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), 6.33

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[1]

A quarrel now broke out between the Antiates and the Latins. The men of Antium, overwhelmed by their misfortunes and worn out by a war which had lasted from their birth to their old age ¹ were minded to capitulate:

[2] the Latins had but just revolted after a long peace; their spirits were still fresh; and they meant to continue boldly with the war. The dispute came to an end as soon as ² each party saw that the other could not prevent it in any way from carrying out its policy.

[3] The Latins departed, and freed themselves from all share in what they considered a degrading peace; the Antiates, being rid of inconvenient witnesses to their salutary measures, surrendered their city and lands to the Romans.

[4] The frenzied wrath of the Latins sought relief —since they could neither do the Romans any injury in war nor retain the Volsci under arms —in burning Satricum, the town which had been their first place of refuge after their defeat.

[5] They applied the torch without discrimination both to sacred and to secular buildings, and not one escaped destruction, except the temple of Mater Matuta; ³ from this they were kept away, according to the story, neither by their own scruples, nor by their reverence for the gods, but by an awe-inspiring voice that issued from the temple and threatened dire retribution if they did not remove those impious fires to a distance from the sacred walls.

[6] Crazed and infuriated, a sudden impulse carried them to Tusculum. They were angry that the Tusculans had deserted the common council of the Latins and had yielded themselves to be not only allies but citizens of Rome.

[7] The gates were open, for their attack was unexpected, and the first shout had not died away when the town was taken, all except the citadel. To this the townsfolk fled for safety, with their wives and children, and sent off messengers to Rome to let the senate know of their predicament.

[8] With a promptness worthy of the honour of the Roman People, an army marched to Tusculum, commanded by the military tribunes Lucius Quinctius and Servius Sulpicius.

[9] They found the gates of ⁴ Tusculum closed and the Latins at once besiegers and besieged; on the one hand they were defending the walls of the town, on the other assailing the fortress, and they experienced themselves the same terror they inspired.

[10] The arrival of the Romans produced a change in the spirits of both sides: the Tusculans were roused from the depths of despair to the greatest cheerfulness; the Latins, who had felt almost certain that since the town was theirs they would soon possess the citadel, were reduced almost to despair of their own lives.

[11] The Tusculans in the citadel gave a cheer and were answered by one much louder from the Roman army. On both sides the Latins were hard pressed: they could neither resist the charges of the townsmen, as they rushed down from above, nor drive back the Romans, who were coming up under the walls and forcing the bars of the gates.

[12] The walls were first scaled and captured; then the fastenings of the gates were burst. The Latins were caught between two enemies, who assailed them hotly in front and rear; they had no strength to fight and no room to escape, and were slain where they stood, to the very last man. Having recovered Tusculum from its enemies, the army returned to Rome.

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.) — 6.33 focus

[1] seditio tur tum inter Antiates Latinosque coorta, cum Antiates victi malis subactique bello, in quo et nati erant et consenuerant, deditionem spectarent,

[2] Latinos ex diutina pace nova defectio recentibus adhuc animis ferociores ad perseverandum in bello faceret. finis certaminis fuit, postquam utrisque apparuit nihil per alteros stare, quo minus incepta persequerentur. Latini profecti a societate pacis,

[3] ut rebantur, inhonestae sese vindicaverunt, Antiates incommodis arbitris salutarium consiliorum remotis urbem agrosque Romanis dedunt.

[4] ira et rabies Latinorum, quia nec Romanos bello laedere nec Volscos in armis retinere potuerant, eo erupit, ut Satricum urbem, quae receptaculum primum eis adversae pugnae fuerat, igni concremarent; nec aliud tectum eius superfuit urbis, cum faces pariter sacris profanisque inicerent, quam matris Matutae templum; inde eos

[5] nec sua religio nec verecundia deum arcuisse dicitur, sed vox horrenda edita templo cum tristibus minis, ni nefandos ignes procul delubris amovissent. Incensos ea rabie impetus Tusculum tulit ob iram,

[6] quod deserto communi concilio Latinorum non in societatem modo Romanam, sed etiam in civitatem se dedissent.

[7] patentibus portis cum inproviso incidissent, primo clamore oppidum praeter arcem captum est. in arcem oppidani refugere cum coniugibus ac liberis nuntiosque Romam, qui certiorem de suo casu senatum facerent, misere.

[8] haud segnius, quam fide populi Romani dignum fuit, exercitus Tusculum ductus; L. Quinctius et Ser. Sulpicius tribuni militum duxere.

[9] clausas portas Tusculi Latinosque simul obsidentium atque obsessorum animo hinc moenia Tusculi tueri vident, illinc arcem oppugnare, terrere una ac pavere.

[10] adventus Romanorum mutaverat utriusque partis animos; Tusculanos ex ingenti metu in summam alacritatem, Latinos ex prope certa fiducia mox capiendae arcis, quoniam oppido potirentur, in exiguam de se ipsis spem verterat.

[11] tollitur ex arce clamor ab Tusculanis; excipit aliquanto maior ab exercitu Romano. utrimque urgentur Latini; nec impetus Tusculanorum decurrentium ex superiore loco sustinent nec Romanos subeuntes moenia molientesque obices portarum arcere possunt.

[12] scalis prius moenia capta; inde effracta claustra portarum; et cum anceps hostis et a fronte et a tergo urgeret nec ad pugnam ulla vis nec ad fugam loci quicquam superesset, in medio caesi ad unum omnes. recuperate ab hostibus Tusculo exercitus Romami Romam est reductus.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 6.33 focus

[1]

seditio tum inter Antiates Latinosque coorta, cum Antiates uicti malis subactique bello in quo et nati erant et consenuerant deditionem spectarent,

[2] Latinos ex diutina pace noua defectio recentibus adhuc animis ferociores ad perseuerandum in bello faceret. finis certaminis fuit postquam utrisque apparuit nihil per alteros stare quo minus incepta persequerentur.

[3] Latini profecti, ab societate pacis, ut rebantur, inhonestae sese uindicauerunt; Antiates incommodis arbitris salutarium consiliorum remotis urbem agrosque Romanis dedunt.

[4] ira et rabies Latinorum, quia nec Romanos bello laedere nec Uolscos in armis retinere potuerant, eo erupit ut Satricum urbem, quae receptaculum primum eis aduersae pugnae fuerat, igni concremarent. nec aliud tectum eius superfuit urbis, cum faces pariter sacris profanisque inicerent, quam Matris Matutae templum;

[5] inde eos nec sua religio nec uerecundia deum arcuisse dicitur sed uox horrenda edita templo cum tristibus minis ni nefandos ignes procul delubris amouissent.

[6] incensos ea rabie impetus Tusculum tulit ob iram, quod deserto communi concilio Latinorum non in societatem modo Romanam sed etiam in ciuitatem se dedissent.

[7] patentibus portis cum improuiso incidissent, primo clamore oppidum praeter arcem captum est. in arcem oppidani refugere cum coniugibus ac liberis nuntiosque Romam, qui certiorem de suo casu senatum facerent, misere.

[8] haud segnius quam fide populi Romani dignum fuit exercitus Tusculum ductus; L. Quinctius et Ser. Sulpicius tribuni militum duxere.

[9] clausas portas Tusculi Latinosque simul obsidentium atque obsessorum animo hinc moenia [Tusculi] tueri uident, illinc arcem oppugnare, terrere una ac pauere.

[10] aduentus Romanorum mutauerat utriusque partis animos: Tusculanos ex ingenti metu in summam alacritatem, Latinos ex prope certa fiducia mox capiendae arcis, quoniam oppido potirentur, in exiguam de se ipsis spem uerterat.

[11] tollitur ex arce clamor ab Tusculanis; excipit aliquanto maior ab exercitu Romano. utrimque urgentur Latini: nec impetus Tusculanorum decurrentium ex superiore loco sustinent nec Romanos subeuntes moenia molientesque obices portarum arcere possunt.

[12] scalis prius moenia capta, inde effracta claustra portarum; et cum anceps hostis et a fronte et a tergo urgeret nec ad pugnam ulla uis nec ad fugam loci quicquam superesset, in medio caesi ad unum omnes. reciperato ab hostibus Tusculo exercitus Romam est reductus.

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).) — 5.33 focus

[2] expulso cive quo manente, si quicquam humanorum certi est, capi Roma non potuerat, adventante fatali urbi clade legati ab Clusinis veniunt auxilium adversus Gallos petentes.

eam gentem ¹ traditur fama dulcedine frugum maximeque vini, nova tum tur voluptate, captam Alpes transisse agrosque ab Etruscis ante cultos possedisse;

[3] et invexisse in Galliam vinum inliciendae gentis causa Arruntem Clusinum ira corruptae uxoris ab Lucumone, cui tutor is fuerat, ² praepotente iuvene et a quo expeti poenae, nisi externa vis quaesita esset, nequirent;

[4] hunc transeuntibus Alpes ducem auctoremque Clusium oppugnandi fuisse. equidem haud abnuerim Clusium Gallos ab Arrunte seu quo alio Clusino adductos;

[5] sed eos qui oppugnaverint Clusium non fuisse qui primi Alpes transierint satis constat. ducentis quippe annis ante quam Clusium oppugnarent urbemque Romam caperent, in Italiam Galli transcenderunt;

[6] nec cum his primum Etruscorum sed multo ante cum iis qui inter Appenninum Alpesque incolebant saepe exercitus Gallici pugnavere.

[7] Tuscorum ante Romanum imperium late terra marique opes patuere. mari supero inferoque, quibus Italia insulae modo cingitur, quantum potuerint nomina sunt argumento, quod alterum Tuscum communi vocabulo gentis,

[8] alterum Hadriaticum ³ ab Hatria, ⁴ Tuscorum colonia, vocavere Italicae gentes; Graeci eadem Tyrrhenum atque Adriaticum vocant.

[9] ei⁵ in utrumque mare vergentes incoluere urbibus duodenis terras, prius cis Appenninum ad inferum ⁶ mare, postea trans Appenninum totidem, quot capita originis erant,

[10] coloniis missis, quae trans Padum omnia loca, excepto Venetorum angulo qui sinum circumcolunt maris, usque ad Alpes tenuere.

[11] alpinis quoque ea gentibus haud dubie origo est, maxime Raetis, ⁷ quos loca ipsa efferarunt ne quid ex antique praeter sonum linguae, nec eum incorruptum, retinerent.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 6.33 focus

[1]

At this time a dissension arose between the Antians and the Latins; when the Antians, overcome by misfortunes and reduced by a war, in which they had both been born and had grown old, began to think of a surrender;

[2] whilst their recent revolt after a long peace, their spirits being still fresh, rendered the Latins more determined to persevere in the war. There was an end to the contest, when it became evident to both parties that neither would stand in the way of the other so as to prevent them from following out their own views.

[3] The Latins by departing redeemed themselves from a share in what they deemed a dishonourable peace.

[4] The Antians, on the removal of those who by their presence impeded their salutary counsels, surrender their city and lands to the Romans. The resentment and rage of the Latins, because they were neither able to damage the Romans in war, nor to retain the Volscians in arms, vented itself in setting fire to the city of Satricum, which had been their first place of retreat after their defeat; nor did any other building in that city remain, since they cast firebrands indiscriminately into those sacred and profane, except the temple of Mother Matuta.

[5] From that neither the sanctity of the building itself, nor respect for the gods, is said to have restrained them, but an awful voice, emitted from the temple with threats of dismal vengeance, unless they removed their abominable fires to a distance from the temples.

[6] Fired with this rage, their impetuosity carried them on to Tusculum, under the influence of' resentment, because, having abandoned the general association of the Latins, they joined themselves not only in alliance with the Romans, but also as members of their state.

[7] As they unexpectedly rushed in at the gates, which were lying open, the town, except the citadel, was taken at the first shout. The townsmen with their wives and children took refuge in the citadel, and sent messengers to Rome, to inform the senate of their situation.

[8] An army was led to Tusculum with no less expedition than was worthy of the honour of the Roman people. Lucius Quinctius and Servius Sulpicius, military tribunes, commanded it.

[9] They beheld the gates of Tusculum shut, and the Latins, with the feelings of besiegers and besieged, on the one side defending the walls of Tusculum, on the other hand attacking the citadel; they struck terror and felt it at the same time.

[10] The arrival of the Romans produced a change in the minds of both parties: it turned the Tusculans from great alarm into the utmost alacrity, and the Latins from almost assured confidence of soon taking the citadel, as they were masters of the town, to very slender hope of even their own safety.

[11] A shout is raised by the Tusculans from the citadel; it is answered by a much louder one from the Roman army. The Latins are hard pressed on both sides: they neither withstand the force of the Tusculans pouring down on them from the higher ground; nor are they able to repel the Romans advancing up to the walls, and forcing the bars of the gates.

[12] The walls were first taken by scalade; the gates were then broken open; and when the two enemies pressed them both in front and in the rear, nor did there remain any strength for fight, nor any room for running away, between both they were all cut to pieces to a man. Tusculum being recovered from the enemy, the army was led back to Rome.

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.) — 6.33 focus

[1] A quarrel now arose between the Antiates and the Latins. The Antiates, crushed by their misfortunes and exhausted by a state of war which had lasted all their lives, were contemplating peace;

[2] the newly revolted Latins, who had enjoyed a long peace and whose spirits were yet unbroken, were all the more determined to keep up hostilities. When each side had convinced the other that it was perfectly free to act as it thought best, there was an end of the quarrel.

[3] The Latins took their departure and so cleared themselves from all association with a peace which they considered dishonourable; the Antiates, when once the inconvenient critics of their salutary counsels were out of the way, surrendered their city and territory to the Romans.

[4] The exasperation and rage of the Latins at finding themselves unable to injure the Romans in war or to induce the Volscians to keep up hostilities rose to such a pitch that they set fire to Satricum, which had been their first shelter after their defeat. They flung firebrands on sacred and profane buildings alike, and not a single roof of that city escaped except the temple of Mother Matuta.

[5] It is stated that it was not any religious scruple or fear of the gods that restrained them, bus an awful Voice which sounded from the temple threatening them with terrible punishment if they did not keep their accursed firebrands far from the shrine.

[6] Whilst in this state of frenzy, they next attacked Tusculum, in revenge for its having deserted the national council of the Latins and not only becoming an ally of Rome but even accepting her citizenship.

[7] The attack was unexpected and they burst in through the open gates. The town was taken at the first alarm with the exception of the citadel. Thither the townsmen fled for refuge with their wives and children, after sending messengers to Rome to inform the senate of their plight.

[8] With the promptitude which the honour of the Roman people demanded an army was marched to Tusculum under the command of the consular tribunes, L. Quinctius and Ser.

[9] Sulpicius. They found the gates of Tusculum closed and the Latins, with the feelings of men who are at once besieging and being besieged, were in one direction defending the walls and in the other attacking the citadel, inspiring terror and feeling it at the same time.

[10] The arrival of the Romans produced a change in the temper of both sides;

[11] it turned the gloomy forebodings of the Tusculans into the utmost cheerfulness, whilst the confidence which the Latins had felt in a speedy capture of the citadel, as they were already in possession of the town, sank into a faint and feeble hope of even their own safety. The Tusculans in the citadel gave a cheer, it was answered by a much louder one from the Roman army.

[12] The Latins were hard pressed on both sides; they could not withstand the attack of the Tusculans charging from the higher ground, nor could they repel the Romans who were mounting the walls and forcing the gates. The walls were first taken by escalade, then the bars of the gates were burst. The double attack in front and rear left the Latins no strength to fight and no room for escape; between the two they were killed to a man.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. These words are really applicable to the Volsci in general, but not to the Antiates in particular. In § 4 the word Volscos is used as though equivalent to Antiates.

2. B.C. 377

3. An ancient Italian deity worshipped by matrons and having to do with birth, and perhaps with the dawn. She had a temple in Rome and in Praeneste, and appears to have been the principal god of Satricum.

4. B. C. 377

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 6.33

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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