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), 6.41

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[1]

"They would force us, not invite us, to grant them office; and thus they mean to win the very highest honours without incurring even such obligations as would be imposed by the least important. They would make their canvass not on worth but on opportunity.

[2] There is many a man who resents being investigated and appraised, who thinks it right that he alone should be certain of success, while his competitors are struggling for office; who would withdraw himself from your judgment; who would have you vote for him from compulsion, not from choice —not as freemen, but as slaves.

[3] I say nothing of Licinius and Sextius, whose years of continuous power you reckon like those of the kings on the Capitol: ¹ who is there in the state to-day so lowly that the opportunities afforded by that law would not make access to the consulship easier for him than for us and for our children? To elect us will sometimes be beyond your power, even though you wish it; but those persons you would be compelled to elect, even against your inclinations.

[4]

Of the indignity of the thing I have said enough. But dignity after all is concerned with men: what of religious observances and auspices —for the immortal gods are involved in insult and disrespect to these? That this City was founded under auspices; that all measures, warlike and peaceful, at home and ² in the field, are carried out with auspices, who does not know?

[5]

Who then control the auspices, by the tradition of our fathers? The patricians, to be sure; for no plebeian magistrate is elected under auspices;

[6]

the auspices belong so exclusively to us, that not only are the patrician magistrates whom the people elect no otherwise elected than with auspices, but we ourselves even —without the people's suffrage —take auspices and nominate an interrex; and have, as private citizens, the right of taking them, which you plebeians have not even in your magistracies.

[7]

He therefore deprives the state outright of auspices, who by electing plebeian consuls deprives the patricians of them —for they alone can take them. They may jeer now, if they like, at religious scruples.

[8]

'After all,' they will say, 'what difference does it make if the sacred chickens ³ will not feed; if they are slow to come out from the coop; if a bird utters an ill-omened cry? ' These are trivial things; but because they did not scorn these trivial things, your fathers were able to build this great republic; and now we, as though we had no further use for Heaven's favour, are polluting all

[9]

the ceremonies. Let pontiffs then, augurs, and kings of the sacrifices, be chosen from the vulgar herd; let us set the mitre of the Flamen Dialis on anybody's head, so he but be a man; let us make over the sacred shields, the inner shrine, ⁴ the gods and the service of the gods, to those whom we may not without sin intrust

[10]

with them; let laws be proposed and magistrates elected without the approval of the auspices; neither to ⁵ centuriate nor curiate comitia let the fathers give their sanction; let Sextius and Licinius bear sway in Rome, like Romulus and Tatius —because they give away the moneys and the lands

[11]

of others. Is it so sweet to plunder others of their fortunes? Does it not occur to them that one of their laws will make vast deserts in the country-side, by driving the landlords out from their demesnes, while the other will wipe out credit, and with it all

[12]

human intercourse? Upon every account I urge you to reject these bills; and may Heaven prosper what you do!

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.) — 6.41 focus

[1] quo modo extorqueant, non quo modo petant honores, quaerunt; et ita maxima sunt adepturi, ut nihil ne pro minimis quidem debeant; et occasionibus potius quam virtute petere honores malunt.

[2] est aliquis, qui se inspici, aestimari fastidiat, qui certos sibi uni honores inter dimicantes competitores aequum censeat esse, qui se arbitrio vestro eximat, qui vestra necessaria suffragia pro voluntariis et serva pro liberis faciat.

[3] omitto Licinium Sextiumque, (Iuorum quorum annos in perpetua potestate tamquam regum in Capitolio numeratis; quis est hodie in civitate tam humilis, cui non via ad consulatum facilior per istius legis occasionem quam nobis ac liberis nostris fiat? si quidem nos, ne cum volueritis quidem, creare interdum poteritis, istos, etiam si nolueritis, necesse erit. De de indignitate satis dictum est.

[4] at enim dignitas ad homines pertinet; quid de religionibus atque auspiciis, quae propria deorum inmortalium contemptio atque iniuria est, loquar? auspiciis hanc urbem conditam esse, auspiciis bello ac pace, domi militiaeque omnia geri quis est, qui ignoret?

[5] penes quos igitur sunt auspicia more maiorum? nempe penes patres; nam plebeius quidem magistratus nullus auspicato creatur;

[6] nobis adeo propria sunt auspicia, ut non solum, quos populus creat patricios magistratus, non aliter quam auspicato creet, sed nos quoque ipsi sine suffragio populi auspicato interregem prodamus et privati auspicia habeamus, quae isti ne in magistratibus quidem habent.

[7] quid igitur aliud quam tollit ex civitate auspicia, qui plebeios consules creando a patribus, qui soli ea habere possunt, aufert?

[8] eludant nunc licet religiones “quid enim esse, si pulli non pascantur, si ex cavea tardius exierint, si occecinerit avis?” parva sunt haec; sed parva ista non contemnendo maiores nostri maximam hanc rem fecerunt;

[9] nunc nos, tamquam iam nihil pace deorum opus sit, omnes caerimonias polluimus. vulgo ergo pontifices, augures, sacrificuli reges creentur; cuilibet apicem dialem, dummodo homo sit, inponamus; tradamus ancilia, penetralia, deos deorumque curam, quibus nefas est;

[10] non leges auspicato ferantur, non magistratus creentur nec centuriatis nec curiatis comitiis patres auctores fiant; Sextius et Licinius tamquam Romulus ac Tatius in urbe Romana regnent, quia pecunias alienas, quia agros dono dant.

[11] tanta dulcedo est ex alienis fortunis praedandi, nec in mentem venit altera lege solitudines vastas in agris fieri pellendo finibus dominos, altera fidem abrogari, cum qua omnis humana societas tollitur?

[12] omnium rerum causa vobis antiquandas censeo istas rogationes. quod faxitis, deos velim fortunare.”

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 6.41 focus

[1]

quomodo extorqueant, non quomodo petant honores, quaerunt; et ita maxima sunt adepturi, ut nihil ne pro minimis quidem debeant; et occasionibus potius quam uirtute petere honores malunt.

[2] est aliquis, qui se inspici, aestimari fastidiat, qui certos sibi uni honores inter dimicantes competitores aequum censeat esse, qui se arbitrio uestro eximat, qui uestra necessaria suffragia pro uoluntariis et serua pro liberis faciat.

[3] omitto Licinium Sextiumque, quorum annos in perpetua potestate tamquam regum in Capitolio numeratis: quis est hodie in ciuitate tam humilis cui non uia ad consulatum facilior per istius legis occasionem quam nobis ac liberis nostris fiat, si quidem nos ne cum uolueritis quidem creare interdum poteritis, istos etiam si nolueritis necesse sit?

[4] de indignitate satis dictum est—etenim dignitas ad homines pertinet—: quid de religionibus atque auspiciis—quae propria deorum immortalium contemptio atque iniuria est— loquar? auspiciis hanc urbem conditam esse, auspiciis bello ac pace domi militiaeque omnia geri, quis est qui ignoret?

[5] penes quos igitur sunt auspicia more maiorum? nempe penes patres; nam plebeius quidem magistratus nullus auspicato creatur;

[6] nobis adeo propria sunt auspicia, ut non solum quos populus creat patricios magistratus non aliter quam auspicato creet sed nos quoque ipsi sine suffragio populi auspicato interregem prodamus et priuatim auspicia habeamus, quae isti ne in magistratibus quidem habent.

[7] quid igitur aliud quam tollit ex ciuitate auspicia qui plebeios consules creando a patribus, qui soli ea habere possunt, aufert?

[8] eludant nunc licet religiones: "quid enim est, si pulli non pascentur, si ex cauea tardius exierint, si occecinerit auis?" parua sunt haec; sed parua ista non contemnendo maiores uestri maximam hanc rem fecerunt;

[9] nunc nos, tamquam iam nihil pace deorum opus sit, omnes caerimonias polluimus. uolgo ergo pontifices, augures, sacrificuli reges creentur; cuilibet apicem Dialem, dummodo homo sit imponamus; tradamus ancilia, penetralia, deos deorumque curam, quibus nefas est;

[10] non leges auspicato ferantur, non magistratus creentur; nec centuriatis nec curiatis comitiis patres auctores fiant; Sextius et Licinius tamquam Romulus ac Tatius in urbe Romana regnent, quia pecunias alienas, quia agros dono dant.

[11] tanta dulcedo est ex alienis fortunis praedandi, nec in mentem uenit altera lege solitudines uastas in agris fieri pellendo finibus dominos, altera fidem abrogari cum qua omnis humana societas tollitur?

[12] omnium rerum causa uobis antiquandas censeo istas rogationes. quod faxitis deos uelim fortunare.'

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).) — 5.41 focus

[2] Romae interim satis iam omnibus, ut in tali re, ad tuendam arcem compositis turba seniorum domos regressi adventum hostium obstinato ad mortem animo exspectabant.

qui eorum curules gesserant magistratus, ut in fortunae pristinae honorumque ac virtutis insignibus morerentur, quae augustissima vestis est tensas ducentibus triumphantibusve, ea vestiti medio aedium eburneis sellis sedere.

[3] sunt qui M. Folio pontifice maximo ¹ praefante carmen devovisse eos se pro patria Quiritibusque Romanis tradant.

[4] Galli et quia interposita nocte a contentione pugnae remiserant animos et quod nec in acie ancipiti usquam certaverant proelio nec tum impetu aut vi capiebant urbem, sine ira, sine ardore animorum ingressi postero die urbem patente Collina porta in forum perveniunt, circumferentes oculos ad templa deum arcemque solam belli speciem tenentem.

[5] inde modico relicto praesidio ne quis in dissipatos ex arce aut Capitolio impetus fieret, dilapsi ad praedam vacuis occursu hominum viis pars in proxima quaeque tectorum agmine ruunt, pars ultima, velut ea demum intacta et referta praeda,

[6] petunt. inde rursus ipsa solitudine absterriti, ne qua fraus hostilis vagos exciperet, in forum ac propinqua foro loca conglobati redibant ² ;

[7] ubi eos, plebis aedificiis obseratis, patentibus atriis principum, maior prope cunctatio tenebat aperta quam clausa invadendi;

[8] adeo haud secus quam venerabundi intuebantur in aedium vestibulis sedentes viros praeter ornatum habitumque humano augustiorem maiestate etiam quam voltus gravitasque oris prae se ferebat simillimos dis.

[9] ad eos velut simulacra versi cum starent, M. ³ Papirius, unus ex iis, dicitur Gallo barbam suam, ut tum omnibus promissa erat, permulcenti scipione eburneo in caput incusso iram movisse atque ab eo initium caedis ortum, ceteros in sedibus suis trucidatos;

[10] post principum caedem nulli deinde mortalium parci, diripi tecta, exhaustis inici ignes.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 6.41 focus

[1]

How they may extort, not how they may sue for honours, is what they seek: and they are anxious to attain the highest honour, so that they may not owe the obligations incurred even for the lowest; and they prefer to sue for honours rather through favourable conjunctures than by merit.

[2]

Is there any one who can feel it an affront to have himself inspected and estimated; who thinks it reasonable that to himself alone, amidst struggling competitors, honours should be certain? who would withdraw himself from your judgment? who would make your suffrages necessary instead of voluntary; servile instead of free?

[3]

I omit mention of Licinius and Sextius, whose years of perpetuated power ye number, as that of the kings in the Capitol; who is there this day in the state so mean, to whom the road to the consulate is not rendered easier through the advantages of that law, than to us and to our children? inasmuch as you will sometimes not be able to elect us even though you may wish it; those persons you must elect, even though you were unwilling.

[4]

Of the insult offered to merit enough has been said (for merit appertains to human beings); what shall I say respecting religion and the auspices, which is contempt and injustice relating exclusively to the immortal gods? Who is there who does not know that this city was built by auspices, that all things are conducted by auspices during war and peace, at home and abroad?

[5]

In whom therefore are the auspices vested according to the usage of our forefathers? In the patricians, no doubt; for no plebeian magistrate is ever elected by auspices.

[6]

So peculiar to us are the auspices, that not only do the people elect in no other manner, save by auspices, the patrician magistrates whom they do elect, but even we ourselves, without the suffrages of the people, appoint the interrex by auspices, and in our private station we hold those auspices, which they do not hold even in office.

[7]

What else then does he do, than abolish auspices out of the state, who, by creating plebeian consuls, takes them away from the patricians who alone can hold them? They may now mock at religion. For what else is it, if the chickens do not feed?

[8]

if they come out too slowly from the coop? if a bird chaunt an unfavourable note? These are trifling: but by not despising these trifling matters, our ancestors have raised this state to the highest eminence. Now, as if we had no need of the favour of the gods, we violate all religious ceremonies.

[9]

Wherefore let pontiffs, augurs, kings of the sacrifices be appointed at random. Let us place the tiara of Jupiter's flamen on any person, provided he be a man. Let us hand over the ancilia, the shrines, the gods, and the charge of the worship of the gods, to those to whom it is impious to commit them.

[10]

Let not la s be enacted, nor magistrates elected under auspices. Let not the senate give their approbation, either to the assemblies of the centuries or of the Curiae. Let Sextius and Licinius, like Romulus and Tatius, reign in the city of Rome, because they give away as donations other persons' money and lands.

[11]

So great is the charm of plundering the possessions of other persons: nor does it occur to you that by the one law vast wilds are produced throughout the lands by expelling the proprietors from their territories; by the other credit is destroyed, along with which all human society ceases to exist.

[12]

For every reason, I consider that those propositions ought to be rejected by you. Whatever ye may do, I pray the gods to render it successful.

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.) — 6.41 focus

[1] “Their aim is not to sue for honours but to extort them from you, and they will get the greatest favours from you without showing the gratitude due even for the smallest. They prefer seeking posts of honour by trusting to accident rather than by personal merit.

[2] There is many a man, too proud to submit his merits and claims to inspection and examination, who would think it quite fair that he alone among his competitors should be quite certain of attaining a post of honour, who would withdraw himself from your judgment and transfer your free votes into compulsory and servile ones.

[3] Not to mention Licinius and Sextius, whose years of uninterrupted power you number up as though they were kings in the Capitol¹, who is there in the State to-day in such humble circumstances as not to find the path to the consulship made easier by the opportunities offered in that measure for him than it is for us and our children? Even when you sometimes wish to elect us you will not have the power; those people you will be compelled to elect, even if you do not wish to do so.” “Enough has been said about the indignity of the

[4] thing. Questions of dignity, however, only concern men; what shall I say about the duties of religion and the auspices, the contempt and profanation of which specially concern the gods? Who is there who knows not that it was under auspices that this City was founded, that only after auspices have been taken is anything done in war or peace, at home or in the

[5] field? Who have the right to take the auspices in accordance with the usage of our fathers? The patricians, surely, for not a single plebeian magistrate is elected under

[6] auspices. So exclusively do the auspices belong to us that not only do the people when electing patrician magistrates elect them only when the auspices are favourable, but even we, when, independently of the people, we are choosing an interrex, only do so after the auspices have been taken: we as private citizens have the auspices which your order does not possess even as

[7] magistrates. What else is the man doing who by the creation of plebeian consuls takes away the auspices from the patricians who alone can possess them —what else, I ask, is he doing but depriving the State of the auspices? Now, men are at liberty to mock at our religious

[8] fears. “What does it matter if the sacred chickens do not feed, if they hesitate to come out of their coop, if a bird has shrieked ominously?” These are small matters, but it was by not despising these small matters that our ancestors have achieved the supreme greatness of this State. Now, as though there were no need of securing peace with the gods, we are polluting all ceremonial

[9] acts. Are pontiffs, augurs, kings for sacrifice to be appointed indiscriminately? Are we to place the mitre of the Flamen of Jupiter upon any one's head provided only he be a man? Are we to hand over the sacred shields, the shrines, the gods, and the care of their worship to men to whom it would be impious to entrust

[10] them? Are laws no longer to be passed, or magistrates elected in accordance with the auspices? Are the senate no longer to authorise the Assembly of centuries, or the Assembly of curies? Are Sextius and Licinius to reign in this City of Rome as though they were a second Romulus, a second Tatius, because they give away other people's money and other people's

[11] lands? So great a charm is felt in preying upon other people's fortunes, that it has not occurred to them that by expelling the occupiers from their lands under the one law vast solitudes will be created, whilst by the action of the other all credit will be destroyed and with it all human society

[12] abolished. For every reason I consider that these proposals ought to be rejected, and may heaven guide you to a right decision!”

Notes on the current edition

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

1. Statues of the kings were set up on the Capitol, and on their bases were recorded the years they had reigned. But this had not yet been done in 368 B.C.

2. B.C. 368

3. The speaker alludes to two kinds of omens: (1) the general took with him to the field a coop of chickens, and if these, on being offered corn, came out and devoured it with avidity, the presage was favourable; this kind of divination was called ex tripudiis, from the way the corns danced upon the ground as they fell from the beaks of the greedy fowls; (2) the flight of certain birds was observed and any noise —such as the cry of a bird —was held to vitiate the auspice.

4. In the Atrium of Vesta, where among other relies was preserved the Palladium.

5. B.C. 386

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 6.41

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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