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), 40.22

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[1] Philip, crossing Maedica first and then the waste lands lying between Maedica and the Haemus, on the seventh march at last came to the foot of the mountain. There he delayed for a day to choose the men whom he should take with him and on the third¹ day began his journey.

[2] At first there was moderate exertion in the foothills. The farther up they went, they found more and more ground that was wooded and often impassable:

[3] at last they came to a trail so shaded that by reason of the thickness of the trees and the branches interlaced with one² another it was barely possible to see the sky.

[4] But when they drew near the crest everything was so covered with fog, which is rare in high places, that they were retarded just as if they were marching by night. At last on the third day they came to the summit.³

[5] When they descended they did nothing to detract from the common opinion, rather, I suppose, to prevent the futility of the journey from becoming a subject of jest than because the different seas and mountains and rivers could be seen from one place.

[6] All were in distress and most of all the king himself, because he was more heavily burdened by age, as a result of the difficulty of the way. When he had sacrificed at the two altars dedicated there to

[7] Jupiter and the Sun, he made in two days the descent which had required three for the ascent, fearing most the nightly colds, which, at the time of the rising of the dog-star,⁴ were like those of winter.⁵

[8] After struggling with many hardships during those days, he found things no easier in camp, where the need was very great, as was to be expected in a country surrounded by deserts on all sides.

[9] And so, delaying only one day, in order to rest the men whom he had taken with him, he hurried, in a march that resembled a flight, into the country of the Dentheleti.

[10] They were allies, but on account of their need the Macedonians pillaged them just as if theirs were hostile territory: in their plundering they first laid waste the farm-houses far and wide,⁶

[11] then even certain villages, not without great shame on the king's part, when he heard the voices of his allies calling in vain upon the gods who protect alliances and upon his own name. Carrying off the grain from there and returning to Maedica, he began to attack a city which they call Petra.

[12] He himself encamped on the approach from the plain and sent his son Perseus around with a force of moderate size to attack the city from the higher ground.

[13] The citizens, since danger threatened them from every quarter, gave hostages and surrendered for the time being:

[14] but none the less, after the army retired, forgetting the hostages they abandoned the city and fled to the fortified places and the mountains.

[15] Philip, having wearied his troops with every sort of toil without having attained any result, and with his suspicions of his son increased because of the deceit of Didas, the general, returned to Macedonia.

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.) — 40.22 focus

[1] Philippus Maedicam primum, deinde solitudines interiacentes Maedicae atque Haemo transgrlessus transgressus septimis demum castris ad radices montis pervenit. ibi unum moratus diem ad deligendos, quos duceret secum, tertio die iter est ingressus.

[2] modicus primo labor in imis collibus fuit. quantum in altitudinem egrediebantur, magis magisque silvestria et pleraque invia loca excipiebant:

[3] pervenere deinde in tam opacum iter, ut prae densitate arborum immissorumque aliorum in alios ramorum perspici caelum vix posset. ut vero iugis appropinquabant,

[4] quod rarum in altis locis est, adeo omnia contecta nebula erant, ut haud secus quam nocturno itinere impedirentur. tertio demum die ad verticem perventum.

[5] nihil vulgatae opinioni degressi inde detraxerunt, magis credo, ne vanitas itineris ludibrio esset, quam quod diverse inter se maria montesque et amnes ex uno loco conspici potuerint.

[6] vexati omnes, et ante alios rex ipse, quo gravior aetate erat, difficultate viae est.

[7] duabus aris ibi Iovi et Soli sacratis cum immolasset, qua triduo ascenderat, biduo est degressus, frigora nocturna maxime metuens, quae caniculae ortu similia brumalibus erant.

[8] multis per eos dies difficultatibus conflictatus nihilo laetiora in castris invenit, ubi summa penuria erat, ut in regione, quam ab omni parte solitudines clauderent.

[9] itaque unum tantum moratus diem, quietis eorum causa, quos habuerat secum, itinere inde simili fugae in Dentheletos transcurrit.

[10] socii erant, sed propter inopiam haud secus quam hostium fines Macedones populati sunt:

[11] rapiendo enim passim villas primum, dein quosdam etiam vicos evastarunt, non sine magno pudore regis, cum sociorum voces nequiquam deos sociales nomenque suum implorantes audiret. frumento inde sublato in Maedicam regressus,

[12] urbem, quam Petram appellant, oppugnare est adortus.

[13] ipse a campestri aditu castra posuit, Perseum filium cum modica manu circummisit, ut a superioribus locis urbem adgrederetur.

[14] oppidani, cum terror undique instaret, obsidibus datis in praesentia dediderunt sese: iidem, postquam exercitus recessit, obliti obsidum relicta urbe in loca munita et montes refugerunt.

[15] Philippus omni genere laboris sine ullo effectu fatigatis militibus et fraude Didae praetoris auctis in filiurn filium suspicionibus in Macedoniam rediit.

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).) — 43.22 focus

[1]

eo die ad finem agri Aetolici ¹ castra posita; inde altero die ad Stratum perventum;

[2] ubi prope Inachum amnem castris positis, ² cum expectaret effusos omnibus portis ³ Aetolos in fidem suam venturos, clausas portas atque ipsa ea nocte qua venerat receptum Romanum praesidium cum C. Popilio legato invenit.

[3] principes , qui praesentis Archidami auctoritate compulsi regem arcessierant, obviam egresso Archidamo segniores facti locum adversae factioni dederant ad Popilium cum mille peditibus ab Ambracia accersendum.

[4] in tempore et Dinarchus, praefectus equitum gentis Aetolorum, cum sescentis peditibus et equitibus centum venit. ⁴

[5] satis constabat ⁵ eum tamquam ad Persea tendentem Stratum venisse, mutato deinde cum fortuna animo Romanis se, adversus quos venerat, iunxisse.

[6] nec Popilius securior quam debebat esse inter tam mobilia ingenia erat. claves portarum custodiamque murorum suae extemplo potestatis fecit;

[7] dinarchum Aetolosque cum iuventute Stratiorum in arcem per praesidii speciem amovit.

[8] Perseus ab imminentibus superiori parti urbis tumulis temptatis colloquiis, cum obstinatos atque etiam telis procul arcentis ⁶⁷ videret, quinque milia passuum ab urbe trans Petitarum amnem posuit castra.

[9] ibi consilio advocato cum Archidamus Epirotarumque transfugae retinerent, Macedonum ⁸ principes non pugnandum cum infesto tempore anni censerent, nullis praeparatis commeatibus,

[10] cum inopiam prius obsidentes quam obsessi sensuri ⁹ essent, maxime quod hostium haud ¹⁰ procul inde hiberna erant, territus in Aperantiam castra movit.

[11] aperanti aperantii eum ¹¹ propter Archidami magnam in ea gente gratiam auctoritatemque consensu omnium acceperunt; is ipse cum octingentorum militum ¹² praesidio his est praepositus.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 40.22 focus

[1]

Philippus Maedicam primum, deinde solitudines interiacentes Maedicae atque Haemo transgressus septimis demum castris ad radices montis pervenit. ibi unum moratus diem ad deligendos, quos duceret secum, tertio die iter est ingressus.

[2] modicus primo labor in imis collibus fuit, quantum in altitudinem egrediebantur, magis magisque silvestria et pleraque invia loca excipiebant.

[3] pervenere deinde in tam opacum iter, ut prae densitate arborum inmissorumque aliorum in alios ramorum perspici caelum vix posset.

[4] ut vero iugis adpropinquabant, quod rarum in altis locis est, adeo omnia contecta nebula, ut haud secus quam nocturno itinere inpedirentur. tertio demum die ad verticem perventum.

[5] nihil vulgatae opinioni degressi inde detraxerunt, magis credo, ne vanitas itineris ludibrio esset, quam quod diversa inter ¹ se maria montesque et amnes ex uno loco conspici potuerint.

[6] vexati omnes, et ante alios rex ipse, quo gravior aetate erat, difficultate viae est.

[7] duabus aris ibi Iovi et Soli sacratis cum inmolasset, qua triduo ascenderat, biduo est degressus, frigora nocturna maxime metuens, quae caniculae ortu similia brumalibus erant.

[8] multis per eos dies difficultatibus conflictatus nihilo laetiora in castris invenit, ubi summa penuria erat, ut in regione, quam ab omni parte solitudines clauderent.

[9] itaque unum tantum moratus diem, quietis eorum causa, quos habuerat secum, itinere inde simili fugae in Dentheletos transcurrit.

[10] socii erant, sed propter inopiam haud secus quam hostium fines Macedones populati sunt;

[11] rapiendo enim passim villas primum, dein quosdam etiam vicos evastarunt, non sine magno pudore regis, cum sociorum voces nequiquam deos sociales nomenque suum inplorantes audiret.

[12] frumento inde sublato in Maedicam regressus, urbem, quam Petram adpellant, obpugnare est adortus. ipse a campestri aditu castra posuit;

[13] Perseum filium cum modica manu circummisit, ut a superioribus locis urbem adgrederetur.

[14] oppidani, cum terror undique instaret, obsidibus datis in praesentia dediderunt sese; iidem postquam exercitus recessit, obliti obsidum relicta urbe in loca munita et montes refugerunt.

[15] Philippus omni genere laboris sine ullo effectu fatigatis ² militibus et fraude Didae praetoris auctis in filium suspicionibus in Macedoniam rediit.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 40.22 focus

[1]

Philip marched first into Maedica, then crossing the deserts that lie between Maedica and Haemus, at length, at his seventh encampment, he reached the foot of the mountain. There he halted one day, to make choice of those who were to accompany him, and on the next proceeded on his journey.

[2] At first, while they ascended the lower parts of the hills, the fatigue was moderate; but as they advanced upwards, they found the ground more thickly covered with woods, and many places impassable.

[3] They then came to a part of the way so shaded by the thickness of the trees, and the branches so interwoven with each other, that the sky could scarcely be seen;

[4] but when they drew near to the top, what is rarely seen in other places, the whole tract was covered with so thick a fog, that they were impeded no less than if they were journeying by night. At last, on the third day, they arrived at the summit.

[5] On coming down they did not discountenance the vulgar opinion, more, I suppose, lest the folly of the journey should be exposed to derision, than that it was there possible to see those seas, and mountains, and rivers, so widely distant from each other.

[6] They were all greatly fatigued by the difficulty of the way; and chiefly the king himself, in proportion as he was less fitted for exertion, owing to his advanced age.

[7] After sacrificing to Jupiter and the sun, on two altars which he consecrated on the spot, he descended in two days, though the ascent had cost him three; for he was particularly afraid of the night cold, which even at the rising of the dog-star was like the cold of winter.

[8] After struggling with numerous hardships during those days, he found his camp in a condition not more pleasing, for as it lay in a country enclosed on all sides by deserts, there was extreme want.

[9] He halted therefore but one day, to refresh those whom he had taken with him, and then hastened away into the country of the Dentheletians, with a rapid march close resembling flight.

[10] These were allies, but the Macedonians, on account of their own necessities, plundered their country, as if it belonged to an enemy;

[11] for they first pillaged the country houses, and afterwards ravaged several villages, overwhelming the king with shame, when he heard the cries of his allies, calling in vain on the gods who witnessed their league, and on himself by name.

[12] Having carried off corn from hence, he marched back into Maedica, and laid siege to a town called Petra.

[13] He pitched his camp in a plain, and sent his son Perseus with a small party to attack the city from the higher ground.

[14] The townsmen, when danger pressed them on all sides, gave hostages, and for the present surrendered themselves; but as soon as the army retired, regardless of the hostages, they deserted the city, and fled into fastnesses and mountains.

[15] Philip returned to Macedon, after having exhausted his troops by every kind of fatigue, without effecting any purpose, and with his suspicions of his son augmented through the treachery of the governor Didas.

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.) — 40.22 focus

[1]

Philip's first objective was Maedica. From there he marched across the desolate country between Maedica and the Haemus, and in seven days reached the foot of the mountain range. Here he remained encamped for one day to select those whom he was to take with him, and the next day resumed his march.

[2] The first part of the ascent did not involve much labour, but as they gained higher ground the country became more wooded and overgrown;

[3] and one part of their route was so dark that, owing to the density of the foliage and the interlacing of the branches, the sky was hardly visible.

[4] As they approached the crest, everything was veiled in cloud, an uncommon occurrence at great altitudes, and so dense that they found marching as difficult as at night. At last on the third day they reached the summit.

[5] After their descent they said nothing to contradict the popular belief; more, I suspect, to prevent the futility of their march from becoming a subject of ridicule than because the widely separated seas and mountains and rivers could really be seen from one spot. They were all distressed by the hardships of the march, the king most of all, owing to his age.

[6] He raised two altars there to Jupiter and the Sun, on which he offered sacrifices, and then commenced the descent, which occupied two days, the ascent having taken three.

[7] He was afraid of the cold nights, which, though it was the dog-days, were like the cold in winter.

[8] After all the difficulties he had had to contend against during those five days, he found things just as cheerless in his camp, where they were destitute of everything. This was inevitable in a district surrounded on all sides by uninhabited country.

[9] After one day in camp to rest the men whom he had taken with him, he hastened into the Dentheletic country at a speed which resembled a flight. This people were his allies, but owing to lack of food the Macedonians plundered them as though they were on enemy soil.

[10] Not content with robbing the homesteads, they devastated some of the villages,

[11] and it was with feelings of deep shame that the king heard his allies making fruitless appeals to the gods who watch over treaties and invoking his help and protection. Carrying off a supply of corn he returned to Maedica and made an attempt on a city called Petra.

[12] He fixed his camp on a plain which extended to the city and sent Perseus with a small force to approach the place from higher ground.

[13] With danger threatening them from all sides the townsmen gave hostages and surrendered the place for the time being, but as

[14] soon as the army had withdrawn they forgot all about the hostages, deserted their city and fled to their mountain strongholds.

[15] Philip returned to Macedonia with his men worn out to no purpose by labours and hardships innumerable, and with his mind filled with suspicions of his son through the cunning and treachery of Didas.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. The day of arrival (the seventh of the march) and the day of rest are the first and second days.

2. B.C. 181

3. The exact situation of this summit (now part of the Great Balkan) cannot be determined, but since it was in Western Thrace or Eastern Macedonia the idea that the Adriatic could be seen from there is absurd. Mela (II. ii. 17), however, says that both seas are visible, and Strabo (VII. v. 1) quotes Polybius to the same effect, but adds that he was mistaken, since the distance was great and there were many intervening objects to obstruct the view.

4. This star rose about mid-July (Pliny H. N. II. 123).

5. Conceiving of the career of Philip in tragic form again, one may regard this episode as the climax of Philip's folly thus far, or perhaps as a comic interlude to relieve the tragedy. It should be noted that it begins and ends with intimations of the approaching doom of Demetrius.

6. B.C. 181

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 40.22

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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