Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 43.18

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[1]

Perseus principio hiemis egredi Macedoniae finibus non ausus, ¹ ne qua in regnum vacuum inrumperent Romani, sub tempus brumae, cum inexsuperabilis ² ab Thessalia montes nivis altitudo altitude³ facit,

[2] occasionem esse ratus frangendi finitimorum spes animosque, ne quid averso se ⁴ in Romanum bellum periculi ab iis esset ⁵ cum a Thracia pacem Cotys, ab Epiro Cephalus repentina defectione ab Romanis praestarent, Dardanos recens domuisset bellum, ⁶

[3] solum infestum esse Macedoniae latus quod ab Illyrico pateret cernens, neque ipsis quietis Illyriis et aditum praebentibus Romano ⁷ si domuisset proximos Illyriorum Gentium quoque regem iam diu dubium in societatem perlici posse, cum decem milibus peditum,

[4] quorum pars phalangitae erant, et duobus milibus levium armorum ⁸ et quingentis equitibus profectus Stuberram venit.

[5] inde frumento complurium dierum sumpto iussoque apparatu oppugnandarum urbium sequi, tertio die ad Uscanam ⁹ Penestianae terrae ea maxima ¹⁰ urbs est—posuit castra, ¹¹

[6] prius tamen quam vim admoveret, missis qui temptarent nunc praefectorum praesidii, nunc oppidanorum animos. erat autem ibi cum iuventute Illyriorum Romanum praesidium. ¹²

[7] Postquam nihil pacati referebant oppugnare est adortus ¹³ et corona eam earn capere conatus est. ¹⁴ cum sine intermissione ¹⁵ interdiu noctuque alii aliis succedentes, pars scalas muris, pars ¹⁶ ignem portis inferrent, sustinebant tamen eam tempestatem propugnatores urbis,

[8] quia spes erat neque hiemis vim diutius pati Macedonas in aperto posse, nec ab Romano bello tantum regi laxamenti fore ut posset morari.

[9] ceterum postquam vineas agi turresque excitari vident, ¹⁷ victa pertinacia est. nam praeterquam quod adversus vim pares non erant, ne frumenti quidem aut ullius alterius rei copia intus erat, ut in necopinata obsidione.

[10] itaque cum spei nihil ad resistendum esset, C. Carvilius Spoletinus et C. Afranius a praesidio Romano missi qui a Perseo peterent primo ut armatos suaque secum ferentis abire sineret, dein, si id minus impetrarent, vitae tantum libertatisque fidem acciperent.

[11] promissum id benignius est ab rege quam praestitum; exire enim sua secum efferentibus iussis primum arma, dein libertatem ¹⁸ ademit. his urbe ¹⁹ egressis et Illyriorum cohors - quingenti erant - et, Uscanenses ²⁰ se urbemque dediderunt.

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.) — 43.18 focus

[1] Perseus principio hiemis egredi Macedoniae finibus non ausus, ne qua in regnum vacuum inrumperent Romani, sub tempus brumae, cum inexsuperabilis ab Thessalia montes nivis altitudo facit,

[2] occasionem esse ratus frangendi finitimorum spes animosque, ne quid averso se in Romanum bellum periculi ab iis esset, cum a Threcia pacem Cotys, ab Epiro Cephalus repentina defectione ab Romanis praestarent, Dardanos recens domuisset bellum,

[3] solum infestum esse Macedoniae latus, quod ab Illyrico pateret, cernens, neque ipsis quietis Illyriis et aditum praebentibus Romano, si domuisset proximos Illyriorum, Gentium quoque regem iam diu dubium in societatem perlici posse, cum decem milibus peditum,

[4] quorum pars phalangitae erant, et duobus milibus levium armorum et quingentis equitibus profectus Stuberram venit.

[5] inde frumento conplurium dierum sumpto iussoque apparatu oppugnandarum urbium sequi, tertio die ad Uscanam — Penestianae terrae ea maxima urbs est — posuit castra, prius tamen, quam vim admoveret, missis, qui temptarent nunc praefectorum praesidii, nunc oppidanorum animos.

[6] erat autem ibi cum iuventute Illyriorum Romanum praesidium. postquam nihil pacati referebant, oppugnare est adortus et corona eam capere conatus est.

[7] cum sine intermissione interdiu noctuque alii aliis succedentes, pars scalas muris, pars ignem portis inferrent, sustinebant tamen eam tempestatem propugnatores urbis,

[8] quia spes erat neque hiemis vim diutius pati Macedonas in aperto posse, nec ab Romano bello tantum regi laxamenti fore, ut posset morari.

[9] ceterum postquam vineas agi turresque excitari vident, victa pertinacia est. nam praeterquam quod adversus vim pares non erant, ne frumenti quidem aut ullius alterius rei copia intus erat, ut in necopinata obsidione.

[10] itaque cum spei nihil ad resistendum esset, C. Carvilius Spoletinus et C. Afranius a praesidio Romano missi, qui a Perseo peterent primo, ut armatos suaque secum ferentis abire sineret, dein, si id minus impetrarent, vitae tantum libertatisque fidem acciperent.

[11] promissum id benignius est ab rege quam praestitum; exire enim sua secum efferentibus iussis primum arma, dein libertatem ademit. his urbe egressis et Illyriorum cohors — quingenti erant — et Uscanenses se urbemque dediderunt.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 43.18 focus

[1]

Perseus principio hiemis egredi Macedoniae finibus non ausus, ne qua in regnum vacuum inrumperent Romani, sub tempus brumae, cum in exsuperabilis ab Thessalia montes nivis altitudo facit,

[3] solum infestum esse Macedoniae latus, quod ab Illyrico pateret, cernens, neque ipsis quietis Illyriis et aditum praebentibus Romanis, si domuisset proximos Illyriorum, Gentium quoque regem iam diu dubium in societatem perlici posse, cum decem milibus peditum,

[4] quorum pars phalangitae erant, et duobus milibus levium armorum et quingentis equitibus profectus Stuberram venit.

[5] inde frumento conplurium dierum sumpto iussoque apparatu oppugnandarum urbium sequi tertio die ad Uscanam—Pensestianae terrae ea maxima urbs est—posuit castra prius tamen,

[6] quam vim admoveret, missis, qui temptarent nunc praefectorum praesidii, nunc oppidanorum animos. erat autem ibi cum iuventute Illyriorum Romanum praesidium.

[7] postquam nihil pacati referebant, oppugnare est adortus et corona eam capere conatus est. cum sine intermissione interdiu noctuque alii aliis succedentes pars scalas muris, pars ignem portis inferrent, ² sustinebant tamen eam tempestatem propugnatores urbis,

[8] quia spes erat neque hiemis vim diutius pati Macedonas in aperto posse, nec ab Romano bello tantum regi laxamenti fore, ut posset morari.

[9] ceterum postquam vineas agi turresque excitari viderunt, victa pertinacia est. nam praeterquam quod adversus vim pares non erant, ne frumenti quidem aut ullius alterius rei copia intus erat ut in necopinata obsidione.

[11] promissum id benignius est ab rege quam praestitum; exire enim sua secum efferentibus iussis primum arma ademit. his urbe egressis et Illyriorum cohors—quingenti erant—et Uscanenses se urbemque dediderunt.

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)) — 43.18 focus

[1]

Perseus did not dare to leave the limits of Macedonia at the outset of winter, for fear that at some point the Romans might raid his undefended realm.

[2] About the winter solstice, however, when the depth of snow makes the mountains ¹ impassable ² from Thessaly, he thought that here was an opportunity to shatter the hopes and spirits of his neighbours, so that no danger might arise from them while his attention was turned toward the campaign against the Romans. On the side of Thrace Cotys assured peace, as did Cephalus on the side of Epirus ³ by his sudden desertion of the Romans, while the recent campaign had subdued the Dardani.

[3] Perceiving then that the only quarter hostile to Macedonia was that which allowed access from Illyricum, where the Illyrians themselves were restless and were providing the Romans with an approach, and that if he conquered the nearest Illyrians, he might also entice King Gentius, who had long been wavering, into an alliance, Perseus set

[4] out with ten thousand infantry, some of whom were phalanx-men, ⁴ two thousand light troops, and five hundred cavalry, and reached Stuberra.

[5] Thence, taking grain for a number of days and ordering equipment for besieging cities to follow, on the third day he pitched camp by Uscana ⁵ —which is the largest city of the Penestian region —but sent, before bringing an attack to bear, men to test the mood, now of the commanders of the garrison, now of the townspeople.

[6] For there was in the city, along with the young men of the Illyrians, a Roman garrison. After the messengers reported nothing in the way of terms, Perseus began to press ⁶ the siege and tried to capture the city with a surrounding attack.

[7] Although without interruption through day and night relay of men after relay here brought ladders against the walls, and there fire against the gates, nevertheless, the defenders of the city withstood this tempest, because they had

[8] hopes that the Macedonians could not longer endure the violence of winter in the open, and that the lull in the Roman campaign would not long permit the king to linger. However, after they saw sheds being brought up and towers raised, their determination was overcome.

[9] For apart from the fact that they were not equally matched against the assault, there was no supply even of grain or of anything else in the city, as was natural when the siege was unexpected.

[10] And so, since there was no hope of holding out, Gaius Carvilius of Spoletium and Gaius Afranius were sent from the Roman garrison to request of Perseus, first, that he should permit them to depart under arms and carrying their possessions with them, and next, if they failed to obtain this, that they should at least receive assurances of life and freedom. The king's generosity was greater in promise than in performance; for after bidding them to depart carrying their possessions with them, he deprived them first of their arms, then of their freedom.

[11] After the Romans had left the city, both the force of Illyrians —there were five hundred of them —and the people of Uscana surrendered themselves and their city.

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 43.18 focus

[1]

Perseus did not venture, at the commencement of winter, to go out of the limits of Macedon, lest the Romans might make an irruption into the kingdom by some unguarded quarter;

[2] but on the approach of the winter solstice, when the depth of the snow renders the mountains between it and Thessaly impassable, he thought the season favourable for crushing the hopes and spirits of his neighbours, lest any danger should be lurking there, while his attention was turned to the Romans;

[3] since Cotys afforded him security in the direction of Thrace, and Cephalus, by his sudden revolt from the Romans, freed him from uneasiness on the side of Epirus, and as his late expedition had subdued the Dardanians, he considered that Macedon was only exposed on the side next to Illyria, the Illyrians themselves being in motion, and having offered a free passage to the Romans:

[4] hoping, however, that if he reduced the nearest tribes of Illyrians, Gentius himself, who had long been wavering, might be brought into alliance with him, he set out at the head of ten thousand foot, the greater part of whom were soldiers of the phalanx, two thousand light infantry, and five hundred horse, and proceeded to Stubera.

[5] Having there supplied himself with corn sufficient for many days, and ordered every requisite for besieging towns to be sent after him, he encamped on the third day before Uscana, the largest city in the Penestian country. Before he employed force, he sent emissaries to sound the dispositions, sometimes of the commanders of the garrison, sometimes of the inhabitants; for, besides some troops of Illyrians, there was a Roman garrison in the place.

[6] When his emissaries brought back no friendly message, he resolved to attack the town, and made an attempt to take it by a line of circumvallation formed of troops;

[7] but though his men, relieving one another, continued without intermission, either by day or night, some to apply ladders to the walls, others to attempt to set fire to the gates, yet the defenders of the city

[8] sustained that shock, for they had hopes that the Macedonians would not be able to endure any longer the severity of the winter in the open field; and besides, that the king would not have so long a respite from the war with Rome, that he would be able to stay there.

[9] But, when they saw the machines in motion, and towers erected, their resolution was overcome; for, besides that they were unequal to a contest with his force, they had not a sufficient store of corn, or any other necessary, as they had not expected a siege.

[10] Therefore when they had no hopes of being able to hold out, Caius Carvilius Spoletinus and Caius Afranius were sent by the Roman garrison to request from Perseus, first, to allow the troops to march out with their arms, and to carry their effects with them; and then, if they could not obtain that, to receive his promise of their lives and liberty.

[11] The king promised more generously than he performed; for, after desiring them to march out with their effects, the first thing he did was to take away their arms. As soon as they left the city, both the cohort of Illyrians, five hundred in number, and the inhabitants of Uscana, immediately surrendered themselves and the city.

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.) — 43.18 focus

[1]

(B.C. 170-69) In the early days of winter Perseus did not venture beyond his frontiers for fear of the Romans attempting an invasion while he was absent from his kingdom.

[2] About mid-winter, however, when snow had blocked the mountain passes on the side of Thessaly, he thought it a good opportunity for crushing the hopes and spirits of his neighbours, so that there might be no danger from them while his attention was wholly devoted to the war with Rome. Cotys was a guarantee of peace on the side of Thrace, and Cephalus, since his sudden defection from Rome, on the side of Epirus, and the late war had tamed the courage of the Dardanians.

[3] Macedonia, as Perseus saw, was only open to attack from Illyria. The Illyrians were becoming restless themselves and they were allowing a passage to the Romans; Perseus thought, therefore, that if he crushed their next neighbours, King Gentius, who had long been wavering, might become his ally.

[4] Accordingly he marched to Stuberra with a force of 10,000 infantry, some of whom belonged to the phalanx, 2000 light-armed troops and 500 cavalry. Having taken up corn enough to serve for several days and leaving orders for the siege engines to follow, he encamped after a three days' march near Uscana-the largest city in the land of Penestia.

[5] Before he had resort to force, however, he sent emissaries to tamper with the loyalty of the officers of the garrison-this was a Roman detachment with some Illyrian troops-or failing that, to work on the feelings of the townsmen.

[6] They brought back word that there was no thought of peace, so he began the attack and tried to capture the place by a close investment. Day and night, without any intermission, the troops relieved each other, some bringing up scaling-ladders to the walls, others applying fire to the gates.

[7] The defenders, however, held out against this storm of assailants; they expected that the Macedonians would not be able much longer to stand the winter in the open, and they hoped that the exigencies of the war with Rome would make it impossible for them to linger there.

[8] When, however, they saw the vineae brought up and the movable towers in motion their resolution gave way.

[9] Apart from the fact that their strength was no match for that of the enemy, they had not sufficient supplies either of corn or anything else, for they had not expected a siege. As further resistance was now hopeless, C. Carvilius Spoletinus and C. Afranius were sent by the Roman garrison to ask Perseus to allow them to depart with their arms and belongings; if this were refused, they were to ask him to guarantee them their life and liberty.

[10] The king's promise was more generous than his performance, for after telling them to depart and take what they possessed with them, the first thing he did was to deprive them of their arms. After the departure of the Romans the Illyrian cohort, 500 strong, and the Uscanians all surrendered themselves and their city.

[11] Perseus posted a garrison there and removed the whole of the population, almost equal in numbers to an army, to Stuberra. The Roman troops, numbering 4000, with the exception of their officers were distributed amongst different cities for safe-keeping; the Uscanians and Illyrians were sold as slaves to the Penestae.

Notes on the current edition

Ab urbe condita

1. non ausus Fr : ne ausus V.

2. inexsuperabilis Fr : exsuperabilis V.

3. A.U.C. 585

4. averso se Fr : inadversose V.

5. ab iis esset forchhammer : abisset V.

6. bellum kreyssig : sedbellumi V: bello Fr .

7. Romano J. F. Gronovius: Romanis V.

8. armorum J. . Gronovius: armatorum V.

9. Uscanam Sigonius : Uscana V, et Graece neutrum est; at cf. infra xix. 1, etc.

10. maxima Sigonius : maxime V.

11. castra Fr : causa V.

12. praesidium Fr : r V.

13. A.U.C. 585

14. corona eam earn capere conatus est Fr : coroneamcapereconatumest V.

15. intermissione Fr : interestmissione V.

16. pars add. kreyssig : om. V.

17. vident Madvig : videntur V: viderunt Fr .

18. dein libertatem add. hartel : dein omnia alia H. J. Müller: om. V.

19. His urbe Fr: hisenimurbe V.

20. Uscanenses Sigonius : Escanienses V.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 43.18

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

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