- 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
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- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:34.7.1-34.7.15
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Lucius Valerius concludes his speech by comparing the restrictions on women's clothing and ornaments with the privileges of men, arguing that women's adornment should be subject to the authority of their husbands and fathers rather than the law.
omnes alii ordines, omnes homines mutationem in meliorem statum rei publicae sentient: ad coniuges tantum nostras pacis et tranquillitatis publicae fructus non perveniet?
All other classes, all men will feel the change of the republic to a better state: shall the fruit of peace and public tranquility not reach our wives alone?
purpura viri utemur, praetextati in magistratibus, in sacerdotiis; liberi nostri praetextis purpura togis utentur; magistratibus in coloniis municipiisque, hic Romae infimo generi, magistris vicorum,1 togae praetextae habendae ius permittemus, nec ut vivi solum habeant † tantum insigne, sed etiam ut cum eo crementur mortui: feminis dumtaxat purpurae usu interdicemus? et, cum tibi viro liceat purpura in vestem stragulam uti, matrem familiae tuam purpureum amiculum habere non sines, et equus tuus speciosius instratus erit quam uxor vestita?
We men shall use purple, wearing the praetexta in magistracies and priesthoods; our children will use togas bordered with purple; to magistrates in colonies and municipalities, and here in Rome to the lowest class, the masters of the districts, we shall permit the right to have the toga praetexta, and not only so that they may have so great a distinction while alive, but also so that the dead may be burned with it: shall we forbid women alone the use of purple? And, though you, a man, are allowed to use purple for a coverlet, will you not permit the mistress of your house to have a purple cloak, and will your horse be more handsomely caparisoned than your wife is clothed?
sed in purpura, quae teritur absumitur, iniustam quidem, sed aliquam tamen causam tenacitatis video; in auro vero, in quo praeter manupretium nihil intertrimenti fit, quae malignitas est? praesidium potius in eo est et ad privatos et ad publicos usus, sicut experti estis. nullam aemulationem inter se singularum, quoniam nulla haberet, esse aiebat. at hercule universis dolor et indignatio est, cum sociorum Latini nominis uxoribus vident ea concessa ornamenta, quae sibi adempta sint, cum insignis eas esse auro et purpura, cum illas vehi per urbem, se pedibus sequi, tamquam in illarum civitatibus, non in sua imperium sit.
But in the case of purple, which is worn out and consumed, I see a cause for stinginess, unjust indeed, but still some cause; but in the case of gold, in which no loss occurs except for the cost of workmanship, what ill-nature is this? Rather, there is a safeguard in it, both for private and for public uses, as you have experienced. He was saying that there is no rivalry among individual women, since none of them would have any. But by Hercules, there is grief and indignation for all of them, when they see those ornaments, which have been taken away from themselves, granted to the wives of the Latin allies, when they see them conspicuous with gold and purple, when they see them riding through the city, and themselves following on foot, as if the empire were in their states, not in their own.
virorum hoc animos vulnerare posset; quid muliercularum censetis, quas etiam parva movent?
This could wound the minds of men; what do you think of weak women, whom even small things move?
non magistratus nec sacerdotia nec triumphi nec insignia nec dona aut spolia bellica iis contingere possunt;
Neither magistracies nor priesthoods nor triumphs nor badges of honor nor gifts or spoils of war can fall to their lot;
munditiae et ornatus et cultus, haec feminarum insignia sunt, his gaudent et gloriantur, hunc mundum muliebrem appellarunt maiores nostri.
neatness and ornament and dress, these are the distinctions of women, in these they rejoice and glory, this our ancestors called “woman’s world” (mundus muliebris).
quid aliud in luctu quam purpuram atque aurum deponunt? quid, cum eluxerunt, sumunt? quid in gratulationibus supplicationibusque nisi excellentiorem ornatum adiciunt?
What else do they lay aside in mourning than purple and gold? What do they take up when they have ended their mourning? What do they add in thanksgivings and supplications except a more excellent ornament?
scilicet, si legem Oppiam abrogaritis, non vestri arbitrii erit,2 si quid eius vetare volueritis, quod nunc lex vetat;
Of course, if you repeal the Oppian law, will it not be in your own power, if you should wish to forbid any of those things which the law now forbids?
minus filiae, uxores, sorores etiam quibusdam in manu erunt; — numquam salvis suis3 exuitur servitus muliebris; et ipsae libertatem, quam viduitas et orbitas facit, detestantur.
Will daughters, wives, and even sisters for some, be less under authority (in manu)? Woman’s subjection is never cast off as long as her male relatives are safe; and they themselves detest the liberty which widowhood and orphanhood produce.
in vestro arbitrio suum ornatum quam in legis malunt esse; et vos in manu et tutela, non in servitio debetis habere eas et malle patres vos aut viros quam dominos dici.
They prefer that their adornment should be in your power rather than in that of the law; and you ought to hold them under authority and guardianship, not in servitude, and prefer to be called fathers or husbands rather than masters.
invidiosis nominibus utebatur modo consul seditionem muliebrem et secessionem appellando. id enim periculum est, ne Sacrum montem, sicut quondam irata plebs, aut Aventinum capiant; —
The consul was just now using hateful terms by calling it a female sedition and secession. For there is, you see, a danger lest they should seize the Sacred Mount, as the angry plebeians once did, or the Aventine;
patiendum huic infirmitati est, quodcumque vos censueritis. quo plus potestis, eo moderatius imperio uti debetis.”
this weak sex must endure whatever you decree. The more power you have, the more moderately you ought to exercise your authority.”
- 34.7.2infimo generi, magistris vicorum
infimo generi (to the lowest class) stands in apposition to magistris vicorum (to the masters of the districts). It refers to the fact that the district overseers in Rome were often of low social standing (such as freedmen), contrasting their right to wear the toga praetexta with the restriction on women.
- 34.7.11non vestri arbitrii erit
This clause, along with minus ... in manu erunt in the next section, is interpreted as a rhetorical question challenging Cato's speech. It implies "will it not be in your own power?" (yes, it will), arguing that even if the legal restriction is removed, the private authority of fathers (patria potestas) and husbands (manus) remains intact.
- 34.7.12salvis suis
suis is a substantival use of the possessive pronoun referring to the women's male relatives (husbands, fathers, guardians). Together with salvis, it forms an ablative absolute meaning "as long as their male relatives are safe," supporting the argument that women are always under the protection and authority of their families, making legal coercion unnecessary.