the seeds of the future luxury.

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.) — 39.6 focus

[1]

The time for the consular elections was now at hand, and as M. Aemilius, to whom the task of conducting them had been assigned, was unable to undertake it, C. Flaminius went to Rome for the purpose. The consuls elected were Spurius Postumius Albinus and Q. Marcius Philippus.

[2] The new praetors were T. Maenius, P. Cornelius Sulla, C. Calpurnius Piso, M. Licinius Lucullus, C. Aurelius Scaurus and L. Quinctius Crispinus. At the close of the year, after the new magistrates had been appointed, Cneius Manlius Vulso celebrated his triumph over the Asiatic Gauls.

[3] The reason why he deferred his triumph to so late a date was his anxiety to avoid a prosecution under

[4] the Petillian Law whilst Q. Terentius Culleo was praetor, and the possibility of being caught by the flames of the verdict which condemned Scipio.

[5] He thought the judges would be even more hostile to him than they had been to Scipio owing to reports which had reached Rome of his allowing the soldiers every kind of licence and completely destroying the discipline which his predecessor Scipio had maintained.

[6] Nor were the stories of what had gone on in his province far away from men's eyes the only things that discredited him. Still worse things were witnessed amongst his soldiers every day' for it was through the army serving in Asia that the beginnings of foreign luxury were introduced into the City.

[7] These men brought into Rome for the first time, bronze couches, costly coverlets, tapestry, and other fabrics, and-what was at that time considered gorgeous furniture-pedestal tables and silver salvers.

[8] Banquets were made more attractive by the presence of girls who played on the harp and sang and danced, and by other forms of amusement, and the banquets themselves began to be prepared with greater care and expense.

[9] The cook whom the ancients regarded and treated as the lowest menial was rising in value, and what had been a servile office came to be looked upon as a fine art. Still what met the eye in those days was hardly the germ of the luxury that was coming.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 187

2. It may be accidental that so many of the names on this list are relatively unfamiliar; it may also be true that conditions had made the Romans somewhat distrustful of the families that had been exercising political and military leadership and had encouraged them to look elsewhere for talent.

3. Manlius probably had good reason to fear prosecution, especially before Culleo, who had displayed his inflexibility in the trial of Scipio. Until his triumph Manlius was outside the City and exempt from prosecution by virtue of his proconsulship; in the brief interval between the triumph and the Ides (when a new praetor would succeed Culleo) a trial could not be completed. See the notes to XXXVIII. liv. 3; 7; lviii. 12 above.

4. Pliny (XXXIV. 14) derives from the annalist Piso a similar list of articles of luxury first imported at this time. It does not necessarily follow that Piso was Livy's source also.

5. B.C. 187

6. He probably includes dancing-girls, buffoons, and the like.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 39.6

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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