Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Rev. Canon Roberts (Translator), 7.29

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[1] ¹² —The history will now be occupied with wars greater than any previously recorded; greater whether we consider the forces en gaged in them or the length of time they lasted, or the extent of country over which they were waged. For it was in this year ( 343 B.C.) that hostilities commenced with the SAMNITES, a people strong in material resources and military

[2] power. Our war with the Samnites, with its varying fortunes, was followed by the war with Pyrrhus, and that again by the war with Carthage. What a chapter of great events! How often had we to pass through the very extremity of danger in order that our dominion might be exalted to its present greatness, a greatness which is with difficulty

[3] maintained! The cause of the war between the Romans and the Samnites, who had been our friends and allies, came, however, from without; it did not arise between the two peoples

[4] themselves. The Samnites, simply because they were the stronger, made an unprovoked attack upon the Sidicines; the weaker side were compelled to fly for succour to those who were more powerful and threw in their lot with the

[5] Campanians. The Campanians brought to the help of their allies the prestige of their name rather than actual strength; enervated by luxury they were worsted by a people inured to the use of arms, and after being defeated on Sidicine territory diverted the whole weight of the war against

[6] themselves. The Samnites, dropping operations against the Sidicines, attacked the Campanians as being the mainstay and stronghold of their neighbours; they saw, too, that whilst victory would be just as easily won here, it would bring more glory and spoils. They seized the Tifata hills which overlook Capua and left a strong force to hold them, then they descended in close order into the plain which lies between the Tifata hills and

[7] Capua. Here a second battle took place, in which the Campanians were defeated and driven within their walls. They had lost the flower of their army, and as there was no hope of any assistance near, they found themselves compelled to ask for help from Rome.

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

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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.) — 7.29 focus

[1] maiora iam hinc bella et viribus hostium et vel longinquitate regionum vel temporum spatio, quibus bellatum est, dicentur. namque eo anno adversus Samnites, gentem opibus armisque validam, mota arma;

[2] Samnitium bellum ancipiti Marte gestum Pyrrhus hostis, Pyrrhum Poeni secuti. quanta rerum moles! quotiens in extrema periculorum ventum, ut in hanc magnitudinem, quae vix sustinetur, erigi imperium posset!

[3] belli autem causa cum Samnitibus Romanis, cum societate amicitiaque iuncti essent, extrinsecus venit, non orta inter ipsos est.

[4] Samnites Sidicinis iniusta arma, quia viribus plus poterant, cum intulissent, coacti inopes ad opulentiorum auxilium confugere Campanis sese coniungunt.

[5] Campani magis nomen ad praesidium sociorum quam vires cum attulissent, fluentes luxu ab duratis usu armorum in Sidicino pulsi agro, in se deinde molem omnem belli verterunt.

[6] namque Samnites omissis Sidicinis ipsam arcem finitimorum Campanos adorti, unde aeque facilis victoria, praedae atque gloriae plus esset, Tifata, inminentis Capuae colles, cum praesidio firmo occupassent, descendunt inde quadrato agmine in planitiem, quae Capuam Tifataque interiacet.

[7] ibi rursus acie dimicatum; adversoque proelio Campani intra moenia conpulsi, cum robore iuventutis suae acciso nulla propinqua spes esset, coacti sunt ab Romanis petere auxilium.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 7.29 focus

[1]

maiora iam hinc bella et uiribus hostium et longinquitate uel regionum uel temporum [spatio] quibus bellatum est dicentur. namque eo anno aduersus Samnites, gentem opibus armisque ualidam, mota arma;

[2] Samnitium bellum ancipiti Marte gestum Pyrrhus hostis, Pyrrhum Poeni secuti. quanta rerum moles. quotiens in extrema periculorum uentum, ut in hanc magnitudinem quae uix sustinetur erigi imperium posset.

[3] belli autem causa cum Samnitibus Romanis, cum societate amicitiaque iuncti essent, extrinsecus uenit, non orta inter ipsos est.

[4] Samnites Sidicinis iniusta arma, quia uiribus plus poterant, cum intulissent, coacti inopes ad opulentiorum auxilium confugere Campanis sese coniungunt.

[5] Campani magis nomen ad praesidium sociorum quam uires cum attulissent, fluentes luxu ab duratis usu armorum in Sidicino pulsi agro in se deinde molem omnem belli uerterunt.

[6] namque Samnites, omissis Sidicinis ipsam arcem finitimorum [Campanos] adorti, unde aeque facilis uictoria, praedae atque gloriae plus esset, Tifata, imminentes Capuae colles, cum praesidio firmo occupassent, descendunt inde quadrato agmine in planitiem quae Capuam Tifataque interiacet.

[7] ibi rursus acie dimicatum; aduersoque proelio Campani intra moenia compulsi, cum robore iuuentutis suae acciso nulla propinqua spes esset, coacti sunt ab Romanis petere auxilium.

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).) — 8.29 focus

[1]

eodem anno, cum satis per se ipsum ¹ Samnitium bellum et defectio repens Lucanorum auctoresque defectionis, Tarentini, sollicitos haberent patres, accessit ut et Vestinus populus Samnitibus sese coniungeret.

[2] quae res sicut eo anno sermonibus magis passim hominum iactata quam in publico ullo concilio est, ita insequentis anni consulibus, L. Furio Camillo iterum Iunio Bruto Scaevae, nulla prior potiorque visa est, de qua ad senatum referrent.

[3] et quamquam non nova ² res erat, tamen tanta cura patres incessit, ut pariter eam earn susceptam neglectamque timerent, ne aut impunitas eorum lascivia superbiaque aut bello poenae expetitae metu propinquo atque ira concirent finitimos populos;

[4] et erat genus omne abunde bello Samnitibus par, Marsi Paelignique et Marrucini, quos, si Vestinus attingeretur, omnes habendos hostes.

[5] vicit tamen pars quae in praesentia videri potuit maioris animi quam consilii; sed eventus docuit fortes fortunam iuvare.

[6] bellum ex auctoritate patrum populus adversus Vestinos iussit. provincia ea Bruto, Samnium Camillo sorte evenit.

[7] exercitus utroque ducti, et ³ cura tuendorum tuendorun finium hostes prohibiti coniungere arma.

[8] ceterum alterum consulem L. Furium, cui maior moles rerum imposita erat, morbo gravi implicitum fortuna bello subtraxit;

[9] iussusque dictatorem dicere rei gerendae causa, longe clarissimum bello ea tempestate dixit, L. Papirium Cursorem, a quo Q. ⁴ Fabius Maximus Rullianus ⁵ magister equitum est dictus,

[10] par nobile rebus in eo magistratu gestis, discordia tamen, qua prope ad ultimum dimicationis ventum est, nobilius.

[11] ab altero consule in Vestinis multiplex bellum nec usquam vario eventu gestum est. nam et pervastavit agros et populando atque urendo tecta hostium sataque in aciem invitos extraxit,

[12] et ita proelio uno accidit Vestinorum res, haudquaquam tamen incruento milite suo, ut non in castra solum refugerent hostes, sed iam ne vallo quidem ac fossis freti dilaberentur in oppida, situ urbium moenibusque se defensuri.

[13] postremo oppida quoque vi expugnare adortus, primo Cutinam ingenti ardore militum a volnerum ira, ⁶ quod haud fere quisquam integer proelio excesserat, scalis cepit, deinde Cingiliam.

[14] utriusque urbis praedam militibus, quod eos neque portae nec muri hostium arcuerant, ⁷ concessit.

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)) — 7.29 focus

[1]

Wars of greater magnitude, in respect both of the forces of our enemies and of the remoteness of their countries and the long periods of time involved, now fall to be related.

[2] For in that year the sword was drawn against the Samnites, a people powerful in arms and in resources; and hard upon the Samnite war, which was waged with varying success, came war with Pyrrhus, and after that with the Carthaginians. How vast a series of events! How many times the extremity of danger was incurred, in order that our empire might be exalted to its present greatness, hardly to be maintained!

[3] Now the cause of the war between the Romans and the Samnites, who had been united in friendship and alliance, was of external origin and not owing to themselves.

[4] The Samnites had unjustly attacked the Sidicini, because they happened to be more powerful than they, and the Sidicini, driven in their need to fly for succour to a more wealthy nation, ¹ had attached themselves to the Campanians.

[5] The Campanians had brought reputation rather than real strength to the defence of their allies; enervated by luxury, they had encountered a people made hardy by the use of arms, and being defeated in the territory of the Sidicini, had then drawn down the full force of the war upon themselves.

[6] For the Samnites, disregarding the Sidicini and attacking the Campanians —the very stronghold of their neighbours, —from whom they would gain full as easy a victory and more plunder and renown, had seized and with a strong force occupied Tifata — a range of hills looking down on Capua —and thence had descended in battle-order into the plain that lies between.

[7] There a second battle had been fought, and the Campanians, being worsted, had been shut up within their walls; and having, after the loss of their choicest troops, no prospect of relief at hand, had been driven to seek assistance of the Romans.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 7.29 focus

[1]

Henceforward shall be recorded wars of greater importance, both by the strength of the belligerent powers, by the distance of the countries, or the length of time during which they were carried on. For in that year arms were taken up against the Samnites, a nation powerful both in wealth and in arms.

[2] Pyrrhus followed as an enemy the war of the Samnites carried on with various success, the Carthaginians followed Pyrrhus. How great a mass of events! How often have extreme dangers been encountered, that the empire might be raised to its present magnitude, which is now scarcely sustained!

[3] But the cause of the war between the Samnites and Romans, as they had been joined in alliance and friendship, came from without; it originated not among themselves.

[4] After the Samnites had unjustly taken up arms, because they had the advantage in strength, against the Sidicinians, the weaker party being obliged to have recourse to the aid of the more powerful, unite themselves to the Campanians.

[5] As the Campanians brought to the relief of their allies rather a name than strength, enervated as they were by luxury, they were beaten in the Sidicinian territory by men who were inured to the use of arms, and then brought on themselves the entire burthen of the war.

[6] For the Samnites, taking no further notice of the Sidicinians, having attacked the Campanians as being the chief of the neighbouring states, from whom the victory might be equally easy, and a greater share of spoil and glory, after they had secured Tifata, a ridge of hills hanging over Capua, with a strong garrison, they march down from thence with their army formed in a square into the plain which lies between Capua and Tifata.

[7] There a second battle was fought; and the Campanians, after an unsuccessful fight, being driven within their walls, when the flower of their youth being cut down, no hope was nigh at hand, they were obliged to sue for aid from the Romans.

Notes on the current edition

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

1. The Beginning of the Wars with the Samnites.

2. Mommsen's views as to the historical value of this part of Livy may be studied in the long footnote beginning on p. 353, Vol. I., of his Roman History. To this we may add Dr. Arnold's remarks in his note 34 on p. 112, vol. II., “Every step in the Samnite and Latin wars has been so disguised by the Roman annalists, that a probable narrative of these events can only be given by a free correction of their falsifications.”

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 7.29

Rev. Canon Roberts (Translator)

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