Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 2.43

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[1]

Q. Fabius inde et C. Iulius ¹ consules ² facti. eo anno non ³ segnior discordia domi et bellum foris atrocius fuit. ab Aequis arma sumpta: Veientes agrum quoque Romanorum populantes inierunt. quorum bellorum crescente cura Caeso Fabius et Sp. Furius consules fiunt.

[2] ortonam , Latinam urbem, Aequi oppugnabant: Veientes pleni iam populationum Romam ipsam se oppugnaturos minabantur.

[3] qui terrores cum compescere deberent, auxere insuper animos plebis; redibatque non sua sponte plebi mos detractandi militiam, sed Sp. Licinius tribunus plebis, venisse tempus ratus per ultimam necessitatem legis agrariae patribus iniungendae, susceperat rem militarem impediendam.

[4] ceterum tota invidia tribuniciae potestatis versa in auctorem est, nec in eum consules acrius quam ipsius ⁴ collegae coorti sunt, auxilioque eorum dilectum consules habent.

[5] ad duo simul bella exercitus scribitur; ducendus Fabio in Aequos, Furio datur in Veientes. in Veientes nihil dignum memoria gestum;

[6] et in Aequis quidem Fabio aliquanto plus negotii cum civibus quam cum hostibus fuit. ⁵ unus ille vir, ipse consul, rem publicam sustinuit, quam exercitus odio consulis, quantum in se fuit, prodebat.

[7] nam cum consul praeter ceteras imperatorias artes, quas parando gerendoque bello edidit plurimas, ita instruxisset aciem, ut solo equitatu emisso exercitum ⁶ hostium funderet, insequi fusos pedes noluit;

[8] nec illos, etsi non adhortatio invisi ducis, suum saltem flagitium et publicum in praesentia dedecus, postmodo periculum, si animus hosti redisset, cogere potuit gradum adcelerare aut, si aliud nihil, stare ⁷ instructos.

[9] iniussu signa referunt maestique—crederes victos—exsecrantes nunc imperatorem nunc navatam ab equite operam, redeunt in castra.

[10] nec huic tam pestilenti exemplo remedia ulla ab imperatore quaesita sunt; adeo excellentibus ingeniis citius defuerit ars qua civem regant, quam qua hostem superent.

[11] Consul Romam rediit non tam belli gloria aucta quam inritato exacerbatoque in se militum odio. obtinuere tamen patres ut in Fabia gente consulatus maneret; M. Fabium consulem creant, Fabio collega Cn. Manlius ⁸ datur.

Ab urbe condita. Titus Livius (Livy). Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (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

Ab urbe condita (Latin) (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).)

Editions (2)

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.) — 2.43 focus

[1] Q. Fabius inde et C. Iulius consules facti. eo anno non segnior discordia domi et bellum foris atrocius fuit. ab Aequis arma sumpta; Veientes agrum quoque Romanorum populantes inierunt. quorum bellorum crescente cura K. Fabius et Sp. Furius consules fiunt. Ortonam, Latinam urbem, Aequi oppugnabant;

[2] Veientes pleni iam populationum Romam ipsam se oppugnaturos minabantur. qui terrores cum conpescere compescere deberent,

[3] auxere insuper animos plebis; redibatque non sua sponte plebi mos detractandi militiam, sed Sp. Licinius tribunus plebis, venisse tempus ratus per ultimam necessitatem legis agrariae patribus iniungendae, susceperat rem militarem impediendam.

[4] ceterum tota invidia tribuniciae potestatis versa in auctorem est, nec in eum consules acrius quam ipsius collegae coorti sunt, auxilioque eorum dilectum consules habent.

[5] ad duo simul bella exercitus scribitur; ducendus Fabio in Veientes, in Aequos Furio datur. et in Aequis quidem nihil dignum memoria gestum est;

[6] Fabio aliquanto plus negotii cum civibus quam cum hostibus fuit. unus ille vir, ipse consul, rem publicam sustinuit, quam exercitus odio consulis, quantum in se fuit, prodebat. nam cum consul praeter ceteras imperatorias artes,

[7] quas parando gerendoque bello edidit plurimas, ita instruxisset aciem, ut solo equitatu emisso exercitum hostium funderet, insequi fusos pedes noluit;

[8] nec illos, etsi non adhortatio invisi ducis, suum saltem flagitium et publicum in praesentia dedecus, postmodo periculum, si animus hosti redisset, cogere potuit gradum accelerare aut, si aliud nihil, stare instructos.

[9] iniussu signa referunt maestique — crederes victos — , execrantes exsecrantes nunc imperatorem nunc navatam ab equite operam, redeunt in castra.

[10] nec huic tam pestilenti exemplo remedia ulla ab imperatore quaesita sunt; adeo excellentibus ingeniis citius defuerit ars, qua civem regant, quam qua hostem superent.

[11] consul Romam rediit non tam belli gloria aucta quam inritato exacerbatoque in se militum odio. obtinuere tamen patres, ut in Fabia gente consulatus maneret; M. Fabium consulem creant, Fabio collega Cn. Manlius datur.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 2.43 focus

[1]

Q. Fabius inde et C. Iulius consules facti. eo anno non segnior discordia domi et bellum foris atrocius fuit. ab Aequis arma sumpta; Ueientes agrum quoque Romanorum populantes inierunt. quorum bellorum crescente cura, Caeso Fabius et Sp. Furius consules fiunt.

[2] Ortonam, Latinam urbem, Aequi oppugnabant: Ueientes, pleni iam populationum, Romam ipsam se oppugnaturos minabantur.

[3] qui terrores cum compescere deberent, auxere insuper animos plebis, redibatque non sua sponte plebi mos detractandi militiam, sed Sp. Licinius tribunus plebis, uenisse tempus ratus per ultimam necessitatem legis agrariae patribus iniungendae, susceperat rem militarem impediendam.

[4] ceterum tota inuidia tribuniciae potestatis uersa in auctorem est, nec in eum consules acrius quam ipsius collegae coorti sunt, auxilioque eorum dilectum consules habent.

[5] ad duo simul bella exercitus scribitur; ducendus Fabio in Aequos, Furio datur in Ueientes. nihil dignum memoria gestum [est];

[6] et in Aequis quidem Fabio aliquanto plus negotii cum ciuibus quam cum hostibus fuit. unus ille uir, ipse consul, rem publicam sustinuit, quam exercitus odio consulis, quantum in se fuit, prodebat.

[7] nam cum consul praeter ceteras imperatorias artes, quas parando gerendoque bello edidit plurimas, ita instruxisset aciem ut solo equitatu emisso exercitum hostium funderet, insequi fusos pedes noluit;

[8] nec illos, et si non adhortatio inuisi ducis, suum saltem flagitium et publicum in praesentia dedecus, postmodo periculum, si animus hosti redisset, cogere potuit gradum adcelerare aut si aliud nihil, stare instructos.

[9] iniussu signa referunt, maestique—crederes uictos—exsecrantes nunc imperatorem, nunc nauatam ab equite operam, redeunt in castra.

[10] nec huic tam pestilenti exemplo remedia ulla ab imperatore quaesita sunt; adeo excellentibus ingeniis citius defuerit ars qua ciuem regant quam qua hostem superent.

[11] consul Romam rediit non tam belli gloria aucta quam inritato exacerbatoque in se militum odio. obtinuere tamen patres ut in Fabia gente consulatus maneret: M. Fabium consulem creant; Fabio collega Cn. Manlius datur.

Translations (3)

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)) — 2.43 focus

[1]

Quintus Fabius and Gaius Julius were ¹ then made consuls. This year there was no less discord at home, and the menace of war was greater. The Aequi took up arms, and the Veientes even made a foray into Roman territory. During the increasing anxiety occasioned by these campaigns Caeso Fabius and Spurius Furius were elected to the consulship.

[2] Ortona, a Latin city, was being besieged by the Aequi; while the Veientes, who by this time had their fill of rapine, were threatening to attack Rome itself.

[3] These alarms, though they should have restrained the animosity of the plebeians, actually heightened it; and they resumed their custom of refusing service, though not of their own initiative; for it was Spurius Licinius, tribune of the plebs, who, deeming that the moment had come for forcing a land-law on the patricians by the direst necessity, had undertaken to obstruct the preparations for war.

[4] But he drew upon his own head all the odium attaching to the tribunician office, nor did the consuls inveigh against him more fiercely than did his own colleagues, and with their help the consuls held a levy.

[5] Armies were enlisted for two wars at the same time; the command of one, which was to invade the Aequi, was given to Fabius, while with the other Furius was to oppose the Veientes.

[6] Against the Veientes nothing worth recording was accomplished; and in the Aequian campaign Fabius had somewhat more trouble with his fellow-Romans than with the enemy. That one man, the consul himself, preserved the state, which the army in its hatred of the consul would, so far as it was able, have betrayed.

[7] For when the consul, besides the many other instances of good generalship which he displayed in preparing for the war and in his conduct of it, had so ² drawn up the battle-line that a charge of the cavalry alone sufficed to rout the enemy's army, the foot refused to pursue the flying foe;

[8] nor could even their own sense of guilt —to say nothing of the exhortation of their hated general, —nor even the thought of the immediate disgrace to all, and the danger they must presently incur if the enemy should recover his courage, compel them to quicken their pace, or, if nothing else, to stand in their ranks.

[9] Contrary to orders they retreated and returned to their camp, in such dejection that you would have supposed them beaten, now uttering execrations against their leader and now against the efficient services of the horse.

[10] Ruinous though their example was, the general found no remedy for it; so true is it that noble minds are oftener lacking in the qualities by which men govern their fellow-citizens than in those by which they conquer an enemy.

[11] The consul returned to Rome, having purchased more hatred of his irritated and embittered soldiers than won increase in military fame. Nevertheless the Fathers held out for the retention of the consulship in the Fabian family. Marcus Fabius was the man they elected, and they gave him Gnaeus Manlius as a colleague.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 2.43 focus

[1]

Quintus Fabius and C. Julius were then made consuls. During this year the dissension at home was not abated, and the war abroad was more desperate. Arms were taken up by the Aequans; the Veientes also entered the territory of the Romans committing devastations; the solicitude about which wars increasing, Kaeso Fabius and Sp. Fusius are created consuls. The Aequi were laying siege to Ortona, a Latin city.

[2] The Veientes, now satiated with plunder, threatened that they would besiege Rome itself.

[3] Which terrors, when they ought to assuage, increased still further the bad feelings of the commons: and the custom of declining the military service was now returning, not of their own accord; but Sp. Licinius, a tribune of the people, thinking that the time was come for forcing the agrarian law on the patricians by extreme necessity, had taken on him the task of obstructing the military preparations.

[4] But all the odium of the tribunitian power was turned on the author; nor did the consuls rise up against him more zealously than his own colleagues; and by their assistance the consuls hold the levy.

[5] An army is raised for the two wars at the same time; one is given to Fabius to be led against the Aequi, the other to Furius against the Veientians. And with respect to the Veientians, nothing was done worthy of mention.

[6] Fabius had much more trouble with his countrymen than with the enemy: that one man himself, as consul, sustained the commonwealth, which the army was betraying, as far as in them lay, through their hatred of the consul.

[7] For when the consul, in addition to his other military talents, which he exhibited amply in his preparations for and conduct of war, had so drawn up his line that he routed the enemy's army solely by a charge of his cavalry, the infantry refused to pursue them when routed:

[8] and though the exhortation of their general, whom they hated, could not move them, neither could even their own infamy, and the present public disgrace and subsequent danger, if the enemy should recover courage, oblige them to quicken their pace, or even to stand in order of battle, if nothing else.

[9] Without orders they face about, and with a sorrowful air (you would suppose them beaten) they return to the camp, execrating at one time their general, at another time the services rendered by the cavalry.

[10] Nor were any remedies sought by the general for this so pestilent an example; so true is it that the most distinguished talents are more likely to be deficient in the tact of managing their countrymen than in that of conquering an enemy.

[11] The consul returned to Rome, not having so much increased his military glory as irritated and exasperated the hatred of his soldiers towards him. The patricians, however, succeeded in having the consulship remain in the Fabian family. They elect M. Fabius consul: Cn. Manlius is assigned as a colleague to Fabius.

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.) — 2.43 focus

[1] The¹ next consuls were Q. Fabius and C. Julius. During this year the civic dissensions were as lively as ever, and the war assumed a more serious form. The Aequi took up arms, and the Veientines made depredations on Roman territory. Amidst the growing anxiety about these wars Caeso Fabius and Sp. Furius were made consuls.

[2] The Aequi were attacking Ortona , a Latin city; the Veientines, laden with plunder, were now threatening to attack Rome itself. This alarming condition of affairs ought to have restrained, whereas it actually increased, the hostility of the plebs, and they resumed the old method of refusing military service.

[3] This was not spontaneous on their part; Sp. Licinius, one of their tribunes, thinking that it was a good time for forcing the Agrarian Law upon the senate through sheer necessity, had taken upon him the obstruction of the levy.

[4] All the odium, however, aroused by this misuse of the tribunitian power recoiled upon the author, his own colleagues were as much opposed to him as the consuls; through their assistance the consuls completed the enrolment.

[5] An army was raised for two wars at the same time, one against the Veientines under Fabius, the other against the Aequi under Furius. In this latter campaign nothing happened worth recording. Fabius, however, had considerably more trouble with his own men than with the enemy.

[6] He, the consul, single handed, sustained the commonwealth, while his army through their hatred of the consul were doing their best to betray it.

[7] For, besides all the other instances of his skill as a commander, which he had so abundantly furnished in his preparation for the war and his conduct of it, he had so disposed his troops that he routed the enemy by sending only his cavalry² against them.

[8] The infantry refused to take up the pursuit; not only were they deaf to the appeals of their bated general, but even the public disgrace and infamy which they were bringing upon themselves at the moment, and the danger which would come if the enemy were to rally, were powerless to make them quicken their pace, or, failing that, even to keep their formation.

[9] Against orders they retired, and with gloomy looks —you would suppose that they had been defeated —they returned to camp, cursing now their commander, now the work which the cavalry had done.

[10] Against this example of demoralisation the general was unable to devise any remedy; to such an extent may men of commanding ability be more deficient in the art of managing their own people than in that of conquering the enemy.

[11] The consul returned to Rome , but he had not enhanced his military reputation so much as he had aggravated and embittered the hatred of his soldiers towards him. The senate, however, succeeded in keeping the consulship in the family of the Fabii; they made M. Fabius consul, Gnaeus Manlius was elected as his colleague.

Notes on the current edition

Ab urbe condita

1. Iulius sigonius ( from Dion. Hal . viii. 90. 5 and Cassiod. C.I.L. i2, p. 101): tullius W.

2. A.U.C. 272-274

3. anno non W: anno M ( cf. §4).

4. ipsius M s: ipsius eius W.

5. the words ducendus to fuit give the text as restored by Conway and Walters ( cf. class . Quart. 1910, p. 276): the good MSS. order the words thus: ducendus Fabio in Veientes, in Aequos Furio datur, et in Aequis quidem nihil dignum memoria gestum est; Fabio aliquanto plus negotii cum ciuibus quam cum hostibus fuit.

6. A.U.C. 272-274

7. stare muretus : instare (instrare O ) W.

8. Manlius ed. ald . ( from II. xlvii. 1, Dion . Hal. ix. 5. 1, and Diod. xi. 50; but Cassiod. C.I.L. i2, p. 101 has Cn. Mallius): Manilius ( or Mam-) W.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 2.43

Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor)

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