Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 21.44

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[1]

quocumque circumtuli oculos, plena omnia video animorum ac roboris, veteranum peditem, generosissimarum gentium equites frenatos infrenatosque,

[2]

vos socios fidelissimos fortissimosque, vos, Carthaginienses, cum pro patria ¹ tum ob iram iustissimam pugnaturos.

[3]

inferimus bellum infestisque signis descendimus in Italiam tanto audacius fortiusque pugnaturi quam hostis quanto maior spes, ² maior est animus inferentis vim quam arcentis.

[4]

accendit praeterea et stimulat animos dolor iniuria indignitas. ad supplicium depoposcerunt me ducem primum, deinde vos omnes qui Saguntum oppugnassetis; deditos ultimis cruciatibus adfecturi fuerunt.

[5]

crudelissima ac superbissima gens sua omnia suique arbitrii facit. cum quibus bellum, cum ³ quibus pacem habeamus, se modum imponere aequum censet. circumscribit includitque nos terminis montium fluminumque quos non excedamus; neque eos quos statuit terminos observat.

[6]

' Ne transieris Hiberum! ne quid rei tibi sit cum Saguntinis!' at liberum est Saguntum. ⁴ 'Nusquam te vestigio moveris!'

[7]

parum est quod veterrimas provincias meas Siciliam ac Sardiniam ademisti? ⁵ adimis etiam Hispanias? et inde si decessero, ⁶ in Africam transcendes? transcendes dico? ⁷ duos consules huius anni, unum in Africam, alterum in Hispaniam miserunt. nihil usquam ⁸ nobis relictum est, nisi quod armis vindicarimus.

[8]

illis timidis et ignavis esse licet qui respectum habent, quos sua terra suus ager per tuta ac pacata itinera fugientes accipient: vobis necesse est fortibus viris esse et omnibus inter victoriam mortemve ⁹ certa desperatione abruptis aut vincere aut, si Fortuna dubitabit, in proelio potius ¹⁰ quam in fuga mortem oppetere.

[9]

si hoc bene fixum omnibus, si destinatum ¹¹ animo est, iterum dicam, vicistis; nullum contemptu mortis telum ¹² ad vincendum homini ab dis immortalibus acrius datum est.

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.) — 21.44 focus

[1] quocumque circumtuli oculos, plena omnia video animorum ac roboris, veteranum peditem, generosissimarum gentium equites frenatos infrenatosque,

[2] vos socios fidelissimos fortissimosque, vos Carthaginienses cum pro patria tum ob iram iustissimam pugnaturos.

[3] inferimus bellum infestisque signis descendimus in Italiam, tanto audacius fortiusque pugnaturi quam hostis, quanto maior spes, maior est animus inferentis vim quam arcentis. accendit praeterea

[4] et stimulat animos dolor iniuria indignitas. ad supplicium depoposcerunt me ducem primum, deinde vos omnes, qui Saguntum oppugnassetis; deditos ultimis cruciatibus adfecturi fuerunt.

[5] crudelissima ac superbissima gens sua omnia suique arbitrii facit. cum quibus bellum, cum quibus pacem habeamus, se modum inponere aequum censet. circumscribit includitque nos terminis montium fluminumque, quos non excedamus, neque eos, quos statuit, terminos observat.

[6] “ne transieris Hiberum! Hiberum; ne quid rei tibi sit cum Saguntinis! Saguntinis.” ad ad Hiberum est Saguntum Saguntum? “nusquam te vestigio moveris!”

[7] parum est, quod veterrimas provincias meas Siciliam ac Sardiniam ademisti? adimis etiam Hispanias? et, inde si decessero, in Africam transcendes. transcendes autem? transcendisse dico; duos consules huius anni, unum in Africam, alterum in Hispaniam miserunt. nihil usquam nobis relictum est, nisi quod armis vindicarimus.

[8] illis timidis et ignavis esse licet, qui respectum habent, quos sua terra suus ager per tuta ac pacata itinera fugientes accipient: vobis necesse est fortibus viris esse et omnibus inter victoriam mortemque certa desperatione abruptis aut vincere aut, si fortuna dubitabit, in proelio potius quam in fuga mortem oppetere.

[9] si hoc bene fixum omnibus destinatumque animo est, iterum dicam, vicistis: nullum contemptu mortis telum ad vincendum homini ab dis immortalibus acrius datum est.”

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 21.44 focus

[1]

quocumque circumtuli oculos, plena omnia uideo animorum ac roboris, ueteranum peditem, generosissimarum gentium equites frenatos infrenatosque,

[2] uos socios fidelissimos fortissimosque, uos, Carthaginienses, cum ob patriam, tum ob iram iustissimam pugnaturos.

[3] inferimus bellum infestisque signis descendimus in Italiam, tanto audacius fortiusque pugnaturi quam hostis, quanto maior spes, maior est animus inferentis uim quam arcentis.

[4] accendit praeterea et stimulat animos dolor, iniuria, indignitas. ad supplicium depoposcerunt me ducem primum, deinde uos omnes qui Saguntum oppugnassetis; deditos ultimis cruciatibus adfecturi fuerunt.

[5] crudelissima ac superbissima gens sua omnia suique arbitrii facit; cum quibus bellum, cum quibus pacem habeamus, se modum imponere aequum censet. circumscribit includitque nos terminis montium fluminumque, quos non excedamus, neque eos, quos statuit, terminos obseruat:

[6] "ne transieris Hiberum; ne quid rei tibi sit cum Saguntinis." ad Hiberum est Saguntum? "nusquam te uestigio moueris.

[7] " parum est quod ueterrimas prouincias meas, Siciliam ac Sardiniam, adimis etiam Hispanias et, si inde cessero, in Africam transcendes. autem? transcendisse dico. duos consules huius anni, unum in Africam, alterum in Hispaniam miserunt. nihil usquam nobis relictum est nisi quod armis uindicarimus.

[8] illis timidis et ignauis esse licet, qui respectum habent, quos sua terra, suus ager per tuta ac pacata itinera fugientes accipient: uobis necesse est fortibus uiris esse et, omnibus inter uictoriam mortemue certa desperatione abruptis, aut uincere aut, si fortuna dubitabit, in proelio potius quam in fuga mortem oppetere.

[9] si hoc [bene fixum] omnibus destinatum in animo est, iterum dicam, uicistis; nullum contemptu m ad uincendum homini ab dis immortalibus acrius datum est.'

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)) — 21.44 focus

[1]

Wherever I turn my eyes I see nothing but eagerness and strength, a veteran infantry, cavalry from the noblest tribes, riding with bridles or without, ¹ here

[2]

the trustiest and most valiant of allies, there Carthaginians, prepared to fight not only in defence of their native land, but in satisfaction of a most righteous indignation.

[3]

We are the assailants, and are descending with hostile standards into Italy, where we shall fight with more boldness and courage ² than our foes in proportion as our hopes are higher and the gallantry of the assailant greater than his who but defends himself.

[4]

Moreover, our hearts are kindled and pricked by rancour, wrongs, and insults. They called for the punishment of myself first, as your leader, then of all of you who had borne a part in the assault upon Saguntum; had we been given up, they meant to have inflicted upon us the worst of tortures.

[5]

Most inhuman and most arrogant of nations, they reckon the world as theirs and subject to their pleasure. With whom we are to be at war, with whom at peace, they think it right that they should determine.

[6]

They circumscribe and hem us in with boundaries of mountains and rivers which we may not cross; yet they do not observe those boundaries which they have set.

[7]

' Do not cross the Ebro! Have naught to do with the Saguntines!' But Saguntum is free. ' Do not budge from where you are in any direction!' Is it not enough that you have taken away my ancient provinces of Sicily and Sardinia? Are you taking away Spain as well? If I withdraw from these, shall you cross over into Africa? Shall, do I say? They have dispatched the two consuls of this year, the one into Africa, and the other into Spain!

[8]

Nothing is left us anywhere, except what we shall defend by force of arms. They can afford to be timid and unenterprising who have something to fall back upon; whom their own country and their own fields will receive as they flee over safe and peaceful roads. As for you, you must be stout-hearted men, and discarding, without vain regrets, all hopes of anything but victory or death, either conquer or, if Fortune falters, ³ sooner perish in battle than in flight.

[9]

If this idea has been firmly fixed and implanted in your hearts, let me say once more: the victory is already yours. The immortal gods have bestowed on man no sharper weapon for winning victories than contempt of death.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 21.44 focus

[1]

On whatever side I turn my eyes I see nothing but what is full of courage and energy; a veteran infantry;

[2]

cavalry, both those with and those without the bridle, com- posed of the most gallant nations, you our most faithful and valiant allies, you Carthaginians, who are about to fight as well for the sake of your country as from the justest resentment.

[3]

We are the assailants in the war, and descend into Italy with hostile standards, about to engage so much more boldly and bravely than the foe, as the confidence and courage of the assailant are greater than those of him who is defensive.

[4]

Besides suffering, injury and indignity inflame and excite our minds: they first demanded me your leader for punishment, and then all of you who had laid siege to Saguntum; and had we been given up they would have visited us with the severest tortures.

[5]

That most cruel and haughty nation considers every thing its own, and at its own disposal; it thinks it right that it should regulate with whom we are to have war, with whom peace:

[6]

it circumscribes and shuts us up by the boundaries of mountains and rivers, which we must not pass; and then does not adhere to those boundaries which it appointed.

[7]

Pass not the Iberus; have nothing to do with the Saguntines. Saguntum is on the Iberus; you must not move a step in any direction. Is it a small thing that you take away my most ancient provinces Sicily and Sardinia? will you take Spain also? and should I withdraw thence, you will cross over into Africa —will cross, did I say?

[8]

they have sent the two consuls of this year one to Africa, the other to Spain: there is nothing left to us in any quarter, except what we can assert to ourselves by arms. Those may be cowards and dastards who have something to look back upon; whom, flying through safe and unmolested roads, their own lands and their own country will receive: there is a necessity for you to be brave; and since all between victory and death is broken off from you by inevitable despair, either to conquer, or, if fortune should waver, to meet death rather in battle than flight.

[9]

If this be well fixed and determined in the minds of you all, I will repeat, you have already conquered: no stronger incentive to victory has been given to man by the immortal gods.

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.) — 21.44 focus

[1]

"Wherever I turn my eyes I see nothing but courage and strength, a veteran infantry, a cavalry, regular and irregular alike, drawn from the noblest tribes,

[2] you, our most faithful and brave allies, you, Carthaginians, who are going to fight for your country, inspired by a most righteous indignation.

[3] We are taking the aggressive, we are descending in hostile array into Italy, prepared to fight more bravely and more fearlessly than our foe because he who attacks is animated by stronger hopes and greater courage than he who meets the attack.

[4] Besides, we are smarting from a sense of injustice and humiliation. First they demanded me, your general, as their victim, then they insisted that all of you who had taken part in the siege of Saguntum should be surrendered; had you been given up they would have inflicted upon you the most exquisite tortures.

[5] That outrageously cruel and tyrannical nation claims everything for itself, makes everything dependent on its will and pleasure; they think it right to dictate with whom we are to make war or peace.

[6] They confine and enclose us within mountains and rivers as boundaries, but they do not observe the limits which they themselves have fixed. 'Do not cross the Ebro, see that you have nothing to do with the Saguntines.'

[7] 'But Saguntum is not on the Ebro.' 'You must not move a step anywhere.' 'Is it a small matter, your taking from me my oldest provinces, Sicily and Sardinia? Will you cross over into Spain as well, and if I withdraw from there, will you cross over into Africa? Do I say, will cross over? You have crossed over.' They have sent the two consuls for this year, one to Africa, the other to Spain.

[8] There is nothing left to us anywhere except what we claim by force of arms. Those may be allowed to be cowards and dastards who have something to fall back upon, whom their own land, their own territory will receive as they flee through its safe and peaceful roads; you must of necessity be brave men, every alternative between victory and death has been broken off by the resolve of despair, and you are compelled either to conquer, or if Fortune wavers, to meet death in battle rather than in flight.

[9] If you have all made up your minds to this, I say again you are victors, no keener weapon has been put into men's hands by the immortal gods than a contempt for death."

Notes on the current edition

Ab urbe condita

1. pro patria weissenbrn : patriam P: ob patriam s.

2. A.U.C. 536

3. bellum, cum s: bellum P.

4. at liberum est Saguntum krauss (chap. ii. § 7): ad Hiberum est Saguntum P.

5. Sardiniam ademisti? heerwagen : Sardiniam P.

6. Et inde si decessero H. J. Mueller: et si inde cessero s: inde cessero P.

7. Transcendes dico? Luchs : transcendisse autem dico P.

8. usquam edd.: umquam P.

9. mortemve wesenberg (Madvig): mortemque P.

10. A.U.C. 536

11. si destinatum animo heerwagen : destinatum in animo P.

12. contemptu mortis telum Stroth : contemptum P.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 21.44

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

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