Book II
Reading edition
Page 16.
Ch. 1.
3. tribūnī mīlitārēs cōnsulārī potestāte: six military tribunes with consular powers and consular duration of office were elected by the Comitia Centuriata. The office was open alike to patricians and plebeians. This was a compromise measure on the part of the patricians when they were forced to yield to the demands of the plebeians to be admitted to the consulship. All the rights of the consulship were given to them by this means without the honorary privileges the holding of the office of consul conferred. Each year the people determined whether consuls or military tribunes with consular power should be elected. From the time of the creation of the tribunes with consular power until the opening of the consulship to the plebeians in 367 B.C., the tribunes were elected fifty times and the consuls twenty-three. The plebeians were kept out of the office until 400 B.C. Mommsen, p. 63; Tighe, p. 100.
4. hinc: cf. hinc, Bk. I, 9.
7. trēs … ēgit: i.e. a triumph for each of the cities.
Ch. 2.
11. sub ipsīs: ‘under the direction of these’; i.e. the citizens of Praeneste.
12. Rōmānīs: note the name of the people for that of the city.
14. dēcrētus: sc. est from the sunt preceding.
Ch. 3.
16. placuit: lit. ‘it was pleasing’ ＝ ‘they determined.’
17. ita fluxit: lit. ‘it flowed so’ ＝ ‘there was such disturbance.’
Ch. 4.
21. L. Genuciō … cōnsulibus: cf. C. Fabiō … cōnsulibus, Bk. I, 16.
22. honor … dēlātus est: lit. ‘honor second after Romulus was conferred upon him’ ＝ ‘honor second to that of Romulus,’ etc.
Page 17.
Ch. 5.
2. mīliāriō: cf. mīliāriō, Bk. I, 4.
3. Aniēnem: the Anio, a tributary of the Tiber. Aniēnem is Accusative from the old Nominative Anien.
nōbilissimus: lit. ‘of highest birth.’ √GNO, cf. nōscō.
dē senātōribus: cf. ex seniōribus, Bk. I, 2.
4. L. Mānlius: his name is generally given as Titus. The Story of the Romans, p. 106.
5. sublātō … impositō: ‘having taken off his (the Gaul’s) golden necklace and having placed it on his own neck’; cf. conditā cīvitāte, Bk. I, 2.
6. in perpetuum: ‘forever.’
7. fugātī sunt: note the difference in form and meaning between fugāre and fugere.
8. nōn multō post: lit. ‘not after by much’ ＝ ‘not long after.’
9. mīlia captīvōrum: it was customary to adorn the procession of the victorious general, when he was celebrating a triumph, with the captives he had taken in the campaign. When the procession passed up the Capitoline Hill to the Temple of Jupiter, the captives were led aside to the Mamertine prison at the foot of the hill and were strangled.
Ch. 6.
11. Latīnī: Creighton, p. 27.
12. mīlitēs praestāre: it was the custom of Rome to compel the states she had subdued to furnish soldiers for the Roman army. These were used as auxiliary forces.
ex Rōmānīs: cf. ex seniōribus, Bk. I, 2.
13. quī modus ＝ modus quī; ‘a force which.’
14. parvīs … rēbus: ‘although up to this time the Roman state was small.’
16. quae ＝ eae lēgiōnēs.
duce L. Fūriō: lit. ‘L. Furius being the leader’ ＝ ‘under the leadership of L. Furius.’
17. quī esset optimus: ‘whoever was the best.’
18. sē … obtulit: ‘offered himself.’
Valerius: see The Story of the Romans, p. 111.
20. commissā … pūgnā: cf. conditā cīvitāte, Bk. I, 2.
21. ālīs et unguibus: cf. fulmine, Bk. I, 4.
25. annōrum: by a law passed in 181 B.C., the legal age of the consulship was fixed at forty-three. There were exceptions made, as in the case of Cn. Pompeius, who was elected consul when he was thirty-six years old.
Page 18.
Ch. 7.
1. Latīnī: Creighton, p. 28.
2. ex eōrum: sc. populō.
4. pūgnā: see The Story of the Romans, p. 113.
5. dē hīs perdomitīs: ‘a triumph was celebrated on account of their defeat.’
6. rōstrīs: the Rostra or speaker’s platform in the Forum. From it the speaker could command the entire Forum and the Comitium. In 42 B.C. it was removed and set up again at the west end of the Forum. Another rostra was constructed about the same time at the opposite end, in front of the new Temple of Divus Iulius.
7. Alexandrō Macedone: Alexander the Great.
Ch. 8.
9. Samnītas: a Greek form of the Accusative. The Samnites were offshoots of the Sabines, occupying the hilly country between the Nar, the Tiber, and the Anio. Their bravery made them the most formidable rival of Rome in Italy. In 290 B.C. they were subjected to Rome.
12. Q. Fabiō Māximō: called Rulliānus. This Fabius was five times consul and dictator twice. He triumphed over the Samnites, Marsi, Gauls, and Etrurians. He was the great-grandfather of Q. Fabius Maximus, the hero of the Second Punic war.
14. sē absente: ‘while he (Papīrius) was absent.’
16. capitis damnātus: lit. ‘having been condemned of the head’ ＝ ‘having been condemned on a capital charge’; cf. our expression ‘capital punishment.’
sē vetante: cf. parvīs … rēbus, Ch. 6. Sē; the antecedent is Papīrius.
Ch. 9.
19. T. Veturiō … cōnsulibus: cf. C. Fabiō … cōnsulibus, Bk. I, 16.
20. vīcērunt: at the battle of the Caudine Forks, a narrow pass east of Campania. The commander of the Samnites was Gavius Pontius. See The Story of the Romans, p. 113.
sub iugum: the yoke was formed by sticking two spears in the ground and fastening a third on top. To pass under the yoke was a sign of subjection, and is equivalent to our expression ‘laying down arms.’ Livy, Bk. IX, VI, describes the process.
21. pāx … solūta est: a Roman general could not make peace with the enemy without the ratification of the senate and the people.
22. ipsīs: see note on ipsōs, Bk. I, 20.
facta fuerat: see note on facta fuisset, Bk. I, 8.
Page 19.
3. aquam Claudiam indūxit: i.e. he built the aqueduct named after him. It was more commonly called ‘Aqua Appia.’ Between seven and eight miles in length, chiefly under ground, it was the beginning of the magnificent system of water works that distinguished ancient Rome. Four of these old aqueducts still furnish the water supply of modern Rome. Lanciani, Ancient Rome, p. 58.
4. viam Appiam: “the Appian road was made in 312 B.C. to join Rome to Capua, and was afterwards carried as far as Brundisium. This ‘queen of roads,’ as it was called, was a stone causeway, constructed according to the nature of the country, with an embankment either beneath or beside it, and was of such a width that two broad wagons could easily pass each other.”
Q. Fabium Māximum: called Gurges, the son of Q. Fabius Maximus, mentioned in Ch. 8.
6. datus fuisset: cf. questa fuisset, Bk. I, 8.
7. ipsōrum: cf. ipsīs, above.
10. per annōs: cf. per annum, Bk. I, 10.
11. āctum: ‘waged’; agrees with bellum.
Ch. 10.
13. sē … iūnxērunt: cf. coniūnxērunt sē, Bk. I, 19.
15. dēlētae sunt: The Story of the Romans, p. 114.
Ch. 11.
17. Tarentīnīs: the people of Tarentum, a rich and luxurious city in southern Italy. It played an important part in the war with Pyrrhus. The whole of southern Italy was known as Magna Graecia, on account of the number of cities founded there by the Greeks.
in ultimā Ītaliā: ‘in the most remote part of Italy’; H. 497, 3 (440, N. 1); M. 423; A. & G. 193; G. 291, R. 2; B. 241.
19. Pyrrhum … auxilium poposcērunt: ‘asked aid of Pyrrhus.’ Pyrrhus was regarded as one of the greatest generals that had ever lived. With his daring courage, his military skill, and his kingly bearing, he might have become the most powerful monarch of his day. But he never rested satisfied with any acquisition, and was ever grasping at some fresh object. For an account of the war see The Story of the Romans, pp. 115-121; Creighton, p. 31.
20. orīginem trahēbat: ‘was claiming descent’; it was the custom of royal families to claim descent from heroes or gods.
21. prīmum: ‘for the first time.’
24. cēpisset: cf. latrōcinārētur, Bk. I, 1.
dūcī: cf. the construction with praecēpit, Ch. 8.
Page 20.
2. auxiliō: cf. fulmine, Bk. I, 4.
vīcit: although the loss of the Romans was nearly equaled by that of Pyrrhus, the value of winning the first battle was at once shown by the fact that the Lucanians, Bruttians, Samnites, and all the Greek cities joined Pyrrhus.
6. quōs … vīdisset: ‘and when he saw them lying’; quos ＝ et eos; cf. quō morbō mortuō, Bk. I, 10.
adversō vulnere: ‘with their wounds in front’; i.e. they died facing the enemy.
8. hāc vōce: lit. ‘this voice’ ＝ ‘these words.’
Ch. 12.
10. sibi: cf. Tuscīs Samnītibusque, Ch. 10.
13. terrōre exercitūs: ‘on account of his fear of the army’; note the difference in meaning between the Subjective and Objective Genitive; H. 440, 2 (396, III); M. 216, 1; A. & G. 217; G. 363, 2; B. 200.
14. sē recēpit: lit. ‘he took himself back’ ＝ ‘he withdrew.’ This march was merely a feint on the part of Pyrrhus.
15. honōrificē: the Romans always regarded Pyrrhus as an honorable enemy. Their feelings towards Hannibal were entirely different.
17. Fābricium: C. Fābricius Luscīnus. He was consul for the first time 283 B.C., when he triumphed over the Boii and Etrurians. He was noted for his extreme frugality and simplicity, as well as for his integrity. He is cited by Cicero and Horace as a type of the Roman citizens of the best days of the Commonwealth.
18. cognōvisset: cf. latrōcinārētur, Bk. I, 1.
19. voluerit: cf. habuerit, Bk. I, 11.
Ch. 13.
25. pāx displicuit: it is said that at first the senate wavered; but by the energy of the blind and aged Appius Claudius, who caused himself to be carried into the senate house, their courage was revived.
remandātum est: ‘word was sent back.’
Page 21.
1. nisi … posse: this answer passed into a maxim of state.
4. ante … quam: note the fondness of the Latin for separating the parts of this and other compounds of the same nature.
veterem: ‘former.’
bīnōrum: ‘two apiece.’
6. quālem: predicate to Rōmam; ‘what sort (of a city) he had found Rome (to be).’
7. comperisset, cf. agerentur, Ch. 11.
Ch. 14.
18. occīsūrum: cf. note on prōmittentēs … implendum, Bk. I, Ch. 16.
sī … aliquid: ‘if something.’
pollicērētur: Imperf. Subjunctive representing the Future Indicative in Direct Discourse; H. 574, 646 (507, I, 527, I); M. 363, 1, 402; A. & G. 307, 1, 337, a, 3; G. 595, R. 1; B. 319, B.
19. dominum: indicating that the physician was a slave, as was usual at that time.
23. Lūcānīs et Samnītibus: they, with the Bruttii, had joined Pyrrhus against Rome. This was the second triumph of Fabricius; cf. note on Fabricius, Ch. 12. He was consul the third time two years after.
Page 22.
2. prīmus: ‘he was the first to.’
3. apud Argōs: it is said that he perished ingloriously in a street fight, 272 B.C.
Ch. 15.
6. urbis conditae: cf. ab urbe conditā, Bk. I, Ch. 18.
8. petierant for petīverant: the shorter forms are more usual in this verb.
Ch. 16.
11. dē hīs: cf. dē hīs, Bk. I, Ch. 11.
12. cīvitātēs ＝ urbēs: see note on conditā cīvitāte, Bk. I, Ch. 2.
Beneventum: its name is said to have been originally Maleventum, and to have been changed because of the evil omen it contained. The name Beneventum was given it in 271 B.C. Here Fabricius defeated Pyrrhus 275 B.C. It remained a possession of the Romans during the whole of the Second Punic War and was thanked by the senate for its faithfulness during that critical period.
Ch. 17.
16. Brundisīnī: the people of Brundisium, the modern Brindisi. It was a seaport of Calabria, the chief naval station of the Romans on the Adriatic Sea, and their regular port of departure for Greece.
Ch. 18.
17. annō: sc. ab urbe conditā.
18. extrā Ītaliam: ‘the Roman power was now dominant throughout the peninsula to the river Aesis; the valley of the Po, however, was still reckoned a part of Gaul.’
24. contrā Āfrōs: i.e. Carthaginians. Carthage was one of the first cities of the ancient world. It was situated on the north coast of Africa, and was said to have been founded by Phoenicians from Tyre under the leadership of Dido. Carthage had been the ally of Rome in the war against Pyrrhus. But the growing commercial activity of Carthage caused jealousy to arise which resulted in the three wars for the supremacy of the West,—known as the Punic wars. The first was from 264 B.C. to 241 B.C. The second 218-202 B.C. and the third 149-146 B.C. It resulted in the capture and destruction of Carthage by the Romans under P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus. Creighton, Ch. III.
26. rēge Siciliae Hierōne: Hiero was the king of Syracuse and its dependencies. Nearly all the rest of Sicily was in the power of the Carthaginians.
Page 23.
Ch. 19.
2. rēs māgnae: ‘great operations.’
3. in fidem acceptae: sc. sunt; ‘were taken under their protection’; i.e. they were made tributary.
Ch. 20.
11. Liburnās: sc. nāvēs; these were light vessels built after a model taken from the Liburnians, a sea-faring people that lived on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea.
12. Duilius: the victory of Duilius was due to a device by which he turned a naval battle into a land contest. His ships were furnished with grappling irons, by means of which he seized the ships of the enemy and then boarded them, when the Roman soldiers easily proved themselves superior to the Carthaginian mercenaries. It was the first naval victory the Romans had ever gained, and in honor of it a column was erected to the memory of Duilius.
17. possent: cf. pūgnāsset, Ch. 8.
19. inde ＝ ex his locis: ‘from these places.’
20. triumphum ēgit: ‘he celebrated a triumph.’
Ch. 21.
23. pūgnātum: sc. est; ‘they fought.’
victus est: ‘he (Hamilcar) was conquered.’
24. retrō sē recēpit: cf. sē recēpit, Ch. 12.
Page 24.
1. in dēditiōnem accēpērunt: ‘they received in surrender.’
2. ūsque ad: lit. ‘even up to’ ＝ ‘as far as.’
6. decem et octō: cf. decem et octō, Bk. I, Ch. 1.
8. in fidem accēpit: cf. in fidem acceptae, Ch. 19.
11. ā Lacedaemoniīs: cf. Pyrrhum … auxilium poposcērunt, Ch. 11. The Spartans were called Lacedaemonii from Lacedaemon, another name for Sparta.
Ch. 22.
22. ingentī praedā: after a victory a portion of the booty generally was divided among the soldiers.
23. subācta … fuisset: cf. questa fuisset, Bk. I, 8.
30. neque … īnfrāctus fuit: lit. ‘neither in any one was courage broken by these’ ＝ ‘and no one’s courage was broken by these (misfortunes).’
hīs: sc. cāsibus.
Page 25.
Ch. 23.
4. continuae: ‘repeated’; one following another without any break.
6. recēderētur: lit. ‘it should be withdrawn’ ＝ ‘they should withdraw.’
Ch. 24.
8. Metellō: a coin was struck to commemorate this battle, having the head of Metellus on the one side and an elephant on the other. Metellus was consul a second time in 249 B.C., and was elected Pontifex Maximus in 243 B.C. In 241 B.C. he rescued the Palladium when the Temple of Vesta was on fire.
10. venientem: ‘on his arrival’; in Sicily from Africa.
12. in auxilium: lit. ‘for aid’ ＝ ‘as auxiliaries.’
13. ingentī pompā: cf. ultimā perniciē, Ch. 21.
Ch. 25.
17. obtinēret: ‘obtain’; a late meaning.
18. nihil … ēgit: ‘did not act at all’; i.e. he made no use of the privileges enjoyed by Roman citizens, but acted as a foreigner on the ground that he had lost his citizenship when he had been captured by the enemy. It was so provided by Roman law, but there was also the provision that when a prisoner returned he recovered his former status. The story of the return of Regulus is more than doubtful.
20. uxōrem: according to the view he took she had ceased to be his wife.
Page 26.
1. obtinuit: ‘he gained his point.’
2. nūllus admīsit: ‘no one admitted (to the senate)’; i.e. the Romans refused to admit the ambassadors.
3. negāvit ＝ dīxit nōn.
4. mānsūrum: sc. esse.
Ch. 26.
8. contrā auspicia: nothing was undertaken by the Romans without consulting the will of the gods. In this case the sacred chickens refused to eat, this being an unfavorable omen, yet Claudius persisted in fighting.
11. alius: in classical Latin alter would have been used; cf. aliī … aliī, Bk. I, 4. L. Junius is meant.
Ch. 27.
15. trecentīs nāvibus: this fleet was not raised by the state, but by private subscription. The number is generally given as 200.
18. nāvem aeger ascendit: ‘embarked with difficulty.’
vulnerātus … fuerat: cf. questa fuisset, Bk. I, 8.
22. īnfīnītum: ‘a very great (amount).’
aurī: cf. argentī, Ch. 19.
24. VI Īdūs Mārtiās: the full expression would be ante diem sextum Īdūs Mārtiās; cf. XI Kal. Māiās, Bk. I, 1.
25. tribūta … pāx: peace was granted finally on these terms: Carthage was to evacuate Sicily, to give up the Roman prisoners without ransom, and to pay a war indemnity of 3,200 talents,—$4,000,000,—one third down and the remainder in ten annual payments.
Page 27.
1. licēret: ‘it might be permitted’; the subject is redimī captīvōs.
4. redīrent: iubeō generally takes the Accusative and Infinitive, but in poetry and in late prose it sometimes takes ut with the Subjunctive.
5. ex fiscō: ‘from the treasury’; a late meaning.
Ch. 28.
6. Q. Lutātius: Cercō.
A. Mānlius: Torquātus.
8. quam vēnerant: ‘after they had come.’