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), 42.29

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[1] In the consulship of Publius Licinius and¹ Gaius Cassius, not only the city of Rome and the land of Italy, but also all kings and states both in Europe and in Asia, had turned their minds to concern over the war between Macedonia and Rome.

[2] Eumenes was urged on by his former enmity and quite as much by his fresh anger, because through the king's crime he had been almost slaughtered like a beast for sacrifice at Delphi.²

[3] Prusias, the king of Bithynia, had determined to refrain from arms and await the³ outcome; for, he thought, the Romans for their part could not think it right that he should take up arms against his wife's brother, and, as for Perseus, if he conquered, reconciliation might be effected with him through his sister.⁴

[4] Ariarathes, the king of Cappadocia, apart from the fact that he had promised aid directly to the Romans, was from the time of his alliance in marriage with Eumenes in harmony with the latter in all plans for peace or war.⁵

[5] Antiochus was indeed threatening the kingdom of Egypt, in scorn of the youth of the king and the sluggishness of his guardians;⁶ and he expected, by raising disputes about Hollow Syria,⁷ to have a cause for war and to wage it without obstacle while the Romans were busied with the Macedonian war;

[6] however, for this war he had zealously promised everything to the senate through his envoys, and personally to the envoys of the senate.

[7] Ptolemy because of his age was at that time still under the control of others; his guardians were both preparing war against Antiochus, in order to clear their title to Hollow Syria, and were promising the Romans everything for the war with Macedonia.

[8] Masinissa was helping the Romans with grain and was preparing to send to the war troops with elephants under command of his son Misagenes.

[9] However, he had plans ready for any outcome, and arranged as follows: if victory should be on the side of the Romans, then his own situation would remain unchanged,⁸ nor should he make any move to expand, for the Romans would not permit violence to be used against the Carthaginians;

[10] if the powers of Rome, which then were sheltering the Carthaginians, should be broken, all Africa⁹ would be his.

[11] Gentius, king of the Illyrians, did not so much determine which side he would favour, as succeed in becoming an object of suspicion to the Romans, and seemed to be about to join the one or the other through impulse more than reasoning.¹⁰

[12] The Thracian Cotys,¹¹ king of the Odrysae, secretly sided with 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.) — 42.29 focus

[1] P. Licinio C. Cassio consulibus non urbs tantum Roma nec terra Italia, sed omnes reges civitatesque, quae in Europa quaeque in Asia erant, converterant animos in curam Macedonici ac Romani belli.

[2] Eumenen cum vetus odium stimulabat, tum recens ira, quod scelere regis prope ut victuma mactatus Delphis esset.

[3] Prusias, Bithyniae rex, statuerat abstinere armis et eventum expectare; nam neque Romanos posse aequom censere, adversus fratrem uxoris se arma ferre, et apud Persea victorem veniam per sororem impetrabilem fore.

[4] Ariarathes, Cappadocum rex, praeterquam quod Romanis suo nomine auxilia pollicitus erat, ex quo est iunctus Eumeni adfinitate, in omnia belli pacisque se consociaverat consilia.

[5] Antiochus inminebat quidem Aegypti regno, et pueritiam regis et inertiam tutorum spernens; et ambigendo de Coele Syria causam belli se habiturum existumabat gesturumque id nullo impedimento occupatis Romanis in Macedonico bello;

[6] quod ad bellum tamen omnia et per suos legatos senatui et ipse legatis eorum enixe pollicitus erat.

[7] Ptolemaeus propter aetatem alieni etiam tum arbitrii erat; tutores et bellum adversus Antiochum parabant, quo vindicarent Coelen Syriam, et Romanis omnia pollicebantur ad Macedonicum bellum.

[8] Masinissa et frumento iuvabat Romanos et auxilia cum elephantis Misagenenque filium mittere ad bellum parabat. consilia autem in omnem fortunam ita disposita habebat:

[9] si penes Romanos victoria esset, sua quoque in eodem statu mansura esse, neque ultra quidquam movendum; non enim passuros Romanos vim Carthaginiensibus adferri;

[10] si fractae essent opes Romanorum, quae tum protegerent Carthaginienses, suam omnem Africam fore.

[11] Gentius, rex Illyriorum, fecerat potius, cur suspectus esset Romanis, quam satis statuerat, utram foveret partem, impetuque magis quam consilio his aut illis se adiuncturus videbatur.

[12] Cotys Thrax, Odrysarum rex, clam Macedonum partis erat.

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.) — 42.29 focus

[1]

P. Licinio C. Cassio consulibus non urbs tantum Roma nec terra Italia, sed omnes reges civitatesque, quaeque in Europa quaeque in Asia erant, converterant animos in curam Macedonici ac Romani belli.

[2] Eumenen cum vetus odium stimulabat, tum recens ira, quod scelere regis prope ut victuma mactatus Delphis esset.

[3] Prusias Bithyniae rex statuerat abstinere armis et quietus eventum expectare: nam neque Romanos posse aequom censere adversus fratrem uxoris se arma ferre et apud Persea victorem veniam per sororem impetrabilem fore.

[4] Ariarathes Cappadocum rex, praeterquam quod Romanis suo nomine auxilia pollicitus erat, ex quo est iunctus Eumeni adfinitate, in omnia belli pacisque se consociaverat consilia.

[5] Antiochus inminebat quidem Aegypti regno, et pueritiam regis et inertiam tutorum spernens, et ambigendo de Coele Syria causam belli se habiturum

[6] existumabat gesturumque sine ullo impedimento occupatis Romanis in Macedonico bello; quod ad bellum tamen omnia et per suos ¹ legatos senatui et ipse legatis eorum enixe pollicitus erat.

[7] Ptolemaeus propter aetatem alieni etiam tum arbitrii erat; tutores et bellum adversus Antiochum parabant, quo vindicarent Coelen Syriam, et Romanis omnia pollicebantur ad Macedonicum bellum.

[8] Masinissa et frumento iuvabat Romanos, et auxilia cum elephantis Misagenenque filium mittere ad bellum parabat;

[9] consilia autem in omnem fortunam ita disposita habebat: si penes Romanos victoria esset, suas quoque in eodem statu mansuras res esse, neque ultra quidquam movendum, non enim passuros Romanos vim Carthaginiensibus adferri;

[10] si fractae essent opes Romanorum, quae tum protegerent Carthaginienses, suam omnem Africam fore.

[11] Gentius rex Illyriorum fecerat potius, cur suspectus esset Romanis, quam satis statuerat, utram foveret partem, impetuque magis quam consilio his aut illis se adiuncturus videbatur.

[12] Cotys Thrax, Odrysarum rex, iam Macedonum partis erat.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 42.29 focus

[1]

In this consulate of Publius Licinius and Caius Cassius, not only the city of Rome, but the whole of Italy, with all the kings and states both in Europe and in Asia, had their attention fixed on the approaching war between Rome and Macedon.

[2] Not only old hatred, but also recent anger, be- cause by the villany of Perseus he had been almost slaughtered like a victim at Delphi, urged Eumenes against him.

[3] Prusias, king of Bithynia, resolved to keep clear of hostilities, and to wait the event; for as he did not think it proper to carry arms on the side of the Romans against his wife's brother, so he trusted that, in case of Perseus proving victorious, his favour might be secured through the means of his sister.

[4] Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia, besides having, in his own name, promised aid to the Romans, had, ever since he was allied by affinity to Eumenes, united with him in all his plans, whether of war or peace.

[5] Antiochus indeed entertained designs on the kingdom of Egypt, since he despised the unripe age of Ptolemy, and the inactive disposition of his guardians, and thought that he might, by raising a dispute about Cœlesyria, find sufficient pretext for proceeding to extremities, and carry on a war there without any impediment, while the Roman arms were employed against Macedon:

[6] yet, by his ambassadors to the senate, and to their ambassadors sent to him, he made the fairest promises.

[7] Ptolemy, on account of his age, was then influenced by the will of others; and his guardians, at the same time while they were preparing for war with Antiochus, to secure possession of Cœlesyria, promised the Romans every support in the war against Macedon.

[8] Masinissa both assisted the Romans with supplies of corn, and prepared to send into the field, to their assistance, a body of troops and a number of elephants, with his son Misagenes. He so arranged his plans as to answer every event that might take place;

[9] for if success should attend the Romans, he judged that his own affairs would rest in their present state, and that he ought to seek for nothing further, as the Romans would not suffer violence to be offered to the Carthaginians;

[10] and if the power of the Romans, which at that time protected the Carthaginians, should be reduced, then all Africa would be his own.

[11] Gentius, king of Illyria, had indeed given cause of suspicion to the Romans; but he had not yet determined which party to espouse, and it was believed that he would join either one or the other through some sudden impulse of passion, rather than from any rational motive.

[12] Cotys, the Thracian king of the Odrysians, was openly in favour of the Macedonians.

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.) — 42.29 focus

[1]

When P. Licinius and C. Cassius began their consulship, not only the City of Rome, but all kings and commonwealths throughout Europe and Asia, were preoccupied by the approaching war between Rome and Macedonia.

[2] Eumenes had long regarded Macedonia as his enemy, and now he had a fresh incentive to his hostility in his narrow escape from being slaughtered like a victim at Delphi, through the king's foul treachery.

[3] Prusias, the king of Bithynia, had decided to take no part in the conflict, but quietly to wait on events. He felt sure that the Romans could not possibly think it right for him to bear arms against his brother-in-law, and if Perseus were victorious he knew that he could secure his favour through his sister.

[4] Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia, had already promised to assist the Romans on his own account, and now that he was connected by marriage with Eumenes, he associated himself with all their policy, both in peace and war.

[5] Antiochus was threatening Egypt, and in his contempt for the boy-king and his unenterprising guardians he thought that, by raising the question of Coelo-Syria, he would have a good pretext for war, and be able to prosecute it without hindrance while the Romans were occupied with the Macedonian war.

[6] He had, however, made all sorts of promises to the senate in view of the war both by his own legations to Rome and personally to the envoys whom the senate had sent to him.

[7] Owing to his age. Ptolemy was under tutelage; his guardians were preparing for war with Antiochus to keep their hold on Coelo-Syria, and were at the same time promising to give the Romans all assistance in their war with Macedonia.

[8] Masinissa gave assistance by supplying corn, and was preparing to send a force with elephants and also his son, Misagenes, to the war.

[9] He had, however, laid his plans to meet any turn of fortune; if victory fell to the Romans, matters would remain as they were, nor could he make any further advance since the Romans would not allow any aggression on the Carthaginians.

[10] If the power of Rome-the sole protection of the Carthaginians-was broken, all Africa would be his.

[11] Gentius, king of the Illyrians, had brought himself under suspicion, but had not gone so far as to decide for certain which side he should support; it seemed as though whichever he supported, it would be more from impulse than policy.

[12] The Thracian Cotys, king of the Odrysae, had already declared for Macedonia.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 171

2. Cf. above, xvi. and the note. For the plot against Eumenes as an occasion of the war cf. Polybius XXII. 18 and XXVII. 6.

3. B.C. 171

4. Cf. above, xii. 3, and Appian, Mithridatic Wars, XII. i. 2.

5. Cf. XXXVIII. xxxix. 6; on Ariarathes' pro-Romanism, above, xix. 3-6.

6. Cf. Polybius XXVII. 19; Ptolemy VI Philometor was about 16 at this time, having succeeded to the throne in 181 B.C. His tutors were Eulaeus and Lenaeus; the former is accused of cowardice by Polybius XXVIII. 21.

7. The district of Damascus, and extending to the north, between Lebanon and Antilebanon; it had first belonged to Seleucus, was conquered by Ptolemy Philadelphus in 280 and held by Egypt till 218; it was retaken by Antiochus the Great in 201-198, and given by him as dowry for his daughter Cleopatra, mother of the reigning Ptolemy.

8. B.C. 171

9. As used here, the name covers only the north-western part of the continent.

10. Cf. above, xxvi. 2.

11. Polybius XXVII. 12 speaks highly of Cotys' ability; he was counter-balanced by other Thracians, cf. above, xix. 7; for his help to Perseus, cf. below, li. 10.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 42.29

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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