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Livy · History of Rome §24.43.1-24.43.9

Prosecution of the Censors and Elections in Rome

Passage 748 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

The passage describes the entry into office of new magistrates in Rome, the prosecution of the censors, and the election of new consuls and praetors.

§24.43.1haec in Hispania Q. Fabio M. Claudio consulibus gesta.
These things were done in Spain under the consulship of Quintus Fabius and Marcus Claudius.
§24.43.2Romae cum tribuni plebis novi magistratum inissent, extemplo censoribus P. Furio et M. Atilio a M. Metello tribuno plebis dies dicta ad populum est.
At Rome, as soon as the new tribunes of the plebs had entered upon office, a day was immediately set for trial before the people against the censors Publius Furius and Marcus Atilius by Marcus Metellus, a tribune of the plebs.
§24.43.3quaestorem eum proximo anno adempto equo tribu moverant atque aerarium fecerant propter coniurationem deserendae Italiae ad Cannas factam.
They had in the preceding year, when he was quaestor, deprived him of his horse, removed him from his tribe, and made him an aerarian on account of the conspiracy formed at Cannae to abandon Italy.
sed novem tribunorum auxilio vetiti causam in magistratu dicere dimissique fuerant.
But through the help of nine tribunes, they had been forbidden to plead their cause while in office and had been dismissed.
§24.43.4ne lustrum perficerent, mors prohibuit P. Furi.
Death prevented Publius Furius from completing the lustrum.
M. Atilius magistratu se abdicavit. — §24.43.5comitia consularia habita ab Q. Fabio Maximo consule.
Marcus Atilius abdicated his office. — The consular elections were held by the consul Quintus Fabius Maximus.
creati consules ambo absentes Q. Fabius Maximus, consulis filius, et Ti. Sempronius Gracchus iterum.
Elected consuls were both absent men: Quintus Fabius Maximus, the consul's son, and Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, for the second time.
§24.43.6praetores fiunt duo, qui tum aediles curules erant, P. Sempronius Tuditanus et Cn. Fulvius Centumalus et M. Atilius et M. Aemilius Lepidus.
Four became praetors: two who were then curule aediles, Publius Sempronius Tuditanus and Gnaeus Fulvius Centumalus, and Marcus Atilius and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.
§24.43.7ludos scenicos per quadriduum eo anno primum factos ab curulibus aedilibus memoriae proditur.
It is recorded that in that year scenic games were first celebrated for four days by the curule aediles.
§24.43.8aedilis Tuditanus hic erat, qui ad Cannas pavore aliis in tanta clade torpentibus per medios hostes duxit.
This Tuditanus was the aedile who, at Cannae, while others were paralyzed with fear in so great a disaster, led his men through the midst of the enemy.
§24.43.9comitiis perfectis auctore Q. Fabio consule designati consules Romam accersiti magistratum inierunt senatumque de bello ac provinciis suis praetorumque et de exercitibus, quibus quique praeessent, consuluerunt.
When the elections were completed, at the instance of the consul Quintus Fabius, the designated consuls were summoned to Rome, entered upon office, and consulted the senate concerning the war, their own provinces and those of the praetors, and concerning the armies, which ones each should command.

Notes

  1. §24.43.3eum — The accusative pronoun `eum` refers to `M. Metello` mentioned in the previous sentence. It explains the background where the censors (implied subject of `moverant`) had inflicted civic ignominy on him when he was quaestor (`quaestorem`) in the preceding year, due to the conspiracy to desert Italy.
  2. §24.43.3vetiti — The passive participles `vetiti` (and `dimissi`) are in the nominative plural, agreeing with the censors (`censoribus` from the previous sentence) as the subject. It indicates that by the help (`auxilio`) of the other nine tribunes, the censors were prevented from pleading their cause (`causam dicere`) while in office (`in magistratu`).
  3. §24.43.6praetores fiunt duo — The numeral `duo` serves as the antecedent of (or in apposition with) the relative clause `qui tum aediles curules erant`, referring to the first two individuals (Tuditanus and Centumalus). The subsequent `et... et...` appends two more names, making a total of four praetors elected.
  4. §24.43.8duxit — The object of the transitive verb `duxit` (such as `milites` or `se`) is omitted, so the verb functions here in a semi-intransitive sense, meaning 'led the way' or 'made his way through' with his detachment.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §24.43.1-24.43.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:24.43.1-24.43.9

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