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Livy · History of Rome §32.18.1-32.18.9

Flamininus in Phocis and the Siege of Elatia

Passage 1095 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

The consul abandoned the siege of Atrax and selected Anticyra in Phocis for winter quarters, from where he captured and received the surrender of various Phocian towns, while Elatia resisted.

§32.18.1cum parum quicquam succederet, consul minime aequo animo comparationem militum generisque armorum fieri patiebatur, §32.18.2simul nec maturam expugnandi spem nec rationem procul a mari et in evastatis belli cladibus locis hibernandi ullam cernebat. §32.18.3itaque relicta obsidione, quia nullus in tota Acarnaniae atque Aetoliae ora portus erat, qui simul et omnis onerarias, quae commeatum exercitui portabant, caperet et tecta ad hibernandum legionibus praeberet, §32.18.4Anticyra in Phocide, in Corinthium versa sinum, ad id opportunissime sita visa, §32.18.5quia nec procul Thessalia hostiumque locis aberat et ex adverso Peloponnesum exiguo maris spatio divisam, ab tergo Aetoliam Acarnaniamque, ab lateribus Locridem ac Boeotiam habebat. §32.18.6Phocidis primo impetu Phanoteam sine certamine cepit.
Since little of anything succeeded, the consul by no means with a calm mind suffered a comparison of the soldiers and the kind of arms to be made, at the same time, he saw neither any near hope of capturing the city nor any plan for wintering far from the sea and in places devastated by the disasters of war. Therefore, the siege having been abandoned, because there was no harbor on the entire coast of Acarnania and Aetolia which could both contain at the same time all the transport ships that carried provisions to the army, and provide shelter for the legions for wintering, Anticyra in Phocis, facing the Corinthian gulf, seemed most opportunely situated for that purpose, because it was not far from Thessaly and the places of the enemy, and had opposite to it the Peloponnese separated by a narrow space of sea, behind it Aetolia and Acarnania, and on its sides Locris and Boeotia. At the first onset, he captured Phanotea of Phocis without a struggle.
Anticyra haud multum oppugnando morae praebuit.
Anticyra presented not much of a delay in besieging.
Ambrysus inde Hyampolisque receptae. §32.18.7Daulis, quia in tumulo excelso sita est, nec scalis nec operibus capi poterat. §32.18.8lacessendo missilibus eos, qui in praesidio erant, cum ad excursiones elicuissent, refugiendo in vicem sequendoque et levibus sine effectu certaminibus eo neglegentiae et contemptus adduxerunt, ut cum refugientibus in portam permixti impetum Romani facerent. §32.18.9et alia ignobilia castella Phocidis terrore magis quam armis in potestatem venerunt.
Thereupon Ambrysus and Hyampolis were recovered. Daulis, because it is situated on a high hill, could be captured neither by ladders nor by siege works. By harassing with missiles those who were in the garrison, when they had enticed them to make sorties, by retreating in turn and pursuing, and by light skirmishes without decisive effect, they brought them to such a state of negligence and contempt that the Romans, mingled with those who were retreating, made a rush into the gate. And other ignoble strongholds of Phocis came into their power more through terror than by arms.
Elatia clausit portas, nec, nisi vi cogerentur, recepturi moenibus videbantur aut ducem aut exercitum Romanum.
Elatia closed its gates, nor, unless they should be compelled by force, did they seem likely to admit within their walls either the Roman general or his army.

Notes

  1. §32.18.4Anticyra ... visa — The main verb with the ellipsis of 'est' (visa est), taking 'Anticyra' as its subject. It functions as the principal clause after the ablative absolute 'relicta obsidione' and the causal 'quia' clause. 'visa' is used as a passive verb meaning 'seemed'.
  2. §32.18.8eo neglegentiae et contemptus — The adverb 'eo' (to such a degree) governs the partitive genitives 'neglegentiae' and 'contemptus', and correlates with the subsequent 'ut' clause of result.
  3. §32.18.9recepturi... videbantur — A nominative with infinitive (NCI) construction where the future participle 'recepturi' with an omitted 'esse' functions as the complement of the copulative/passive verb 'videbantur' (they seemed), expressing intention.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §32.18.1-32.18.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:32.18.1-32.18.9

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