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Livy · History of Rome §22.35.1-22.35.7

Election of Consuls Varro and Paullus and Praetors

Passage 629 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

Terentius Varro is elected as the sole consul first, prompting the patricians to compel Lucius Aemilius Paulus to run as his opposing colleague. Praetors are also elected in their absence, all of whom are experienced figures chosen due to the critical situation.

§22.35.1cum his orationibus accensa plebs esset, tribus patriciis petentibus, P.. Cornelio Merenda L. Manlio Volsone M. Aemilio Lepido, duobus nobilium iam familiarum plebeis, §22.35.2C. Atilio Serrano et Q. Aelio Paeto, quorum alter pontifex, alter augur erat, C. Terentius consul unus creatur, ut in manu eius essent comitia rogando collegae.
When the plebs had been inflamed by these speeches, although three patricians were candidates, Publius Cornelius Merenda, Lucius Manlius Vulso, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, as well as two plebeians from families that were already noble, namely Gaius Atilius Serranus and Quintus Aelius Paetus, of whom one was a pontiff and the other an augur, Gaius Terentius was elected as the sole consul, so that the power to hold the elections for choosing his colleague might be in his hands.
§22.35.3tum experta nobilitas parum fuisse virium in competitoribus eius L. Aemilium Paulum, qui cum M. Livio consul fuerat, ex damnatione collegae, ex qua prope ambustus evaserat, infestum plebei, diu ac multum recusantem ad petitionem conpellit.
Then the nobility, having experienced that there had been too little strength in his competitors, compelled Lucius Aemilius Paulus, who had been consul with Marcus Livius and was hostile to the plebs because of the condemnation of his colleague, from which he himself had escaped almost singed, to stand for the office, although he refused long and earnestly.
§22.35.4is proximo comitiali die concedentibus omnibus, qui cum Varrone certaverant, par magis in adversando quam collega datur consuli.
On the next election day, as all those who had competed with Varro withdrew, he was given to the consul more as a match to oppose him than as a colleague.
§22.35.5inde praetorum comitia habita: creati M. Pomponius Matho et P. Furius Philus.
Then the elections for praetors were held: Marcus Pomponius Matho and Publius Furius Philus were elected.
Philo Romae iuri dicundo urbana sors, Pomponio inter civis Romanos et peregrinos evenit.
The urban lot for administering justice in Rome fell to Philus, and that between Roman citizens and foreigners to Pomponius.
§22.35.6additi duo praetores, M. Claudius Marcellus in Siciliam, L. Postumius Albinus in Galliam.
Two more praetors were added: Marcus Claudius Marcellus to Sicily, and Lucius Postumius Albinus to Gaul.
§22.35.7omnes absentes creati sunt, nec cuiquam eorum praeter Terentium consulem mandatus honos, quem non iam antea gessisset, praeteritis aliquot fortibus ac strenuis viris, quia in tali tempore nulli novus magistratus videbatur mandandus.
All were elected in their absence; nor was any office entrusted to any of them, except for the consul Terentius, which he had not already held before, several brave and energetic men being passed over because, in such times, it seemed that no new magistrate should be appointed.

Notes

  1. 22.35.1tribus patriciis petentibus — petentibus is the present participle ablative of the intransitive verb petere (to stand for office, to be a candidate), forming an ablative absolute with both tribus patriciis and duobus ... plebeis in the following clause as its logical subjects.
  2. 22.35.2comitia rogando collegae — rogando collegae is a gerundive construction in the dative or ablative of purpose. Here, rogare means to propose or ask the assembly's vote, referring to holding the assembly to elect a colleague.
  3. 22.35.3prope ambustus evaserat — ambustus (perfect participle of amburere, 'to burn around, singe') is used here metaphorically to describe how Paulus, during the trial and condemnation of his former colleague Livius, narrowly escaped ruin himself, though not without being 'singed' or endangered.
  4. 22.35.4par magis in adversando quam collega — par means 'an equal, a match, an opponent'. It emphasizes that Paulus was given to Varro more as an opposing force to check him (in adversando) than as a cooperative colleague (collega).
  5. 22.35.7nulli novus magistratus — novus magistratus in this context refers either to an 'unexperienced magistracy' or to 'a magistrate office given to an unexperienced newcomer.' It explains why, with the exception of Terentius (Varro), no office was entrusted to anyone who had not already held it before.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §22.35.1-22.35.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:22.35.1-22.35.7

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