The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost BooksLivy
History
The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost Books
Livy
Rome -- History
59. “But truly, in the case of Scipio, the articles of the peace are
suspected as being too favourable to Antiochus. For his entire kingdom
has been left to him: although conquered, he retains possession of every
thing that belonged to him before the war; and though, he had an immense
quantity of gold and silver, none of it has been applied to the use of
the public: all has been converted to private purposes. Now, was there
not a quantity of gold and silver carried before the eyes of the public
in the triumph of Lucius Scipio, so great that an equal quantity was not
carried in ten of the former triumphs, even if it was amassed together?
Why need I speak of the extent of the kingdom of Antiochus, or that he
held all Asia, and the adjoining parts of Europe? Every body knows what
a large portion of the surface of the earth that is, which stretches
from Mount Taurus quite to the Ægean Sea; what a number, not only of
cities, but of nations, it comprehends; and that this tract, as far as
the summit of Mount Taurus, more than thirty days’ journey in length and
ten in breadth, from one sea to the other,—has been taken from
Antiochus, who is thereby removed to the most distant corner of the
world? Now if peace had been granted him without any pecuniary
consideration, could more have been taken from him? Macedon was left to
Philip after he was conquered; Lacedæmon to Nabis; yet the grounds of an
accusation were never sought against Quinctius on that account. The
reason was, that he had not Africanus for a brother, whose high renown
ought to have been serviceable to Lucius Scipio; but envy of his merit
had done him injury. A quantity of gold and silver was mentioned in the
senate to have been conveyed to the house of Lucius Scipio, greater than
could be raised from the sale of his whole property. Where, then, was
all this royal treasure; where the value of so many estates received?
Surely in a house, which extravagance never exhausted, this new
accumulation of wealth ought to appear. But what cannot be levied out of
his effects, the enemies of Lucius Scipio will exact from his person,
and from his very flesh, by vexatious persecution and insult; carried to
such a degree that a man of his illustrious character would be shut up
in a prison, among midnight thieves and robbers, and forced to breathe
his last in a dungeon and in darkness, and his naked corpse thrown
before the prison door. Such proceedings will reflect more disgrace on
the city of Rome, than they will on the Cornelian family.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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