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Livy · History of Rome §29.3.1-29.3.15

Pacification of Spain and Laelius's Raid on Africa

Passage 946 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

The rebellion in Spain is swiftly suppressed within a few days after Mandonius and other leaders are executed and heavy indemnities are imposed, restoring peace. Meanwhile, Gaius Laelius's sudden raid on Hippo Regius in Africa throws Carthage into deep panic, prompting the citizens to lament their reversed fortune and fragile military system.

§29.3.1tum a Mandonio evocati in concilium conquestique ibi clades suas increpitis auctoribus belli legatos mittendos ad arma tradenda deditionemque faciendam censuere.
Then, having been summoned to an assembly by Mandonius and having lamented their disasters there, after censuring the authors of the war, they voted that envoys should be sent to deliver up their arms and make a surrender.
§29.3.2quibus culpam in auctorem belli Indibilem ceterosque principes, quorum plerique in acie cecidissent, conferentibus tradentibusque arma et dedentibus sese responsum est in deditionem ita accipi eos, §29.3.3si Mandonium ceterosque belli concitores tradidissent vivos; si minus, exercitum se in agrum Ilergetum Ausetanorumque et deinceps aliorum populorum inducturos.
To these envoys, who cast the blame upon Indibilis, the author of the war, and the other chiefs, most of whom had fallen in battle, and who were delivering up their arms and surrendering themselves, the reply was given that they would be received into surrender only on this condition: if they delivered up Mandonius and the other instigators of the war alive; if not, they would march their army into the territory of the Ilergetes and Ausetani, and then successively into that of the other peoples.
§29.3.4haec dicta legatis renuntiataque in concilium.
These terms were declared to the envoys and reported back to the assembly.
ibi Mandonius ceterique principes conprehensi et traditi ad supplicium.
There Mandonius and the other chiefs were seized and delivered up for punishment.
§29.3.5Hispaniae populis reddita pax; stipendium eius anni duplex et frumentum sex mensum imperatum sagaque et togae exercitui; et obsides ab triginta ferme populis accepti.
Peace was restored to the peoples of Spain; a double tribute for that year and six months' grain were demanded, along with cloaks and togas for the army; and hostages were received from about thirty peoples.
§29.3.6ita Hispaniae rebellantis tumultu haud magno motu intra paucos dies concito et compresso in Africam omnis terror versus.
Thus, the tumult of rebellious Spain, having been excited and suppressed within a few days without any great commotion, all the terror was turned against Africa.
§29.3.7C. Laelius nocte ad Hipponem Regium cum accessisset, luce prima ad populandum agrum sub signis milites sociosque navales duxit.
When C. Laelius had approached Hippo Regius by night, at daybreak he led his soldiers and naval allies under their standards to ravage the territory.
§29.3.8omnibus pacis modo incuriose agentibus magna clades inlata; nuntiique trepidi Carthaginem terrore ingenti conplevere, classem Romanam Scipionemque imperatorem — et fama fuerat iam in Siciliam transgressum advenisse.
Since everyone was acting carelessly, as if in peace, a great slaughter was inflicted; and panic-stricken messengers filled Carthage with immense terror, reporting that the Roman fleet and Scipio the commander—and the rumor had been that he had already crossed over to Sicily—had arrived.
§29.3.9nec quot naves vidissent, nec quanta manus agros popularetur, satis gnari omnia in maius metu augente accipiebant.
Being insufficiently aware of how many ships they had seen, or how large a force was ravaging the fields, they received everything in exaggerated terms, their fear increasing it.
itaque primo terror pavorque, dein maestitia animos incessit: §29.3.10tantum fortunam mutasse, ut, qui modo ipsi exercitum ante moenia Romana habuissent victores stratisque tot hostium exercitibus omnes Italiae populos aut vi aut voluntate in deditionem accepissent, §29.3.11ii verso Marte Africae populationes et obsidionem Carthaginis visuri forent, nequaquam pari ad patienda ea robore ac Romani fuissent.
Therefore, first terror and panic, and then sadness seized their minds: lamenting that fortune had so greatly changed that they, who had recently themselves stood victorious with an army before the walls of Rome and, having laid low so many armies of the enemy, had received all the peoples of Italy into surrender either by force or of their own free will, should now, with the tide of war reversed, witness the ravaging of Africa and the siege of Carthage, possessing by no means equal strength to endure those things as the Romans had possessed.
illis Romanam plebem, §29.3.12illis Latium iuventutem praebuisse maiorem semper frequentioremque pro tot caesis exercitibus subolescentem; §29.3.13suam plebem inbellem in urbe, inbellem in agris esse; mercede parari auxilia ex Afris, gente ad omnem auram spei mobili atque infida.
To the Romans, the Roman populace, to them, Latium had supplied a youth that was always larger and more numerous, growing up to replace so many slaughtered armies; their own populace was unwarlike in the city, unwarlike in the fields; their auxiliaries were procured for pay from the Africans, a nation fickle and unfaithful to every breeze of hope.
§29.3.14iam reges, Syphacem post conloquium cum Scipione alienatum, Masinissam aperta defectione infestissimum hostem.
As for the kings, Syphax had been estranged after his conference with Scipio, and Masinissa, by open defection, was a most hostile enemy.
§29.3.15nihil usquam spei, nihil auxilii esse.
There was no hope anywhere, no assistance.
nec Magonem ex Gallia movere tumultus quicquam nec coniungere sese Hannibali, et Hannibalem ipsum iam et fama senescere et viribus.
Neither was Mago raising any disturbances from Gaul, nor joining himself to Hannibal, and Hannibal himself was already growing old both in reputation and in strength.

Notes

  1. 29.3.2quibus culpam ... conferentibus tradentibusque arma et dedentibus sese — A connection of relative pronoun (quibus) combined with present participles in the dative case (or as an ablative absolute). It is most naturally construed as a dative dependent on the impersonal passive verb 'responsum est' (reply was given to them), describing the actions of the envoys as they cast blame, delivered up their arms, and surrendered.
  2. 29.3.10tantum fortunam mutasse — An accusative and infinitive construction (mutasse = mutavisse) introducing indirect speech. It represents the internal lamentation and thoughts of the Carthaginians, triggered by the preceding clause 'animos incessit' (sadness seized their minds). It can be understood as dependent on an implied verb of lamenting or thinking (such as conquerebantur).
  3. 29.3.11nequaquam pari ad patienda ea robore ac Romani fuissent — The phrase 'pari ... robore' is an ablative of quality describing the subject 'ii' (the Carthaginians). 'ad patienda ea' (for enduring those things) is a gerundive phrase expressing purpose/fitness. 'ac' introduces a comparison after the word of similarity/equality 'pari', correlative to 'Romani fuissent' (than the Romans had been).

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §29.3.1-29.3.15. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:29.3.1-29.3.15

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