- 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-lat2:30.15.1-30.15.14
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-03
Masinissa sends poison to Sophoniba, who resolutely takes her own life. Scipio consoles and gently rebukes the grieving Masinissa, and on the following day bestows upon him the title of king and magnificent rewards to restore his spirit.
Masinissae haec audienti non rubor solum suffusus, sed lacrimae etiam obortae; et cum se quidem in potestate futurum imperatoris dixisset orassetque eum, ut, quantum res sineret, fidei suae temere obstrictae consuleret1 —
As Masinissa listened to these words, not only was he covered with blushes, but tears also welled up; and when he had said indeed that he would be in the power of the general, and had implored him that, as far as circumstances permitted, he would look to his pledge, rashly contracted—
promisisse enim se in nullius potestatem eam traditurum —, ex praetorio in tabernaculum suum confusus concessit.
for he had promised that he would deliver her into the power of no one—, he withdrew in confusion from the headquarters to his own tent.
ibi arbitris remotis cum crebro suspiritu et gemitu, quod facile ab circumstantibus tabernaculum exaudiri posset, aliquantum temporis consumpsisset, ingenti ad postremum edito gemitu fidum e servis vocat, sub cuius custodia regio more ad incerta fortunae venenum erat, et mixtum in poculo ferre ad Sophonibam iubet ac simul nuntiare Masinissam libenter primam ei fidem praestaturum fuisse,2 quam vir uxori debuerit; quoniam eius arbitrium, qui possint, adimant, secundam fidem praestare, ne viva in potestatem Romanorum veniat. memor patris imperatoris patriaeque et duorum regum, quibus nupta fuisset, sibi ipsa consuleret.3 hunc nuntium ac simul venenum ferens minister cum ad Sophonibam venisset, “accipio” inquit “nuptiale munus, nec ingratum, si nihil maius vir uxori praestare potuit. hoc tamen nuntia, melius me morituram fuisse, si non in funere meo nupsissem.”
There, having removed all witnesses, after he had spent some time with frequent sighs and groans, which could easily be heard by those standing around the tent, having at last uttered a huge groan, he called one of his slaves whom he trusted, under whose custody, in accordance with royal custom, there was poison against the uncertainties of fortune, and ordered him to carry it mixed in a cup to Sophoniba, and at the same time to announce that Masinissa would gladly have performed the first pledge to her, which a husband owed to his wife; but since those who had the power took away his decision, he was performing the second pledge, that she should not come alive into the power of the Romans. Mindful of her father, the general, and of her country, and of the two kings to whom she had been married, she should consult for herself. When the servant carrying this message and at the same time the poison had come to Sophoniba, she said, “I accept this nuptial gift, nor is it unwelcome, if a husband could perform nothing greater for his wife. Yet report this, that I would have died better if I had not married at my funeral.”
non locuta est ferocius quam acceptum poculum nullo trepidationis signo dato inpavide hausit.
She spoke no more fiercely than she fearlessly drained the cup she received, showing no sign of trepidation.
quod ubi nuntiatum est Scipioni, ne quid aeger animi4 ferox iuvenis gravius consuleret, accitum eum extemplo nunc solatur nunc, quod temeritatem temeritate alia luerit tristioremque rem, quam necesse fuerit, fecerit, leniter castigat.
When this was reported to Scipio, lest the fierce young man, sick at heart, should take some more serious resolve, he immediately summoned him and now consoled him, now, because he had expiated one rashness with another rashness and had made the matter more tragic than was necessary, gently chastised him.
postero die ut a praesenti motu averteret animum eius, in tribunal escendit et contionem advocari iussit. ibi Masinissam, primum regem appellatum eximiisque ornatum laudibus, aurea corona, aurea patera, sella curuli et scipione eburneo, toga picta et palmata tunica donat.
On the following day, in order to turn his mind away from his present agitation, he ascended the tribunal and ordered an assembly to be called. There he presented Masinissa, having first hailed him as king and adorned him with extraordinary praises, with a golden crown, a golden bowl, a curule chair, an ivory scepter, an embroidered toga, and a tunic patterned with palms.
addit verbis honorem: neque magnificentius quicquam triumpho apud Romanos neque triumphantibus ampliorem eo ornatum esse, quo unum omnium externorum dignum Masinissam populus Romanus ducat.
He added honor to these with his words: that there was nothing more magnificent among the Romans than a triumph, nor was there any more ample adornment for those triumphing than that with which the Roman people deemed Masinissa alone of all foreigners worthy.
Laelium deinde et ipsum conlaudatum aurea corona donat; et alii militares viri, prout a quoque navata opera erat, donati.
Then he presented Laelius also, having praised him, with a golden crown; and other military men were rewarded, according as active service had been performed by each.
his honoribus mollitus regis animus erectusque in spem propinquam sublato Syphace omnis Numidiae potiundae.5
By these honors the king’s mind was softened and raised to the near hope of possessing all Numidia, now that Syphax had been removed.
- 30.15.1fidei suae temere obstrictae consuleret
The imperfect subjunctive consuleret (from consulo) takes the dative case (fidei suae...) in the sense of 'to look to, consult the interest of.'
- 30.15.5libenter primam ei fidem praestaturum fuisse
An accusative with infinitive construction representing the apodosis of a past contrary-to-fact conditional in indirect discourse. The direct praestitissem ('I would have performed') becomes -turum fuisse under the governing verb of saying nuntiare.
- 30.15.6sibi ipsa consuleret
An indirect command in the imperfect subjunctive. The subject ipsa refers to Sophoniba, and the phrase sibi consuleret (literally 'look to herself') is a euphemism urging her to take her own life.
- 30.15.9aeger animi
An idiomatic expression combining the adjective aeger ('sick, suffering') with animi (a genitive of specification, historically a locative), meaning 'sick at heart' or 'grieved in mind.'
- 30.15.14omnis Numidiae potiundae
A genitive phrase qualifying the noun spem. The gerundive potiundae from potior (which normally governs the ablative) agrees in gender and case with Numidiae, forming a transitive gerundive construction meaning 'of possessing all Numidia.'