- 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-lat2:42.24.1-42.24.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
The senate hears from Gulussa, Masinissa's son, regarding suspected secret plots by the Carthaginians, and decides to send envoys to both parties for arbitration, reaffirming its policy of respecting established boundaries before dismissing them.
interrogari Gulussam1 placuit, quid ad ea responderet, aut, si prius mallet expromere, super qua re Romam venisset.
It was resolved that Gulussa should be questioned as to what he replied to these complaints, or, if he preferred to declare it first, on what business he had come to Rome.
Gulussa neque sibi facile esse dixit de iis rebus agere, de quibus nihil mandati2 a patre haberet, neque patri facile fuisse mandare, cum Carthaginienses nec, de qua re acturi essent, nec omnino ituros se Romam indicaverint.
Gulussa said that it was not easy for him to treat of matters concerning which he had no mandate from his father, nor had it been easy for his father to give instructions, since the Carthaginians had indicated neither what they were going to treat of, nor even that they were going to Rome at all.
in aede Aesculapi clandestinum eos per aliquot noctes consilium principum habuisse, unde praeterea legatos occultis cum mandatis Romam mitti.
He added that they had held a secret council of their leading men for several nights in the temple of Aesculapius, whence, moreover, ambassadors with secret instructions were being sent to Rome.
eam causam fuisse patri mittendi se Romam, qui deprecaretur3 senatum, ne quid communibus inimicis criminantibus se crederent, quem ob nullam aliam causam nisi propter constantem fidem erga populum Romanum odissent.
This had been the reason for his father’s sending him to Rome, namely, to entreat the senate not to believe anything on the accusations of their common enemies, who hated him for no other reason than on account of his constant fidelity towards the Roman people.
his utrimque auditis senatus, de postulatis Carthaginiensium consultus, responderi ita iussit:
Having heard these statements on both sides, the senate, being consulted on the demands of the Carthaginians, ordered the following reply to be given:
Gulussam placere extemplo in Numidiam proficisci et nuntiare patri, ut de iis, de quibus Carthaginienses querantur, legatos quam primum ad senatum mittat denuntietque Carthaginiensibus, ut ad disceptandum veniant.
that it was decided that Gulussa should immediately set out for Numidia and announce to his father that he should send ambassadors to the senate as soon as possible concerning those matters of which the Carthaginians complain, and notify the Carthaginians that they should come to the arbitration.
se alia, quae possent, Masinissae honoris causa et fecisse et facturos esse;
They said that they had done and would do other things, so far as they could, for the sake of Masinissa’s honor;
ius gratiae non dare.4 agrum, qua cuiusque sit, possideri velle, nec novos statuere fines, sed veteres observare in animo habere.
but they would not grant justice to personal influence. They wished that the land should be possessed according as it belonged to each, and they did not intend to establish new boundaries, but to observe the old ones.
Carthaginiensibus victis se et urbem et agros concessisse, non ut in pace eriperent per iniuriam, quae iure belli non ademissent.
They had granted both their city and lands to the conquered Carthaginians, not so that they might snatch away through injustice in peace what they had not taken away by the right of war.
ita regulus Carthaginiensesque dimissi. munera ex instituto data utrisque aliaque hospitalia comiter conservata.
Thus the young prince and the Carthaginians were dismissed. Presents were given to both according to custom, and other hospitality was courteously maintained.
- 42.24.1interrogari Gulussam
Accusative and infinitive construction acting as the subject of the impersonal verb placuit ('it was resolved'). interrogari is the passive infinitive, and Gulussam is its subject accusative.
- 42.24.2nihil mandati
Partitive genitive. The neuter pronoun nihil ('nothing') is modified by the genitive noun mandati ('of mandate'), meaning 'no mandate/instruction'.
- 42.24.4qui deprecaretur
Relative clause of purpose. The relative pronoun qui is used with the imperfect subjunctive deprecaretur to express purpose ('who should entreat' i.e. 'in order to entreat').
- 42.24.8ius gratiae non dare
An infinitive phrase representing the senate's resolution. ius means 'justice' or 'right', and gratiae (dative or genitive of gratia) means 'favor' or 'influence'. The phrase means 'they do not yield justice to personal influence,' showing the senate's impartial stance.