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), 44.19

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[1]

In the consulship of Lucius Aemilius Paulus ¹ and Gaius Licinius, on the fifteenth of March, at the beginning of the new year, the senators were on the qui vive, especially as to what the consul in charge of Macedonia would bring before them about his field of operations.

[2] But Paulus said that he had nothing to present until the envoys returned, but that the envoys were now at Brundisium, after having been blown back twice to Dyrrachium on their voyage.

[3] As soon as he acquired the information which was the first necessity, he would lay matters before the senate, and this would take place within a very few days.

[4] In order to avoid any delay to his settingout, said Paulus, the day for the Latin Festival had ² been set at April twelfth ³ ; after the proper performance of the sacrifice, if the senate concurred, he and Gnaeus Octavius would both set out.

[5] His colleague Gaius Licinius would take care, in his absence, to get ready and send out what should be made ready and sent to the war; meanwhile, said Paulus, the embassies of foreign nations might be given audience.

[6] First the envoys from King Ptolemy and Queen Cleopatra at Alexandria were announced.

[7] Grimy, ⁴ with untrimmed beard and hair, they entered the senate-house bearing olive-branches, and prostrated themselves; their speech was more pitiable than their array.

[8] Antiochus, the king of Syria, who had been a hostage at Rome, under the decent pretext of restoring the elder Ptolemy to his throne, was waging war against the younger brother, who was then in possession of Alexandria. ⁵

[9] Antiochus had won a naval battle at Pelusium and, after leading his forces across the Nile on a hastily-constructed bridge, was overawing Alexandria with his siege and seemed to be on the very point of laying his hands on a very rich kingdom. Complaining of this attack, the envoys begged the senate to come to the rescue of a kingdom and a royal pair who were friends of Roman rule.

[10] Such, they argued, were the benefits conferred on Antiochus by the

[11] Roman people, and such their influence with all kings and nations that, if they sent envoys to declare to Antiochus that the senate did not ⁶ wish war to be made on kings allied to it, Antiochus would at once depart from the walls of Alexandria and would lead his army back into Syria.

[12] If they hesitated to do this, shortly Ptolemy and Cleopatra, robbed of their kingdom, would arrive in Rome, somewhat to the shame of the Roman people, because they had offered no aid in the final crisis of their fortunes.

[13] The senators, stirred by the entreaties of the Alexandrines, at once ⁷ sent Gaius Popilius Laenas, Gaius Decimius, and Gaius Hostilius as envoys to bring an end to the war between the kings.

[14] They were instructed to approach first Antiochus and then Ptolemy, and to proclaim that if war was not concluded, the party constituting the obstacle would not be considered either a friend or an ally to the Romans.

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.) — 44.19 focus

[1] L. Aemilio Paulo C. Licinio consulibus, idibus Martiis, principio insequentis anni, cum in expectatione patres fuissent, maxime quidnam consul de Macedonia, cuius ea provincia esset, referret, nihil se habere Paulus, quod referret, nondum cum legati redissent, dixit.

[2] ceterum Brundisi legatos iam esse, bis ex cursu Dyrrachium reiectos.

[3] cognitis mox, quae nosci prius in rem esset, relaturum; id fore intra perpaucos dies.

[4] et ne quid profectionem suam teneret, pridie idus Apriles Latinis esse constitutam diem. sacrificio rite perfecto et se et Cn. Octavium, simul senatus censuisset, exituros esse.

[5] C. Licinio collegae suo fore curae se absente, ut, si qua parari mittique ad id bellum opus sit, parentur mittanturque. interea legationes exterarum nationum audiri posse.

[6] primi Alexandrini legati ab Ptolemaeo et Cleopatra regibus vocati sunt.

[7] sordidati, barba et capillo promisso, cum ramis oleae ingressi curiam procubuerunt, et oratio quam habitus fuit miserabilior.

[8] Antiochus Syriae rex, qui obses Romae fuerat, per honestam speciem maioris Ptolemaei reducendi in regnum, bellum cum minore fratre eius, qui tum Alexandriam tenebat,

[9] gerens et ad Pelusium navali proelio superior fuerat et tumultuario opere ponte per Nilum facto transgressus cum exercitu obsidione ipsam Alexandream terrebat, nec procul abesse, quin poteretur regno opulentissimo, videbatur.

[10] ea legati querentes orabant senatum, ut opem regno regibusque amicis impigre ferrent.

[11] ea merita populi Romani in Antiochum, eam apud omnes reges gentesque auctoritatem esse, ut, si legatos misissent, qui ei nuntiarent non placere senatui sociis regibus bellum fieri, extemplo abscessurus a moenibus Alexandreae abducturusque exercitum in Syriam esset.

[12] quod si cunctentur facere, brevi extorres regno Ptolemaeum et Cleopatram Romam venturos, cum pudore quodam populi Romani, quod nullam opem in ultimo discrimine fortunarum tulissent.

[13] moti patres precibus Alexandrinorum extemplo C. Popilium Laenatem et C. Decimium et C. Hostilium legatos ad finiendum inter reges bellum miserunt.

[14] prius Antiochum, dein Ptolemaeum adire iussi et nuntiare, ni absistatur bello, per utrum stetisset, eum non pro amico nec pro socio habituros esse.

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).) — 44.19 focus

[1]

L. Aemilio Paulo C. Licinio consulibus, idibus ¹ Martiis, principio insequentis anni, cum in expectatione patres fuissent, maxime quidnam consul de Macedonia, cuius ea provincia esset, referret, nihil se habere Paulus quod referret, cum nondum legati ² redissent, dixit.

[2] ceterum Brundisi legatos iam esse, bis ex cursu Dyrrachium reiectos. ³

[3] cognitis mox quae nosci prius in rem esset, relaturum; id fore intra perpaucos dies.

[4] et ne quid profectionem suam teneret, pridie idus Apriles Latinis esse constitutam ⁴ diem. sacrificio rite perfecto et se et ⁵ Cn. Octavium, simul senatus censuisset, exituros esse.

[5] C. Licinio collegae suo fore curae se absente, ut si qua parari mittique ⁶ ad id bellum opus sit, parentur mittanturque. interea legationes exterarum nationum audiri posse.

[6] primi⁷ Alexandrini legati ab Ptolemaeo et Cleopatra ⁸ regibus vocati sunt.

[7] sordidati , barba et capillo promisso, cum ramis oleae ingressi curiam procubuerunt, et oratio quam habitus fuit miserabilior.

[8] Antiochus Syriae rex, qui obses Romae fuerat, per honestam speciem maioris Ptolemaei reducendi in regnum, bellum cum minore fratre eius, qui tum Alexandriam tenebat,

[9] gerens et ad Pelusium navali proelio superior ⁹ fuerat et tumultuario opere ponte per Nilum facto transgressus cum exercitu obsidione ipsam Alexandriam terrebat, nec procul abesse quin potiretur regno opulentissimo videbatur.

[10] ea legati querentes orabant senatum ut opem regno regibusque amicis imperio Romano ¹⁰ ferrent.

[11] ea merita populi Romani in Antiochum, eam earn apud omnes reges gentesque auctoritatem esse ut, si legatos misissent qui ei nuntiarent ¹¹ non placere senatui sociis regibus ¹² bellum fieri, extemplo abscessurus a moenibus Alexandreae abducturusque exercitum in Syriam esset.

[12] quod si cunctentur facere, brevi extorres regno Ptolemaeum et Cleopatram Romam venturos, cum pudore quodam populi Romani, quod nullam opem in ultimo discrimine fortunarum tulissent.

[13] moti patres precibus Alexandrinorum extemplo C. Popilium Laenatem et C. Decimium et C. Hostilium legatos ad finiendum inter reges bellum miserunt.

[14] prius Antiochum, dein Ptolemaeum adire iussi et nuntiare, ni absistatur bello, per utrum stetisset, eum non pro amico nec pro socio habituros esse.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 44.19 focus

[1]

L. Aemilio Paulo C. Licinio consulibus, idibus Martiis, principio insequentis anni, cum in expectatione patres fuissent, maxime quidnam consul de Macedonia, cuius ea provincia esset, referret, nihil se habere Paulus, quod referret, cum nondum inde legati redissent, dixit.

[2] ceterum Brundisi legatos iam esse, bis ex cursu Dyrrachium reiectos.

[3] cognitis mox, quae nosci prius in rem esset, relaturum;

[4] id fore intra perpaucos dies. et ne quid ¹ profectionem suam teneret, pridie idus Apriles Latinis esse constitutam diem. sacrificio rite perfecto et se et Cn. Octavium , simul senatus censuisset, exituros esse;

[5] C. Licinio collegae suo fore curae se absente, ut, si qua parari mittive ad id bellum opus sit, parentur mittanturque. interea legationes exterarum nationum audiri posse.

[6] primi Alexandrini legati ab Ptolemaeo et Cleo patra regibus vocati sunt.

[7] sordidati, barba et capillo promisso, cum ramis oleae ingressi curiam procubuerunt, et oratio quam habitus fuit miserabilior.

[8] Antiochus Syriae rex, qui obses Romae fuerat, per honestam speciem maioris Ptolemaei reducendi in regnum bellum cum minore fratre eius, qui tum Alexandriam tenebat,

[9] gerens et ad Pelusium navali proelio superior fuerat et ² tumultuario opere ponte per Nilum facto transgressus cum exercitu obsidione ipsam Alexandream terrebat, nec procul abesse, quin poteretur regno opulentissimo, videbatur.

[10] ea legati querentes orabant senatum, ut opem regno regibusque amicis imperio ferrent.

[11] ea merita populi Romani in Antiochum, eam apud omnes reges gentesque auctoritatem esse, ut, si legatos misissent, qui denuntiarent non placere senatui sociis regibus bellum fieri, extemplo abscessurus a moenibus Alexandreae abducturusque exercitum in Syriam esset.

[12] quod si cunctentur facere, brevi extorres regno Ptolemaeum et Cleopatram Romam venturos cum pudore quodam populi Romani, quod nullam opem in ultimo discrimine fortunarum tulissent.

[13] moti patres precibus Alexandrinorum extemplo C. Popilium Laenatem et C. Decimium et C. Hostilium legatos ad finiendum inter reges bellum miserunt.

[14] prius Antiochum, dein Ptolemaeum adire iussi et nuntiare, ni absistatur bello, per utrum stetisset, eum non pro amico nec pro socio habituros esse.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 44.19 focus

[1]

At the beginning of the following year, Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Caius Licinius, the consuls, having commenced their administration on the ides of March, the senators were impatient to hear what propositions were to be laid before them, particularly with respect to Macedonia, by the consul to whose lot that province had fallen;

[2] but Paullus said, that he had as yet nothing to propose to them, the commissioners not being returned: that

they were then at Brundusium, after having been twice driven back to Dyrrachium in attempting the passage:

[3]

that he intended, shortly, to propose something to their consideration, when he should have obtained the information which was previously necessary, and which he expected within very few days.

[4] He added, that,

in order that nothing should delay his setting out, the day before the ides of April had been fixed for the Latin festival;

[5]

after finishing which solemnity, he and Cneius Octavius would begin their journey as soon as the senate should direct: that, in his absence, his colleague Caius Licinius would take care that every thing necessary to be provided, or sent for the war, should be provided and sent;

[6]

and that, in the mean time, audience might be given to the embassies of foreign nations.

The first introduced were ambassadors from Alexandria, sent by king Ptolemy and queen Cleopatra.

[7] They came into the senate-house dressed in mourning, with their hair and beard neglected, holding in their hands branches of olive; there they prostrated themselves, and their discourse was even more piteous than their dress.

[8] Antiochus, king of Syria, who had formerly been a hostage at Rome, had lately, under the honourable pretext of restoring the elder Ptolemy to the throne, made war on his younger brother, who was then in possession of Alexandria;

[9] and having gained the victory in a sea-fight off Pelusium, and thrown a temporary bridge across the Nile, he led over his army, and was terrifying Alexandria itself, by laying siege to it; so that he seemed almost on the point of taking possession of that very opulent kingdom.

[10] The ambassadors, after complaining of these proceedings, besought the senate to succour those princes, the faithful friends of their empire.

[11] They said, that

such had been the kindness of the Roman people to Antiochus, such its influence over all kings and nations, that if they only sent ambassadors, to give him notice that the senate were displeased at war being made with princes in alliance with them, he would instantly retire from the walls of Alexandria, and lead his army home into Syria.

[12]

But if they hesitated to do this, Ptolemy and Cleopatra would soon come to Rome as exiles from their kingdom, which must excite some degree of shame in the Roman people, for not having brought them assistance in their extreme distress.

[13] The senate, affected by the supplications of the Alexandrians, immediately sent Caius Popilius Laenas, Caius Decimius, and Caius Hostilius, ambassadors, to put an end to the dispute between those kings.

[14] Their instructions were, to go first to Antiochus, then to Ptolemy; and to acquaint them, that, unless hostilities were stopped, whichever party persisted, must expect to be considered by the senate as neither a friend nor an ally.

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.) — 44.19 focus

[1]

The new consuls, L. Aemilius Paulus and C. Licinius, entered on their duties at the beginning of the year, March 15. The senate were mainly anxious to know what the consul who was to command in Macedonia had to report about his province.

[2] Paulus said that he had nothing to lay before them, as the commissioners had not yet returned; after being twice driven out of their course back to Dyrrhachium they were now at Brundisium.

[3] When he had received the necessary information, which would be in a very few days. he would make his report.

[4] That nothing might delay his departure, he had fixed the Latin Festival for April 12. When the sacrifice had been duly performed, he and Cn. Octavius would go as soon as the senate authorised their departure.

[5] In his absence it would be his colleague's care to see that whatever had to be prepared or despatched to the war would be got ready and sent off. Meantime the foreign deputations could be received in audience.

The first to be called in were the envoys from the two monarchs, Ptolemy and Cleopatra.

[6] They were in mourning garb with beard and hair untrimmed, and when they entered the House holding the olive branch of supplication, they prostrated themselves to the ground.

[7] Their language was even more piteous than their dress.

[8] Antiochus, king of Syria, who had been in Rome as a hostage, was now, under the specious pretext of restoring the elder Ptolemy to his throne, waging war against his younger brother and was threatening Alexandria at the time.

[9] He had won a naval victory off Pelusium, and after hurriedly throwing a bridge over the Nile he had led his army across, and was terrifying Alexandria with the prospect of a siege, and it seemed almost certain that he would gain possession of the powerful realm of Egypt. After stating these facts the envoys implored the senate, to come to the assistance of the kingdom and its rulers, who were friends of Rome.

[10] They urged that the kindness which the Roman people had shown to

[11] Antiochus and their authority amongst all kings and nations were such that if they sent word to him and informed him that the senate disapproved of war being levied against monarchs who were their friends, he would at once quit the walls of Alexandria and take his army back to Syria.

[12] If the senate hesitated to do this, they would soon have Ptolemy and Cleopatra coming as fugitives from their realm, and the Roman people would feel somewhat ashamed at not having sent them help in their extremity.

[13] The senators were much moved by the appeal of the Alexandrians, and at once sent C. Popilius Laenas, C. Decimius and C. Hostilius to put an end to the war between the monarchs.

[14] They were instructed to approach Antiochus first and then Ptolemy, and announce to them that if they did not abstain from war they should not regard the one who was responsible for its continuance as either a friend or an ally.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 168

2. B.C. 168

3. The date is given below, xxii. 16, as March 31; in either case, it was very early as compared with dates cited elsewhere, e.g., XLI. xvi. 1 (May 5), XLII. xxxv. 3 (June 1). Actually, due to the confusion of the calendar, the festival was held in late January this year, cf. below, xxxvii. 8.

4. As part of their costume as suppliants.

5. On Antiochus' sojourn at Rome, cf. XLI. xx; a previous stage in Antiochus' encroachment on Egypt was mentioned in XLII. xxix. 5, cf. Polybius XXVII. 19, also XXVIII. 18 f. (16 f.) The

elder Ptolemy

is Ptolemy VI Philometor; the

younger,

Euergetes II.

6. B.C. 168

7. Polybius XXIX. 2 (1) stresses the Roman interest in keeping Antiochus out of Egypt; he does not indicate that the Roman embassy accompanied the Egyptians, and puts more emphasis than does Livy on Roman initiative.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 44.19

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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