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), 9.24

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[2] The Romans then returned to Sora; and ¹ new consuls, Marcus Poetelius and Gaius Sulpicius, took over the army from Fabius the dictator, dismissing ² a great part of the veteran troops and bringing in new cohorts to replace them. ³

but the city lay in a troublesome position, where the Romans could devise no very certain way of getting at it, and it seemed that victory would either be long in coming, or fraught with fearful risks;

[3] when a Soran deserter stole out of the town, and picking his way to the Roman sentinels, bade them bring him immediately to the consuls. arrived in their presence, he offered to betray the city.

[4] on being questioned how he could accomplish it, he satisfied his interrogators that his plan was not unfeasible, and induced them to withdraw the Roman camp —which was almost in contact with the city walls —to a distance of six miles from the town; for so, he said, the sentinels would be less vigilant in guarding the place, whether by night or day.

[5] he himself on the following night, having directed certain cohorts to seek cover in the woods below the town, took with him ten picked men, whom he conducted over steep and almost impassable ground up to the citadel. ⁴

[6] here he had brought together a quantity of missiles out of all proportion to the number of men, besides which there were stones —both those which happened to be lying there, as is usual in rough country, and those which the townsmen had piled up on purpose, for the better protection of the place.

[7] on this height he posted the Romans, and, indicating to them a steep and narrow path which led up from the town to the citadel, lie said,

from an ascent like this three men would be enough to keep back a multitude, however numerous: you are not only ten, but Romans, and of Romans the very ⁵ bravest.

[8]

you will have the advantage of position and of night, which makes everything loom greater in the eyes of frightened men, because of the obscurity. as for me, I will presently strike terror into every heart: do you hold the citadel and watch.

[9] he then ran down, making all the noise he could, as he cried

to arms!

and

help , help, my countrymen! The citadel has been taken by the enemy! defend us!

[10] These words he shouted as he knocked at the doors of the great, the same to all he met, the same to those who rushed out terrified into the streets. The panic begun by one man was spread by numbers through all the city.

[11] quaking with fear, the magistrates dispatched scouts to investigate, and on hearing that armed men, in exaggerated numbers, held the citadel, relinquished all hope of regaining it.

[12] The city was thronged with fugitives, and men who were hardly yet awake and most of them unarmed, began battering down the gates. through one of them rushed in the band of Romans, who had started up on hearing the outcry, and now running through the streets, cut down the frightened townsfolk.

[13] Sora was already taken, when the consuls arrived at early dawn, and received the surrender of such as Fortune had spared in the rout and slaughter of the night.

[14] of these, two hundred and twenty —five, who were designated on all hands as the authors of the revolt and the hideous massacre of the colonists, they sent to Rome in chains; the rest they left unharmed in Sora, only setting a garrison over them.

[15] all those who were taken to Rome were scourged and beheaded in the Forum, to the great joy of the commons, whom it most nearly concerned that the people who were sent out ⁶ here and there to colonies should in every case be protected.

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.) — 9.24 focus

[1] ad Soram inde reditum; novique consules, M. Poetelius, C. Sulpicius, exercitum ab dictatore Fabio accipiunt magna parte veterum militum dimissa novisque cohortibus in supplementum adductis.

[2] ceterum cum propter difficilem urbis situm nec oppugnandi satis certa ratio iniretur et aut tempore longinqua aut praeceps periculo victoria esset,

[3] Soranus transfuga clam ex oppido profectus, cum ad vigiles Romanos penetrasset, duci se extemplo ad consules iubet deductusque traditurum urbem promittit.

[4] visus inde, cum quonam modo id praestaturus esset percunctantes doceret, baud haud vana adferre, perpulit, prope adiuncta moenibus Romana castra ut sex milia ab oppido removerentur:

[5] fore, ut minus intentae in custodiam urbis diurnae stationes ac nocturnae vigiliae essent. ipse insequenti nocte sub oppido silvestribus locis cohortibus considere iussis decem milites delectos secum per ardua ac prope invia in arcem ducit, pluribus quam pro numero virorum missilibus telis eo conlatis;

[6] ad hoc saxa erant et temere iacentia, ut fit in aspretis, et de industria etiam, quo locus tutior esset, ab oppidanis congesta.

[7] ubi cum constituisset Romanos semitamque angustam et arduam erectam ex oppido in arcem ostendisset, “hoc quidem ascensu” inquit “vel tres armati quamlibet multitudinem arcuerint; vos et decem numero et,

[8] quod plus est, Romani Romanorumque fortissimi viri estis; et locus pro vobis et nox erit, quae omnia ex incerto maiora territis ostentat. ego iam terrore omnia inplebo; vos arcem intenti tenete.” Decurrit decurrit inde,

[9] quanto maxime poterat cum tumultu, “ad arma!” et “pro vestram fidem, cives,” clamitans “arx ab hostibus capta est;

[10] defendite.” haec incidens principum foribus, haec obviis, haec excurrentibus in publicum pavidis increpat.

[11] acceptum ab uno pavorem plures per urbem ferunt. trepidi magistratus missis ad arcem exploratoribus cum tela et armatos tenere arcem multiplicato numero audirent, avertunt animos a spe recuperandae arcis;

[12] fuga cuncta conplentur portaeque ab semisomnis ac maxima parte inermibus refringuntur, quarum per unam praesidium Romanum clamore excitatum inrumpit et concursantes per vias pavidos caedit.

[13] iam Sora capta erat, cum consules prima luce advenere et, quos reliquos fortuna ex nocturna caede ac fuga fecerat, in deditionem accipiunt.

[14] ex his ducentos viginti quinque, qui omnium consensu destinabantur et infandae colonorum caedis et defectionis auctores, vinctos Romam deducunt;

[15] ceteram multitudinem incolumem praesidio inposito Sorae relinquunt. omnes, qui Romam deducti erant, virgis in foro caesi ac securi percussi summo gaudio plebis, cuius maxime intererat tutam ubique, quae passim in colonias mitteretur, multitudinem esse.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 9.24 focus

[1]

ad Soram inde reditum; novique consules ¹ M. Poetelius C. Sulpicius exercitum ab dictatore Fabio accipiunt magna parte veterum militum ² dimissa novisque cohortibus in supplementum adductis.

[2] ceterum cum propter difficilem urbis situm nec oppugnandi satis certa ratio iniretur et aut tempore longinqua aut praeceps periculo victoria esset,

[3] soranus transfuga clam ex oppido profectus, cum ad vigiles Romanos penetrasset, duci se extemplo ad consules iubet deductusque traditurum urbem promittit.

[4] visus³ inde, cum quonam modo id praestaturus esset percontantes doceret, haud vana adferre, perpulit prope adiuncta moenibus Romana castra ut sex milia ab oppido removerentur:

[5] fore ut minus intentae in custodiam urbis diurnae stationes ac nocturnae vigiliae essent. ipse insequenti nocte sub oppido silvestribus locis cohortibus insidere iussis decem milites delectos secum per ardua ac prope invia in arcem ducit, pluribus quam pro numero virorum missilibus telis eo conlatis;

[6] ad hoc saxa erant et temere iacentia, ut fit in aspretis, et de industria etiam, quo locus tutior esset, ab oppidanis congesta.

[7] ubi cum constituisset Romanos semitamque angustam et arduam erectam ex oppido in arcem ostendisset,

hoc quidem ascensu

inquit

vel tres armati quamlibet multitudinem arcuerint:

[8]

vos et decem numero, et quod plus est, Romani ⁴ Romanorumque fortissimi viri estis. et locus pro vobis et nox erit, quae omnia ex incerto maiora territis ostentat. ego iam terrore omnia implebo: vos arcem intenti tenete.

[9] decurrit inde, quanto maxime poterat cum tumultu,

ad arma!

pro vestram fidem, cives!

clamitans;

arx ab hostibus capta est;

[10]

defendite!

⁵ Haec incidens principum foribus, haec obviis, haec excurrentibus in publicum pavidis increpat. acceptum ab uno pavorem plures per urbem ferunt.

[11] trepidi magistratus missis ad arcem exploratoribus cum tela et armatos tenere arcem multiplicato numero audirent, avertunt animos a spe reciperandae arcis;

[12] fuga cuncta complentur portaeque ab semisomnis ac maxima parte inermibus refringuntur, quarum per unam praesidium Romanum clamore excitatum inrumpit et concursantes per vias pavidos caedit.

[13] iam Sora capta erat, cum consules prima luce advenere et quos reliquos fortuna ex nocturna caede ac fuga fecerat in deditionem accipiunt.

[14] ex his ducentos viginti quinque, qui omnium consensu destinabantur et infandae colonorum caedis et defectionis auctores, vinctos Romam deducunt; ceteram multitudinem incolumem praesidio imposito Sorae relinquunt.

[15] omnes qui Romam deducti erant virgis in foro caesi ac securi percussi, summo gaudio plebis, cuius maxime intererat tutam ubique quae passim in colonias mitteretur ⁶ multitudinem 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).) — 9.24 focus

[1]

ad Soram inde reditum; novique consules ¹ M. Poetelius C. Sulpicius exercitum ab dictatore Fabio accipiunt magna parte veterum militum ² dimissa novisque cohortibus in supplementum adductis.

[2] ceterum cum propter difficilem urbis situm nec oppugnandi satis certa ratio iniretur et aut tempore longinqua aut praeceps periculo victoria esset,

[3] soranus transfuga clam ex oppido profectus, cum ad vigiles Romanos penetrasset, duci se extemplo ad consules iubet deductusque traditurum urbem promittit.

[4] visus³ inde, cum quonam modo id praestaturus esset percontantes doceret, haud vana adferre, perpulit prope adiuncta moenibus Romana castra ut sex milia ab oppido removerentur:

[6] ad hoc saxa erant et temere iacentia, ut fit in aspretis, et de industria etiam, quo locus tutior esset, ab oppidanis congesta.

[7] ubi cum constituisset Romanos semitamque angustam et arduam erectam ex oppido in arcem ostendisset,

hoc quidem ascensu

inquit

vel tres armati quamlibet multitudinem arcuerint:

[8]

[9] decurrit inde, quanto maxime poterat cum tumultu,

ad arma!

pro vestram fidem, cives!

clamitans;

arx ab hostibus capta est;

[10]

defendite!

⁵ Haec incidens principum foribus, haec obviis, haec excurrentibus in publicum pavidis increpat. acceptum ab uno pavorem plures per urbem ferunt.

[11] trepidi magistratus missis ad arcem exploratoribus cum tela et armatos tenere arcem multiplicato numero audirent, avertunt animos a spe reciperandae arcis;

[12] fuga cuncta complentur portaeque ab semisomnis ac maxima parte inermibus refringuntur, quarum per unam praesidium Romanum clamore excitatum inrumpit et concursantes per vias pavidos caedit.

[13] iam Sora capta erat, cum consules prima luce advenere et quos reliquos fortuna ex nocturna caede ac fuga fecerat in deditionem accipiunt.

[15] omnes qui Romam deducti erant virgis in foro caesi ac securi percussi, summo gaudio plebis, cuius maxime intererat tutam ubique quae passim in colonias mitteretur ⁶ multitudinem 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)) — 9.24 focus

[1]

They then marched back to Sora; and the new consuls, Marcus Pœtelius and Caius Sulpicius, receive the army from the dictator Fabius, discharging a great part of the veteran soldiers, having brought with them new cohorts to supply their place.

[2] Now while, on account of the difficult situation of the city, no certain mode of attack could be devised, and success must either be distant in time, or at a desperate risk;

[3] a deserter from Sora came out of the town privately by night, and when he had got as far as the Roman watches, desired to be conducted instantly to the con- suls: which being complied with, he made them an offer of delivering the place into their hands.

[4] When he answered their questions, respecting the means by which he intended to make good his promise, appearing to state a project by no means idle, he persuaded them to remove the Roman camp, which was almost close to the walls, to the distance of six miles;

[5] that the consequence would be that this would render the guards by day, and the watches by night, the less vigilant.

[6] He then desired that some cohorts should post themselves the following night in the woody places under the town, and took with himself ten chosen soldiers, through steep and almost impassable ways, into the citadel, where a quantity of missive weapons had been collected, larger than bore proportion to the number of men. There were stones besides, some lying at random, as in all craggy places, and others heaped up designedly by the townsmen, to add to the security of the place.

[7] Having posted the Romans here, and shown them a steep and narrow path leading up from the town to the citadel —

From this ascent,

said he,

even three armed men would keep off any multitude whatever.

[8]

Now ye are ten in number; and, what is more, Romans, and the bravest among the Romans. The night is in your favour, which, from the uncertainty it occasions, magnifies every object to people once alarmed. I will immediately fill every place with terror: be ye alert in defending the citadel.

[9] He then ran down in haste, crying aloud,

To arms, citizens, we are undone, the citadel is taken by the enemy; run, defend it.

[10] This he repeated, as he passed the doors of the principal men, the same to all whom he met, and also to those who ran out in a fright into the streets. The alarm, communicated first by one, was soon spread by numbers through all the city.

[11] The magistrates, dismayed on hearing from scouts that the citadel was full of arms and armed men, whose number they multiplied, laid aside all hopes of recovering it.

[12] All places are filled with terror: the gates are broken open by persons half asleep, and for the most part unarmed, through one of which the body of Roman troops, roused by the noise, burst in, and slew the terrified inhabitants, who attempted to skirmish in the streets.

[13] Sora was now taken, when, at the first light, the consuls arrived, and accepted the surrender of those whom fortune had left remaining after the flight and slaughter of the night.

[14] Of these, they conveyed in chains to Rome two hundred and twenty-five, whom all men agreed in pointing out as the au- thors, both of the revolt, and also of the horrid massacre of the colonists. The rest they left in safety at Sora, a garrison being placed there.

[15] All those who were brought to Rome were beaten with rods in the forum, and beheaded, to the great joy of the commons, whose interest it most highly con- cerned, that the multitudes, sent to various places in colonies, should be in safety.

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.) — 9.24 focus

[1] They then returned to Sora, and the new consuls, M. Poetilius and C. Sulpicius, took over the army from the Dictator Fabius, after a large proportion of the veterans had been sent home and new cohorts brought up as reinforcements.

[2] Owing, however, to the difficulties presented by the position of the city, no definite plan of attack was yet formed; a long time would be needed to reduce it by famine, and to attempt to storm it would involve considerable

[3] risk. In the midst of this uncertainty a Soran deserter left the town secretly and made his way to the Roman sentinels, whom he requested to conduct him at once to the consuls.

[4] On being brought before them he undertook to betray the place into their hands. When questioned as to the means by which he would carry out his undertaking, he laid his proposals before them and they appeared quite feasible.

[5] He advised them to remove their camp, which was almost adjoining the walls, to a distance of six miles from the town, this would lead to less vigilance on the part of those who were on outpost duty during the day and sentry duty at night. The following night, after some cohorts had been ordered to conceal themselves in some wooded spots close under the town, he conducted a picked body of ten men by a steep and almost inaccessible path into the citadel.

[6] Here a quantity of missile weapons had been collected, far more than would be required for the men who had been brought there, and m addition there were large stones, some lying about as is usual in craggy places, others piled in heaps by the townsmen to use for the defence of the place.

[7] When he had posted the Romans here and had pointed out to them a steep and narrow path leading up from the town, he said to them: “From this ascent even three armed men could keep back a multitude however large.

[8] You are ten in number, and what is more you are Romans, and the bravest of them. You have the advantage of position and you will be helped by the night, which by its obscurity makes everything look more terrible. I will now spread panic everywhere; you devote yourselves to holding the citadel.”

[9] Then he ran down and created as great a tumult as he possibly could, shouting: “To arms, citizens! Help, help! The citadel has been seized by the enemy, hasten to its defence!”

[10] He kept up the alarm as he knocked at the doors of the principal men, he shouted it in the ears of all whom he met, of all who rushed out terror-struck into the streets. The panic which one man had started was carried by numbers through the city.

[11] The magistrates hurriedly sent men up to the citadel to find out what had happened, and when they heard that it was held by an armed force, whose numbers were grossly exaggerated, they gave up all hopes of recovering it.

[12] All quarters of the city were filled with fugitives; the gates were burst open by people who were only half awake and mostly without arms, and through one of these the Roman cohorts, roused by the shouting, rushed in and slew the frightened crowds who were thronging the streets.

[13] Sora was already captured when in the early dawn the consul appeared and accepted the surrender of those whom Fortune had spared from the nocturnal massacre.

[14] Amongst these two hundred and twenty-five were sent in chains to Rome as they were universally admitted to have been the instigators of the murder of the colonists and the revolt which followed. The rest of the population were left uninjured and a garrison was stationed in the town.

[15] All those taken to Rome were scourged and beheaded to the great satisfaction of the plebs, who felt it to be a matter of supreme importance that those who had been sent out in such large numbers as colonists should be safe wherever they were.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 314

2. B.C. 314

3. The legions had been three years in the field, although some of the soldiers, who had been enlisted to replace those killed or disabled, had not served so long. These latter were retained with the colours and the others were discharged. The word

cohorts

is anachronistic; Livy had perhaps forgotten that the organization by cohorts dated only from the time of Marius.

4. Apparently conceived of as merely an unfortified and (for the time being) unoccupied height.

5. B.C. 314

6. B.C. 314

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 9.24

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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