1. Plato, Laws, 718b (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 718b. the sequel of the laws themselves, partly by persuasion and partly (when men’s habits defy persuasion) by forcible and just chastisement, will render our State, with the concurrence of the gods, a blessed State and a prosperous. There are also matters which a lawgiver, if he shares my view, must necessarily regulate, though they are ill-suited for statement in the form of a law; in dealing with these he ought, in my opinion, to produce a sample for his own use and that of those |
|
2. Cicero, On Laws, 2.20 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
3. Cicero, Letters, 1.1.27 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
4. Cicero, Letters, 1.1.27 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
5. Cicero, Letters, 1.1.27 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
6. Cicero, Letters, 1.1.27 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
7. Cicero, Letters To Quintus, 1.1.27 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
8. Cicero, Pro Archia, 21 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 21. Mithridaticum vero bellum magnum atque difficile et in multa varietate terra marique mari terraque G versatum totum ab hoc expressum est; qui libri non modo L. Lucullum, fortissimum et clarissimum virum, verum etiam populi Romani nomen inlustrant. populus enim Romanus aperuit Lucullo imperante Pontum et regiis quondam opibus et ipsa natura et natura et Mommsen : naturae (-ra eb χς ) codd. regione regionis b χς vallatum, populi Romani exercitus eodem duce non maxima manu innumerabilis Armeniorum copias fudit, populi Romani laus est urbem amicissimam Cyzicenorum eiusdem consilio ex omni impetu regio atque atque GEeb : ac cett. : atque e Halm totius belli ore ac faucibus ereptam esse atque servatam; nostra semper feretur et praedicabitur L. Lucullo dimicante, cum interfectis ducibus depressa hostium classis est est Heumann : et codd. , incredibilis apud Tenedum pugna illa navalis, nostra sunt tropaea, nostra monumenta, nostri triumphi. quae quae G1Ee : quia cett. ( G2 ) quorum ingeniis efferuntur efferuntur Görenz : haec (hec a ς bg ) feruntur codd. : ecferuntur Stürenberg , ab eis populi Romani fama celebratur. | |
|
9. Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti, 1.2-1.3, 6.1, 8.5, 20.4, 34.2-34.3 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
|
10. Horace, Odes, 1.37 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 1.37. and so many of the people followed him, that he was encouraged to come down from the mountains, and to give battle to Antiochus’s generals, when he beat them, and drove them out of Judea. So he came to the government by this his success, and became the prince of his own people by their own free consent, and then died, leaving the government to Judas, his eldest son. 1.37. But as he was avenging himself on his enemies, there fell upon him another providential calamity; for in the seventh year of his reign, when the war about Actium was at the height, at the beginning of the spring, the earth was shaken, and destroyed an immense number of cattle, with thirty thousand men; but the army received no harm, because it lay in the open air. |
|
11. Livy, History, 1.12.4-1.12.7 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
12. Lucretius Carus, On The Nature of Things, 1.38-1.43, 1.62-1.79, 1.117-1.119, 1.926-1.950, 4.1-4.5, 4.11-4.25, 5.20-5.21 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
|
13. Ovid, Fasti, 1.581, 1.587-1.616, 3.697-3.710, 4.953-4.954, 5.11-5.52, 5.569-5.578 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.581. Where that part of the city takes its name from an ox. 1.587. offers to the flames the entrails of a gelded ram: 1.588. All the provinces were returned to our people 1.589. And your grandfather was given the name Augustus. 1.590. Read the legends on wax images in noble halls 1.591. Such titles were never bestowed on men before. 1.592. Here Africa named her conqueror after herself: 1.593. Another witnesses to Isaurian or Cretan power tamed: 1.594. This makes glory from Numidians, that Messana 1.595. While the next drew his fame from Numantia. 1.596. Drusus owed his death and glory to Germany – 1.597. Alas, how brief that great virtue was! 1.598. If Caesar was to take his titles from the defeated 1.599. He would need as many names as tribes on earth. 1.600. Some have earned fame from lone enemies 1.601. Named from a torque won or a raven-companion. 1.602. Pompey the Great, your name reflects your deeds 1.603. But he who defeated you was greater still. 1.604. No surname ranks higher than that of the Fabii 1.605. Their family was called Greatest for their services. 1.606. Yet these are human honours bestowed on all. 1.607. Augustus alone has a name that ranks with great Jove. 1.608. Sacred things are called august by the senators 1.609. And so are temples duly dedicated by priestly hands. 1.610. From the same root comes the word augury 1.611. And Jupiter augments things by his power. 1.612. May he augment our leader’s empire and his years 1.613. And may the oak-leaf crown protect his doors. 1.614. By the god’s auspices, may the father’s omen 1.615. Attend the heir of so great a name, when he rules the world. 1.616. When the third sun looks back on the past Ides 3.697. Our leader, when Vesta spoke from her pure hearth: 3.698. Don’t hesitate to recall them: he was my priest 3.699. And those sacrilegious hands sought me with their blades. 3.700. I snatched him away, and left a naked semblance: 3.701. What died by the steel, was Caesar’s shadow.’ 3.702. Raised to the heavens he found Jupiter’s halls 3.703. And his is the temple in the mighty Forum. 3.704. But all the daring criminals who in defiance 3.705. of the gods, defiled the high priest’s head 3.706. Have fallen in merited death. Philippi is witness 3.707. And those whose scattered bones whiten its earth. 3.708. This work, this duty, was Augustus’ first task 3.709. Avenging his father by the just use of arms. 3.710. When the next dawn has revived the tender grass 4.953. Decked with branches of oak: one place holds three eternal gods. 5.11. ‘After the first Chaos, as soon as the three primary form 5.12. Were given to the world, all things were newly re-configured: 5.13. Earth sank under its own weight, and drew down the seas 5.14. But lightness lifted the sky to the highest regions: 5.15. And the sun and stars, not held back by their weight 5.16. And you, you horses of the moon, sprang high. 5.17. But Earth for a long time wouldn’t yield to Sky 5.18. Nor the other lights to the Sun: honours were equal. 5.19. One of the common crowd of gods, would often dare 5.20. To sit on the throne that you, Saturn, owned 5.21. None of the new gods took Ocean’s side 5.22. And Themis was relegated to the lowest place 5.23. Until Honour, and proper Reverence, she 5.24. of the calm look, were united in a lawful bed. 5.25. From them Majesty was born, she considers them 5.26. Her parents, she who was noble from her day of birth. 5.27. She took her seat, at once, high in the midst of Olympus 5.28. Conspicuous, golden, in her purple folds. 5.29. Modesty and Fear sat with her: you could see 5.30. All the gods modelling their expression on hers. 5.31. At once, respect for honour entered their minds: 5.32. The worthy had their reward, none thought of self. 5.33. This state of things lasted for years in heaven 5.34. Till the elder god was banished by fate from the citadel. 5.35. Earth bore the Giants, a fierce brood of savage monsters 5.36. Who dared to venture against Jupiter’s halls: 5.37. She gave them a thousands hands, serpents for legs 5.38. And said: “Take up arms against the mighty gods.” 5.39. They set to piling mountains to the highest stars 5.40. And to troubling mighty Jupiter with war: 5.41. He hurled lightning bolts from the heavenly citadel 5.42. And overturned the weighty mass on its creators. 5.43. These divine weapons protected Majesty well 5.44. She survived, and has been worshipped ever since: 5.45. So she attends on Jove, Jove’s truest guardian 5.46. And allows him to hold the sceptre without force. 5.47. She came to earth as well: Romulus and Numa 5.48. Both worshipped her, and so did others in later ages. 5.49. She maintains fathers and mothers in due honour 5.50. She keeps company with virgins and young boys 5.51. She burnishes the lictor’s rods, axes, and ivory chair 5.52. She rides high in triumph behind the garlanded horses.’ 5.569. And he sees Augustus’ name on the front of the shrine 5.570. And reading ‘Caesar’ there, the work seems greater still. 5.571. He had vowed it as a youth, when dutifully taking arms: 5.572. With such deeds a Prince begins his reign. 5.573. Loyal troops standing here, conspirators over there 5.574. He stretched his hand out, and spoke these words: 5.575. ‘If the death of my ‘father’ Julius, priest of Vesta 5.576. Gives due cause for this war, if I avenge for both 5.577. Come, Mars, and stain the sword with evil blood 5.578. And lend your favour to the better side. You’ll gain |
|
14. Ovid, Metamorphoses, 1.562-1.565, 15.858-15.860 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
|
15. Propertius, Elegies, 4.6.64-4.6.66 (1st cent. BCE
|
16. Vergil, Aeneis, 1.263-1.266, 8.688-8.713 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 1.263. had stored in jars, and prince-like sent away 1.264. with his Ioved guest;—this too Aeneas gave; 1.266. “Companions mine, we have not failed to feel 8.688. pallas, my son, and bid him find in thee 8.689. a master and example, while he learns 8.690. the soldier's arduous toil. With thy brave deeds 8.691. let him familiar grow, and reverence thee 8.692. with youthful love and honor. In his train 8.693. two hundred horsemen of Arcadia 8.694. our choicest men-at-arms, shall ride; and he 8.695. in his own name an equal band shall bring 8.696. to follow only thee.” Such the discourse. 8.697. With meditative brows and downcast eyes 8.698. Aeneas and Achates, sad at heart 8.699. mused on unnumbered perils yet to come. 8.700. But out of cloudless sky Cythera's Queen 8.701. gave sudden signal: from th' ethereal dome 8.702. a thunder-peal and flash of quivering fire 8.703. tumultuous broke, as if the world would fall 8.704. and bellowing Tuscan trumpets shook the air. 8.705. All eyes look up. Again and yet again 8.706. crashed the terrible din, and where the sky 8.707. looked clearest hung a visionary cloud 8.708. whence through the brightness blazed resounding arms. 8.709. All hearts stood still. But Troy 's heroic son 8.710. knew that his mother in the skies redeemed 8.711. her pledge in sound of thunder: so he cried 8.712. “Seek not, my friend, seek not thyself to read 8.713. the meaning of the omen. 'T is to me |
|
17. Vergil, Georgics, 3.1-3.48, 4.559-4.566 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 3.1. Thee too, great Pales, will I hymn, and thee 3.2. Amphrysian shepherd, worthy to be sung 3.3. You, woods and waves Lycaean. All themes beside 3.4. Which else had charmed the vacant mind with song 3.5. Are now waxed common. of harsh Eurystheus who 3.6. The story knows not, or that praiseless king 3.7. Busiris, and his altars? or by whom 3.8. Hath not the tale been told of Hylas young 3.9. Latonian Delos and Hippodame 3.10. And Pelops for his ivory shoulder famed 3.11. Keen charioteer? Needs must a path be tried 3.12. By which I too may lift me from the dust 3.13. And float triumphant through the mouths of men. 3.14. Yea, I shall be the first, so life endure 3.15. To lead the Muses with me, as I pa 3.16. To mine own country from the Aonian height; 3.17. I, placeName key= 3.18. of Idumaea, and raise a marble shrine 3.19. On thy green plain fast by the water-side 3.20. Where Mincius winds more vast in lazy coils 3.21. And rims his margent with the tender reed. 3.22. Amid my shrine shall Caesar's godhead dwell. 3.23. To him will I, as victor, bravely dight 3.24. In Tyrian purple, drive along the bank 3.25. A hundred four-horse cars. All placeName key= 3.26. Leaving Alpheus and Molorchus' grove 3.27. On foot shall strive, or with the raw-hide glove; 3.28. Whilst I, my head with stripped green olive crowned 3.29. Will offer gifts. Even 'tis present joy 3.30. To lead the high processions to the fane 3.31. And view the victims felled; or how the scene 3.32. Sunders with shifted face, and placeName key= 3.33. Inwoven thereon with those proud curtains rise. 3.34. of gold and massive ivory on the door 3.35. I'll trace the battle of the Gangarides 3.36. And our Quirinus' conquering arms, and there 3.37. Surging with war, and hugely flowing, the placeName key= 3.38. And columns heaped on high with naval brass. 3.39. And placeName key= 3.40. And quelled Niphates, and the Parthian foe 3.41. Who trusts in flight and backward-volleying darts 3.42. And trophies torn with twice triumphant hand 3.43. From empires twain on ocean's either shore. 3.44. And breathing forms of Parian marble there 3.45. Shall stand, the offspring of Assaracus 3.46. And great names of the Jove-descended folk 3.47. And father Tros, and placeName key= 3.48. of Cynthus. And accursed Envy there 4.559. With a great cry leapt on him, and ere he rose 4.560. Forestalled him with the fetters; he nathless 4.561. All unforgetful of his ancient craft 4.562. Transforms himself to every wondrous thing 4.563. Fire and a fearful beast, and flowing stream. 4.564. But when no trickery found a path for flight 4.565. Baffled at length, to his own shape returned 4.566. With human lips he spake, “Who bade thee, then |
|
18. Lucan, Pharsalia, 1.33-1.66, 5.479, 7.872, 10.63, 10.66, 10.68-10.70 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
|
19. Seneca The Younger, De Clementia, 1.9, 1.11 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
|
20. Suetonius, Augustus, 30.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
|
21. Cassius Dio, Roman History, 51.20-51.21, 51.22.3 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 51.20. 1. These were the decrees passed at that time; and when he was consul for the fifth time, with Sextus Apuleius, they ratified all his acts by oath on the very first day of January. When the letter came regarding the Parthians, they further arranged that his name should be included in their hymns equally with those of the gods;,2. that a tribe should be called the "Julian" after him; that he should wear the triumphal crown at all the festivals; that the senators who had participated in his victory should take part in the triumphal procession arrayed in purple-bordered togas;,3. that the day on which he entered the city should be honoured with sacrifices by the whole population and be held sacred for evermore; and that he might choose priests even beyond the regular number, â as many, in fact, as he should wish on any occasion. This last-named privilege, handed down from that time, was afterwards indefinitely extended, so that I need not henceforth make a point of giving the exact number of such officials.,4. Now Caesar accepted all but a few of these honours, though he expressly requested that one of them, the proposal that the whole population of the city should go out to meet him, should not be put into effect. Nevertheless, the action which pleased him more than all the decrees was the closing by the senate of the gates of Janus, implying that all their wars had entirely ceased, and the taking of the augurium salutis, which at this time fallen into disuse for the reasons I have mentioned.,5. To be sure, there were still under arms the Treveri, who had brought in the Germans to help them, and the Cantabri, the Vaccaei, and the Astures, â the three last-named of whom were later subjugated by Statilius Taurus, and the former by Nonius Gallus, â and there were also numerous other disturbances going on in various regions; yet inasmuch as nothing of importance resulted from them, the Romans at the time did not consider that they were engaged in war, nor have I, for my part, anything notable to record about them.,6. Caesar, meanwhile, besides attending to the general business, gave permission for the dedication of sacred precincts in Ephesus and in Nicaea to Rome and to Caesar, his father, whom he named the hero Julius. These cities had at that time attained chief place in Asia and in Bithynia respectively.,7. He commanded that the Romans resident in these cities should pay honour to these two divinities; but he permitted the aliens, whom he styled Hellenes, to consecrate precincts to himself, the Asians to have theirs in Pergamum and the Bithynians theirs in Nicomedia. This practice, beginning under him, has been continued under other emperors, not only in the case of the Hellenic nations but also in that of all the others, in so far as they are subject to the Romans.,8. For in the capital itself and in Italy generally no emperor, however worthy of renown he has been, has dared to do this; still, even there various divine honours are bestowed after their death upon such emperors as have ruled uprightly, and, in fact, shrines are built to them.,9. All this took place in the winter; and the Pergamenians also received authority to hold the "sacred" games, as they called them, in honour of Caesar's temple. 51.21. 1. In the course of the summer Caesar crossed over to Greece and to Italy; and when he entered the city, not only all the citizens offered sacrifice, as has been mentioned, but even the consul Valerius Potitus. Caesar, to be sure, was consul all that year as for the two preceding years, but Potitus was the successor of Sextus.,2. It was he who publicly and in person offered sacrifices on behalf of the senate and of the people upon Caesar's arrival, a thing that had never been done in the case of any other person. After this Caesar bestowed eulogies and honours upon his lieutets, as was customary,,3. and to Agrippa he further granted, among other distinctions, a dark blue flag in honour of his naval victory, and he gave gifts to the soldiers; to the people he distributed four hundred sesterces apiece, first to the men who were adults, and afterwards to the children because of his nephew Marcellus.,4. In view of all this, and because he would not accept from the cities of Italy the gold required for the crowns they had voted him, and because, furthermore, he not only paid all the debts he himself owed to others, as has been stated, but also did not insist on the payment of others' debts to him, the Romans forgot all their unpleasant experiences and viewed his triumph with pleasure, quite as if the vanquished had all been foreigners.,5. So vast an amount of money, in fact, circulated through all parts of the city alike, that the price of goods rose and loans for which the borrower had been glad to pay twelve per cent. could now be had for one third that rate. As for the triumph, Caesar celebrated on the first day his victories over the Pannonians and Dalmatians, the Iapydes and their neighbours, and some Germans and Gauls.,6. For Gaius Carrinas had subdued the Morini and others who had revolted with them, and had repulsed the Suebi, who had crossed the Rhine to wage war. Not only did Carrinas, therefore, celebrate the triumph, â and that notwithstanding that his father had been put to death by Sulla and that he himself along with the others in like condition had once been debarred from holding office, â but Caesar also celebrated it, since the credit of the victory properly belonged to his position as supreme commander.,7. This was the first day's celebration. On the second day the naval victory at Actium was commemorated, and on the third the subjugation of Egypt. Now all the processions proved notable, thanks to the spoils from Egypt, â in such quantities, indeed, had spoils been gathered there that they sufficed for all the processions, â but the Egyptian celebration surpassed them all in costliness and magnificence.,8. Among other features, an effigy of the dead Cleopatra upon a couch was carried by, so that in a way she, too, together with the other captives and with her children, Alexander, also called Helios, and Cleopatra, called also Selene, was a part of the spectacle and a trophy in the procession.,9. After this came Caesar, riding into the city behind them all. He did everything in the customary manner, except that he permitted his fellow-consul and the other magistrates, contrary to precedent, to follow him along with the senators who had participated in the victory; for it was usual for such officials to march in advance and for only the senators to follow. 51.22.3. for many of these spoils were placed in it also; and others were dedicated to Jupiter Capitolinus and to Juno and Minerva, after all the objects in these temples which were supposed to have been placed there previously as dedications, or were actually dedications, had by decree been taken down at this time as defiled. Thus Cleopatra, though defeated and captured, was nevertheless glorified, inasmuch as her adornments repose as dedications in our temples and she herself is seen in gold in the shrine of Venus. |
|
22. Ammianus Marcellinus, History, 16.10.13 (4th cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
| 16.10.13. So then he entered Rome, the home of empire and of every virtue, and when he had come to the Rostra, the most renowned forum of ancient dominion, he stood amazed; and on every side on which his eyes rested he was dazzled by the array of marvellous sights. He addressed the nobles in the senate-house and the populace from the tribunal, and being welcomed to the palace with manifold attentions, he enjoyed a longed-for pleasure; and on several occasions, when holding equestrian games, he took delight in the sallies of the commons, who were neither presumptuous nor regardless of their old-time freedom, while he himself also respectfully observed the due mean. |
|
23. Velleius Paterculus, Roman History, 2.85.3, 2.85.6, 2.87, 2.91.1
|
