Spanish Triumphs and Cato's Expulsion of Flamininus — Livy, History of Rome Book 39 (39.42.1–39.42.12), Latin & English

§39.42.1

in Hispania ulteriore fractis proximo bello Lusitanis¹ quietae res fuerunt: in citeriore A. Terentius in Suessetanis oppidum Corbionem vineis et operibus expugnavit, captivos vendidit: quieta deinde hiberna et citerior provincia habuit.

In Farther Spain, as the Lusitanians had been crushed in the previous war, things were quiet. In Nearer Spain, Aulus Terentius captured the town of Corbio in the territory of the Suessetani by means of penthouses and siege works, and sold the captives; thereafter, the nearer province also had a quiet winter quarters.

§39.42.2

veteres praetores C. Calpurnius Piso et L.. Quinctius Romam redierunt. utrique magno patrum consensu triumphus est decretus.

The former praetors, Gaius Calpurnius Piso and Lucius Quinctius, returned to Rome. For both of them, a triumph was decreed with the great consensus of the senators.

§39.42.3

prior C. Calpurnius de Lusitanis et Celtiberis triumphavit: coronas aureas tulit octoginta tres et duodecim milia pondo argenti.

First, Gaius Calpurnius triumphed over the Lusitanians and Celtiberians; he displayed eighty-three golden crowns and twelve thousand pounds of silver.

§39.42.4

paucos post dies L.. Quinctius Crispinus ex iisdem Lusitanis et Celtiberis triumphavit: tantundem auri atque argenti in eo triumpho praelatum. censores M. Porcius et L.. Valerius metu mixta exspectatione senatum legerunt;

A few days later, Lucius Quinctius Crispinus triumphed over the same Lusitanians and Celtiberians; just as much gold and silver was carried before him in that triumph. The censors, Marcus Porcius and Lucius Valerius, amidst expectation mixed with fear, revised the roll of the senate;

§39.42.6

septem moverunt senatu, ex quibus unum insignem et nobilitate et honoribus, L.. Quinctium Flamininum consularem. patrum memoria institutum fertur, ut censores motis senatu adscriberent notas. Catonis et aliae quidem acerbae orationes exstant in eos, quos aut senatorio loco movit aut quibus equos ademit, longe gravissima in L. Quinctium oratio, qua si accusator ante notam, non censor post notam usus esset, retinere L.. Quinctium in senatu ne frater quidem T. Quinctius, si tum censor esset, potuisset.²

they removed seven from the senate, among whom was one distinguished both by nobility and by offices held, the consular Lucius Quinctius Flamininus. It is said to have been established in the memory of our fathers that the censors should append marks of disgrace to those removed from the senate. Indeed, other bitter speeches of Cato are extant against those whom he either removed from their senatorial seats or from whom he took away their horses; by far the most severe is his speech against Lucius Quinctius, which, if he had used it as an accuser before the mark of disgrace, and not as a censor after the mark, not even his brother Titus Quinctius, even if he had been censor at the time, could have kept Lucius Quinctius in the senate.

§39.42.8

inter cetera obiecit ei Philippum Poenum, carum ac nobile scortum, ab Roma in Galliam provinciam spe ingentium donorum perductum.

Among other things, he reproached him with Philip the Carthaginian, a dear and notorious minion, who had been led from Rome to the province of Gaul by the hope of huge gifts.

§39.42.9

eum puerum, per lasciviam cum cavillaretur, exprobrare consuli saepe solitum,³ quod sub ipsum spectaculum gladiatorium abductus ab Roma esset, ut obsequium amatori venditaret.

This boy, when jesting in a playful mood, was said to have often reproached the consul because he had been carried away from Rome just before a gladiatorial show, in order to sell his compliance to his lover.

§39.42.10

forte epulantibus iis, cum iam vino incaluissent, nuntiatum in convivio esse nobilem Boium cum liberis transfugam venisse; convenire consulem velle, ut ab eo fidem praesens acciperet.

It happened that while they were feasting and had already grown warm with wine, it was announced at the banquet that a noble Boian had come as a deserter with his children, wishing to meet the consul so that he might receive a pledge of protection from him in person.

§39.42.11

introductum in tabernaculum per interpretem adloqui consulem coepisse. inter cuius sermonem Quinctius scorto “vis tu,” inquit “quoniam gladiatorium spectaculum reliquisti, iam hunc Gallum morientem videre?”

Having been introduced into the tent, he began to address the consul through an interpreter. In the middle of his speech, Quinctius said to his minion, “Would you like, since you missed the gladiatorial show, to see this Gaul die right now?”

§39.42.12

et cum is vixdum serio adnuisset, ad nutum scorti consulem stricto gladio, qui super caput pendebat, loquenti Gallo caput primum percussisse, deinde, fugienti fidemque populi Romani atque eorum, qui aderant, imploranti latus transfodisse.⁴

And when the other had scarcely nodded in earnest, at the minion’s nod the consul, drawing the sword which hung above his head, first struck the head of the speaking Gaul, and then, as he was fleeing and imploring the protection of the Roman people and of those who were present, ran him through the side.

Syntax notes4 items

39.42.1fractis proximo bello Lusitanis
An ablative absolute construction expressing cause, presenting the defeat of the Lusitanians in the previous war as the reason for the tranquility in Farther Spain.
39.42.7qua si accusator ante notam, non censor post notam usus esset, retinere L. Quinctium in senatu ne frater quidem T. Quinctius, si tum censor esset, potuisset
The ablative relative pronoun qua refers to the antecedent oratio (speech) and serves as the object of uti (to use). The entire sentence is structured as a past contrary-to-fact conditional (pluperfect subjunctive): si usus esset... potuisset (if he had used... he would not have been able).
39.42.9eum puerum... exprobrare consuli saepe solitum
An accusative-with-infinitive construction of indirect speech reporting the content of Cato's speech. eum puerum is the subject accusative and solitum [esse] is the infinitive. The subjunctive abductus esset in the subordinate clause is due to the indirect discourse.
39.42.12consulem... percussisse... transfodisse
The main verb phrase of the accusative-with-infinitive construction in indirect speech, continuing from the previous section. consulem is the subject accusative, with which the perfect infinitives percussisse (struck) and transfodisse (pierced) agree.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:39.42.1-39.42.12