Dropping of Charges and Scipio's Death at Liternum — Livy, History of Rome Book 38 (38.53.1–38.53.11), Latin & English

§38.53.1

adiecit decreto indignationem: “sub pedibus vestris stabit, tribuni, domitor ille Africae Scipio?

To his decree he added words of indignation: “Shall Scipio, that conqueror of Africa, stand beneath your feet, tribunes?

§38.53.2

ideo quattuor nobilissimos duces Poenorum in Hispania, quattuor exercitus fudit fugavitque; ideo Syphacem cepit, Hannibalem devicit, Carthaginem vectigalem nobis fecit, Antiochum —

Was it for this that he routed and put to flight four of the most noble Carthaginian generals and four armies in Spain; was it for this that he captured Syphax, utterly defeated Hannibal, made Carthage tributary to us, and drove Antiochus —

§38.53.3

recipit enim fratrem consortem huius gloriae L. Scipio¹ — ultra iuga Tauri emovit, ut duobus Petilliis succumberet?²

for L. Scipio admits his brother to a share in this glory — beyond the ridges of Taurus, only that he might succumb to two Petillii?

§38.53.4

vos de P. Africano palmam petiferetis? nullisne meritis suis, nullis nostris honoribus umquam in arcem tutam et velut sanctam clari viri pervenient, ubi, si non venerabilis, inviolata saltem senectus eorum considat?”

Will you win a palm of victory from P. Africanus? Shall illustrious men, by no merits of their own and by no honors of ours, ever reach a safe and, as it were, sacred citadel where their old age, if not venerated, may at least rest inviolate?”

§38.53.5

movit et decretum et adiecta oratio non ceteros modo, sed ipsos etiam accusatores, et deliberaturos se, quid iuris sui et officii esset, dixerunt.

Both the decree and the added speech moved not only the others but also the accusers themselves, and they said that they would deliberate on what was their right and duty.

§38.53.6

senatus deinde concilio plebis dimisso haberi est coeptus. ibi gratiae ingentes ab universo ordine, praecipue a consularibus senioribusque, Ti. Graccho actae sunt, quod rem publicam privatis simultatibus potiorem habuisset, et Petillii vexati sunt probris, quod splendere aliena invidia voluissent³ et spolia ex Africani triumpho peterent.

Then, the assembly of the plebs having been dismissed, the senate began to be held. There, immense thanks were returned to Ti. Gracchus by the entire order, especially by the consulars and elders, because he had held the republic of more value than his private enmities, and the Petillii were harassed with reproaches because they had wished to shine by the envy directed against another and were seeking spoils from the triumph of Africanus.

§38.53.8

silentium deinde de Africano fuit. vitam Literni egit sine desiderio urbis; morientem rure eo ipso loco sepeliri se iussisse ferunt monumentumque ibi aedificari, ne funus sibi in ingrata patria fieret.

There was silence thereafter concerning Africanus. He spent his life at Liternum without any longing for the city; they say that on his deathbed he ordered that he should be buried in that very place in the country and a monument built there, so that his funeral might not take place in his ungrateful fatherland.

§38.53.9

vir memorabilis, bellicis tamen quam pacis artibus memorabilior. nobilior prima pars vitae quam postrema fuit, quia in iuventa bella adsidue gesta, cum senecta res quoque defloruere, nec praebita est materia ingenio.

He was a memorable man, yet more memorable in the arts of war than in those of peace. The first part of his life was more illustrious than the last, because in his youth wars were continuously waged, whereas with old age his achievements also withered, and no material was offered to his genius.

§38.53.10

quid ad primum consulatum secundus, etiam si censuram adicias? quid Asiatica legatio, et valetudine adversa inutilis et filii casu deformata et post reditum necessitate aut subeundi iudicii aut simul cum patria deserendi?⁴

What was his second consulship compared to his first, even if you add his censorship? What was that Asiatic embassy, both useless because of adverse health and defiled by his son’s misfortune, and, after his return, marked by the necessity of either undergoing trial or abandoning it together with his fatherland?

§38.53.11

Punici tamen belli perpetrati, quo nullum neque maius neque periculosius Romani gessere, unus praecipuam gloriam tulit.

Yet, of the Punic War brought to completion, than which the Romans waged none either greater or more perilous, he alone bore away the chief glory.

Syntax notes4 items

38.53.3recipit enim fratrem consortem huius gloriae L. Scipio
A parenthetical clause where L. Scipio is the subject, fratrem (referring to P. Scipio) is the direct object, and consortem huius gloriae is the accusative complement. It explains that L. Scipio shares the glory of the victory over Antiochus with his brother.
38.53.2ideo ... ut duobus Petilliis succumberet?
The adverb ideo ("for this purpose/reason"), repeated from §38.53.2, leads to the rhetorical clause of result/purpose with ut in §38.53.3 ("only that he might succumb..."), expressing a strong rhetorical question.
38.53.7quod splendere aliena invidia voluissent
The subjunctive voluissent in the quod-clause indicates a subjective reason. Aliena invidia is an ablative of means/cause referring to "envy directed against another (Scipio)", meaning they wished to make themselves illustrious by exploiting the unpopularity or envy surrounding Scipio.
38.53.10quid Asiatica legatio, ... et post reditum necessitate ... deserendi?
An elliptical construction of the form quid [fuit] ...? Deserendi is a genitive gerundive agreeing with an implied patriae (paralleled with subeundi iudicii), depending on necessitate. It means "abandoning the fatherland" to avoid the trial, referring to Scipio's self-imposed exile to Liternum.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1
2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:38.53.1-38.53.11