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), 45.22

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[1]

". .. is. Whether we have done wrong is so far unproved, but we are already suffering all the penalties and disgrace. In former times, after the defeat of Carthage, when Philip or Antiochus had been subdued, on our arrival in Rome we came from public entertainment to the senate-house to offer you our congratulations, gentlemen of the senate, and from the senate-house we mounted to the Capitol, bearing gifts to your gods.

[2] Today from a mean inn, having hardly found shelter for pay and all but ordered like enemies to remain outside the city, we Rhodians in this mourning garb enter the senate-house of Rome —we

[3] to whom you lately presented the provinces of Lycia and Caria, who received from you the most unstinted rewards and honours.

[4] "You are bidding the Macedonians and Illyrians be independent, we hear, though they were slaves before they waged war against you-nor are we jealous of anyone's good fortune, nay rather we recognize the mercy of the Roman People; and will you transform us Rhodians from allies into enemies — us, who have been no worse than inactive in this war? ¹

[5] Surely you are the same Romans who boast that your wars are favoured of Fortune because they are just, nor do you exult as much in the outcome, because you conquer, as in the beginning, because you never undertake war without good cause.

[6] The siege of Messana in Sicily made the Carthaginians your enemies, the siege of Athens, the attempted enslavement of Greece and the aid given Hannibal in money and troops made Philip your foe. ²

[7] Antiochus was summoned at the initiative of the Aetolians, your enemies; he crossed in person with his fleet to Greece; he seized Demetrias, Chalcis, and the pass of Thermopylae, and sought to cast you out of the tenure of your empire.

[8] With Perseus, your reason for war was the assault upon your allies, or the murder of princes and chiefs of nations or peoples. ³

[9] Under what heading, pray, shall our downfall be placed, if we are to perish? For the present I am not separating the case for the city from Polyaratus and Dinon, our fellow-citizens, and from those whom we brought to hand over to you. If all we Rhodians were equally guilty, what would be the charge against us in this war?

[10] It would be that we took the side of Perseus and as we took a stand for you in the wars with Antiochus and with Philip against those kings, so now we sided with the king against you.

[11] How we are accustomed to help our allies, and how vigorously we enter into a war, you may ask Gaius Livius, ⁴ or Lucius Aemilius Regillus, who commanded your ⁵ fleets in Asia.

[12] Never did your ships enter battle without ours. We fought independently first at Samos, and again off Pamphylia against the command of Hannibal;

[13] this victory gives us the more pride because, undismayed by the terrible catastrophe by which we had lost in the defeat at Samos a large part of our fleet and a splendid group of young men, ⁶ we dared to go out again to meet the king's fleet as it approached from Syria.

[14] These matters I have mentioned not for the sake of boasting, for indeed our present fortune does not permit that, but to make it clear how the Rhodians are accustomed to aid their allies.

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.) — 45.22 focus

[1] “ est. peccaverimusne adhuc dubium est; poenas, ignominias omnes iam patimur. antea, Carthaginiensibus victis, Philippo, Antiocho superatis, cum Romam venissemus, ex publico hospitio in curiam gratulatum vobis, patres conscripti, ex curia in Capitolium ad deos vestros dona ferentes escendebamus; nunc ex sordido deversorio,

[2] vix mercede recepti ac prope hostium more extra urbem manere iussi, in hoc squalore venimus in curiam Romanam Rhodii, quos provinciis nuper Lycia atque Caria, quos praemiis atque honoribus amplissumis donastis.

[3] et Macedonas Illyriosque liberos esse, ut audimus, iubetis, cum servierint, antequam vobiscum bellarent —

[4] nec cuiusquam fortunae invidemus, immo agnoscimus clementiam populi Romani — : Rhodios, qui nihil aliud quam quieverunt hoc bello, hostes ex sociis facturi estis?

[5] certe iidem vos estis Romani, qui ideo felicia bella vestra esse, quia iusta sint, prae vobis fertis, nec tam exitu eorum, quod vincatis, quam principiis, quod numquam sine causa suscipiatis, gloriamini.

[6] Messana in Sicilia oppugnata Carthaginienses, Athenae oppugnatae et Graecia in servitutem petita et adiutus Hannibal pecunia auxiliis Philippum hostem fecerunt.

[7] Antiochus ipse ultro, ab Aetolis, hostibus vestris, accersitus, ex Asia classe in Graeciam traiecit; Demetriade et Chalcide et saltu Thermopylarum occupato de possessione imperii vos deicere est conatus.

[8] cum Perseo socii vestri oppugnati, aut interfecti reguli principesque gentium aut populorum causa belli vobis fuere.

[9] quem tandem titulum nostra calamitas habitura est, si perituri sumus? nondum segrego civitatis causam a Polyarato et Dinone, civibus nostris, et iis, quos ut traderemus vobis, adduximus. si omnes Rhodii aeque noxii essemus, quod nostrum in hoc bello crimen esset?

[10] Persei partibus favimus et, quemadmodum Antiochi Philippique bello pro vobis adversus reges, sic nunc pro rege adversus vos stetimus.

[11] quemadmodum soleamus socios iuvare et quam inpigre capessere bella, C. Livium, L. Aemilium Regillum interrogate, qui classibus vestris in Asia praefuerunt.

[12] numquam vestrae naves pugnavere sine nobis. nos nostra classe pugnavimus semel ad Samum, iterum in Pamphylia adversus Hannibalem inperatorem;

[13] quae victoria nobis eo gloriosior est, quod, cum ad Samum magnam partem navium adversa pugna et egregiam iuventutem amisissemus, ne tanta quidem clade territi iterum ausi sumus regiae classi ex Syria venienti obviam ire.

[14] haec non gloriandi causa rettuli — neque enim ea nunc nostra est fortuna — , sed ut admonerem, quemadmodum adiuvare socios solerent Rhodii.”

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).) — 45.22 focus

[1]

". .. est. peccaverimusne adhuc dubium est; poenas, ignominias omnes iam patimur. antea , Carthaginiensibus victis, Philippo, Antiocho superatis, cum Romam venissemus, ex publico hospitio in curiam gratulatum vobis, patres conscripti, ex curia in Capitolium ad deos vestros dona ferentes ascendebamus; ¹

[2] nunc ex sordido deversorio, vix mercede recepti ac prope hostium more extra urbem manere iussi, in hoc squalore venimus in curiam Romanam Rhodii, quos provinciis nuper Lycia atque Caria, quos praemiis atque honoribus amplissimis donastis.

[3] " et Macedonas Illyriosque liberos esse, ut audimus, iubetis, cum servierint, antequam vobiscum bellarent— nec nee cuiusquam fortunae invidemus,

[4] immo agnoscimus clementiam populi Romani-; Rhodios, qui nihil aliud quam quieverunt hoc bello, hostes ex sociis facturi estis?

[5] certe iidem ² vos estis Romani, ³ qui ideo felicia bella vestra esse, quia iusta sint, prae vobis fertis, nec tam exitu eorum, quod vincatis, quam principiis, quod numquam ⁴ sine causa suscipiatis, gloriamini.

[6] Messana in Sicilia oppugnata Carthaginienses, Athenae oppugnatae et Graecia in servitutem petita et adiutus Hannibal pecunia auxiliis Philippum hostem fecerunt.

[7] Antiochus ipse ultro ab Aetolis, hostibus vestris, accersitus, ex Asia classe in Graeciam traiecit; Demetriade et Chalcide et saltu Thermopylarum occupato de possessione imperii vos deicere est ⁵ conatus.

[8] cum Perseo socii vestri oppugnati, aut ⁶ interfecti reguli principesque gentium aut populorum causa belli vobis fuere.

[10] Persei partibus favimus et, quemadmodum Antiochi Philippique bello pro vobis adversus reges, sic nunc nun pro rege adversus vos stetimus.

[11] quemadmodum soleamus socios iuvare et quam impigre capessere bella, C. Livium, L. Aemilium Regillum interrogate, qui classibus vestris in Asia ⁷ praefuerunt. numquam vestrae naves pugnavere sine nobis.

[12] nos⁸ nostra classe pugnavimus semel ad Samum, iterum in Pamphylia adversus Hannibalem imperatorem;

[13] quae victoria nobis eo gloriosior est, quod, cum ad Samum magnam partem navium adversa pugna et egregiam iuventutem amisissemus amissisemus , ne tanta quidem clade territi iterum ausi sumus ⁹ regiae classi ex Syria venienti obviam ire.

[14] haec non gloriandi causa rettuli—neque enim ea nunc nostra est fortuna—sed ut admonerem, quemadmodum adiuvare socios solerent Rhodii.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 45.22 focus

[1]

est. peccaverimusne adhuc dubium est; poenas, ignominias omnes iam patimur. antea, Carthaginiensibus victis, Philippo, Antiocho superatis cum Romam venissemus, ex publico hospitio in curiam gratulatum vobis, patres conscripti, ex curia in Capitolium ad deos vestros dona ferentes ; nunc ex sordido deversorio,

[2] vix mercede recepti ac prope hostium more extra urbem manere iussi in hoc squalore venimus in curiam Romanam Rhodii, quos provinciis nuper Lycia atque Caria, quos ¹ praemiis atque honoribus amplissumis donastis.

[3] et Macedonas Illyriosque liberos esse, ut audimus, iubetis, cum servierint, antequam vobiscum bellarent —

[4] nec cuiusquam fortunae invidemus, immo agnoscimus clementiam populi Romani —, Rhodios, qui nihil aliud quam quieverunt, hoc bello hostes ex sociis facturi estis?

[5] certe eidem vos estis Romani, qui ideo felicia bella vestra esse, quia iusta sint, prae vobis fertis, nec tam exitu eorum, quod vincatis, quam principiis, quod non sine causa suscipiatis, gloriamini.

[6] Messana in Sicilia oppugnata Carthaginienses, Athenae oppugnatae et Graecia in servitutem petita et adiutus Hannibal pecunia auxiliis Philippum hostem fecerunt.

[8] cum Perseo ²socii vestri oppugnati, aut interfecti reguli principesque gentium aut populorum causa belli vobis fuere.

[9] quem tandem titulum nostra calamitas habitura est, si perituri sumus? nondum segrego civitatis causam a Polyarato et Dinone, civibus nostris, et iis, quos ut traderemus vobis adduximus, si omnes Rhodii aeque noxii essemus, quod nostrum in hoc bello crimen esset?

[10] Persei partibus favimus et quem ad modum Antiochi Philippique bello pro vobis adversus reges, sic nunc pro rege adversus vos stetimus.

[11] quem ad modum soleamus socios iuvare et quam inpigre capessere bella, C. Livium, L. Aemilium Regillum interrogate, qui classibus vestris in Asia praefuerunt. numquam vestrae naves pugnavere sine nobis;

[12] nostra classe pugnavimus semel ad Samum, iterum in Pamphylia adversus Hannibalem inperatorem;

[14] haec non ³ gloriandi causa rettuli — neque enim ea nunc nostra est fortuna —, sed ut admonerem, quem ad modum adiuvare socios solerent Rhodii.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 45.22 focus

[1]

"Whether we Rhodians have transgressed, or not, is yet doubtful; meanwhile we suffer punishments and disgraces of all sorts. In former times, when we visited Rome, after the conquest of Carthage, after the defeat of Philip, and after that of Antiochus, we were escorted from a mansion furnished us by the public, into the senate-house, to present our congratulations to you, conscript fathers, and, from the senate-house to the Capitol, carrying offerings to your gods.

[2] But now, from a vile and filthy inn, scarcely gaining a reception for our money, treated as enemies, and forbid to lodge within the city, we come in this squalid dress to the Roman senate-house: we, Rhodians, on whom a short time ago you bestowed the provinces of Lycia and Caria;

[3] on whom you conferred the most ample rewards and honours. You order even the Macedonians and Illyrians, as we hear, to be free;

[4] though they were in servitude before they waged war with you: (nor do we envy the good fortune of any; on the contrary, we acknowledge therein the usual clemency of the Roman people.)

[5] But will you convert, from allies into enemies, the Rhodians, who were guilty of nothing more than remaining neutral during the war? You are in truth the same Romans, who boast that your wars are successful because they are just; who glory not so much in the issue of them, in that you conquer, as in the commencement of them, because you do not undertake them without a just cause.

[6] The attack on Messana, in Sicily, made the Carthaginians your enemies.

[7] The siege of Athens, and attempt to reduce Greece to slavery, together with the assistance of men and money given to Hannibal, led to hostilities with Philip. Antiochus, on the invitation of the Aetolians, your enemies, came over in person with a fleet from Asia to Greece; and by seizing Demetrias, Chalcis, and the pass of Thermopylae, endeavoured to dispossess you of empire.

[8] The motives to your war with Perseus were his attacks on your allies, and his putting to death the princes and leading members of certain states.

[9] But, if we are doomed to ruin, to what motive will our misfortune be ascribed? I do not yet separate the cause of the state from that of our countrymen, Polyaratus and Dino, with others, whom we have brought hither in order to deliver them into your hands. But supposing every one of us were equally guilty, I ask what was our crime with respect to the late war?

[10] We favoured the interest of Perseus; and we have supported that prince against you in like manner as, in the wars of Antiochus and Philip, we supported you against those kings.

[11] Now, in what manner we are accustomed to assist our allies, and with what vigour to conduct wars, ask Caius Livius and Lucius Aemilius Regillus, who commanded your fleets on the coasts of Asia.

[12] Your ships never fought a battle without us. We, with our own fleet, fought one engagement at Samos and a second on the coast of Pamphylia, against that distinguished commander, Hannibal.

[13] The victory, which we gained in the latter, was the more glorious to us because, although we lost a great part of our navy and the flower of our youth in the unsuccessful action at Samos, we were not deterred from venturing again to give battle to the king's fleet on its return from Syria.

[14] These matters I have mentioned not out of ostentation, (that would ill become our present situation,) but to remind you in what way the Rhodians assist their allies.

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.) — 45.22 focus

[1]

". . . So far it is a question whether we have or have not been guilty of any offence; all the penalty, the humiliation we are suffering from already. In the past, when we visited Rome after the Carthaginians were defeated, after Philip and Antiochus had been overcome, we went from our quarters where we were the guests of the State to offer our congratulations in the senate house, and from there we went up to the Capitol with gifts for your gods.

[2] Now we have come away from a miserable inn where we could hardly get admittance, ordered as we are to remain outside the City almost as though we were enemies.

[3] In this squalid plight we have come into the Roman senate-house-we Rhodians to whom not long ago you granted the provinces of Lycia and Caria, and upon whom you have bestowed the greatest distinctions and rewards.

[4] According to what we hear, you are ordaining that the Macedonians and Illyrians shall be free peoples, though before they went to war with you they were in servitude-not that we envy any one's

[5] good fortunes, on the contrary we recognise the clemency of Rome-but the Rhodians simply remained quiet, and are you going to convert friends into enemies by this proposed war?

[6] Surely you are the same Romans who make it your boast that your wars are successful because they are just, and pride yourselves not so much upon bringing them to a close as victors as upon never beginning them without just cause.

[7] The attack on Messana in Sicily made the Carthaginians your enemy; his attack on Athens, his attempt to enslave Greece, the assistance rendered to Hannibal in money and troops made Philip your enemy. Antiochus, on the invitation of the Aetolians, who were your enemies, sailed in person with his fleet from Asia to Greece, seized Demetrias, Chalcis and the Pass of Thermopylae and tried to dispossess you of your empire.

[8] Your grounds for the war with Perseus were the attacks on your allies, or the murder of the princes and leading men in different communities and nationalities.

[9] What pretext or justification will there be for our ruin, if we are to perish? So far I do not make any difference between the case of our city as a whole and that of our fellow-citizens Polyaratus and Dino and the others whom we have brought with us to deliver up to you.

[10] Suppose all we Rhodians were equally guilty, what charge would be brought against us with regard to this war? You say we took the side of Perseus, and just as in the wars against Philip and Antiochus we stood by you against those monarchs, so now we stood by the king against you.

[11] Ask the commanders of your fleets in Asia, C. Livius, L. Aemilius Regillus, how we were wont to help our allies and with what energy we prosecuted the war.

[12] Your ships never fought without us to help you; we fought single-handed at Samos and a second time off Pamphylia against Hannibal, who was in command.

[13] And this victory was all the more glorious for us because after losing a large proportion of our ships and the flower of our youth in the defeat at Samos, we were not daunted even by that disaster, and we met the king's fleet on its way from Syria.

[14] I am not recounting these incidents in a spirit of boasting-our present circumstances forbid that-but to remind you how the Rhodians have been accustomed to help their allies.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 167

2. In XXX. xxvi. 2-4, Livy reports grievances of Greece against Philip and a report of Macedonian aid to Carthage ( 203 B.C. ); he also reports the presence of a Macedonian force at Zama (XXX. xxxiii. 6), though no mention is made of them during the battle; and later (XXX. xlii. 4-9) the ransom of Macedonian prisoners, said to be mercenaries, is discussed. -See also XXXI. i. 10. But Polybius says nothing about this aid from Macedonia; Livy may, then, be quoting Roman rumour. Philip and Hannibal, while opposing Rome, seem to have been suspicious of each other, and each anxious that the other should not profit by the elimination of Rome.

3. A statement of these charges is found in XLII. xiii and xl.

4. Cf. XXXVI. ii. 14 and xlii for Livius; XXXVII. ii. 1 and 10; xiv. 1-3, etc., to lviii. 3-5 for Aemilius.

5. B.C. 167

6. Livy tells of these battles in XXXVII. x-xi and XXXVII. xxiii-xxiv respectively.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 45.22

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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