Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 28.27

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[1] ¹

tum silentio per praeconem facto ita coepit:

" numquam mihi defuturam orationem qua exercitum meum adloquerer credidi,

[2] non quo verba umquam potius quam res exercuerim, sed quia prope a pueritia in castris habitus adsueram militaribus ingeniis;

[3] apud vos quem ad modum loquar nec consilium nec oratio suppeditat, quos ne quo nomine quidem appellare debeam scio.

[4] cives ? qui a patria vestra descistis. An milites? qui imperium auspiciumque abnuistis, sacramenti religionem rupistis. hostes ? Corpora, ora, vestitum, habitum civium adgnosco; facta, dicta, consilia, animos hostium video.

[5] quid enim vos, nisi quod Ilergetes et ² Lacetani, aut optastis aliud aut sperastis? et illi tamen Mandonium atque Indibilem, regiae nobilitatis viros, duces furoris secuti sunt; vos auspicium et imperium ad Umbrum Atrium et Calenum Albium detulistis.

[6] negate vos id omnes fecisse aut factum voluisse, milites; paucorum eum furorem atque amentiam esse; libenter credam negantibus; nec enim ea sunt commissa quae, volgata in omnem exercitum, sine piaculis ingentibus expiari possint. ³

[7] " invitus ea tamquam volnera attingo; sed nisi tacta tractataque sanari non possunt.

[8] equidem pulsis Hispania Carthaginiensibus nullum locum tota provincia, ⁴ nullos homines credebam esse ubi vita ⁵ invisa ⁶ esset mea; sic me non solum adversus socios gesseram, sed etiam adversus hostes.

[9] In castris en meis—quantum opinio ⁷ fefellit!—fama mortis meae non accepta solum, sed etiam exspectata est.

[10] non⁸ quod ego volgari facinus per omnes velim— equidem, si totum exercitum meum ⁹ mortem mihi optasse crederem, hic statim ante oculos vestros morerer, nec me vita iuvaret invisa civibus et militibus meis.

[11] Sed multitudo multitude omnis sicut natura maris per se inmobilis est, at ¹⁰ venti et aurae cient; ita ¹¹ aut tranquillum aut procellae in vobis sunt; et causa atque origo omnis furoris penes auctores est, vos contagione insanistis;

[12] qui mihi ne hodie quidem scire videmini quo amentiae progressi sitis, quid facinoris in me, quid in patriam parentesque ac liberos vestros, quid in deos sacramenti testes, quid adversus auspicia sub quibus militatis, ¹² quid adversus morem militiae disciplinamque maiorum, quid adversus summi imperii imperil maiestatem ausi sitis.

[13] " De me ipso taceo—temere potius quam avide credideritis, is denique ego sim, cuius imperii imperil taedere exercitum minime mirandum sit—: patria quid de vobis meruerat, quam cum Mandonio et Indibili consociando consilia prodebatis?

[14] quid populus Romanus, cum imperium ablatum ab tribunis suffragio populi creatis ad homines privatos detulistis, cum eo ¹³ ipso non contenti si pro tribunis illos haberetis, fasces imperatoris vestri ad eos quibus servus cui imperarent numquam fuerat, Romanus exercitus detulistis?

[15] In praetorio tetenderunt Albius et Atrius, classicum apud eos cecinit, signum ab iis petitum est, sederunt in tribunali P. Scipionis, lictor apparuit, summoto incesserunt, fasces cum securibus praelati sunt.

[16] lapides pluere et fulmina iaci de caelo et insuetos fetus animalia edere vos portenta esse putatis: hoc est portentum quod nullis hostiis, nullis supplicationibus sine sanguine eorum qui tantum ausi facinus sunt ¹⁴ expiari possit.

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

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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.) — 28.27 focus

[1] tum silentio per praeconem facto ita coepit: “numquam mihi defuturam orationem, qua exercitum meum adloquerer,

[2] credidi, non quo verba umquam potius quam res exercuerim, sed quia prope a pueritia in castris habitus adsueram militaribus ingeniis;

[3] apud vos quem ad rodum loquar, nec consilium nec oratio suppeditat, quos ne quo nomine quidem appellare debeam scio.

[4] cives? qui a patria vestra descistis, — an milites? qui imperium auspiciumque abnuistis, sacramenti religionem rupistis, — hostes? corpora, ora, vestitum, habitum civium adgnosco; facta, dicta, consilia, animos hostium video.

[5] quid enim vos nisi quod Ilergetes et Lacetani, aut optastis aliud aut sperastis? et illi tamen Mandonium atque Indibilem, regiae nobilitatis viros, duces furoris secuti sunt; vos auspicium et imperium ad Umbrum Atrium et Calenum Albium detulistis.

[6] negate vos id omnes fecisse aut factum voluisse, milites; paucorum eum furorem atque amentiam esse; libenter credam negantibus. nec enim ea sunt commissa, quae, vulgata in omnem exercitum, sine piaculis ingentibus expiari possint.

[7] invitus ea tamquam vulnera attingo, sed nisi tacta tractataque sanari non possunt.

[8] equidem pulsis Hispania Carthaginiensibus nullum locum tota provincia, nullos homines credebam esse, ubi vita invisa esset mea: sic me non solum adversus socios gesseram, sed etiam adversus hostes.

[9] in castris en meis — quantum opinio fefellit! fefellit. — fama mortis meae non accepta solum, sed etiam expectata est.

[10] non quod ego vulgari facinus per omnes velim — equidem, si totum exercitum meum mortem mihi optasse crederem, hic statim ante oculos vestros morerer, nec me vita iuvaret invisa civibus et militibus meis — ;

[11] sed multitudo omnis sicut natura maris per se inmobilis est; ut venti et aurae cient, ita aut tranquillum aut procellae in vobis sunt; et causa atque origo omnis furoris penes auctores est, vos contagione insanistis;

[12] qui mihi ne hodie quidem scire videmini, quo amentiae progressi sitis, quid facinoris in me, quid in patriam parentesque ac liberos vestros, quid in deos sacramenti testes, quid adversus auspicia, sub quibus militatis, quid adversus morem militiae disciplinamque maiorum, quid adversus summi imperii maiestatem ausi sitis.

[13] de me ipso taceo; temere potius quam avide credideritis; is denique ego sim, cuius imperii taedere exercitum minime mirandum sit: — patria quid de vobis meruerat, quam cum Mandonio et Indibili consociando consilia prddebatis? prodebatis??

[14] quid populus Romanus, cum imperium ablatum ab tribunis suffragio populi creatis ad homines privatos detulistis, cum eo ipso non contenti, si pro tribunis illos haberetis, fasces imperatoris vestri ad eos, quibus servus, cui imperarent, numquam fuerat, Romanus exercitus detulistis?

[15] in praetorio tetenderunt Albius et Atrius classicum apud eos cecinit, signum ab iis petitum est, sederunt in tribunali P. Scipionis, lictor apparuit, summoto incesserunt, fasces cum securibus praelati sunt.

[16] lapides pluere et fulmina iaci de caelo et insuetos fetus animalia edere vos portenta esse putatis: noc hoc est portentum, quod nullis hostiis, nullis supplicationibus sine sanguine eorum, qui tantum ausi facinus sunt, expiari possit.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 28.27 focus

[1]

tum silentio per praeconem facto ita coepit: 'nunquam mihi defuturam orationem qua exercitum meum adloquerer credidi,

[2] non quo uerba unquam potius quam res exercuerim, sed quia prope a pueritia in castris habitus adsueram militaribus ingeniis:

[3] apud uos quemadmodum loquar nec consilium nec oratio suppeditat, quos ne quo nomine quidem appellare debeam scio.

[4] ciues? qui a patria uestra descistis. an milites? qui imperium auspiciumque abnuistis, sacramenti religionem rupistis. hostes? corpora, ora, uestitum, habitum ciuium adgnosco: facta, dicta, consilia, animos hostium uideo.

[5] quid enim uos, nisi quod Ilergetes et Lacetani, aut optastis aliud aut sperastis? et illi tamen Mandonium atque Indibilem, regiae nobilitatis uiros, duces furoris secuti sunt: uos auspicium et imperium ad Umbrum Atrium et Calenum Albium detulistis.

[6] negate uos id omnes fecisse aut factum uoluisse, milites; paucorum eum furorem atque amentiam esse libenter credam, negantibus; nec enim ea sunt commissa quae, uolgata in omnem exercitum, sine piaculis ingentibus expiari possint. 'inuitus ea tamquam uolnera attingo;

[7] sed nisi tacta tractataque sanari non possunt.

[8] equidem pulsis Hispania Carthaginiensibus nullum locum tota prouincia nullos homines credebam esse ubi uita inuisa esset mea; sic me non solum aduersus socios gesseram sed etiam aduersus hostes:

[9] in castris en meis—quantum opinio fefellit.—fama mortis meae non accepta solum sed etiam exspectata est.

[10] non quod ego uulgari facinus per omnes uelim—equidem si totum exercitum meum mortem mihi optasse crederem hic statim ante oculos uestros morerer, nec me uita iuuaret inuisa ciuibus et militibus meis.

[11] sed multitudo omnis sicut natura maris per se immobilis est, [et] uenti et aurae cient; ita aut tranquillum aut procellae in uobis sunt; et causa atque origo omnis furoris penes auctores est, uos contagione insanistis;

[12] qui mihi ne hodie quidem scire uidemini quo amentiae progressi sitis, quid facinoris in me, quid in patriam parentesque ac liberos uestros, quid in deos sacramenti testes, quid aduersus auspicia sub quibus militatis, quid aduersus morem militiae disciplinamque maiorum, quid aduersus summi imperii maiestatem ausi sitis.

[13] 'de me ipso taceo—temere potius quam auide credideritis, is denique ego sim cuius imperii taedere exercitum minime mirandum sit—: patria quid de uobis meruerat, quam cum Mandonio et Indibili consociando consilia prodebatis?

[14] quid populus Romanus, cum imperium ablatum ab tribunis suffragio populi creatis ad homines priuatos detulistis, cum eo ipso non contenti si pro tribunis illos haberetis, fasces imperatoris uestri ad eos quibus seruus cui imperarent nunquam fuerat, Romanus exercitus detulistis?

[15] in praetorio tetenderunt Albius et Atrius; classicum apud eos cecinit; signum ab iis petitum est; sederunt in tribunali P. Scipionis ; lictor apparuit; summoto incesserunt; fasces cum securibus praelatis sunt.

[16] lapides pluere et fulmina iaci de caelo et insuetos fetus animalia edere uos portenta esse putatis: hoc est portentum quod nullis hostiis nullis supplicationibus sine sanguine eorum qui tantum ausi facinus sunt expiari possit.

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)) — 28.27 focus

[1]

Then, when the herald had enforced silence, Scipio began as follows: ¹

[2] "Never have I supposed that language with which to address my army would fail me; not that I have ever occupied myself with words rather than deeds, but because, having lived in camps almost from boyhood, I was familiar with the minds of soldiers.

[3] But how to speak to you —for that both thoughts and language fail me. I do not know even by what name I ought to address you.

[4] Citizens? when you have revolted from your country? Or soldiers? when you have rejected the high command and the auspices, have broken the sanctity of your oath? Enemies?

[5] I recognize the bodies, faces, clothing, appearance of citizens, but the deeds, the words, the plans, the spirit of enemies. For what else did you either wish or hope for but the same as the Ilergetes and the Lacetani? And yet they followed Mandonius and Indibilis, men of royal rank, as leaders in their madness. You conferred the auspices and high command upon the Umbrian Atrius and the Calenian Albius.

[6] Say that not all of you did that, soldiers, or wished it done; that it was the frenzy and folly of a few; I will gladly accept your denial. For the acts committed were such that, if they were shared by the entire army, they cannot be expiated without atonements on a great scale.

[7] "Unwillingly do I handle such misdeeds, as if they were wounds. But unless handled and treated they cannot be healed.

[8] As for myself, after the Carthaginians were driven out of Spain I did not believe there was in the entire province any place, any people, ² where my life was hated; so had I borne myself not only towards allies, but also towards enemies.

[9] Behold! here in my own camp —how mistaken I was! —a rumour of my death was not only believed but even waited for.

[10] Not that I should wish the crime to be shared by all. For my part, if I believed that the whole of my army had desired my death I should die here at once before your eyes, nor would a life hated by my fellow-citizens and my soldiers give me pleasure.

[11] But every crowd is in itself motionless, as is the natural state of the sea; rather do winds and breezes ruffle it. So among you there is either calm or sudden storms. And the cause and source of every madness is chargeable to its promoters; your insanity came by contagion.

[12] Even today you do not seem to me to know what a pitch of frenzy you have reached, what a crime you have dared to commit against me, against your country and parents and children, against the gods, witnesses of your oath, what a crime as regards the auspices under which: you are serving, or the custom of the service and the discipline of your ancestors, or the dignity of the supreme command!

[13] "Of myself I say nothing, granting that you were hasty rather than eager in believing, granting in short that I am a man whose authority irks an army, and no wonder. But the country, what evil had she done you, when you were betraying her by sharing your designs with Mandonius and Indibilis?

[14] What harm had the Roman people done you when you took away the command from tribunes elected by vote of the ³ people and conferred it upon private persons, when, not even satisfied with having them as tribunes, you, a Roman army, bestowed the fasces of your commander upon men who had never had a slave to whom they might give orders?

[15] In the headquarters were lodged Albius and Atrius; at their tent sounded the trumpet, men came to them for the watchword; they sat on Publius Scipio's tribunal. A lictor attended them; the way was cleared before they proceeded; fasces with their axes were borne before them.

[16] Showers of stones and thunderbolts hurled from the sky and animals bringing forth strange offspring you reckon portents; here we have a portent which cannot be expiated by any victims, by any set days of prayer, without the blood of those who have dared so great a crime.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 28.27 focus

[1]

Then, a herald having obtained silence, he thus began: "I imagined that language would never fail me in which to address my army;

[2] not that I have ever accustomed myself to speaking rather than action, but because, having been kept in a camp almost from my boyhood, I had become familiar with the dispositions of soldiers.

[3] But I am at a loss both for sentiments and expressions with which to address you, whom I know not even by what name I ought to call.

[4] Can I call you countrymen, who have revolted from your country? or soldiers, who have rejected the command and authority of your general, and violated the solemn obligation of your oath? Can I call you enemies?

[5] I recognise the persons, faces, dress, and mien of fellow countrymen; but I perceive the actions, expressions, intentions, and feelings of enemies. For what have you wished and hoped for, but what the Ilergetians and Lacetanians did. Yet they followed Mandonius and Indibilis, men of royal rank, who were the leaders of their mad project; you conferred the auspices and command upon the Umbrian, Atrius, and the Calenian, Albius.

[6] Deny, soldiers, that you were all concerned in this measure, or that you approved of it when taken. I shall willingly believe, when you disclaim it, that it was the folly and madness of a few. For the acts which have been committed are of such a nature, that, if the whole army participated in them, they could not be expiated without atonements of tremendous magnitude.

[7] Upon these points, like wounds, I touch with reluctance; but unless touched and handled, they cannot be cured.

[8] For my own part, I believed that, after the Carthaginians were expelled from Spain, there was not a place in the whole province where, or any persons to whom, my life was obnoxious; such was the manner in which I had conducted myself, not only towards my allies, but even towards my enemies.

[9] But lo, even in my own camp, so much was I deceived in my opinion, the report of my death was not only readily believed, but anxiously waited for.

[10] Not that I wish to implicate you all in this enormity; for, be assured, if I supposed that the whole of my army desired my death, I would here immediately expire before your eyes; nor could I take any pleasure in a life which was odious to my countrymen and my soldiers.

[11] But every multitude is in its nature like the ocean; which, though in itself incapable of motion, is excited by storms and winds. So, also, in yourselves there is calm and there are storms; but the cause and origin of your fury is entirely attributable to those who led you on; you have caught your madness by contagion.

[12] Nay, even this day you do not appear to me to be aware to what a pitch of phrensy you have proceeded; what a heinous crime you have dared to commit against myself, your country, your parents, your children; against the gods, the witnesses of your oath; against the auspices under which you serve; against the laws of war, the discipline of your ancestors, and the majesty of the highest authority.

[13] With regard to myself, I say nothing. You may have believed the report of my death rather inconsiderately than eagerly. Lastly, suppose me to be such a man that it could not at all be a matter of astonishment that my army should be weary of my command, yet what had your country deserved of you, which you betrayed by making common cause with Mandonius and Indibilis?

[14] What the Roman people, when, taking the command from the tribunes appointed by their suffrages, you conferred it on private men? When, not content even with having them for tribunes, you, a Roman army, conferred the fasces of your general upon men who never had a slave under their command?

[15] Albius and Atrius had their tents in your general's pavilion. With them the trumpet sounded, from them the word was taken, they sat upon the tribunal of Scipio, upon whom the lictor attended, for them the crowd was cleared away as they moved along, before them the fasces with the axes were carried.

[16] When showers of stones descend, lightnings are darted from the heavens, and animals give birth to monsters, you consider these things as prodigies. This is a prodigy which can be expiated by no victims, by no supplications, without the blood of those men who have dared to commit so great a crime.

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.) — 28.27 focus

[1]

After the usher had obtained silence he made the following speech: "I never supposed that I should want words in which to address my army, not that I ever trained myself to speak rather than to act, but that having lived a camp life from boyhood I have learnt to understand the soldier's character.

[2] As to what I am to say to you now, words and ideas alike fail me; I do not even know by what title I am to address you. Am I to call you Roman citizens-you who have revolted against your country?

[3] Can I call you soldiers when you have renounced the authority and auspices of your general, and broken the solemn obligations of your military oath? Your appearance, your features, your dress, your demeanour I recognise as those of my fellow-countrymen, but I see that your actions, your language, your designs, your spirit and temper are those of your country's foes. What difference is there between your hopes and aims and those of the Ilergetes and the Lacetanians?

[4] And yet they chose men of kingly rank, Mandonius and Indibilis, to lead them in their madness, whilst you delegated the auspices and the supreme command to Atrius, an Umbrian, and Albius, a man from Cales. Do tell me, soldiers, that you did not all join in that or approve of its being done.

[5] I will gladly believe that only a few were guilty of such insensate folly, if you assure me that this is so. For the crime is of such a nature that had it involved the whole army it could only have been expiated by a frightful sacrifice.

"It is painful for me to speak thus, opening up, as it were, wounds, but unless they are handled and probed they cannot be healed.

[6] After the expulsion of the Carthaginians from Spain I did not believe that there were anywhere people who wished me dead, such had been my conduct towards friends and enemies alike.

[7] And yet, alas so greatly was I mistaken that even in my own army the report of my death was not only credited but eagerly looked for. I would not for a moment wish to lay this to the charge of you all, for if I thought that the whole of my army wished for my death, I would die here before your eyes. My life would have no attraction for me if it were hateful to my fellow-countrymen and my soldiers.

[8] But every multitude is like the sea which left to itself is naturally motionless, till winds and gales excite it. So it is with calm and storms amongst you, the cause and origin of your madness is to be found in your ringleaders, who infected you with their frenzy.

[9] For you do not seem even now to be aware to what lengths of folly you have gone or what criminal recklessness you have been guilty of towards me, towards your country, your parents and your children, towards the gods who were witnesses of

[10] your military oath, towards the auspices under which your served, towards the traditions of the army and the discipline of our ancestors, towards the majesty inherent in supreme authority.

[11] About myself I prefer to be silent; you may have lent a thoughtless rather than a willing ear to the report of my death; I may be a man whose rule might be naturally expected to prove irksome to his army. But your country-what has it deserved of you that you should make common cause with Mandonius and Indibilis for its betrayal? What have the Roman people done that you should deprive the tribunes whom they elected of their authority, and bestow it on private individuals?

[12] And not content with having such men for tribunes you, a Roman army, have transferred the fasces of your commander to men who never possessed a single slave to be at their command!

[13] The headquarters tent was occupied by an Albius and an Atrius; at their doors the trumpet sounded; to them you went for orders; they were seated on P. Scipio's tribunal; the lictor was in attendance and cleared the way before them; in front of them the axes and fasces were borne!

[14] When there is a shower of stones, or buildings are struck by lightning, or animals produce monstrous offspring, you consider these things as portents. We have here a portent which no victims, no intercessions can expiate but the blood of those who have dared such an awful crime.

Notes on the current edition

Ab urbe condita

1. A.U.C. 548

2. et JK Aldus, Froben: aut P (1) N: ac Drakenborch conj.

3. possint P (1) NJK Eds.: possent Riemann .

4. nullum . . . provincia A3 N3 JK Aldus, Froben: orm. P(1)N.

5. A.U.C. 548

6. invisa A3 N3JK: om. P (1) N.

7. opinio P (1) NJK: me opinio Riemann .

8. Non JK Aldus, Froben: vero P (3) N: verum C 4.

9. meum om. P (1) N.

10. at suggested ( not read ) by Conway: et P (3) Weissenborn : om. Gronovius , Conway: ut DA3 N3 JK Aldus, Froben, Alschefski, Madvig: si et N: sed Cr évier.

11. ita om. Sp N3 k Froben 2.

12. militatis P (1) N: militastis Sp ?JK Froben 2.

13. A.U.C. 548

14. sunt N3 ( altern. ) JK Aldus, Froben: sint P (1) N.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 28.27

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

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