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Livy · History of Rome §36.12.1-36.12.11

Capture of Medion and the Resistance of Thyrrheum

Passage 1292 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

King Antiochus captures Medion through the treachery of local leaders, but Thyrrheum resists upon hearing rumors of Roman reinforcements, forcing the king to withdraw to Chalcis.

§36.12.1per eosdem dies legati regis Medionem venerunt; quibus auditis cum in contione, quidnam respondendum regi esset, consultaretur, §36.12.2et alii manendum in Romana societate, alii non aspernandam amicitiam regis censerent, media visa est Clyti sententia eoque accepta, §36.12.3ut ad regem mitterent legatos peterentque ab eo, ut Medionios super tanta re consultare in concilio Acarnanum pateretur.
During those same days, the king's envoys came to Medion; when they had been heard and it was being deliberated in an assembly what answer should be given to the king, and while some thought that they should remain in the Roman alliance, and others that the friendship of the king should not be rejected, the opinion of Clytus seemed to be a middle course and for that reason was accepted, namely, that they should send envoys to the king and request of him that he should allow the Medionians to deliberate on such an important matter in the council of the Acarnanians.
§36.12.4in eam legationem Mnasilochus et qui eius factionis erant de industria coniecti, clam missis, qui regem admovere copias iuberent, ipsi terebant tempus.
Mnasilochus and those of his faction having been intentionally appointed to this embassy, they themselves were wasting time, while messengers were secretly sent to order the king to advance his forces.
§36.12.5itaque vixdum iis egressis Antiochus in finibus et mox ad portas erat, et trepidantibus, qui expertes proditionis fuerant, tumultuoseque iuventutem ad arma vocantibus ab Clyto et Mnasilocho in urbem est inductus; §36.12.6et aliis sua voluntate adfluentibus metu coacti etiam, qui dissentiebant, ad regem convenerunt.
Therefore, scarcely had they departed when Antiochus was in their territory and soon at the gates, and while those who had been free from the treachery were in a panic and tumultuously calling the youth to arms, he was admitted into the city by Clytus and Mnasilochus; and with some flocking together of their own free will, even those who dissented, compelled by fear, gathered to the king.
quos placida oratione territos cum permulsisset, ad spem vulgatae clementiae aliquot populi Acarnaniae defecerunt.
When he had soothed them, terrified as they were, with a gentle speech, several peoples of Acarnania revolted in the hope of his publicized clemency.
§36.12.7Thyrreum a Medione profectus est Mnasilocho eodem et legatis praemissis.
He set out from Medion to Thyrrheum, having sent ahead the same Mnasilochus and the envoys.
ceterum detecta Medione fraus cautiores, non timidiores Thyrreensis fecit; §36.12.8dato enim haud perplexo responso, nullam se novam societatem nisi ex auctoritate imperatorum Romanorum accepturos, portisque clausis armatos in muris disposuerunt.
However, the fraud detected at Medion made the Thyrrheans more cautious, but not more timid; for, having given an unambiguous answer, that they would accept no new alliance except by the authority of the Roman commanders, they closed the gates and stationed armed men on the walls.
§36.12.9et peropportune ad confirmandos Acarnanum animos Cn. Octavius missus a Quinctio, cum praesidium et paucas naves ab A. Postumio, qui ab Atilio legato Cephallaniae praepositus fuerat, §36.12.10accepisset, Leucadem venit implevitque spei socios M’. Acilium consulem iam cum legionibus mare traiecisse et in Thessalia castra Romana esse.
And very opportunely for encouraging the minds of the Acarnanians, Gnaeus Octavius, sent by Quinctius, when he had received a garrison and a few ships from Aulus Postumius, who had been put in charge of Cephallenia by the lieutenant Atilius, came to Leucas and filled the allies with the hope that the consul Manius Acilius had already crossed the sea with his legions, and that the Roman camp was in Thessaly.
§36.12.11hunc rumorem quia similem veri tempus anni maturum iam ad navigandum faciebat, rex praesidio Medione imposito et in quibusdam aliis Acarnaniae oppidis Thyrreo abscessit et per Aetoliae ac Phocidis urbis Chalcidem rediit.
Since the season of the year, now ripe for navigation, made this rumor likely, the king, having placed a garrison in Medion and in certain other towns of Acarnania, withdrew from Thyrrheum and returned through the cities of Aetolia and Phocis to Chalcis.

Notes

  1. 36.12.1quibus auditis — An ablative absolute construction with a relative connection. `quibus` can be interpreted either as masculine plural referring to the `legati regis` ("when they [the envoys] had been heard") or as neuter plural referring substantively to their proposals ("when these things had been heard"). Since the envoys delivered their messages in person, both readings fit the context perfectly.
  2. 36.12.2manendum in Romana societate, alii non aspernandam amicitiam regis — Accusative with infinitive constructions in indirect discourse depending on `censerent`, with `esse` omitted in both cases. `manendum` is an impersonal gerund from the intransitive verb `manere` ("that they should remain"), whereas `aspernandam` is a gerundive from the transitive verb `aspernari` agreeing in gender, number, and case with its logical subject `amicitiam` (feminine accusative singular, "should not be rejected").
  3. 36.12.4clam missis, qui regem admovere copias iuberent — An ablative absolute construction `clam missis` with an omitted noun/pronoun (such as `iis` or `nuntiis`), followed by a relative clause of purpose `qui... iuberent` using the imperfect subjunctive. `admovere` is an infinitive depending on `iuberent`, taking the accusative `regem` as its subject accusative ("that the king should advance") and `copias` as its object.
  4. 36.12.10implevitque spei socios — The verb `implere` ("to fill") usually takes an ablative of means (`spe`), but here it governs the genitive `spei` ("of hope"). This construction is influenced by Greek syntax, where verbs of filling regularly take the genitive, and is a well-known poetic or Silver Latin usage common in Livy.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §36.12.1-36.12.11. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:36.12.1-36.12.11

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