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Livy · History of Rome §42.8.1-42.8.8

Popilius' Cruelty and the Senate's Decree for Ligurians

Passage 1598 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

The Ligurians (Statellates) surrendered unconditionally to the consul Popilius, who treated them with extreme cruelty and sold them into slavery. Upon hearing this report, the senate was outraged and passed a decree ordering the consul to restore the Ligurians to freedom, return their property, and resettle them in their former homes.

§42.8.1post hanc pugnam ex diversa fuga in unum collecti Ligures, cum maiorem multo partem civium amissam quam superesse cernerent — nec enim plus decem milia hominum erant —, dediderunt sese, nihil quidem illi pacti; §42.8.2speraverant tamen, non atrocius quam superiores imperatores consulem in se saeviturum.
After this battle, the Ligurians, having gathered into one place from their various directions of flight, when they saw that a much greater part of their citizens had been lost than survived—for there were not more than ten thousand men—surrendered themselves, having indeed bargained for nothing; yet they had hoped that the consul would not rage against them more cruelly than previous commanders.
§42.8.3at ille arma omnibus ademit, oppidum diruit, ipsos bonaque eorum vendidit; litterasque senatui de rebus ab se gestis misit.
But he deprived them all of their arms, demolished the town, and sold them and their goods; and he sent a letter to the senate about the things done by him.
§42.8.4quas cum A. Atilius praetor in curia recitasset — nam consul alter Postumius agris recognoscendis in Campania occupatus aberat — §42.8.5, atrox res visa senatui, Statellates, qui uni ex Ligurum gente non tulissent arma adversus Romanos, tum quoque oppugnatos, non ultro inferentis bellum, deditos in fidem populi Romani omni ultimae crudelitatis exemplo laceratos ac deletos esse, §42.8.6tot milia capitum innoxiorum, fidem inplorantia populi Romani, ne quis umquam se postea dedere auderet, pessumo exemplo venisse, et distractos passim iustis quondam hostibus populi Romani pacatos servire.
When Aulus Atilius the praetor had read this in the senate house—for the other consul Postumius was absent, occupied with surveying lands in Campania— the matter seemed dreadful to the senate: that the Statellates, who alone of the Ligurian nation had not borne arms against the Romans, and even then, not bringing war of their own accord, had been attacked, and having surrendered themselves into the protection of the Roman people, had been torn to pieces and destroyed by every example of extreme cruelty; that so many thousands of innocent heads, imploring the protection of the Roman people, had been sold under the worst example, so that no one would ever dare to surrender themselves thereafter, and that, scattered everywhere, those who were once just enemies of the Roman people and now pacified were serving as slaves.
§42.8.7quas ob res placere senatui, M. Popilium consulem Ligures, pretio emptoribus reddito, ipsos restituere in libertatem, bonaque ut iis, quod eius reciperari possit, reddantur curare; §42.8.8arma quoque reddi, eaque omnia primo quoque tempore fieri; nec ante consulem de provincia decedere, quam deditos in sedem suam Ligures restituisset.
For these reasons, the senate resolved that the consul Marcus Popilius, returning the price to the purchasers, should restore the Ligurians themselves to freedom, and see to it that their goods, as much as could be recovered, should be returned to them; that their arms also should be returned, and that all these things should be done at the very first opportunity; nor should the consul depart from his province before he had restored the surrendered Ligurians to their own seat.
claram victoriam vincendo pugnantis, non saeviendo in adflictos fieri.
A glorious victory is made by conquering those who fight, not by raging against the afflicted.

Notes

  1. 42.8.1nihil quidem illi pacti — The participle `pacti` is the perfect participle of the deponent verb `paciscor` (to bargain, contract), carrying an active meaning ('having bargained'). `nihil` is the direct object (neuter accusative) of this participle.
  2. 42.8.2non atrocius quam superiores imperatores consulem in se saeviturum — An accusative with infinitive (AcI) construction depending on the main verb `speraverant`. The subject is `consulem` (accusative), which goes with the future active infinitive `saeviturum [esse]` (where `esse` is omitted). `superiores imperatores` stands in the nominative case after `quam` introduced by the comparative `atrocius`.
  3. 42.8.5Statellates... laceratos ac deletos esse — In the indirect discourse representing the senate's view, this is the start of the accusative with infinitive (AcI) clause explaining the content of `atrox res visa [est] senatui` (the matter seemed dreadful to the senate). The subject is `Statellates` (accusative), leading to the perfect passive infinitive `laceratos ac deletos esse`.
  4. 42.8.7placere senatui, M. Popilium consulem... restituere... curare — An accusative with infinitive (AcI) construction governed by the verb `placere` used impersonally (to be resolved, to please the senate). The subject is `M. Popilium consulem` (accusative), governing the coordinated active infinitives `restituere` and `curare`. The verb `curare` further governs the object clause `ut... reddantur` (subjunctive present passive).

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §42.8.1-42.8.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:42.8.1-42.8.8

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