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Livy · History of Rome §42.64.1-42.64.10

Perseus' Abortive Camp Attack and the Standoff at Crannon

Passage 1654 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

Perseus attempts a surprise attack on the Roman camp but fails and retreats. When the Romans move to Crannon, Perseus appears before them again with his cavalry, but after a tense standoff without a battle, both sides return to their camps.

§42.64.1cum haec in Boeotia gererentur, Perseus ad Sycurium stativa dierum aliquot habuit.
While these things were being done in Boeotia, Perseus held a stationary camp near Sycurium for several days.
§42.64.2ubi cum audisset raptim Romanos circa ex agris demessum frumentum convehere, deinde ante sua quemque tentoria spicas falcibus desecantem, quo purius frumentum tereret, ingentis acervos per tota castra stramentorum fecisse, ratus incendio opportuna esse, faces taedamque et malleolos stuppae inlitos pice parari iubet; §42.64.3atque ita media nocte profectus, ut prima luce adgressus falleret.
When he heard there that the Romans were hastily bringing in the harvested grain from the surrounding fields, and then that each one in front of his tent, cutting off the ears with sickles in order to thresh the grain more cleanly, had made huge heaps of straw throughout the entire camp, thinking that these were favorable for fire, he ordered torches, firebrands, and bundles of tow smeared with pitch to be prepared; and having thus set out in the middle of the night, so that attacking at dawn he might take them by surprise.
§42.64.4nequiquam primae stationes oppressae: tumultu ac terrore suo ceteros excitaverunt, signumque datum est arma extemplo capiendi; simulque in vallo, ad portas miles instructus erat.
In vain were the first outposts overwhelmed: by their tumult and terror they aroused the rest, and the signal was immediately given to take up arms; and at the same time on the rampart, the soldiers were drawn up at the gates.
§42.64.5tum vero pudore coeptae temere et inconsulte oppugnationis castrorum Perseus extemplo circumegit aciem et prima impedimenta ire, deinde peditum signa ferri iussit; ipse cum equitatu et levi armatura substitit ad agmen cogendum, ratus, id quod accidit, insecuturos ad extrema ab tergo carpenda hostis.
Then indeed, out of shame for a camp assault begun rashly and without consideration, Perseus immediately turned his line of battle around and ordered the baggage to go first, then the standards of the infantry to be carried forward; he himself with the cavalry and light infantry remained behind to bring up the rear, thinking—as indeed happened—that the enemy would pursue to harass the rear from behind.
§42.64.6breve certamen levis armaturae maxime cum procursatoribus fuit; equites peditesque sine tumultu in castra redierunt.
There was a brief skirmish, chiefly of the light infantry with the scouts; the cavalry and infantry returned to camp without confusion.
demessis circa segetibus Romani ad Crannona, intactum agrum, castra movent.
The crops around being harvested, the Romans moved their camp to Crannon, an untouched territory.
§42.64.7ibi cum securi et propter longinquitatem et viae inopis aquarum difficultatem, quae inter Sycurium et Crannona est, stativa haberent, repente prima luce in imminentibus tumulis equitatus regius cum levi armatura visus ingentem tumultum fecit.
While they were holding a stationary camp there, feeling secure both because of the distance and the difficulty of the waterless road which is between Sycurium and Crannon, suddenly at dawn the royal cavalry with the light infantry appeared on the overhanging hills and caused a huge tumult.
§42.64.8pridie per meridiem profecti ab Sycurio erant; peditum agmen sub lucem reliquerant in proxuma planitie.
They had set out from Sycurium at noon on the day before; they had left the line of infantry just before dawn in the nearest plain.
§42.64.9stetit paulisper Perseus in tumulis, elici posse ratus ad equestre certamen Romanos; qui postquam nihil movebant, equitem mittit, qui pedites referre ad Sycurium signa iuberet; ipse mox insecutus.
Perseus stood for a short time on the hills, thinking that the Romans could be enticed into a cavalry battle; when they made no move, he sent a horseman to order the infantry to carry back the standards to Sycurium; he himself soon followed.
§42.64.10Romani equites modico intervallo sequentes, sicubi sparsos ac dissipatos invadere possent, postquam confertos abire signa atque ordines servantes viderunt, et ipsi in castra redeunt.
The Roman cavalry, following at a moderate distance, to see if they could attack them scattered and dispersed anywhere, after they saw them departing in close array, preserving their standards and ranks, also returned to their camp.

Notes

  1. §42.64.2quo purius frumentum tereret — Because the purpose clause contains a comparative (purius), the conjunction quo (equivalent to ut eo) is used instead of ut, taking the imperfect subjunctive tereret.
  2. §42.64.2desecantem — A present participle modifying the singular accusative quemque, which functions as the logical subject of the perfect infinitive fecisse. The context shifts from the plural accusative Romanos in the preceding clause to the individualizing quemque.
  3. §42.64.5ad extrema ab tergo carpenda — The gerundive carpenda modifies the substantively used neuter plural accusative extrema (the rearmost part, the end of the line), expressing purpose when combined with the preposition ad.
  4. §42.64.10sicubi sparsos ac dissipatos invadere possent — The imperfect subjunctive possent in a clause introduced by sicubi expresses the expectation or intention of the agents ('in the hope that they might', 'to see if they could').

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §42.64.1-42.64.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:42.64.1-42.64.10

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