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Livy · History of Rome §40.52.1-40.52.7

Temple Dedications by Aemilius and Inscription of Naval Victory

Passage 1555 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

The censor Marcus Aemilius dedicated the temples of Juno and Diana with senate funding, and also dedicated the temple of Lares Permarini, recording the commemorative inscription of Lucius Aemilius's naval victory over Antiochus.

§40.52.1et alter ex censoribus M. Aemilius petiit ab senatu, ut sibi dedicationis causa templorum reginae Iunonis et Dianae, quae bello Ligustino annis octo ante vovisset, pecunia ad ludos decerneretur.
And the other of the censors, Marcus Aemilius, petitioned the Senate that money for games be decreed to him for the dedication of the temples of Queen Juno and Diana, which he had vowed eight years before in the Ligurian War.
§40.52.2viginti milia aeris decreverunt.
They decreed twenty thousand asses.
dedicavit eas aedes, §40.52.3utramque in circo Flaminio, ludosque scaenicos triduum post dedicationem templi Iunonis, biduum post Dianae, et singulos dies fecit in circo.
He dedicated those temples, both in the Circus Flaminius, and celebrated scenic games for three days after the dedication of the temple of Juno, for two days after that of Diana, and single days in the Circus.
idem dedicavit aedem Larum permarinum in Campo.
The same man dedicated the temple of the Lares Permarini in the Campus.
§40.52.4voverat eam annis undecim ante L. Aemilius Regillus navali proelio adversus praefectos regis Antiochi.
Lucius Aemilius Regillus had vowed it eleven years before in a naval battle against the commanders of King Antiochus.
supra valvas templi tabula cum titulo hoc fixa est: §40.52.5“duello magno dirimendo, regibus subigendis, caput patrandae pacis haec pugna exeunti L. Aemilio M. Aemilii filio auspicio imperio felicitate ductuque eius inter Ephesumn Samum Chiumque, §40.52.6inspectante eopse Antiocho, exercitu omni, equitatu elephantisque, classis regis Antiochi antehac invicta fusa contusa fugataque est.
Above the folding-doors of the temple, a tablet was fixed with this inscription: "For the ending of a great war and the subduing of kings, this battle, the chief means of securing peace, [took place] for Lucius Aemilius, son of Marcus, as he went forth under his own auspice, command, good fortune, and leadership, between Ephesus, Samos, and Chios, while Antiochus himself, with his entire army, cavalry, and elephants, looked on; the fleet of King Antiochus, previously undefeated, was shattered, crushed, and put to flight.
ibique eo die naves longae cum omnibus sociis captae quadraginta duae.
And there on that day, forty-two warships were captured with all their crews.
ea pugna pugnata rex Antiochus regnumque eius rei ergo aedem Laribus permarinis vovit. ” §40.52.7eodem exemplo tabula in aede Iovis in Capitolio supra valvas fixa est.
This battle having been fought, because of this event, namely [the defeat of] King Antiochus and his kingdom, [Lucius Aemilius] vowed a temple to the Lares Permarini." A tablet with the same text was fixed above the folding-doors in the temple of Jupiter on the Capitol.

Notes

  1. 40.52.1dedicationis causa — An expression of purpose formed by the noun causa preceded by the genitive dedicationis, meaning 'for the sake of the dedication.' The genitive templorum is an objective genitive dependent on dedicationis.
  2. 40.52.3Larum permarinum — Larum is the genitive plural of Lares, and permarinum is the genitive plural of permarinus. This features an archaic genitive plural ending in -um instead of the standard -orum, commonly found in older or religious formulas.
  3. 40.52.5L. Aemilio — The inscription begins with the dative L. Aemilio, but after a series of circumstantial descriptions, it connects to the verb vovit (§40.52.6) at the end, where a nominative subject would be expected, showing an anacoluthon typical of archaic inscriptions.
  4. 40.52.5duello magno dirimendo, regibus subigendis — Dative (or ablative) of the gerundive construction, expressing the purpose 'for the ending of a great war and the subduing of kings,' or the circumstances under which the action took place.
  5. 40.52.6eius rei ergo — The postposition ergo governs the genitive eius rei, meaning 'because of this matter.' The phrase refers to the preceding defeat and subjection of King Antiochus and his kingdom.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §40.52.1-40.52.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:40.52.1-40.52.7

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