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), 41.20

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[1] Antiochus, setting up an ivory chair in the Roman fashion, would administer justice and adjudge disputes on the most trifling matters.

[2] And so incapable was his mind of sticking to any station in life, as it strayed through all the varieties of existence that it was not really clear either to himself or to others what kind of person he was.¹

[3] It was his habit not to speak to his friends, to smile at mere acquaintances in a most friendly way, and with an inconsistent generosity to make himself and others laughing-stocks; to some, men of distinction who held² themselves in high esteem, he would give childish presents, as of food or toys, others, who expected nothing, he would make rich.

[4] And so he seemed to some not to know what he wanted; some said that he was playing childish tricks, some that he was unquestionably insane.

[5] Nevertheless in two great and important respects his soul was truly royal —in his benefactions to cities and in the honours paid to the gods.

[6] To the people of Megalopolis in Arcadia he promised that he would enclose their city with a wall, and he gave the greater part of the money; at Tegea he began to build a magnificent theatre of marble; in the prytaneum at Cyzicus —this is the central hall of the city, where those men dine upon whom this distinction has been bestowed —he furnished a golden service for one table.

[7] While he gave the Rhodians nothing remarkable, yet he gave them gifts of every description, whatever their needs demanded.

[8] Of his magnificent ideas as to the treatment of the gods, the temple of Jupiter Olympius at Athens, the only one in the world which, though unfinished,³ was designed to conform to the greatness of the god, can well be evidence; besides, he also adorned Delos with marvellous altars and abundance of statuary, and at Antioch he built a magnificent temple to Jupiter Capitolinus, which had not merely its ceiling panelled with gold, but also its walls wholly covered with gilded plates;

[9] and many other things he promised in other places, but by reason of the very short duration of his reign⁴ he did not finish them.

[10] Also in regard to the splendour of his shows of every sort he surpassed earlier kings, his other spectacles being given in their own proper⁵ style and with an abundance of Greek⁶ theatrical artists;⁷ a gladiatorial exhibition, after the Roman fashion, he presented which was at first received with greater terror than pleasure on the part of men who were unused to such sights;

[11] then by frequent repetitions, by sometimes allowing the fighters to go only as far as wounding one another, sometimes permitting them to fight without

[12] giving quarter, he made the sight familiar and even pleasing, and he roused in many of the young men a joy in arms. And so, while at first he had been accustomed to summon gladiators from Rome, procuring them by large fees, finally he could find a sufficient supply at home.

[13] . . .⁸ Scipio the jurisdiction between citizens and aliens.

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.) — 41.20 focus

[1] Romano more, sella eburnea posita, ius dicebat disceptabatque controversias minimarum rerum.

[2] adeoque nulli fortunae adhaerebat animus per omnia genera vitae errans, uti nec sibi nec aliis, quinam homo esset, satis constaret.

[3] non adloqui amicos, vix notis familiariter arridere, munificentia inaequali sese aliosque ludificari; quibusdam honoratis magnoque aestimantibus se puerilia, ut escae aut lusus, munera dare, alios nihil expectantes ditare.

[4] itaque nescire, quid sibi vellet, quibusdam videri; quidam ludere eum simpliciter, quidam haud dubie insanire aiebant.

[5] in duabus tamen magnis honestisque rebus vere regius erat animus, in urbium donis et deorum cultu.

[6] Megalopolitanis in Arcadia murum se circumdaturum urbi est pollicitus maioremque partem pecuniae dedit; Tegeae theatrum magnificum e marmore facere instituit;

[7] Cyzici in prytaneo — id est penetrale urbis, ubi publice, quibus is honos datus est, vescuntur — vasa aurea mensae unius posuit. Rhodiis, ut nihil unum insigne, ita omnis generis, ut quaeque usus eorum postulaverunt, dona dedit.

[8] magnificentiae vero in deos vel Iovis Olympii templum Athenis, unum in terris incohatum pro magnitudine dei, potest testis esse;

[9] sed et Delum aris insignibus statuarumque copia exornavit, et Antiochiae Iovis Capitolini magnificum templum, non laqueatum auro tantum, sed parietibus totis lammina inauratum, et alia multa in aliis locis pollicitus, quia perbreve tempus regni eius fuit, non perfecit.

[10] spectaculorum quoque omnis generis magnificentia superiores reges vicit, reliquorum sui moris et copia Graecorum artificum;

[11] gladiatorum munus, Romanae consuetudinis, primo maiore cum terrore hominum, insuetorum ad tale spectaculum, quam voluptate dedit;

[12] deinde saepius dando et modo volneribus tenus, modo sine missione, etiam et familiare oculis gratumque id spectaculum fecit, et armorum studium plerisque iuvenum accendit.

[13] itaque qui primo ab Roma magnis pretiis paratos gladiatores accersere solitus erat, iam suo Scipio inter peregrinos.

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).) — 43.20 focus

[1]

hi transgressi iugum Scordi montis, per Illyrici solitudines, ¹ quas de ² industria populando Macedones fecerant ne transitus faciles Dardanis in Illyricum aut Macedoniam essent, Scodram ³ labore ingenti tandem pervenerunt. lissi rex Gentius erat.

[2] eo acciti legati, qui mandata exponentes benigne auditi sunt; responsum ⁴ sine effectu tulerunt, voluntatem sibi non deesse ad bellandum cum Romanis; ceterum ad conandum id quod velit pecuniam maxime deesse.

[3] haec Stuberram rettulere regi tum maxime captivos ex Illyrico vendenti. extemplo iidem legati, addito Glaucia ex numero custodum corporis, remittuntur sine mentione pecuniae, qua una barbarus inops impelli ad bellum poterat. ⁵

[4] ancyram inde populatus Perseus in Penestas rursus ⁶ exercitum reducit firmatisque Uscanae et circa eam per omnia castella quae ⁷ receperat praesidiis in Macedoniam sese recipit.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 41.20 focus

[1]

more sella eburnea posita ius dicebat disceptabatque controversias minimarum rerum.

[2] adeoque nulli fortunae adhaerebat animus per omnia genera vitae errans, uti nec sibi nec aliis, quinam homo esset, satis constaret.

[3] non adloqui amicos, vix notis familiariter arridere, munificentia inaequali sese aliosque ludificari; quibusdam honoratis magnoque aestimantibus se ¹ puerilia, ut escae aut lusus, munera dare, alios nihil expectantes ditare.

[4] itaque nescire, quid sibi vellet, quibusdam videri; quidam ludere eum simpliciter, quidam haud dubie insanire aiebant.

[5] in duabus tamen magnis honestisque rebus vere regius erat animus, in urbium donis et deorum cultu.

[6] Megalopolitanis in Arcadia murum se circumdaturum urbi est pollicitus maioremque partem pecuniae dedit; Tegeae theatrum magnificum e marmore facere instituit;

[7] Cyzici in Prytaneo — id est penetrale urbis, ubi publice, quibus is honos datus est, vescuntur — vasa aurea mensae unius posuit. Rhodiis ut nihil unum insigne, ita omnis generis, ut quaeque usus eorum postulaverunt, dona dedit.

[8] magnificentiae vero in deos vel Iovis Olympii templum Athenis, unum in terris incohatum pro magnitudine dei, potest testis² esse;

[9] sed et Delon aris insignibus statuarumque copia exornavit, et Antiochiae Iovis Capitolini magnificum templum, non laqueatum auro tantum, sed parietibus totis lammina inauratum, et alia multa in aliis locis pollicitus, quia perbreve tempus regni eius fuit, non perfecit.

[10] spectaculorum quoque omnis generis magnificentia superiores reges vicit, reliquorum sui moris et copia Graecorum artificum;

[11] gladiatorum munus Romanae consuetudinis primo maiore cum terrore hominum, insuetorum ad tale spectaculum, quam voluptate dedit;

[12] deinde saepius dando, et modo volneribus tenus, modo sine missione etiam, et familiare oculis gratumque id spectaculum fecit, et armorum studium plerisque iuvenum accendit.

[13] itaque, qui primo ab Roma magnis pretiis paratos gladiatores arcessere solitus erat, iam suo

Scipio inter peregrinos.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 41.20 focus

[1]

20. Lastly, having assumed the Roman gown instead of his royal robes, he used to go about the market-place, as he had seen done by the candidates for office at Rome, saluting and embracing each of the plebeians; soliciting at one time for the aedileship, at another for the plebeian tri- buneship, until at last he obtained the office by the suffrages of the people, and then, according to the Roman custom, he took his seat in an ivory chair, where he heard causes, and listened to debates on the most trivial matters.

[2] So far was his mind from adhering to any routine, for it wandered through every sort of life, that it was not ascertained either by himself or any one else what was his real character. He was accustomed not to speak to his friends, nor scarcely afford a smile to his acquaintance.

[3] By an inconsistent kind of liberality, he made himself and others subjects of ridicule; for to some in the most elevated stations, and who thought highly of themselves, he would give childish presents of sweetmeats, cakes, or toys; others expecting nothing he enriched. Wherefore to many he appeared not to know what he was doing; some said that he acted from a silly, sportive temper; others, that he was evidently mad. In two great and honourable instances, however, he showed a spirit truly royal, —in the presents which he made to several cities, and the honour he paid to the gods.

[4] To the inhabitants of Megalopolis, in Arcadia, he made a promise to build a wall round their city, and he gave them the greater part of the money requisite for the purpose. At Tegea he began to erect a magnificent theatre of marble. At Cyzicum, he presented a set of golden utensils for the service of one table in the Prytaneum, the state-room of the city, where such as are entitled to that honour dine together.

[5] To the Rhodians he gave presents of every kind that their convenience required, but none very remarkable. Of the magnificence of his notions, in every thing respecting the gods, the temple of Jupiter Olympius at Athens can be a sufficient testimony: being the only one in the world, the plan of which was suitable to the greatness of the deity. He likewise ornamented Delos with altars of extraordinary beauty, and abundance of statues.

[6] A magnificent temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, which he promised to build at Antioch, of which not only the ceilings, but all the walls, were to be covered with plates of gold, and many other edifices which he intended in various places, he did not finish, as his reign was very short. He surpassed his predecessors, too, in the magnificence of the public games of every description; of which all the games but one were after their own custom, and celebrated by an immense number of Grecian actors.

[7] He gave a show of gladiators in the Roman manner, which at first, among a people unaccustomed to such sights, caused more terror than pleasure; but by frequently repeating them, and sometimes permitting the combatants to go no further than wounds, at other times to fight until one was killed, he rendered such kind of shows not only familiar to people's eyes, but even agreeable, and kindled in most of the young men a passion for arms; so much so that, although, at the beginning, he was obliged to entice gladiators from Rome, by high rewards, ¹

[8] he soon found a sufficient number in his own dominions willing to perform for a moderate hire. But he displayed the same worthlessness and levity in exhibiting the games, as in the rest of his life, so that nothing could be seen more magnificent than the preparation for the games, nothing more vile or contemptible than the king himself.

[9] And when this appeared often on other occasions, it was then most conspicuous in those games, which, in emulation of the magnificence of those which were given by Paulus in Macedon, after the conquest of Perseus, he exhi- bited at immense expense, and with corresponding dishonour. To return, however, to the Roman affairs, from which the mention of this king has caused us to digress too far. Tibe- rius Sempronius Gracchus, after holding the government of Sardinia two years, resigned it to Servius Cornelius Sulla, the praetor, and, coming home to Rome, triumphed over the Sardinians.

[10] We are told that he brought such a multitude of captives from that island, that from the long continuance of the sale,

Sardinians for sale

became a vulgar proverb, to denote things of little price.

[11] Both the consuls (Scaevola and Lepidus) triumphed over the Ligurians; Lepidus over the Gauls also. Then were held the elections of magistrates for the ensuing year. Spurius Postumius Albinus and Quintus Mucius Scaevola were chosen consuls. In the election of prae- tors, fortune involved Lucius or Cneius Cornelius Scipio, son of Publius Africanus, one of the candidates, in a very invidi- ous struggle with Caius Cicereius, who had been his father's secretary.

[12] For, after five praetors had been declared, namely, Caius Cassius Longinus, Publius Furius Philus, Lucius Clau- dius Asellus, Marcus Atilius Serranus, and Cneius Servilius Caepio; although Scipio struggled hard to be admitted even in the last place, yet he was thought to have degenerated so far from the virtues of his father, that Cicereius would have been preferred by the votes of all the centuries, had not the latter, with singular modesty, corrected what might be considered either the fault of fortune or error of the elections.

[13] He could not reconcile it to himself, that, in a struggle in the elections, he should gain the victory over the son of his patron; but im- mediately throwing off the white gown, he became, from a com- id="p.1946" n="1946"/> petitor sure of success, the grateful friend and supporter of the interest of his rival. Thus, by the help of Cicereius, Scipio obtained an honour which he did not seem likely to gain from the people, and which reflected greater glory on Cicereius than on himself.

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.) — 41.20 focus

[1]

. . . Seated in Roman fashion on an ivory chair he used to administer justice and settle the most trifling disputes.

[2] Roaming through every phase of life, he was so far from remaining constant to any one form of it, that neither he himself nor any one else was at all clear as to his real character.

[3] He did not speak to his friends; he had a pleasant smile for those who were hardly known to him; he made himself and others ridiculous by his misplaced liberality. To some who were of high rank and set great value upon themselves he used to give childish presents of cakes and toys; others who expected nothing he enriched.

[4] Some people thought that he was at a loss to know what he meant by his actions; some said he was only playing the fool; some declared that he was undoubtedly mad.

[5] In two matters of great importance and redounding to his honour he showed a truly kingly spirit-his munificence to cities and his care for divine worship.

[6] He promised to build a wall round Megalopolis and gave the greater part of the money for it. At Tegea he began the construction of a magnificent marble theatre.

[7] At Cyzicus he furnished vessels of gold for one table in the Prytaneum, the central hall of the city, where those to whom the privilege has been granted dine at the public cost. In the case of the Rhodians he did not make them any single gift of surpassing value, but he gave them all sorts of things to suit their various requirements.

[8] The splendid munificence which he showed towards the gods is attested by the temple of Jupiter Olympius at Athens, the only one in the world which has been begun on a scale proportionate to the greatness of the deity.

[9] Delos he adorned with splendid altars and a great array of statues. At Antioch he projected a magnificent temple to Jupiter Capitolinus, of which not only the ceiling was to be overlaid with gold, but the whole of the walls were to be covered with gold leaf. Many public edifices in other places he promised to build, but the shortness of his reign prevented him from fulfilling his promises.

[10] In the magnificence of public exhibitions of every kind he surpassed all former monarchs; they were with only one exception given by Greek performers, the one exception being a gladiatorial contest exhibited in Roman fashion, which frightened the spectators, who were unused to such sights, more than it pleased them.

[11] By frequently giving these exhibitions, in which the gladiators sometimes only wounded one another, and at other times fought to the death, he familiarised the eyes of his people to them and they learnt to enjoy them.

[12] In this way he created amongst most of the younger men a passion for arms, and whilst at first he used to hire gladiators from Rome

[13] at a great cost, now from his own.

. . . . . .

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Polybius XXVI. i illustrates this: he would mix with all sorts of persons.

2. B.C. 175

3. This temple of Zeu\s )Olu/mpios was begun by Pisistratus and completed by Hadrian: cf. Pausanias I. xviii. 6.

4. He reigned eleven years in all, but his enthusiasm for building may not have begun at once.

5. I.e., according to the Greek way of giving them.

6. B.C. 175

7. texni=tai of various kinds, such as actors, choristers, flutists, etc.

8. I have supplied a possible conclusion to the sentence. The lacuna which follows doubtless recorded the elections for the year 174 B.C.: the last clause of the chapter records the assignment of a praetorian province. The consuls for 174 B.C. were Sp. Postumius Albinus and Q. Mucius Scaevola; the praetors C. Cassius Longinus, P. Furius Philus, L. Claudius, M. Atilius Serranus, Cn. Servilius Caepio and L. (or Cn.) Cornelius Scipio son of Africanus (cf. the note to xxvii. 2 below).

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 41.20

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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