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), 44.10

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[1]

Perseus at length recovered his courage from the panic which had struck him down. and would have preferred that his commands had not been obeyed when he ordered the treasure at Pella to be cast into the sea and the dockyards at Thessalonica to be burned.

[2] Andronicus, the envoy to Thessalonica, had killed time to allow for the very thing which happened, a change of mind. ¹

[3] Nicias at Pella was less wary in casting away part of

[4] the money which was in Phacus, but he seemed to have made his mistake in a manner not irreparable, since almost all the money was brought up by divers. So great was the king's shame at this panic of his that he ordered the divers secretly to be put to death, and after them Andronicus and Nicias, too, so that there should be no one having knowledge of so crazy an order.

[5] Meanwhile, Gaius Marcius set out with the fleet from Heracleum for Thessalonica, ravaged the countryside far and wide by setting ashore forces at several points, and in several successful battles drove back those who sallied from the city headlong within their walls.

[6] He was striking terror into the city itself, when from the engines of all types which were distributed ² about, stones shot by machine struck down not only the skirmishers about the walls who rashly approached, but even the men in the ships.

[7] Recalling the soldiers to the ships and abandoning the siege of Thessalonica, they made thence for Aenea. This city is fifteen miles away, set opposite Pydna in fertile land.

[8] After devastating its territory they followed the shore and arrived at Antigonea. There they disembarked and for a time both ravaged the fields round about and carried some booty off to their ships.

[9] Then the Macedonians, cavalry and infantry together, attacked the scattered raiders and pursuing as they fled in disorder, killed about five hundred and captured as many.

[10] Nothing but utter necessity, when they were kept from finding safety in their ships, aroused the spirits of the Roman soldiers, both by despair of other means of safety and by indignation. The fight was renewed on the shore; those aboard the ships came to the rescue.

[11] Here about two hundred of the Macedonians were slain and an equal number captured. From Antigonea the fleet sailed to the peninsula of Pallene and landed troops to ravage it. This land belonged to the territory of Cassandrea ³ and was by far the most fertile of all the coast they had passed.

[12] Here they were met by King Eumenes, who had set out from Elaea ⁴ with twenty decked ⁵ ships, as well as by five decked ships sent by King Prusias. ⁶

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.) — 44.10 focus

[1] Perseus tandem a pavore eo, quo attonitus fuerat, recepto animo malle imperiis suis non obtemperatum esse, cum trepidans gazam in mare deici Pellae, Thessalonicae navalia iusserat incendi.

[2] Andronicus Thessalonicam missus traxerat tempus, id ipsum, quod accidit, paenitentiae relinquens locum.

[3] incautior Nicias Pellae proiciendo pecuniae partem, quae fuerat ad Phacum;

[4] sed in re emendabili visus lapsus esse, quod per urinatores omnis ferme extracta est. tantusque pudor regi pavoris eius fuit, ut urinatores clam interfici iusserit, deinde Andronicum quoque et Nician, ne quis tam dementis imperii conscius existeret.

[5] inter haec C. Marcius cum classe ab Heracleo Thessalonicam profectus et agrum pluribus locis expositis per litora armatis late vastavit et procurrentes ab urbe secundis aliquot proeliis trepidos intra moenia conpulit.

[6] iamque ipsi urbi terribilis erat, cum dispositis omnis generis tormentis non vagi modo circa muros, temere adpropinquantes, sed etiam qui in navibus erant, saxis tormento emicantibus percutiebantur.

[7] revocatis igitur in naves militibus omissaque Thessalonicae oppugnatione Aeniam inde petunt. quindecim milia passuum ea urbs abest, adversus Pydnam posita, fertilis agro.

[8] pervastatis finibus eius legentes oram Antigoneam perveniunt. ibi egressi in terram primo et vastarunt agros passim et aliquantum praedae contulerunt ad naves.

[9] dein palatos eos adorti Macedones, mixti pedites equitesque, fugientes effuse ad mare persecuti quingentos ferme occiderunt et non minus ceperunt.

[10] nec aliud quam ultima necessitas, cum recipere se tuto ad naves prohiberentur, animos militum Romanorum simul desperatione alia salutis simul indignitate inritavit.

[11] redintegrata in litore pugna est; adiuvere, qui in navibus erant. ibi Macedonum ducenti ferme caesi, par numerus captus. ab Antigonea classis profecta ad agrum Pallenensem escensionem ad populandum fecit.

[12] finium is ager Cassandrensium erat, longe fertilissimus omnis orae, quam praetervecti fuerant. ibi Eumenes rex viginti tectis navibus ab Elaea profectus obvius fuit et quinque missae a Prusia rege tectae naves.

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).) — 44.10 focus

[1]

Perseus tandem a ¹ pavore eo, quo attonitus fuerat, recepto animo malle imperiis imperils suis non obtemperatum esse, cum trepidans gazam in mare deici Pellae, Thessalonicae navalia iusserat incendi.

[2] Andronicus Thessalonicam missus traxerat tempus, id ipsum quod accidit, paenitentiae relinquens locum.

[3] incautior Nicias Pellae proiciendo pecuniae partem quae fuerat ad Phacum ² ;

[4] sed in re emendabili ³ visus lapsus esse, quod per urinatores omnis ferme extracta est. tantusque pudor regi pavoris eius fuit ut urinatores clam interfici iusserit, deinde Andronicum quoque et Nician, ne quis tam dementis imperii conscius existeret.

inter haec C.

[5] Marcius cum classe ab Heracleo Thessalonicam profectus et agrum pluribus locis expositis per litora armatis late vastavit et procurrentes ab urbe secundis aliquot proeliis trepidos intra moenia compulit.

[6] iamque ipsi urbi terribilis erat, cum dispositis omnis generis tormentis non ⁴ vagi modo circa muros temere adpropinquantes, sed etiam qui in navibus erant, saxis tormento emicantibus percutiebantur.

[7] revocatis igitur in naves militibus omissaque Thessalonicae oppugnatione Aeniam inde petunt. quindecim milia passuum ea urbs abest, adversus Pydnam posita, fertilis agro.

[8] pervastatis finibus eius legentes oram Antigoneam perveniunt. ibi egressi in terram primo et vastarunt agros passim et aliquantum praedae contulerunt ad naves.

[9] dein palatos eos adorti Macedones, mixti pedites equitesque, fugientes effuse ad mare persecuti quingentos ⁵ ferme occiderunt et non minus ceperunt.

[10] nec aliud quam ultima necessitas, cum recipere se tuto ad naves prohiberentur, animos militum Romanorum simul desperatione alia salutis simul indignitate irritavit.

[11] redintegrata in litore pugna est; adiuvere ⁶ qui in navibus erant. ibi Macedonum ducenti ferme caesi, par numerus captus. Ab Antigonea classis profecta ad agrum Pallenensem escensionem ad populandum fecit.

[12] finium is ager Cassandrensium erat, longe fertilissimus omnis orae quam praetervecti fuerant. ibi Eumenes rex viginti tectis navibus ab Elaea profectus obvius fuit et quinque missae a Prusia rege tectae naves.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 44.10 focus

[1]

Perseus tandem a pavore eo, quo attonitus fuerat, recepto animo malle imperiis suis non obtemperatum esse, cum trepidans gazam in mare deici Pellae, Thessalonicae navalia iusserat incendi.

[2] Adronicus Thessalonicam missus traxerat tempus, id ipsum quod accidit, paenitentiae relinquens locum. incautior Nicias Pellae proiciendo pecuniae partem, quae fuerat ad Phacum;

[3] sed in re emendabili visus lapsus esse, quod per urinatores ¹ omne ferme extractum est.

[4] tantusque pudor regi pavoris eius fuit, ut urinatores clam interfici iusserit, deinde Andronicum quoque et Nician, ne quis tam dementis imperii conscius existeret.

[7] revocatis igitur in naves militibus omissaque Thessalonicae oppugnatione Aeniam inde petunt. quindecim milia passuum ea urbs abest, adversus Pydnam posita, fertili agro.

[8] pervastatis finibus eius legentes oram Antigoneam perveniunt. ibi egressi in terram primo et vastarunt agros passim et aliquantum praedae contulerunt ad naves.

[9] dein palatos eos adorti Macedones, mixti pedites equitesque, fugientes ² effuse ad mare persecuti quingentos ferme occiderunt et non minus ceperunt.

[10] nec aliud quam ultima necessitas, cum recipere se tuto ad naves prohiberentur, animos militum Romanorum simul desperatione alia salutis, simul indignitate inritavit.

[11] redintegrata in litore pugna est; adiuvere, qui in navibus erant. ibi Macedonum ducenti ferme caesi, par numerus captus.

ab Antigonea classis profecta ad agrum Pallenensem escensionem ad populandum fecit.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 44.10 focus

[1]

Perseus, having at length recovered his spirits, after the panic with which he had been seized, began to wish that obedience had not been paid to the orders which he had given in his fright, to throw the treasures at Pella into the sea, and to burn the naval arsenals at Thessalonica.

[2] Andronicus, indeed, whom he had sent to Thessalonica, had spun out the

[3] time, leaving him time for repentance, which actually took place; but Nicias, less provident, threw into the sea what money he found at Pella.

[4] He seems, however, to have fallen into a mistake which was not without remedy, inasmuch as the greatest part of that treasure was brought up again by divers. Nevertheless, such shame did the king feel for his terror on the occasion, that he caused the divers to be privately put to death, together with Andronicus and Nicias, that there might be no living witnesses of so preposterous an order.

[5] In the mean time, Caius Marcius, with the fleet, sailed from Heracleum to Thessalonica. Landing his men, he made wide depredations on the country; and when the troops from the city came out against him, he defeated them in several actions, and drove them back in dismay within their walls.

[6] He even alarmed the city itself; but the townsmen, erecting engines of every kind, wounded, with stones thrown from them, not only such as straggled carelessly near the walls, but even those who were on board the ships.

[7] He therefore re-embarked his troops; and giving up the design of besieging Thessalonica, proceeded thence to Aenia, fifteen miles distant, situated opposite to Pydna, in a fertile country. After ravaging the lands in that quarter, he coasted along the shore until he arrived at Antigonea.

[8] Here his troops landed, and for some time carried their depredations through all the country round, putting a great deal of booty on board the ships;

[9] but afterwards a party of Macedonians, consisting of foot and horse intermixed, fell upon them as they straggled, and, pursuing them as they fled to the shore, killed near five hundred, and took as many prisoners.

[10] Extreme necessity, on finding themselves hindered from safely regaining their vessels, roused the courage of the Roman soldiers, at once with despair of any other means of safety, (than by resistance,) and also with indignation.

[11] They renewed the fight on the shore, and those who were on board assisted them; and here about two hundred Macedonians were killed, and a like number taken. From Antigonea the fleet sailed on to the district of Pallene, where a descent was made for the purpose of plundering.

[12] This district belonged to the territory of Cassandrea, and was by far the most plentiful of any at which they had yet touched on the coast. There they were met by king Eumenes, who came from Elea with twenty decked ships; and king Prusias also sent thither five ships of war.

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.) — 44.10 focus

[1]

When Perseus had recovered from his panic, he began to wish that his commands had not been obeyed, when in his hurry he ordered his treasure at Pella to be thrown into the sea and the naval arsenal at Thessalonica to be burnt.

[2] Andronicus, who had been sent for that purpose to

[3] Thessalonica, had delayed carrying out his orders and, as it happened, left the king time for repentance.

[4] Nicias was not so cautious and had thrown that part of the money which was lying at Phacus overboard, but the mistake proved to be not irremediable, for almost the whole was fished up by divers.

[5] The king was so ashamed of his fright that he ordered the divers to be secretly put to death, and the same fate overtook Andronicus and Nicias, in order that no one alive might know anything about his insane orders. C. Marcius sailed with his fleet from Heracleum to Thessalonica and disembarking armed forces on many points along the coast devastated the country far and wide.

[6] He engaged successfully the troops who hurried out of the city and drove them back in hasty flight to the shelter of their walls.

[7] He was now creating alarm in the city itself, but the citizens placed artillery of all kinds on the walls, and not only those who ventured near the walls but even the men on board were hit by the stones which hurtled from their engines.

[8] The troops were accordingly ordered again on board and the siege of Thessalonica was abandoned.

[9] They sailed thence to Aelia, about fifteen miles distant, lying opposite to Pydna, and possessing a fertile soil. After devastating this district they coasted along as far as Antigonea.

[10] Here they went ashore and carried off a considerable amount of plunder to the ships. While thus engaged they were attacked by a composite force of Macedonian infantry and cavalry, who put them to flight and pursued them down to the shore, killing some 500 of them and taking quite as many prisoners.

[11] Finding themselves prevented from gaining the safe shelter of their ships, the very necessity of their situation rekindled the courage of the Romans, and under the incentives of shame and despair they renewed the fight on the beach.

[12] The men in the ships helped them and about 200 Macedonians were slain and an equal number were taken prisoners.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Andronicus is accused by Diodorus XXX. 11 of working in this matter for a Roman victory.

2. B.C. 169

3. Established about 300 B.C. on the site of Potidaea, which had been destroyed by Philip II in 356 B.C.

4. The port of Pergamum, east by south of Lesbos.

5. According to Nissen, the use of this word indicates that Livy is following Polybius here.

6. He was hedging on his neutrality of 171 B.C. , cf. XLII. xxix. 3.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 44.10

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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