Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Rev. Canon Roberts (Translator), 7.21

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[1] ¹. —At the close of the year the consular elections were put off owing to the quarrel between the two orders —the tribunes declared that they would not permit the elections to be held unless they were conducted in accordance with the Licinian Law, whilst the Dictator was determined to abolish the consulship altogether rather than make it the common property of plebeians and patricians.

[2] The elections were still postponed when the Dictator resigned office; so matters reverted to an interregnum. The interreges declined to hold the elections in consequence of the hostile attitude of the plebs, and the contest went on till the eleventh interregnum.

[3] Whilst the tribunes were sheltering themselves behind the Licinian Law and fighting the political battle, the plebs felt their most pressing grievance to be the steadily growing burden of debt; the personal question quite overshadowed the political controversy.

[4] Wearied out with the prolonged agitation the senate ordered L. Cornelius Scipio, the interrex, to restore harmony to the State by conducting the consular elections in accordance with the Licinian Law.

[5] P. Valerius Publicola was elected and C. Marcius Rutilus was his plebeian colleague. Now that there was a general desire for concord, the new consuls took up the financial question which was the one hin- drance to union.

[6] The State assumed the responsibility for the liquidation of the debts, and five commissioners were appointed, who were charged with the management of the money and were hence called mensarii (=“bankers”). The impartiality and diligence with which these commissioners discharged their functions make them worthy of an honourable place in every historical record. Their names were: C. Duilius, Publius Decius Mus, M. Papirius, Q. Publilius, and T. Aemilius.

[7] The task they undertook was a difficult one, and involved hardship generally to both sides; on one side, at any rate, it always pressed heavily; but they carried it out with great consideration for all parties, and whilst incurring a large outlay on the part of the State they did not involve it in loss.

[8] Seated at tables in the Forum, they dealt with long-standing debts due to the slackness of the debtor more than to his want of means, either by advancing public money on proper security, or by making a fair valuation of his property.² In this way an immense amount of debt was cleared off without any injustice or even complaints on either side.

[9] Owing to a report that the twelve cities of Etruria had formed a hostile league, a good deal of alarm was felt, which subsequently proved to be groundless, and it was thought necessary that a Dictator should be nominated. This took place in camp, for it was there that the consuls received the senatorial decree. C. Julius was nominated and L. Aemilius was assigned to him as Master of the Horse.

Ab urbe condita. Titus Livius (Livy). Rev. Canon Roberts (Translator). Medford, MA. 1997-10-28.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

History of Rome (English) (Volumes 1-2. Roberts, Canon, Rev, translator. London, New York: J. M. Dent and Sons; E. P. Dutton and Co., 1912.)

Editions (3)

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.) — 7.21 focus

[1] extremo anno comitia consularia certamen patrum ac plebis diremit, tribunis negantibus passuros comitia haberi, ni secundum Liciniam legem haberentur, dictatore obstinato tollere potius totum e re publica consulatum quam promiscuum patribus ac plebi facere.

[2] prolatandis igitur comitiis cum dictator magistratu abisset, res ad interregnum rediit. infestam inde patribus plebem interreges cum accepissent, ad undecimum interregem seditionibus certatum est.

[3] legis Liciniae patrocinium tribuni iactabant; propior dolor plebi faenoris ingravescentis erat, curaeque privatae in certaminibus publicis erumpebant.

[4] quorum taedio patres L. Cornelium Scipionem interregem concordiae causa observare legem Liciniam comitiis consularibus iusseres. iussere. P. Valerio Publicolae datus e plebe collega C. Marcius Rutilus.

[5] inclinatis semel in concordiam animis novi consules faenebrem quoque rem, quae distinere una animos videbatur, levare adgressi solutionem alieni aeris in publicam curam verterunt quinqueviris creatis, cqups quos mensarios ab dispensatione pecuniae appellarunt.

[6] meriti aequitate curaque sunt, ut per omnium annalium monumenta celebres nominibus essent; fuere autem C. Duillius, P. Decius Mus, M. Papirius, Q. Publilius et T. Aemilius.

[7] qui rem difficillimam tractatu et plerumque parti utrique, semper certe alteri gravem cum alia moderatione tur tum inpendio magis publico quam iactura sustinuerunt.

[8] tarda enim nomina et inpeditiora inertia debitorum quam facultatibus aut aerarium mensis cum aere in foro positis dissolvit, ut populo prius caveretur, aut aestimatio aequis rerum pretiis liberavit, ut non modo sine iniuria sed etiam sine querimoniis partis utriusque exhausta vis ingens aeris alieni sit. Terror terror inde vanus belli Etrusci,

[9] cum coniurasse duodecim populos fama esset, dictatorem dici coegit; dictus in castris — eo enim ad consules missum senatus consultum est — C. Iulius, cui magister equitum adiectus L. Aemilius. ceterum foris tranquilla omnia fuere.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 7.21 focus

[1]

extremo anno comitia consularia certamen patrum ac plebis diremit, tribunis negantibus passuros comitia haberi ni secundum Liciniam legem haberentur, dictatore obstinato tollere potius totum e re publica consulatum quam promiscuum patribus ac plebi facere.

[3] legis Liciniae patrocinium tribuni iactabant: propior dolor plebi fenoris ingrauescentis erat curaeque priuatae in certaminibus publicis erumpebant.

[4] quorum taedio patres L. Cornelium Scipionem interregem concordiae causa obseruare legem Liciniam comitiis consularibus iussere. P. Ualerio Publicolae datus e plebe collega C. Marcius Rutulus .

[5] inclinatis semel in concordiam animis noui consules fenebrem quoque rem, quae distinere una animos uidebatur, leuare adgressi solutionem alieni aeris in publicam curam uerterunt quinqueuiris creatis quos mensarios ab dispensatione pecuniae appellarunt.

[6] meriti aequitate curaque sunt, ut per omnium annalium monumenta celebres nominibus essent; fuere autem C. Duillius P. Decius Mus M. Papirius Q. Publilius et T. Aemilius .

[7] qui rem difficillimam tractatu et plerumque parti utrique, semper certe alteri grauem cum alia moderatione tum impendio magis publico quam iactura sustinuerunt.

[8] tarda enim nomina et impeditiora inertia debitorum quam facultatibus aut aerarium mensis cum aere in foro positis dissoluit, ut populo prius caueretur, aut aestimatio aequis rerum pretiis liberauit, ut non modo sine iniuria sed etiam sine querimoniis partis utriusque exhausta uis ingens aeris alieni sit.

[9] terror inde uanus belli Etrusci, cum coniurasse duodecim populos fama esset, dictatorem dici coegit. dictus in castris —eo enim ad consules missum senatus consultum est— C. Iulius , cui magister equitum adiectus L. Aemilius . ceterum foris tranquilla omnia fuere:

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).) — 8.21 focus

[1]

cum ipsa per se res anceps esset, prout cuiusque ingenium erat atrocius mitiusve suadentibus, tum incertiora omnia unus ex Privernatibus legatis ¹ fecit, magis condicionis in qua natus esset quam praesentis necessitatis memor;

[2] qui interrogatus a quodam tristioris sententiae auctore quam poenam meritos Privernates censeret,

eam

inquit

quam merentur qui se libertate dignos censent.

[3] cuius cum feroci responso infestiores factos videret consul eos qui ante Privernatium causam impugnabant, ut ipse benigna interrogatione mitius responsum eliceret,

quid si poenam

inquit

remittimus vobis?

[4]

qualem nos pacem vobiscum habituros speremus?

si bonam dederitis

inquit,

et fidam et perpetuam; si malam, haud diuturnam.

[5] tum vero minari, nec id ambigue, Privernatem quidam, et illis vocibus ad rebellandum incitari pacatos populos;

[6] pars mitior ² senatus ad meliora ³ responsum trahere et dicere viri et liberi vocem auditam: an credi posse ullum populum aut hominem denique in ea condicione cuius eum paeniteat diutius quam necesse sit mansurum?

[7] ibi pacem esse fidam ubi voluntarii pacati sint, neque eo loco ubi servitutem esse velint, fidem sperandam esse.

[8] in hanc sententiam maxime consul ipse inclinavit ⁴ animos, identidem ad principes sententiarum consulares,

[9] uti exaudiri posset a pluribus, dicendo eos demum qui nihil praeterquam de libertate cogitent dignos esse qui Romani fiant.

[10] itaque et in senatu causam obtinuere, et ex auctoritate patrum latum ad populum est ut Privernatibus civitas daretur.

[11] eodem anno Anxur trecenti in coloniam missi sunt; bina iugera agri acceperunt.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (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)) — 7.21 focus

[1]

In the latter part of the year the consular ¹ election was broken off by a quarrel between the patricians and the plebs: the tribunes refused to permit the assembly to be held unless it were held agreeably to the Licinian law, and the dictator was obstinately determined rather to remove the consulship root and branch out of the state than to throw it open to patricians and plebs without distinction.

[2] The assembly was therefore repeatedly adjourned, until the dictator's term had expired, and the state reverted to an interregnum. The interreges found the commons hostile to the patricians, and the factional struggle continued until there had been eleven interreges.

[3] The tribunes continually vaunted their backing of the Licinian law: the plebs were more concerned with the distress they suffered from the increasing weight of usury, and their private worries broke out into public quarrels.

[4] Worn out with these, the senate ordered Lucius Cornelius Scipio, the interrex, for harmony's sake to observe the Licinian law at the consular election. Publius Valerius Publicola ² was elected, with a plebeian colleague named Gaius Marcius Rutulus.

[5] Now that the minds of men were once inclined to concord, the new consuls set themselves to obtain relief in the matter of usury also, which appeared to be the sole obstacle to harmony. They made the discharge of ³ debts a concern of the state, appointing five commissioners, whom they called bankers, from their having the disposition of the money.

[6] These men by their impartiality and diligence fairly earned the distinction which attaches, in all the histories, to the names of Gaius Duillius, Publius Decius Mus, Marcus Papirius, Quintus Publilius, and Titus Aemilius.

[7] In the discharge of a very difficult duty, involving always a hardship for one of the parties, and in most instances for both, they managed matters wisely in other respects, and, in particular, they expended without throwing away the public funds.

[8] For with long-standing accounts, embarrassed more by the debtors' neglect than by their lack of means, they dealt in one of the following ways: either they paid them out of the treasury —taking security for the people first —at the banking tables they had set up in the Forum; or they settled them upon a valuation, at fair prices, of the debtor's effects. And so, not only without injustice, but even without complaint from either side, a vast amount of indebtedness was cleared off.

[9] A groundless fear of war with Etruria, on a report that the twelve nations had conspired, compelled the appointment of a dictator. The appointment was made in camp —for thither had the resolution of the senate been sent to the consuls —and Gaius Julius became dictator, with Lucius Aemilius for master of the horse. But abroad all was serene,

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 7.21 focus

[1]

At the close of the year a dispute between the patricians and commons suspended the consular elections, the tribunes refusing to allow the elections to be held, unless they were held conformably to the Licinian law; the dictator being determined to do away with the consulate altogether from the state, rather than to make it common to the patricians and the commons.

[2] Accordingly when, the elections being repeatedly adjourned, the dictator resigned his office, matters came to an interregnum. Upon this, when the interreges found the commons incensed against the fathers, the contest was carried on by various disturbances to the eleventh interrex.

[3] The tribunes held out as their plea, the protection of the Licinian law.

[4] The people had the painful sense of the increasing weight of interest nearer to their hearts; and their private troubles became predominant amid the public contests. Through the wearisome effects of which the patricians ordered Lucius Cornelius Scipio, the interrex, for peace' sake to observe the Licinian law in the election of consuls.

[5] To Publius Valerius Publicola, Caius Marcius Rutilus, a plebeian, was assigned as a colleague. Once their minds were disposed to concord, the new consuls, setting about to relieve the affair of the interest money also, which seemed to prevent perfect unanimity, made the payment of the debts a matter of public concern, five commissioners having been appointed, whom from their management of the money they called bankers.

[6] By their justice and diligence they deserved to have their names signalized by the records of every history.

[7] They were Caius Duilius, Publius Decius Mus, Marcus Papirius, Quintus Publilius, and Titus Aemilius; who underwent a task most difficult to be managed, and dissatisfactory in general to both parties, certainly always so to one, both with moderation in other respects, as well as at the public expense, rather than with any loss [to the

[8] creditors]. For the tardy debts and those which were more troublesome, rather by the inertness of the debtors than by want of means, either the treasury paid off, tables with money being placed in the forum, in such a manner that the public was first secured; or a valuation, at equitable prices, of their property freed them; so that not only without injury, but even without com- plaints on either side, an immense amount of debt was cleared off.

[9] After this a groundless alarm of an Etrurian war, as there was a report that the twelve states had conspired, rendered it necessary that a dictator should be appointed. Caius Julius was nominated in the camp, (for the decree of the senate was sent thither to the consuls,) to whom Lucius Aemilius was attached as master of the horse. But all things were quiet abroad.

Notes on the current edition

History of Rome, books 1-10, 21-45

1. Financial Reforms

2. “It appears that one cause of the prevailing distress was the scarcity of the circulating medium. A debtor, therefore, even though he possessed property in land, might yet be practically insolvent, inasmuch as he could not, except at an enormous loss, convert his land into money. Here therefore the five commissioners interposed; they furnished the debtor with ready money, when he had any property to offer as a security, or any friend who would be security for him: and they ordered that land and cattle should be received in payment at a certain valuation. In this manner much property which had hitherto been unavailable was brought into circulation, land and cattle became legal tender at a certain fixed rate of value; and thus a great amount of debt was liquidated, and, as Livy adds, to the satisfaction of the creditor as well as of the debtor.” — Arnold, ibid. p. 73.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 7.21

Rev. Canon Roberts (Translator)

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