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Livy · History of Rome §37.48.1-37.48.7

Rumors of the Capture of the Scipios and the Record of Antias

Passage 1373 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

Livy recounts a widespread rumor in Rome reported by Valerius Antias that the Scipios had been captured in Asia and the Roman army destroyed, while suspending his own judgment on its credibility.

§37.48.1M. Fulvio Nobiliore et Cn.
In the consulship of M. Fulvius Nobilior and Cn.
Manlio Vulsone consulibus Valerius Antias auctor est rumorem celebrem Romae fuisse et paene pro certo habitum, §37.48.2recipiendi Scipionis adulescentis causa consulem L.
Manlius Vulso, Valerius Antias states that a widespread rumor prevailed in Rome and was held almost for certain, that, for the purpose of recovering the young Scipio, the consul L.
§37.48.3Scipionem et cum eo P. Africanum in colloquium evocatos regis et ipsos comprehensos esse, et ducibus captis confestim ad castra Romana exercitum ductum, eaque expugnata et deletas omnis copias Romanorum esse.
Scipio and, with him, P. Africanus had been invited by the king to a conference and were themselves arrested, and that, the leaders having been captured, an army was immediately led against the Roman camp, which was taken by storm, and all the Roman forces were destroyed.
§37.48.4ob haec Aetolos sustulisse animos et abnuisse imperata facere, principesque eorum in Macedoniam et in Dardanos et in Thraeciam ad conducenda mercede auxilia profectos.
On account of this, the Aetolians had plucked up courage and refused to obey orders, and their leaders had set out for Macedonia, the Dardani, and Thrace to hire auxiliaries.
§37.48.5haec qui nuntiarent Romam, A. Terentium Varronem et M. Claudium Lepidum ab A. Cornelio propraetore ex Aetolia missos esse.
To report these matters to Rome, A. Terentius Varronem and M. Claudius Lepidus had been sent from Aetolia by the propraetor A. Cornelius.
§37.48.6subtexit deinde fabulae huic legatos Aetolos in senatu inter cetera hoc quoque interrogatos esse, unde audissent imperatores Romanos in Asia captos ab Antiocho rege et exercitum deletum esse; §37.48.7Aetolos respondisse ab suis legatis se, qui cum consule fuerint, certiores factos.
He then adds to this fiction that the Aetolian envoys in the senate, among other things, were also asked from what source they had heard that the Roman commanders in Asia had been captured by King Antiochus and the army destroyed; and that the Aetolians replied that they had been informed by their own envoys who had been with the consul.
rumoris huius quia neminem alium auctorem habeo, neque adfirmata res mea opinione sit nec pro vana praetermissa.
Since I have no other authority for this rumor, the matter, in my opinion, should neither be affirmed as true nor passed over as groundless.

Notes

  1. 37.48.2recipiendi Scipionis adulescentis causa — The genitive of the gerundive recipiendi agrees with the noun Scipionis adulescentis, used with causa to express purpose. Logically, it translates as 'for the purpose of recovering the young Scipio'.
  2. 37.48.5haec qui nuntiarent Romam — The clause introduced by the relative pronoun qui with the imperfect subjunctive nuntiarent expresses purpose (relative clause of purpose). The antecedent is contextually A. Terentium Varronem and M. Claudium Lepidum in the main clause, placed beforehand in a proleptic structure.
  3. 37.48.7neque adfirmata res mea opinione sit nec pro vana praetermissa — The present subjunctive sit expresses a subjective or cautious assertion (potential subjunctive, or with a nuance of propriety/obligation). It carries the sense of 'should not be affirmed' or 'cannot be affirmed'.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §37.48.1-37.48.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:37.48.1-37.48.7

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