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), 40.11

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[1]

What do you think is the purpose of that letter which has just been sent to you by Titus Quinctius,¹ in which he says first that you took good care of your interests when you sent Demetrius to Rome, and then urges that you send him again, accompanied by a longer train of ambassadors and chieftains of the Macedonians?

[2]

Titus Quinctius is now his guide and teacher in all matters. You, his father, have been pushed aside, and he has chosen Quinctius to put in your place. There above all have secret plans been devised.

[3]

It is assistants in carrying out these plans that they are seeking, since he bids you send with him more Macedonians and chiefs of the state. Those who go to Rome from here sound and untainted, believing that they have Philip for their king, return from there stained and corrupted² by Roman enchantments.

[4]

Demetrius alone is everything to them, and even now, while his father is alive, they hail him as king. If I am indignant at these things, I must at once listen to the charge, not from others alone, but even from you, father, that I am coveting the throne! But for my part, if this charge is put forward openly, I do not admit its truth.

[5]

For whom am I removing from his proper place, that I may step into his place? Only my father is before me, and I pray the gods that he may long be there.

[6]

Should I survive —and may I so behave that he may himself wish me to survive, if I deserve it —I shall receive the inheritance of the kingship if my father will hand it on to me.

[7]

He covets the throne and indeed covets it to the point of crime, since he hastens to leap over precedence in age, in nature, the usage of the Macedonians, the law of nations. ' My elder brother' says Demetrius, 'stands in my way, to whom the kingdom belongs by law and also by our father's wish.

[8]

Let him be removed: I shall not have been the first to seek a kingdom by murdering a brother. Our father, an old man and lonely, bereaved of his son, will fear too much for himself to avenge the death of his son.

[9]

The Romans will rejoice, will applaud, will defend my act.'

[10]

Such hopes, father, are uncertain but not groundless. For such is the situation: you can avert the peril to my life by punishing those who have armed themselves against me; if success attends their crime, you yourself will be unable to avenge my death.

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.) — 40.11 focus

[1] quo spectare illas litteras ad te nune nunc missas l T. Quinctii credis, quibus et bene te consuluisse rebus tuis ait, quod Demetrium Romam miseris, et hortatur, ut iterum et cum pluribus legatis et primoribus eum remittas Macedonum?

[2] T. Quinctius nunc est auctor omnium rerum isti et magister. eum sibi te abdicate patre in locum tuum substituit. illic ante omnia clandestina cocta sunt consilia.

[3] quaeruntur adiutores consiliis, cum te plures et principes Macedonum cum isto mittere iubet. qui hine integri et sinceri Romam eunt, Philippum regem se habere credentes, imbuti illinc

[4] et infecti Romanis delenimentis redeunt Demetrius iis unus omnia est, eum iam regem vivo patre appellant. haec si indignor, audiendum est statim non ab aliis solum sed etiam a te, pater, cupiditatis regni crimen.

[5] ego vero, si in medio ponitur, non agnosco. quem enim suo loco moveo, ut ipse in eius locum succedam? unus ante me pater est, et ut diu sit, deos rogo.

[6] superstes — et ita sim, si merebor, ut ipse me esse velit — hereditatem regni, si pater tradet accipiam.

[7] cupit regnum, et quidem scelerate cupit, qui transcendere festinat ordinem aetatis, naturae, moris Macedonum, iuris gentium. obstat frater maior, ad quem iure, voluntate etiam patris, regnum pertinet. tollatur:

[8] non primus regnum fraterna caede petiero. pater senex et filio solus orbatus de se magis timebit, quam ut filii necem ulciscatur. Romani laetabuntur probabunt, defendent factum.

[9] hae spes incertae, pater, sed non inanes sunt.

[10] ita enim se res habet: periculum vitae propellere a me potes, puniendo eos, qui ad me interficiendum ferrum sumpserunt; si facinori eorum successerit, mortem meam idem tu persequi non poteris.”

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).) — 43.11 focus

[1]

haec et alia haud prospere in Macedonia gesta ¹ ex Sex. digitio tribuno militum, qui sacrificii ² causa Romam venerat, sunt audita.

[2] propter quae veriti patres ne qua maior ³ ignominia acciperetur legatos in Macedoniam M. Fulvium ⁴ Flaccum et M. Caninium Rebilum miserunt, qui comperta ⁵ quae agerentur referrent;

[3] et ut A. Atilius consul comitia consulibus rogandis ita ediceret, uti mense Ianuario confici ⁶ possent, et ut primo quoque tempore in urbem rediret.

[4] interim M. Raecio praetori mandatum, ut edicto senatores omnes ex tota Italia, nisi qui rei publicae causa abessent, Romam revocaret: qui Romae essent,

[5] ne quis ultra mille passuum ab Roma abesset. ea , uti senatus censuit, sunt facta.

[6] comitia consularia ante diem quintum ⁷ kal. febr . ⁸ fuere. creati consules sunt Q. Marcius Philippus iterum et Cn. ⁹ Servilius Caepio.

[7] post diem tertium praetores sunt facti C. ¹⁰ Decimius, M. Claudius Marcellus, C. Sulpicius Gallus, C. Marcius Figulus, Ser. ¹¹

[8] Cornelius Lentulus, P. Fonteius Capito. designatis praetoribus praeter duas urbanas quattuor provinciae sunt decretae: Hispania et Sardinia et ¹² Sicilia et classis.

[9] legati ex Macedonia exacto admodum mense Februario redierunt. hi quas res ea aestate prospere gessisset rex Perseus referebant, quantusque timor socios populi Romani cepisset tot urbibus in potestatem regis redactis.

[10] exercitum consulis infrequentem commeatibus vulgo datis per ambitionem esse; culpam eius rei consulem in tribunos militum, contra illos in consulem ¹³ conferre.

[11] ignominiam Claudi temeritate acceptam elevare eos patres acceperunt, ¹⁴ qui perpaucos Italici generis et magna ex parte ¹⁵ tumultuario dilectu conscriptos ibi milites amissos referebant.

[12] consules designati ubi primum magistratum inissent, de Macedonia referre ad senatum iussi; destinataeque provinciae iis sunt Italia et Macedonia.

[13] hoc anno intercalatum est: tertio die post Terminalia kalendae intercalariae ¹⁶ fuere. sacerdotes intra eum annum mortui sunt ¹⁷ L. Flamininus . .. ¹⁸ pontifices duo decesserunt, L. Furius Philus et C. Livius Salinator. in locum Furii T. Manlium ¹⁹ Torquatum, in Livi M. Servilium pontifices legerunt.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 40.11 focus

[1]

quo spectare illas litteras ad te nunc missas T. Quincti credis, quibus et bene te consuluisse rebus tuis ait, quod Demetrium Romam miseris, et hortatur, ut iterum et cum pluribus legatis et primoribus eum remittas Macedonum?

[2] T. Quinctius nunc est auctor omnium rerum isti et magister; eum sibi te abdicato patre in locum tuum substituit; illic ante omnia ¹ clandestina cocta sunt consilia.

[3] quaeruntur adiutores consiliis, cum te plures et principes Macedonum cum isto mittere iubet. qui hinc integri et sinceri Romam eunt, Philippum regem se habere credentes, imbuti illinc et infecti Romanis delenimentis redeunt. Demetrius iis unus omnia est; eum iam regem vivo patre adpellant.

[4] haec si indignor, audiendum est statim non ab aliis solum, sed etiam a te, pater, cupiditatis regni crimen.

[5] ego vero, si in medio ponitur, non agnosco. quem enim suo loco moveo, ut ipse in eius locum succedam? unus ante me pater est, et, ut diu sit, deos rogo.

[6] superstes—et ita sim, si merebor, ut ipse me esse velit—hereditatem regni, si pater tradet, accipiam.

[7] cupit regnum, et quidem scelerate cupit, qui transcendere festinat ordinem aetatis, naturae, moris Macedonum, iuris gentium. “obstat frater maior, ad quem iure, voluntate etiam patris, regnum pertinet;

[8] tollatur: non primus regnum fraterna caede petiero, pater senex et [filio] solus [orbatus] de se magis timebit, quam ut filii necem ulciscatur. Romani laetabuntur, probabunt, ² defendent factum, “

[9] hae spes incertae, pater, sed non inanes sunt.

[10] ita enim se res habet: periculum vitae propellere a me potes puniendo eos, qui ad me interficiendum ferrum sumpserunt; si facinori eorum successerit, mortem mean idem tu persequi non poteris.”.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 40.11 focus

[1]

What do you suppose to be the intention of the letter lately sent to you by Titus Quintius, in which he not only says, that you acted wisely for your own interest in sending Demetrius to Rome, but also advises you to send him back again, with a greater number of ambassadors, and nobles of Macedonia? Titus Quintius is now his counsellor, and master, in every thing.

[2]

Having renounced you his father, he has substituted him in your place. There in preference to all other places their secret plans are concocted. When he desires you to send greater numbers, and the chief men of Macedon, they are seeking assistants in their schemes.

[3]

For those who go from this place unchanged and uncorrupted, and impressed with the idea that they had Philip as their king, return from thence tainted —infected by Roman blandishments. Demetrius alone is every thing to them.

[4]

They give him the title of king already, even in his father's life-time. If I express my indignation at these things, you must forthwith understand that the crime of thirsting for dominion has been laid to my charge; not only by others, father, but even by you. But this charge, if made against both, I do not admit; for whom do I remove from his place, that I may succeed in his room?

[5]

My father alone is before me; and that he may long be so, I entreat the gods.

[6]

I his survivor, (and may I be so only on these terms, if, by my desert, he shall wish me to be so,) shall receive the inheritance of his kingdom, provided my father shall bequeath it to me.

[7]

He covets rule, and covets it with criminal passion, since he hastily overleaps the order of age, of nature, of the Macedonian custom, and of the laws of nations. An elder brother stands in his way, to whom by right, and by the wish of his father, the kingdom belongs.

[8]

Let him be carried off: I shall not be the first that acquired a kingdom by spilling a brother's blood. My father, being old, and forlorn from being bereaved of his son, will rather fear for himself, than revenge his son's death. The Romans will rejoice, they will approve, they will defend the deed.

[9]

Father, these prospects are uncertain, but they are not groundless.

[10]

For the matter stands thus: you can repel from me the fatal danger, by inflicting punishment on those who have taken up arms to kill me; if success attend the daring deed, you the very same shall not be able to avenge my death.

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.) — 40.11 focus

[1]

"What do you suppose is the meaning of that letter which has just been sent to you by T. Quinctius, in which he says that you acted wisely in your own interest by sending Demetrius to Rome, and urges you to send him again with a more numerous embassage including the foremost men in Macedonia?

[2] T. Quinctius is now his adviser and director in everything; he has renounced you, his father, and put him in your place. With him all the secret plans are arranged beforehand; he is looking out for men to help him in carrying out those plans when he bids you send more of the Macedonian leaders with him.

[3] They will go from here loyal and true, believing that they have a king in Philip, they will come back tainted and poisoned with Roman blandishments. Demetrius is everything to the Romans, they are already addressing him as king while his father is alive.

[4] If I show indignation at all this, I have forthwith to listen to charges of seeking the crown not only from others but even from you, my father. But if the accusation rests between us, I, for my part, repudiate it. For whom am I displacing that I may step into his place?

[5] My father alone is before me, and I pray Heaven that he may long be so. If I survive him-and may this be so only if my deserts make him wish it-I shall receive the heritage of the crown if my father delivers it to me.

[6] That youth is coveting the crown, and coveting it with criminal intent. He is eager to forestall the order laid down by age, by nature, by the usage of the Macedonians, by the law of nations.

[7] 'My elder brother,' he says to himself, 'to whom by right and even by my father's wish the crown belongs, stands in my way; let him be removed. I shall not be the first who has sought a kingdom at the cost of a brother's blood.

[8] My father, an old man, without the support of his elder son will be too much afraid for himself to think of avenging his son's death. The Romans will be glad, they will approve of my act and defend it.'

[9] These are uncertain hopes, but not groundless.

[10] For this is how matters stand, my father; you can repel the danger which menaces my life by punishing those who have taken up the sword to slay me; if their criminal purpose is achieved, you will not have the power to avenge my death."

Notes on the current edition

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

1. This letter has not been mentioned by Livy but is quoted by Polybius (XXIV. iii (XXIII. iii)), who adds that in private conversation Quinctius captivated the young man by suggesting that the Romans meant to place him on the throne. One can hardly suspect Flamininus of deliberate double dealing, but he certainly played into the hands of Perseus: cf. also xxiii. 7 below.

2. B.C. 182

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 40.11

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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