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), 9.30

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[2] and so the consuls of the following year, ¹ Gaius Junius Bubulcus (for the third time) and Quintus Aemilius Barbula (for the second), complained to the people, at the outset of their administration, that the senatorial order had been depraved by the improper choice of members, in which better men had been passed over than some that had been appointed.

they then gave notice that they should ignore that list, which had been drawn up with no distinction of right and wrong, in a spirit of favouritism and caprice; and proceeded to call the roll of the senate in the order which had been in use before Appius Claudius and Gaius Plautius were censors.

[3] in that year, also, two commands —both military —began to be conferred by the people; for it was enacted, first, that sixteen tribunes of the soldiers should be chosen by popular vote for the four legions, whereas previously these places had been for the most part in the gift of dictators and consuls, very few being left to popular suffrage ² ; secondly, that the people should likewise elect two naval commissioners to have charge of equipping and refitting the fleet.

[4] The former of these measures was proposed by the tribunes of the ³ plebs Lucius Atilius and Gaius Marcius; the latter by Marcus Decius, another tribune of the plebs.

[5] i should omit, as an incident hardly worth narrating, a little thing that happened in that same year, but that it seemed to concern religion. The flute —players, angry at having been forbidden by the last censors to hold their feast, according to old custom, in the temple of Jupiter, went off to Tibur in a body, so that there was no one in the City to pipe at sacrifices.

[6] troubled by the religious aspect of the case, the senate dispatched representatives to the Tiburtines, requesting them to use their best endeavours to restore these men to Rome.

[7] The Tiburtines courteously undertook to do so; and sending for the pipers to their senate —house, urged them to return. when they found it impossible to persuade them, they employed a ruse, not ill —adapted to the nature of the men.

[8] on a holiday various citizens invited parties of the pipers to their houses, on the pretext of celebrating the feast with music. there they plied them with wine, which people of that profession are generally greedy of, until they got them stupefied.

[9] in this condition they threw them, fast asleep, into waggons and carried them away to Rome; nor did the pipers perceive what had taken place until daylight found them —still suffering from the debauch —in the waggons, which had been left standing in the Forum.

[10] The people then flocked about them and prevailed with them to remain. they were permitted on three days in every year to roam the City in festal robes, making music and enjoying the licence that is now customary, and to such as should play at sacrifices was given again the ⁴ privilege of banqueting in the temple. ⁵ These incidents occurred while men were preoccupied with two mighty wars.

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.) — 9.30 focus

[1] itaque consules, qui eum annum secuti sunt, C. Iunius Bubulcus tertium et Q. Aemilius Barbula iterum, initio anni questi apud populum deformatunm deformatum ordinem prava lectione senatus,

[2] qua potiores aliquot lectis praeteriti esseit, negaverunt earn eam lectionem se, quae sine recti pravique discrimine ad gratiam ac libidinem facta esset, observaturos et senatum extemplo citaverunt eo ordine, qui ante censores Ap. Claudium et C. Plautium fuerat.

[3] et duo imperia eo anno dari coepta per populum, utraque pertinentia ad rem militarem: unum, ut tribuni militum seni deni in quattuor legiones a populo crearentur, quae antea perquam paucis suffragio populi relictis locis dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia; tulere ear eam rogationem tribuni plebei L. Atilius, C. Marcius;

[4] alterum, ut duumviros navales classis ornandae reficiendaeque causa idem populus iuberet; lator huius plebi sciti fuit M. Decius tribunus plebis.

[5] eiusdem anni rem dictu parvam praeterirem, ni ad religionem visa esset pertinere. tibicines, quia prohibiti a proximis censoribus erant in aede Iovis vesci, quod traditum antiquitus erat, aegre passi Tibur uno agmine abierunt, adeo ut nemo in urbe esset, qui sacrificiis praecineret.

[6] eius rei religio tenuit senatum, legatosque Tibur miserunt, ut darent operam, ut ii homines Romanis restituerentur.

[7] Tiburtini benigne polliciti primum accitos eos in curiam hortati sunt, uti reverterentur Romam; postquam perpelli nequibant, consilio haud abhorrente ab ingeniis hominum eos adgrediuntur.

[8] die festo alii alios per speciem celebrandarum cantu epularum invitant et vino, cuius avidum ferme id genus est,

[9] oneratos sopiunt atque ita in plaustra somno vinctos coniciunt ac Romam deportant. nec prius sensere, quam plaustris in foro relictis plenos crapulae eos lux oppressit.

[10] tune tunc concursus populi factus, impetratoque, ut manerent, datum, ut triduum quotannis ornati cum cantu atque hac, quae nunc sollemnis est, licentia per urbem vagarentur, restitutumque in aede vescendi ius iis, qui sacris praecinerent. haec inter duorum ingentium bellorum curam gerebantur.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 9.30 focus

[1]

itaque consules qui eum annum secuti sunt, C. Iunius Bubulcus tertium et Q. Aemilius Barbula iterum, initio anni questi apud populum deformatum ordinem prava lectione senatus,

[2] qua potiores aliquot lectis praeteriti essent, negaverunt eam lectionem se, quae sine recti pravique discrimine ad gratiam ac libidinem facta esset, observaturos et senatum extemplo citaverunt eo ordine qui ante censores Ap. Claudium et C. Plautium fuerat.

[3] et duo imperia ¹ eo anno dari coepta per populum, utraque pertinentia ad rem militarem: unum, ut tribuni militum seni deni in quattuor legiones a populo crearentur, quae antea perquam paucis suffragio populi relictis locis dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia—tulere eam earn rogationem tribuni plebei L. Atilius C. Marcius;— alterum,

[4] ut duumviros navales classis ornandae reficiendaeque causa idem populus iuberet; lator ² huius plebi sciti fuit M. Decius tribunus plebis.

[5] eiusdem anni rem dictu parvam praeterirem, ni ad religionem visa esset pertinere. tibicines , quia prohibiti a proximis censoribus erant in aede Iovis vesci quod traditum antiquitus erat, aegre passi Tibur uno agmine abierunt, adeo ut nemo in urbe esset qui sacrificiis praecineret.

[6] eius rei religio tenuit senatum, legatosque Tibur miserunt darent ³ operam, ut ii ⁴ homines Romanis restituerentur.

[7] tiburtini benigne polliciti primum accitos eos in curiam hortati sunt uti reverterentur Romam; postquam perpelli nequibant, consilio haud abhorrente ab ingeniis hominum eos adgrediuntur.

[8] die festo alii alios per speciem celebrandarum cantu epularum invitant ⁵ et vino, cuius avidum ferme id genus ⁶ est,

[9] oneratos sopiunt atque ita in plaustra somno vinctos coniciunt ac Romam deportant. nec prius sensere quam plaustris in foro relictis plenos crapulae eos lux oppressit.

[10] tunc concursus populi factus, impetratoque ut manerent, datum ut triduum quotannis ornati cum cantu atque hac quae nunc sollemnis est licentia per urbem vagarentur, restitutumque in aede vescendi ius iis ⁷ qui sacris ⁸ praecinerent. haec inter duorum ingentium bellorum curam gerebantur.

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).) — 9.30 focus

[1]

itaque consules qui eum annum secuti sunt, C. Iunius Bubulcus tertium et Q. Aemilius Barbula iterum, initio anni questi apud populum deformatum ordinem prava lectione senatus,

[4] ut duumviros navales classis ornandae reficiendaeque causa idem populus iuberet; lator ² huius plebi sciti fuit M. Decius tribunus plebis.

[6] eius rei religio tenuit senatum, legatosque Tibur miserunt darent ³ operam, ut ii ⁴ homines Romanis restituerentur.

[7] tiburtini benigne polliciti primum accitos eos in curiam hortati sunt uti reverterentur Romam; postquam perpelli nequibant, consilio haud abhorrente ab ingeniis hominum eos adgrediuntur.

[8] die festo alii alios per speciem celebrandarum cantu epularum invitant ⁵ et vino, cuius avidum ferme id genus ⁶ est,

[9] oneratos sopiunt atque ita in plaustra somno vinctos coniciunt ac Romam deportant. nec prius sensere quam plaustris in foro relictis plenos crapulae eos lux oppressit.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 9.30 focus

[1]

The consuls of the succeeding year were, Caius Junius Bubulcus a third time, and Quintus Aemilius Barbula a se- cond. In the commencement of their office, they complained before the people, that, by the improper choice of members of the senate, that body had been disgraced, several having been passed over who were preferable to the persons chosen in;

[2] and they declared, that they would pay no regard to such election, which had been made without distinction of right or wrong, merely to gratify interest or humour: they then im- mediately called over the list of the senate, in the same order which had existed before the censorship of Appius Claudius and Caius Plautius.

[3] Two public employments, both relating to military affairs, came this year into the disposal of the peo- ple; one being an order, that sixteen of the tribunes, for four legions, should be appointed by the people; whereas hitherto they had been generally in the gift of the dictators and con- suls, very few of the places being left to suffrage. This order was proposed by Lucius Atilius and Caius Marcius, plebeian tribunes. Another was, that the people likewise should constitute two naval commissioners, for the equipping and refitting of the fleet.

[4] The person who introduced this order of the people, was Marcus Decius, plebeian tribune. Another transaction of this year I should pass over as trifling, did it not seem to bear some relation to religion.

[5] The flute-players, taking offence because they had been prohibited by the last censors from holding their repasts in the temple of Jupiter, which had been customary from very early times, went off in a body to Tibur; so that there was not one left in the city to play at the sacrifices. The religious tendency of this affair gave uneasiness to the senate; and they sent envoys to Tibur to endeavour that these men might be sent back to Rome.

[6] The Tiburtines readily promised compliance, and first, calling them into the senate-house, warmly recommended to them to return to Rome;

[7] and then, when they could not be prevailed on, practised on them an artifice not ill adapted to the dispositions of that description of people:

[8] on a festival day, they invited them separately to their several houses, apparently with the intention of heightening the pleasure of their feasts with music, and there plied them with wine, of which such people are always fond, until they laid them asleep.

[9] In this state of insensibility they threw them into waggons, and carried them away to Rome: nor did they know any thing of the matter, until, the waggons having been left in the forum, the light surprised them, still heavily sick from the debauch.

[10] The people then crowded about them, and, on their consenting at length to stay, privilege was granted them to ramble about the city in full dress, with music, and the licence which is now practised every year during three days. And that licence, which we see practised at present, and the right of being fed in the temple, was restored to those who played at the sacrifices. These incidents occurred while the public attention was deeply engaged by two most important wars.

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.) — 9.30 focus

[1] The consuls for the following year were C. Junius Bubulcus (for the third time) and Q. Aemilius Barbula (for the second time). At the beginning of their year of office they laid a complaint before the Assembly touching the unscrupulous way in which vacancies in the senate had been filled up, men having been passed over who were far superior to some who had been selected, whereby the whole senatorial order had been sullied and disgraced.

[2] They declared that the selection had been made solely with a view to popularity and out of sheer caprice, and that no regard whatever had been paid to the good or bad characters of those chosen.

[3] They then gave out that they should ignore them altogether, and at once proceeded to call over the names of the senators as they appeared on the roll before Appius Claudius and C. Plautius were made censors. Two official posts were for the first time this year placed at the disposal of the people, both of a military character. One was the office of military tribune ; sixteen were henceforth appointed by the people for the four legions; these had hitherto been selected by the Dictators and consuls, very few places being left to the popular vote. L. Atilius and C. Marcius, tribunes of the plebs, were responsible for that measure.

[4] The other was the post of naval commissioner; the people were to appoint two to superintend the equipment and refitting of the fleet. This provision was due to M. Decius, a tribune of the plebs.

[5] An incident of a somewhat trifling character occurred this year which I should have passed over did it not appear to be connected with religious customs. The guild of flute-players¹ had been forbidden by the censors to hold their annual banquet in the temple of Jupiter, a privilege they had enjoyed from ancient times Hugely disgusted, they went off in a body to Tibur, and not one was left in the City to perform at the sacrificial rites.

[6] The senate were alarmed at the prospect of the various religious ceremonies being thus shorn of their due ritual, and they sent envoys to Tibur, who were to make it their business to see that the Romans got these men back again.

[7] The Tiburtines promised to do their best, and invited the musicians into the Senate-house, where they were strongly urged to return to Rome. As they could not be persuaded to do so the Tiburtines adopted a ruse quite appropriate to the character of the men they were dealing with.

[8] It was a feast day and they were invited to various houses, ostensibly to supply music at the banquets. Like the rest of their class, they were fond of wine, and they were plied with it till they drank themselves into a state of torpor.

[9] In this condition they were thrown into wagons and carried off to Rome. They were left in the wagons all night in the Forum, and did not recover their senses till daylight surprised them still suffering from the effect of their debauch.

[10] The people crowded round them and succeeded in inducing them to stay, and they were granted the privilege of going about the City for three days every year in their long dresses and masks with singing and mirth; a custom which is still observed. Those members of the guild who played on solemn occasions in the temple of Jupiter had the right restored to them of holding their banquets there. These incidents occurred while the public attention was fixed on two most serious wars.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. B.C. 311

2. For an instance of the popular election of tribuni militum cf. vii. v. 9. he plan adopted in 311 seems to have given the people the right to elect four of the six tribunes assigned to each legion, or sixteen in all. soon after Livy wrote these words another change was made and the emperor thenceforth appointed all military tribunes.

3. B.C. 311

4. B.C. 311

5. The story of the secession of the flute —players is found also in Ovid, Fasti , vi. 651 ff., and Plutarch, quaestiones Romanae, 55. The three days (the so —called

lesser Quinquatrus

) were June 13th, 14th, 15th, and were a festival peculiar to the guild of pipers.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 9.30

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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