Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 28.22

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[1]

res interim nihilo minus ab legatis gerebantur. Marcius superato Baete amni, quem incolae Certim appellant, duas opulentas civitates sine certamine in deditionem accepit.

[2] Astapa urbs erat, ¹² Carthaginiensium semper partis; neque id tam dignum ira erat quam quod extra necessitates belli praecipuum in Romanos gerebant odium.

[3] nec urbem aut situ aut munimento tutam habebant quae ferociores iis animos faceret; sed ingenia incolarum latrocinio laeta ut excursiones in finitimum agrum sociorum populi Romani facerent impulerant et vagos milites Romanos lixasque et mercatores exciperent.

[4] magnum etiam comitatum, quia paucis parum tutum fuerat, transgredientem fines positis insidiis circumventum iniquo loco interfecerant. ³

[5] ad hanc urbem oppugnandam cum admotus exercitus esset, oppidani conscientia scelerum, quia nec deditio tuta ad tam infestos videbatur, neque spes moenibus aut armis tuendae salutis erat, facinus in se ac suos foedum ac ferum consciscunt.

[6] locum in foro destinant quo pretiosissima rerum suarum congererent. super eum cumulum coniuges ac liberos considere cum iussissent, ligna circa exstruunt ⁴ fascesque virgultorum coniciunt.

[7] quinquaginta deinde armatis iuvenibus praecipiunt ut, donec donee incertus eventus pugnae esset, praesidium eo loco fortunarum suarum corporumque quae cariora fortunis essent servarent;

[8] si rem inclinatam viderent atque in eo iam esse ut urbs caperetur, scirent omnes quos euntes in proelium cernerent mortem in ipsa pugna obituros;

[9] illos se ⁵ per deos superos inferosque orare ut memores libertatis, quae illo die aut morte honesta aut servitute infami finienda esset, nihil relinquerent in quod saevire iratus hostis posset.

[10] ferrum ignemque in manibus esse; amicae ac fideles potius ea quae peritura forent ⁶ absumerent manus quam insultarent superbo ludibrio hostes.

[11] his adhortationibus exsecratio dira adiecta, si quem a proposito spes mollitiave animi flexisset. inde concitato agmine patentibus portis ingenti cum tumultu erumpunt.

[12] neque erat ulla satis firma statio opposita, quia nihil minus quam ut ⁷ egredi obsessi ⁸ moenibus auderent timeri poterat. perpaucae equitum turmae levisque armatura repente e castris ad id ipsum emissa occurrit.

[13] acrior impetu atque animis quam compositior ullo ordine ⁹ pugna fuit. itaque pulsus eques qui primus se hosti obtulerat terrorem intulit levi armaturae; pugnatumque sub ipso vallo foret, ni robur legionum perexiguo ad instruendum dato tempore aciem direxisset.

[14] Ibi quoque trepidatum parumper circa signa est, cum caeci furore in volnera ac ferrum vecordi audacia ruerent; dein vetus miles, adversus temerarios impetus pertinax, caede ¹⁰ primorum insequentes suppressit.

[15] conatus paulo post ultro inferre pedem, ut ¹¹ neminem cedere atque obstinatos mori in vestigio quemque suo vidit, patefacta acie, quod ut facere posset multitudo multitude armatorum facile suppeditabat, cornua hostium amplexus, in orbem pugnantes ad unum omnes occidit.

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.) — 28.22 focus

[1] res interim nihilo minus ab legatis gerebantur. Marcius superato Baete amni, quem incolae Certim appellant, duas opulentas civitates sine certamine in deditionem accepit.

[2] Astapa urbs erat, Carthaginiensium semper partis; neque id tam dignum ira erat, quam quod extra necessitates belli praecipuum in Romanos gerebant odium.

[3] nec urbem aut situ aut munimento tutam habebant, quae ferociores iis animos faceret; sed ingenia incolarum latrocinio laeta, ut excursiones in finitimum agrum sociorum populi Romani facerent, impulerant, et vagos milites Romanos lixasque et mercatores exciperent.

[4] magnum etiam comitatum, quia paucis parum tutum fuerat, transgredientem fines positis insidiis circumventum iniquo loco interfecerant.

[6] locum in foro destinant quo pretiosissima rerum suarum congererent; super eum cumulum coniuges ac liberos considere cum iussissent, ligna circa exstruunt fascesque virgultorum coniciunt.

[7] quinquaginta deinde armatis iuvenibus praecipiunt, ut, donec incertus eventus pugnae esset, praesidium eo loco fortunarum suarum corporumque, quae cariora fortunis essent, servarent;

[8] si rem inclinatam viderent atque in eo iam esse, ut urbs caperetur, scirent omnes, quos euntes in proelium cernerent, mortem in ipsa pugna obituros;

[9] illos se per deos superos inferosque orare, ut memores libertatis, quae illo die aut morte honesta aut servitute infami finienda esset, nihil relinquerent, in quod saevire iratus hostis posset.

[10] ferrum ignemque in manibus esse; amicae ac fideles potius ea, quae pentura peritura forent, absumerent manus, quam insultarent superbo ludibrio hostes.

[11] his adhortationibus execratio dira adiecta, si quem a proposito spes mollitiave animi flexisset. inde concitato agmine patentibus portis ingenti cum tumultu erumpunt.

[12] neque erat ulla satis firma statio opposita, quia nihil minus, quam ne egredi obsessi moenibus auderent, timeri poterat. perpaucae equitum turmae levisque armatura repente e castris ad id ipsum emissa occurrit.

[13] acrior impetus atque animis quam compositior ullo ordine pugna fuit. itaque pulsus eques, qui primus se hosti obtulerat, terrorem intulit levi armaturae; pugnatumque sub ipso vallo foret, ni robur legionum perexiguo ad instruendum dato tempore aciem derexisset.

[14] ibi quoque trepidatum parumper circa signa est, cum caeci furore in vulnera ac ferrum vecordi audacia ruerent; dein vetus miles, adversus temerarios impetus pertinax, caede primorum insequentes suppressit.

[15] conatus paulo post ultro inferre pedem, ut neminem cedere atque obstinatos mori in vestigio quemque suo vidit, patefacta acie, quod ut facere posset multitudo armatorum facile suppeditabat, cornua hostium amplexus, in orbem pugnantes ad unum omnes occidit.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 28.22 focus

[1]

res interim nihilo minus ab legatis gerebantur. Marcius superato Baete amni, quem incolae Certim appellant, duas opulentas ciuitates sine certamine in deditionem accepit. Astapa urbs erat Carthaginiensium semper partis;

[2] neque id tam dignum ira erat quam quod extra necessitates belli praecipuum in Romanos gerebant odium.

[3] nec urbem aut situ aut munimento tutam habebant quae ferociores iis animos faceret; sed ingenia incolarum latrocinio laeta ut excursiones in finitimum agrum sociorum populi Romani facerent impulerant et uagos milites Romanos lixasque et mercatores exciperent.

[4] magnum etiam comitatum, quia paucis parum tutum fuerat, transgredientem fines positis insidiis circumuentum iniquo loco interfecerant.

[5] ad hanc urbem oppugnandam cum admotus exercitus esset, oppidani conscientia scelerum, quia nec deditio tuta ad tam infestos uidebatur neque spes moenibus aut armis tuendae salutis erat, facinus in se ac suos foedum ac ferum consciscunt.

[6] locum in foro destinant quo pretiosissima rerum suarum congererent. super eum cumulum coniuges ac liberos considere cum iussissent, ligna circa exstruunt fascesque uirgultorum coniciunt.

[7] quinquaginta deinde armatis iuuenibus praecipiunt ut, donec incertus euentus pugnae esset, praesidium eo loco fortunarum suarum corporumque quae cariora fortunis essent seruarent;

[8] si rem inclinatam uiderent atque in eo iam esse ut urbs caperetur, scirent omnes quos euntes in proelium cernerent mortem in ipsa pugna obituros;

[9] illos se per deos superos inferosque orare ut memores libertatis, quae illo die aut morte honesta aut seruitute infami finienda esset, nihil relinquerent in quod saeuire iratus hostis posset;

[10] ferrum ignemque in manibus esse; amicae ac fideles potius ea quae peritura forent absumerent manus quam insultarent superbo ludibrio hostes.

[11] his adhortationibus exsecratio dira adiecta si quem a proposito spes mollitiaue animi flexisset. inde concitato agmine patentibus portis ingenti cum tumultu erumpunt;

[12] neque erat ulla satis firma statio opposita, quia nihil minus quam ut egredi moenibus auderent timeri poterat. perpaucae equitum turmae leuisque armatura repente e castris ad id ipsum emissa occurrit.

[13] acrior impetu atque animis quam compositior ordine ullo pugna fuit. itaque pulsus eques qui primus se hosti obtulerat terrorem intulit leui armaturae; pugnatumque sub ipso uallo foret, ni robur legionum perexiguo ad instruendum dato tempore aciem direxisset.

[14] ibi quoque trepidatum parumper circa signa est cum caeci furore in uolnera ac ferrum uecordi audacia ruerent; dein uetus miles, aduersus temerarios impetus pertinax, caede primorum insequentes suppressit.

[15] conatus paulo post ultro inferre pedem, ut neminem cedere atque obstinatos mori in uestigio quemque suo uidit, patefacta acie, quod ut facere posset multitudo armatorum facile suppeditabat, cornua hostium amplexus, in orbem pugnantes ad unum omnes occidit.

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)) — 28.22 focus

[1]

Meantime operations were carried on no less actively by the lieutenants. Marcius after crossing the river Baetis, which the inhabitants call Certis, ¹ accepted the surrender of two rich cities without an engagement.

[2] There was the city of Astapa, ² always ³ on the side of the Carthaginians; and this did not so much justify anger as that they bore a particular hatred against the Romans over and above the exigencies of war.

[3] Nor did they have a city secure either by reason of its situation or fortifications to make them over-confident. But their natural delight in brigandage had impelled the inhabitants to make raids into adjoining territory of allies of the Roman people and to capture stray Roman soldiers and sutlers and merchants.

[4] Even a caravan —large because there had been too little safety for small numbers —crossing their territory had been entrapped in an unfavourable spot by an ambuscade and cut to pieces.

[5] When the army had been brought up to lay siege to this city, the men of the town, prompted by a guilty conscience, because neither surrender to an enemy so incensed seemed safe nor was there any hope of defending their lives by walls and arms, resolved to carry out against themselves and their families a brutal and barbarous act. ⁴

[6] A spot in the marketplace was selected where they were to bring together their most valuable possessions. Having ordered their wives and children to sit down upon that heap they piled up wood all around and threw on bundles of brush.

[7] They then instructed fifty armed young men to keep guard at that place, so long as the issue of the battle was uncertain, over their treasures and over persons that were dearer than treasures.

[8] If they should see that the battle had gone against them and the city was on the point of being captured, they were to know that all those whom they now saw marching out to battle would meet death where they ⁵ were fighting.

[9] They implored them, they said, by the gods above and below to remember the freedom which must be brought to an end that day either by an honourable death or an infamous slavery, and leave nothing upon which an angry enemy might vent his fury.

[10] Sword and firebrand were in their hands; let friendly and loyal hands destroy all that was doomed to perish, rather than have the enemy offer indignities with insolent mockery.

[11] To these exhortations they added a dreadful curse, in case hope or weakness of character should turn any one from their purpose.

Then at the double they burst out of wide-open gates with a great uproar.

[12] And no outpost in sufficient strength had been stationed to face them, since nothing less could be feared than that the besieged should venture to sally out from the walls. A very few troops of cavalry and such light-armed infantry as were suddenly sent out of the camp for that very purpose encountered them.

[13] The battle was fierce in courageous onslaught rather than regular in any formation. Accordingly the horsemen who had been the first to confront the enemy were beaten back and brought panic to the light-armed. The fighting would also have been directly outside the earthwork had not the heavy legionary infantry drawn up their line of battle in spite of the very short time given them to form.

[14] Even there for a short time there was some alarm in the front line, while men blinded by frenzy dashed on to meet wounds and steel with mad recklessness. Then the veteran soldiers, steadfast against rash attacks, by slaying the first men checked those who followed.

[15] A little later, venturing to take the offensive, when ⁶ they saw no one giving way and every man resolutely dying in his tracks, they extended their line, as superior numbers of armed men made it possible for them to do, outflanked the enemy, and as they fought in circular formation slew them to the last man.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 28.22 focus

[1]

Meanwhile the operations of the war were carried on with unabated activity by the lieutenant-generals. Marcius, crossing the river Baetis, which the natives call Certis, received the submission of two powerful cities without a contest.

[2] There was a city called Astapa, which had always sided with the Carthaginians; nor was it that which drew upon it the resentment of the Romans so much as the fact, that its inhabitants harboured an extraordinary animosity against them, which was not called for by the necessities of the war.

[3] Their city was not so secured by nature or art as to make their dispositions so fierce, but the natural disposition of the inhabitants, which took delight in plunder, had induced them to make excursions into the neighboring lands belonging to the allies of the Romans, and to intercept such Roman soldiers, suttlers, and merchants as they found ranging about.

[4] They had also surrounded, by means of an ambuscade, and put to the sword on disadvantageous ground, a large company which was crossing their borders, for it had proved hardly safe to go in small parties.

[5] When the troops were marched up to assault this city, the inhabitants, conscious of their guilt, and seeing that it would be dangerous to surrender to an enemy so highly incensed, and that they could not hope to keep themselves in safety by means of their walls or their arms, resolved to execute upon themselves and those belonging to them a horrid and inhuman deed.

[6] They fixed upon a place in their forum, in which they collected the most valuable of their property, and having directed their wives and children to seat themselves upon this heap, they raised a pile of wood around it and threw on it bundles of twigs.

[7] They then ordered fifty armed youths to stand there and guard their fortunes, and the persons dearer to them than their fortunes, as long as the issue of the battle continued doubtful.

[8] If they should perceive that the battle went against them, and that it came to the point that the city must be captured, they might be assured that those whom they saw going out to engage the enemy would perish in the battle itself;

[9] but implored them by all the gods, celestial and infernal, that, mindful of their liberty, which must be terminated on that day either by an honourable death or ignominious servitude, they would leave nothing on which an exasperated enemy could wreak his fury;

[10] that they had fire and sword at their command, and it was better that friendly and faithful hands should destroy what must necessarily perish, than that enemies should insult it with haughty wantonness.

[11] To these exhortations a dreadful execration was added against any one who should be diverted from this purpose by hope or faintheartedness. Then throwing open the gates, they rushed out at a rapid pace and with the utmost impetuosity.

[12] Nor was there any guard sufficiently strong opposed to them; for there could be nothing that was less apprehended than that they would have the courage to sally from their walls. A very few troops of horse, and the light-armed, hastily sent out of the camp for that purpose, opposed them.

[13] The battle was furious and spirited, rather than steady and regular in any degree. The horse, therefore, which had first encountered the enemy, being repulsed, created an alarm among the light-armed; and the battle would have been fought under the very rampart, had not the legions, which were their main strength, drawn out their line, though they had a very short time to form in.

[14] These too, for a short time, wavered around their standards, when the Astapans, blind with rage, rushed upon wounds and the sword with reckless daring; but afterwards the veteran soldiers, standing firm against their furious assaults, checked the violence of those that followed by the slaughter of the foremost.

[15] Soon after, the veteran troops themselves made an attempt to charge them, but seeing that not a man gave ground, and that they were inflexibly determined on dying each in his place, they extended their line, which the number of their troops enabled them to do with ease, and, surrounding their flanks, slew them all to a man while fighting in a circle.

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.) — 28.22 focus

[1]

Meantime Scipio's lieutenants were by no means inactive. Marcius crossed the Baetis, called by the natives the Certis, and received the surrender of two cities without striking a blow.

[2] Astapa was a city which had always been on the side of Carthage. But it was not this that created a strong feeling of resentment so much as its extraordinary hatred against the Romans, far more than was justified by the necessities of war. Neither the situation nor the fortifications of the city were such as to inspire its inhabitants with confidence, but their love of brigandage induced them to make raids on the territories of their neighbours who were allies of Rome.

[3] In these excursions they made a practice of capturing any Roman soldiers or camp sutlers or traders whom they came across.

[4] As it was dangerous to travel in small parties, large companies used to travel together and one of these whilst crossing the frontier was surprised by the brigands who were lying in ambush, and all were killed. When the Roman army advanced to attack the place, the inhabitants, fully aware of the chastisement which their crime merited, felt quite certain that the enemy were too much incensed to allow of any hope of safety in surrender.

[5] Despairing of protection either in their walls or their arms, they resolved upon a deed equally cruel and horrible to themselves and to those who belonged to them. Collecting the more valuable of their possessions they piled them up into a heap in a selected place in their forum.

[6] On this pile they ordered their wives and children to take their seats and then heaped round them a quantity of wood, on the top of which they threw dead brushwood.

[7] Fifty armed men were told off to guard their possessions and the persons of those who were dearer than their possessions, and the following instructions were given them: "Remain on guard as long as the battle is doubtful, but if you see that is going against us, and the city is on the point of being captured, you know that those whom you see going into action will never return alive, and we implore you by all the gods celestial and infernal in the name of liberty, liberty which will end in either an honourable death or a dishonourable servitude, that you leave nothing on which a savage enemy can vent his rage.

[8] Fire and sword are in your hands. Better that faithful and loving hands should make away with what is doomed to die than that the enemy should add mockery and scorn to murder.

[9] "These admonitions were followed by a dire curse on any one who was turned from his purpose by hope of life or by softheartedness.

Then they flung open the gates and burst out in a tumultuous charge. There was no advanced post strong enough to check them, for the last thing to be feared was that the besieged would venture outside their walls.

[10] One or two troops of horse and some light infantry were sent against them from the camp, and a fierce irregular fight ensued in which the troopers who had been first to come into collision with the enemy were routed, and this created a panic amongst the light infantry.

[11] The attack would have been pushed even to the foot of the rampart if the pick of the legions had not made the most of the few minutes allowed them for getting into line.

[12] As it was, there was at first some wavering amongst the front ranks, for the enemy, blinded by rage, rushed with mad recklessness upon wounds and death. Then the veterans who came up in support, unshaken by the frantic onset, cut down the front ranks and stayed the advance of those behind. When in their turn they tried to force the enemy back they found that not a man would give ground, they were all resolved to die where they stood.

[13] On this the Romans extended their lines, which their superiority in numbers enabled them to do easily, until they outflanked the enemy, who fighting in a compact body were killed to a man.

Notes on the current edition

Ab urbe condita

1. erat N3 JK Aldus, Froben: om. P (1) N.

2. A.U.C. 548

3. interfecerant Sp ? Froben 2: -erunt P (1) NJK Aldus.

4. exstruunt A 6 ?NW or N 2 JK Eds.: extrui ( or exst-) P (1) N.

5. A.U.C. 548

6. forent jx Froben 2: fuerant K: essent P (1) n Aldus.

7. ut P (1) NJK Eds., Conway: ne Madvig , Luchs, M. Müller.

8. obsessi Weissenborn : posset P (3) N: hostes jac . Grono- vius, Johnson: om. CA3 or A 6 JK Aldus, Froben, Eds., Conway.

9. ullo ordine P (1) NK Aldus: ordine ullo j Froben 2, Conway .

10. caede, following this word P(1)N have a long misplaced passage which begins at our chapter xxxvii. 9 (conscriptis) and extends to XXIX. i. 24 (imperio). The dislocation was noted by later hands and corrected in HJK from Sp (see p. 212, n. 3).

11. A.U.C. 548

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 28.22

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

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