- Source
- Titi Livi ab urbe condita libri editionem priman, Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:22.53.1-22.53.13
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-23
At Canusium, the young Scipio is given supreme command and, upon discovering that a group of young nobles led by Metellus plans to flee Italy, confronts them with a drawn sword and forces them to swear an oath of loyalty to Rome.
ceterum cum ibi tribuni militum quattuor essent, Q. Fabius Maximus de legione prima, cuius pater priore anno dictator fuerat, et de legione secunda L. Publicius Bibulus et P. Cornelius Scipio et de legione tertia Ap. Claudius Pulcher, qui proxime aedilis fuerat, omnium consensu ad P. Scipionem admodum adulescentem et ad Ap. Claudium summa imperii delata est.
However, since there were four military tribunes there: Quintus Fabius Maximus of the first legion, whose father had been dictator the previous year, and of the second legion, Lucius Publicius Bibulus and Publius Cornelius Scipio, and of the third legion, Appius Claudius Pulcher, who had recently been aedile; by the consensus of all, the supreme command was conferred upon Publius Scipio, who was extremely young, and Appius Claudius.
quibus consultantibus1 inter paucos de summa rerum nuntiat P. Furius Philus, consularis viri filius, nequiquam eos perditam spem fovere, desperatam conploratamque rem esse publicam:
While they, along with a few others, were consulting about the state of affairs, Publius Furius Philus, the son of a man of consular rank, brought news that they were fostering lost hopes in vain, and that the commonwealth was despaired of and given up for lost:
nobiles iuvenes quosdam, quorum principem L. Caecilium Metellum,2 mare ac naves spectare, ut deserta Italia ad regum aliquem transfugiant.
that certain noble youths, of whom Lucius Caecilius Metellus was the chief, were looking to the sea and ships, so that, abandoning Italy, they might flee to some of the kings.
quod malum, praeterquam atrox, super tot clades etiam novum, cum stupore ac miraculo torpidos defixisset, qui aderant, et consilium advocandum de eo censerent, negat consilii rem esse3 Scipio iuvenis, fatalis dux huiusce belli.
When this evil, not only dreadful but also unprecedented on top of so many disasters, had struck those present numb with stupor and astonishment, and they were of the opinion that a council should be called concerning it, the young Scipio, the fateful leader of this war, declared that it was not a matter for a council.
audendum atque agendum, non consultandum ait in tanto malo esse. irent secum extemplo armati, qui rem publicam salvam vellent;
He said that in such an evil, one must dare and act, not deliberate; let those who wished the commonwealth to be safe go with him at once, armed.
nulla verius, quam ubi ea cogitentur, hostium castra esse.
He said that there was no place more truly an enemy’s camp than where such things were being thought of.
pergit ire sequentibus paucis in hospitium Metelli, et cum concilium ibi iuvenum, de quibus allatum erat, invenisset, stricto super capita consultantium gladio “ex mei animi sententia” inquit, “ut ego rem publicam populi Romani non deseram4 neque alium civem Romanum deserere patiar;
He proceeded to go with a few followers to the lodging of Metellus, and when he had found there the assembly of youths of whom report had been made, drawing his sword over the heads of those in consultation, he said, “From the sincere conviction of my heart,” ”that I will not desert the commonwealth of the Roman people, nor will I suffer any other Roman citizen to desert it;
si sciens fallo, tum me Iuppiter optimus maximus, domum, familiam remque meam pessimo leto adficiat.
if I knowingly break my oath, then may Jupiter Optimus Maximus afflict myself, my home, my family, and my estate with the worst of deaths.
in haec verba, L. Caecili, iures postulo ceterique, qui adestis; qui non iuraverit, in se hunc gladium strictum esse sciat.”
I demand that you, Lucius Caecilius, and the rest of you who are present, swear to these words; let whoever does not swear know that this drawn sword is directed against him.”
haud secus pavidi, quam si victorem Hannibalem cernerent, iurant omnes custodiendosque semet ipsos Scipioni tradunt
No less terrified than if they were beholding the victorious Hannibal, they all took the oath and delivered themselves into the custody of Scipio.
- 22.53.4quibus consultantibus
An ablative absolute construction using a relative pronoun. quibus is the ablative plural of the relative pronoun qui, referring back to Scipio and Claudius who had just been given command; translated as "while they were consulting."
- 22.53.5quorum principem L. Caecilium Metellum
A relative clause inserted within the accusative and infinitive discourse. The copula [esse] is omitted after principem, forming an implied indirect statement: "[of whom] Lucius Caecilius Metellus was the leader."
- 22.53.6negat consilii rem esse
consilii is a genitive of description or possession, which with rem esse means "a matter belonging to/requiring deliberation." Scipio denies that the situation is one for consultation (and demands immediate action).
- 22.53.10ut ego rem publicam populi Romani non deseram
A noun clause used in solemn oaths. Introduced by the formulaic oath expression ex mei animi sententia (I swear from my heart/sincerely), the content of the oath is expressed by ut with the present subjunctive (deseram).
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (3, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 1
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 2