Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 29.18

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[1]

" unum est de quo nominatim et nos queri religio infixa animis cogat et vos audire et exsolvere rem publicam vestram religione, si ita vobis videbitur, velimus, patres conscripti.

[2] vidimus¹ enim cum quanta caerimonia non vestros solum colatis deos, sed etiam externos accipiatis.

[3] fanum est apud nos Proserpinae, de cuius sanctitate templi credo aliquam famam ad vos pervenisse Pyrrhi bello,

[4] qui cum ex Sicilia rediens Locros classe praeterveheretur, inter alia foeda quae propter fidem erga vos in civitatem nostram facinora edidit, thensauros quoque Proserpinae intactos ad eam diem spoliavit; atque ita pecunia in naves inposita, ipse terra est profectus.

[5] quid ergo evenit, patres conscripti? classis postero die foedissima tempestate lacerata, omnesque naves quae sacram pecuniam habuerunt in litora nostra eiectae sunt.

[6] qua tanta clade edoctus tandem deos esse, superbissimus rex pecuniam omnem conquisitam ² in thensauros Proserpinae referri iussit. ³ nee tamen illi umquam postea prosperi quicquam evenit, pulsusque Italia ignobili atque inhonesta morte temere nocte ingressus Argos occubuit.

[7] haec cum audisset legatus vester tribunique militum et mille alia quae non augendae religionis causa, sed praesenti deae numine saepe conperta nobis maioribusque nostris referebantur,

[8] ausi sunt nihilo minus sacrilegas admovere manus intactis illis thensauris et nefanda praeda se ipsos ac domos contaminare suas et milites vestros.

[9] quibus , per vos fidem ⁴ vestram, patres conscripti, priusquam eorum scelus expietis neque in Italia neque in Africa quicquam rei ⁵ gesseritis, ne quod piaculi commiserunt non suo solum sanguine sed etiam publica public clade luant.

[10]

quamquam ne nunc quidem, patres conscripti, aut in ducibus aut in militibus vestris cessat ira deae. aliquotiens iam inter se signis conlatis concucurrerunt; ⁶ dux alterius partis Pleminius, alterius duo tribuni militum erant. non acrius cum Carthaginiensibus quam inter se ipsi ferro dimicaverunt,

[11]

praebuissentque occasionem furore suo Locros recipiendi Hannibali, nisi accitus ab nobis Scipio intervenisset.

[12]

at hercule milites contactos sacrilegio furor agitat; in ducibus ipsis puniendis nullum deae numen apparuit. immo ibi praesens maxime fuit. ⁷ virgis caesi tribuni ab legato sunt;

[13]

legatus deinde insidiis tribunorum interceptus, praeterquam quod toto corpore laceratus, naso quoque auribusque decisis exsanguis est relictus;

[14]

recreatus dein legatus ex volneribus tribunos militum in vincla coniectos, dein verberatos servilibusque ⁸ omnibus suppliciis cruciatos ⁹ occidit, mortuos deinde prohibuit sepeliri.

[15]

has dea poenas a templi sui spoliatoribus habet, nec ante ¹⁰ desinet omnibus eos agitare furiis quam reposita sacra pecunia in thensauris fuerit.

[16]

maiores quondam nostri gravi Crotoniensium bello, quia extra urbem templum est, transferre in urbem eam pecuniam voluerunt. noctu audita ex delubro vox est: abstinerent manus; deam sua templa ¹¹ defensuram.

[17]

quia movendi inde thensauros religio incussa erat, muro circumdare ¹² templum voluerunt. ad¹³ aliquantum iam altitudinis excitata erant moenia cum subito conlapsa ruina sunt.

[18]

Sed et nunc et tunc tune¹⁴ et saepe alias dea suam sedem suumque templum aut tutata est aut a violatoribus gravia piacula exegit; nostras iniurias nec potest nec possit alius ulcisci quam vos, patres conscripti.

[19]

ad vos vestramque ¹⁵ fidem supplices confugimus. nihil nostra interest utrum sub illo legato, sub illo praesidio Locros esse sinatis, an irato Hannibali et Poenis ad supplicium dedatis. non postulamus ut extemplo nobis, ut de absente, ut indicta causa credatis; veniat, coram ipse audiat, ipse diluat.

[20]

si quicquam sceleris quod homo in homines edere potest in nos praetermisit, non recusamus quin et nos omnia eadem iterum, si pati possumus, patiamur, et ille omni divino humanoque liberatur scelere.

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.) — 29.18 focus

[1] unum est, de quo nominatim et nos queri religio infixa animis cogat et vos audire et exsolvere rem publicam vestram religione, si ita vobis videbitur, velimus, patres conscripti.

[2] vidimus enim, cum quanta caerimonia non vestros solum colatis deos, sed etiam externos accipiatis.

[3] fanum est apud nos Proserpinae, de cuius sanctitate templi credo aliquam famam ad vos pervenisse Pyrrhi bello,

[4] qui, cum ex Sicilia rediens Locros classe praeterveheretur, inter alia foeda, quae propter fidem erga vos in civitatem nostram facinora edidit, thensauros quoque Proserpinae intactos ad eam diem spoliavit; atque ita, pecunia in naves inposita, ipse terra est profectus.

[5] quid ergo evenit, patres conscripti?

[6] classis postero die foedissima tempestate lacerata, omnesque naves, quae sacram pecuniam habuerunt, in litora nostra eiectae sunt. qua tanta clade edoctus tandem deos esse superbissimus rex pecuniam omnem conquisitam in thensauros Proserpinae referri iussit. nec tamen illi umquam postea prosperi quicquam evenit, pulsusque Italia ignobili atque inhonesta morte temere nocte ingressus Argos occubuit.

[7] haec cum audisset legatus vester tribunique militum et mille alia, quae non augendae religionis causa, sed praesenti deae numine saepe conperta nobis maioribusque nostris referebantur,

[8] ausi sunt nihilo minus sacrilegas admovere manus intactis illis thensauris et nefanda praeda se ipsos ac domos contaminare suas et milites vestros.

[9] quibus, per vos fidem vestram, patres conscripti, priusquam eorum scelus expietis, neque in Italia neque in Africa quicquan quicquam rei gesseritis, ne, quod piaculi commiserunt, non suo solum sanguine sed etiam publica clade luant.

[10] quamquam ne nunc quidem, patres conscripti, aut in ducibus aut in militibus vestris cessat ira deae: aliquotiens iam inter se signis conlatis concucurrerunt; dux alterins alterius partis Pleminius, alterius duo tribuni militum erant. non acrius cum Carthaginiensibus quam inter se ipsi ferro dimicaverunt,

[11] praebuissentque occasionem furore suo Locros recipiendi Hannibali, nisi accitus ab nobis Scipio intervenisset.

[12] at hercule milites contactos sacrilegio furor agitat; in ducibus ipsis puniendis nullum deae numen apparuit.

[13] immo ibi praesens maxime fuit: virgis caesi tribuni ab legato sunt; legatus deinde insidiis tribunorum interceptus, praeterquam quod toto corpore laceratus, naso quoque auribusque decisis exsanguis est relictus;

[14] recreatus dein legatus ex vulneribus tribunos militum in vincla coniectos, dein verberatos servilibusque omnibus suppliciis cruciatos occidit, mortuos deinde prohibuit sepeliri.

[15] has dea poenas a templi sui spoliatoribus habet nec ante desinet omnibus eos agitare furiis, quam reposita sacra pecunia in thensauris fuerit.

[16] maiores quondam nostri gravi Crotoniensium bello, quia extra urbem templum est, transferre in urbem eam pecuniam voluerunt. noctu audita ex delubro vox est, abstinerent manus:

[17] deam sua templa defensuram. quia movendi inde thensauros religio incussa erat, muro circumdare templum voluerunt. ad aliquantum iam altitudinis excitata erant moenia, cum subito conlapsa ruina sunt.

[18] sed et nunc et tunc et saepe alias dea suam sedem suumque templum aut tutata est aut a violatoribus gravia piacula exegit; nostras iniurias nec potest nec possit alius ulcisci quam vos, patres conscripti;

[19] ad vos vestramque fidem supplices confugimus. nihil nostra interest, utrum sub illo legato, sub illo praesidio Locros esse sinatis, an irato Hannibali et Poenis ad supplicium dedatis. non postulamus, ut extemplo nobis, ut de absente, ut indicta causa credatis;

[20] veniat, coram ipse audiat, ipse diluat. si quicquam sceleris, quod homo in homines edere potest, in nos praetermisit, non recusamus, quin et nos omnia eadem iterum, si pati possumus, patiamur, et ille omni divino humanoque liberetur scelere.”

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Conway, Robert Seymour; Walters, Charles Flamstead; Johnson, Stephen Keymer, editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1914-1935. (Oxford Classical Texts)) — 29.18 focus

[1]

'unum est de quo nominatim et nos queri religio infixa animis cogat et uos audire et exsoluere rem publicam uestram religione, si ita uobis uidebitur, uelimus, patres conscripti;

[2] uidimus enim cum quanta caerimonia non uestros solum colatis deos sed etiam externos accipiatis.

[3] fanum est apud nos Proserpinae, de cuius sanctitate templi credo aliquam famam ad uos peruenisse Pyrrhi bello,

[4] qui cum ex Sicilia rediens Locros classe praeterueheretur, inter alia foeda quae propter fidem erga uos in ciuitatem nostram facinora edidit, thesauros quoque Proserpinae intactos ad eam diem spoliauit atque ita pecunia in naues imposita ipse terra est profectus.

[5] quid ergo euenit, patres conscripti? classis postero die foedissima tempestate lacerata omnesque naues quae sacram pecuniam habuerunt in litora nostra eiectae sunt;

[6] qua tanta clade edoctus tandem deos esse, superbissimus rex pecuniam omnem conquisitam in thesauros Proserpinae referri iussit. nec tamen illi unquam postea prosperi quicquam euenit, pulsusque Italia ignobili atque inhonesta morte temere nocte ingressus Argos occubuit.

[7] haec cum audisset legatus uester tribunique militum et mille alia quae non augendae religionis causa sed praesenti deae numine saepe comperta nobis maioribusque nostris referebantur,

[8] ausi sunt nihilominus sacrilegas admouere manus intactis illis thesauris et nefanda praeda se ipsos ac domos contaminare suas et milites uestros.

[9] quibus per uos fidemque uestram, patres conscripti, priusquam eorum scelus expietis neque in Italia neque in Africa quicquam rei gesseritis, ne quod piaculi commiserunt non suo solum sanguine sed etiam publica clade luant.

[10] 'quamquam ne nunc quidem, patres conscripti, aut in ducibus aut in militibus uestris cessat ira deae. aliquotiens iam inter se signis conlatis concurrerunt. dux alterius partis Pleminius, alterius duo tribuni militum erant. non acrius cum Carthaginiensibus quam inter se ipsi ferro dimicauerunt,

[11] praebuissentque occasionem furore suo Locros recipiendi Hannibali nisi accitus ab nobis Scipio interuenisset.

[12] at hercule milites contactos sacrilegio furor agitat, in ducibus ipsis puniendis nullum deae numen apparuit. immo ibi praesens maxime fuit. uirgis caesi tribuni ab legato sunt:

[13] legatus deinde insidiis tribunorum interceptus, praeterquam quod toto corpore laceratus, naso quoque auribusque decisis exsanguis est relictus;

[14] recreatus dein legatus ex uolneribus tribunos militum in uincla coniectos, dein uerberatos seruilibus omnibus suppliciis cruciando occidit, mortuos deinde prohibuit sepeliri.

[15] 'has dea poenas a templi sui spoliatoribus habet, nec ante desinet omnibus eos agitare furiis quam reposita sacra pecunia in thesauris fuerit.

[16] maiores quondam nostri graui Crotoniensium bello, quia extra urbem templum est, transferre in urbem eam pecuniam uoluerunt; noctu audita ex delubro uox est: abstinerent manus, deam sua defensuram. quia mouendi inde thesauros religio incussa erat, muro circumdari templum uoluerunt;

[17] ad aliquantum iam altitudinis excitata erant moenia cum subito conlapsa ruina sunt. sed et nunc et tunc et saepe alias dea suam sedem suumque templum aut tutata est aut a uiolatoribus grauia piacula exegit:

[18] nostras iniurias nec potest nec possit alius ulcisci quam uos, patres conscripti.

[19] ad uos uestramque fidem supplices confugimus. nihil nostra interest utrum sub illo legato sub illo praesidio Locros esse sinatis an irato Hannibali et Poenis ad supplicium dedatis. non postulamus ut extemplo nobis, ut de absente, ut indicta causa credatis: ueniat, coram ipse audiat, ipse diluat.

[20] si quicquam sceleris quod homo in homines edere potest in nos praetermisit, non recusamus quin et nos omnia eadem iterum si pati possumus patiamur et ille omni diuino humanoque liberetur scelere.'

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)) — 29.18 focus

[1]

"There is one thing in regard to which conscientious scruples implanted in our minds compel us to complain in particular, and at the same time we would have you, conscript fathers, give us your attention and, if you approve, free your state from impiety.

[2] For we have seen with what punctiliousness you worship, not your own gods merely, but even welcome them from abroad. ¹

[3] We have in our city a sanctuary of Proserpina, a temple of whose sanctity I believe some report reached you in the war with Pyrrhus. ²

[4] When on his return from Sicily he was passing Locri in his fleet, among other shameful acts which he visited upon our state for its loyalty to you, he despoiled the treasury of Proserpina ³ as well, which had been untouched down to that time. And, that done, he put the money on shipboard, setting out himself by land. What happened, conscript fathers, in consequence?

[5] On the following day the fleet was shattered by a terrible storm, and all the ships which had the sacred money on board were cast upon our shores.

[6] Having at last learned from this great disaster that the gods do exist, the haughtiest of kings ordered that all the money should be sought ⁴ out and restored to the treasure-chambers of Proserpina. And yet never thereafter did he meet with any success, and having been driven out of Italy, he rashly entered Argos by night and died an inconspicuous and inglorious death. ⁵

[7] Although your legatus and the tribunes had heard all this and a thousand other occurrences which were repeated to them, not merely to increase religious feeling but as facts repeatedly confirmed for us and our ancestors by the evident intervention of the goddess, they nevertheless dared to lay sacrilegious hands upon those treasure-chambers that were not to be touched,

[8] and by that unspeakable plunder to bring pollution upon themselves and their homes and upon your soldiers.

[9] With such men, conscript fathers, I beg of you for conscience' sake not to undertake any action either in Italy or in Africa until you first atone for their crime, lest for the sacrilege committed they make amends not only by their own blood but also by a disaster to the state.

"Even now, however, the wrath of the goddess is not idle, conscript fathers, as regards either your commanders or your men.

[10] Several times already have they clashed with each other in actual battle. Pleminius was in command of the one faction, of the other faction two tribunes of the soldiers. They have fought each other with the sword as fiercely as against the Carthaginians, and by their madness would have given Hannibal a chance to regain Locri, had not Scipio forestalled that in answer to our call for help.

[11] True, you may say, the soldiers polluted by sacrilege are indeed frenzied, but the power of the goddess has not been manifest in punishing the commanders themselves.

[12] On the contrary, it is ⁶ there that it was most evident. The tribunes were scourged by the legatus; ⁷

[13] whereupon the legatus was isolated by a ruse of the tribunes, and besides receiving wounds in every part of his body, he was left half-dead after even his nose and ears had been mutilated.

[14] Then when the legatus had recovered from his wounds and the tribunes of the soldiers had been thrown into chains, then, after scourging them and racking them with all the torments applied to slaves, he put them to death, then forbade burial of the dead.

[15] "Such are the penalties the goddess has exacted of those who despoil her temple, nor will she cease to drive them on by every form of madness until the consecrated money has been replaced in her treasury.

[16] Our ancestors once in a serious war with the Crotonians ⁸ desired to bring that money over into the city, since the temple is outside the city. In the night a voice from the sanctuary was heard: let them keep their hands off; the goddess will defend her temples. Since conscientious scruples were raised against moving the treasure away, they planned to surround the temple with a wall of defence.

[17] The walls had already been raised to a considerable height when suddenly they fell in ruins. But both at this time and at that, and often on other occasions, the goddess has either defended her abode and her temple, or else has exacted heavy penalties from those who profaned them.

[18] To avenge wrongs done to us, however, no one but you, conscript fathers, has the power —and may no one else have it!

[19] To ⁹ you and your protection we have come for refuge as suppliants. It makes no difference to us whether you allow Locri to remain under that legatus, under that garrison, or surrender it to angry Hannibal and the Carthaginians for punishment. We do not demand that you at once believe us in regard to an absent defendant, his case unheard. Let him come, let him hear in person, in person let him disprove.

[20] If there is any crime which a man can perpetrate upon human beings that he has failed to commit upon us, we do not refuse to endure all the same wrongs again, if that is possible for us, while he is to be acquitted of every crime against gods and men.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 29.18 focus

[1]

There is one circumstance, however, in complaining of which particularly we may be allowed to yield to our deeply-rooted sense of religion, and indulge a hope that you will listen to it; and, if it shall seem good to you, conscript fathers, free your state from the guilt of irreligious conduct.

[2]

For we have seen with how great solemnity you not only worship your own deities, but entertain even those of foreign countries.

[3]

We have a fane dedicated to Proserpine, of the sanctity of which temple I imagine some accounts must have reached you, during the war with Pyrrhus;

[4]

who, when sailing by Locri, on his return from Sicily, among other horrid enormities which he committed against our state, on account of our fidelity towards you, plundered also the treasures of Proserpine, which had never been touched up to that day; and then, putting the money on board his ships, proceeded on his journey himself by land.

[5]

What, therefore, was the result, conscript fathers? The next day his fleet was shattered by a most hideous tempest, and all the ships which carried the sacred money were thrown on our shores.

[6]

That most insolent king, convinced by this so great disaster that there were gods, ordered all the money to be collected and restored to the treasures of the goddess. However, he never met with any success afterwards; but, after being driven out of Italy, he died an ignoble and dishonourable death, having incautiously entered Argos by night.

[7]

Though your lieutenant-general and military tribune had heard of these, and a thousand other circumstances, which were related not for the purpose of creating increased reverence, but frequently experienced by ourselves and our ancestors, through the special interposition of the goddess, they had, nevertheless, the audacity

[8]

to apply their sacrilegious hands to those hallowed treasures, and pollute themselves, their own families, and your soldiers, with the impious booty.

[9]

Through whom we implore you, conscript fathers, by your honour, not to perform any thing in Italy or in Africa, until you have expiated their guilty deed, lest they should atone for the crime they have committed, not with their own blood only, but by some disaster affecting their country. Although, even now, conscript fathers, the resentment of the goddess does not tarry either towards your generals or your soldiers.

[10]

Already have they several times engaged each other in pitched battles, one party headed by Pleminius, and the other by the two military tribunes. Never did they employ their weapons with more fury against the Carthaginians than when encountering each other; and they would have afforded Hannibal an opportunity of retaking Locri, had not Scipio, whom we called in, come in time to prevent it.

[11]

But, by Hercules, is it that the soldiers are impelled by frenzy, and that the influence of the goddess has not shown itself in punishing the generals themselves?

[12]

Nay, herein her interposition was manifested in the most conspicuous manner. The tribunes were beaten with rods by the lieutenant-general.

[13]

Then the lieutenant-general, treacherously seized by the tribunes, besides being mangled in every part of his body, had his nose and ears cut off, and was left for dead.

[14]

Then, recovering from his wounds, he threw the tribunes into chains; beat them, tortured them with every species of degrading punishment, and put them to death in a cruel manner, forbidding them to be buried.

[15]

Such atonements has the goddess exacted from the despoilers of her temple; nor will she cease to pursue them, with every species of vengeance, till the sacred money shall have been replaced in the treasury.

[16]

Formerly, our ancestors, during a grievous war with the Crotonians, because the temple was without the town, were desirous of removing the money into it; but a voice was heard from the shrine, during the night, commanding them to hold off their hands, for the goddess would defend her own temple. As they were deterred, by religious awe, from removing the treasures thence, they were desirous of surrounding the temple with a wall.

[17]

The walls were raised to a considerable height, when they suddenly fell down in ruins. But, both now, and frequently on other occasions, the goddess has either defended her own habitation and temple, or has exacted heavy expiations from those who had violated it. Our injuries she cannot avenge, nor can any but yourselves avenge them, conscript fathers.

[18]

To you, and to your honour, we fly, as suppliants.

[19]

It makes no difference to us whether you suffer Locri to be subject to that lieutenant-general and that garrison, or whether you deliver us up for punishment to incensed Hannibal and the Carthaginians. We do not request that you should at once believe us respecting one who is absent, and when the cause has not been heard. Let him come; let him hear our charges in person, and refute them himself.

[20]

If there is any enormity one man can commit against another which he has not committed upon us, we do not refuse to suffer all the same cruelties over again, if it is possible we can endure them, and let him be acquitted of all guilt towards gods and men.

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.) — 29.18 focus

[1]

"There is one matter about which our religious instincts compel us to make a special complaint, and we should be glad if you would hear what has happened, and if you so decide, take steps to clear your State from the taint of sacrilege.

[2] We have seen with what pious care you not only worship your own gods, but even recognise those of other nations.

[3] Now there is in our city a shrine sacred to Proserpine, and I believe some rumours of the sanctity of that temple reached your ears during your war with Pyrrhus.

[4] On his return voyage from Sicily he touched at Locri and added to the atrocities which he had committed against us for our loyalty to you by plundering the treasury of Proserpine, which up to that day had never been disturbed. He placed the money on board his fleet, and continued his journey overland. What happened, senators?

[5] The very next day his fleet was shattered by a terrible storm and the ships which were carrying the sacred gold were all cast ashore on our coast.

[6] Taught by this great disaster that there are gods after all, the arrogant monarch gave orders for all the money to be collected and carried back to Proserpine's treasury. In spite of this nothing ever prospered with him afterwards, he was driven out of Italy and in a foolhardy attempt to enter Argos by night he met with an ignoble and dishonourable death.

[7] Your commander and the military tribunes had heard of this incident and of countless others which were related to them not so much to increase the feeling of dread as to give proofs of the direct and manifest power of the goddess, a power which we and our ancestors had often experienced.

[8] Notwithstanding this, they dared to lay sacrilegious hands on that inviolate treasure and to attains themselves and their houses and your soldiers with the guilt of their unhallowed plunder.

[9] We implore you therefore, senators, by all you hold sacred, not to employ these men in any military service till you have expiated their crime, lest their sacrilege should be atoned for, not by their blood alone but also by disaster to the commonwealth.

Even now the wrath of the goddess is not slow to visit your officers and soldiers.

[10] Frequently have they already engaged in pitched battles; Pleminius leading the one side, the military tribunes the other. They have fought quite as furiously with one another as they ever fought with the Carthaginians, and in their frenzy would have given Hannibal an opportunity of recapturing Locri if we had not sent for Scipio.

[11] Do not suppose that whilst the guilt of sacrilege drove the soldiers mad, the goddess did not manifest her wrath by punishing the leaders. It is just here where she manifested it most clearly.

[12] The tribunes were beaten with rods by their superior officer, afterwards he was caught unawares by them and, in addition to being hacked all over, his nose and ears were sliced off and he was left for dead.

[13] At length, recovering from his wounds, he placed the tribunes in irons and then, after flogging them and subjecting them to all the tortures that are inflicted on slaves, he put them to death and after they were dead forbade them to be buried.

[14] In this way is the goddess inflicting retribution upon the despoilers of her temple, nor will she cease to vex

[15] them with every kind of madness until the sacred hoard has once more been deposited in the shrine. Once when our ancestors were hard pressed in the war with Croto, they decided, as the temple was outside the city walls, to carry the treasure into the city.

[16] A voice was heard at night proceeding from the shrine and uttering a warning: 'Lay no hand upon it! The goddess will protect her temple.' Deterred by religious fears from moving the treasure, they wanted to build a wall round the temple. After it had been carried up some distance it suddenly collapsed.

[17] Often in the past has the goddess protected her temple and the seat of her presence, or else as at the present time she has exacted a heavy atonement from those who have violated it. But our wrongs she cannot avenge, nor can any one but you, senators; it is your honour that we invoke and your protection beneath which we seek shelter.

[18] To allow Locri to remain under that commander and those troops is, as far as we are concerned, the same as handing us over for punishment to all the rage of Hannibal and his Carthaginians.

[19] We do not ask you to accept what we say at once, in the absence of the accused or without hearing his defence. Let him appear, let him hear the charges against him, and let him rebut them.

[20] If there be any single crime that one man can be guilty of towards another, which that man has failed to commit against us, then we are willing to go through all our sufferings, if it is in our power to do so, once more, and ready to pronounce him void of all offence towards gods and men."

Notes on the current edition

Ab urbe condita

1. Vidimus P (1) NHJK: videmus Madvig .

2. conquisitam P (1) n Aldus: in- Sp HJJ Froben 2.

3. A.U.C. 550

4. fidem Gronovius , Madvig: fidemque P (1) NHJK Weissenborn, Conway.

5. eorum scelus... rei A3 N3 HJK Eds.: eo P (1) N, om. probably three lines.

6. concucurrerunt PCR Eds.: concurrerunt MBDANHIJK Conway ( thirteen long syllables at end of sentence in a speech! ).

7. A.U.C. 550

8. servilibusque P (1) NJK Aldus, Froben, Eds. -ibus Rhenanus , Conway.

9. cruciatos JK Eds.: -ando Sp Froben 2, Conway : -andos hx : trucidatos cruciando P (1) n Aldus.

10. nec ante A3 N3 HJK Eds.: om. P (1) N: non C 4.

11. templa P (3) B 1 NHJK Eds.: bracketed by Madvig, om. Conway .

12. circumdare A3 HJK Aldus, Froben, Eds.: -dari P (1) n Conway.

13. ad A3 N3 HJK Aldus, Froben: om. P (1) N.

14. et tunc tune N3 HJK Aldus, Froben: om. P (1) N: ( tunc tune ) et nunc A3 .

15. A.U.C. 550

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 29.18

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

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