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
the Odrysians, he began to build a town in Deuriopus. This is a district
of Pæonia, near the river Erigonus, which, flowing from Illyricum
through Pæonia, falls into the river Axius. Not far from the old city of
Stobæ he built his new one, which he ordered to be called Perseis, that
this honour might be conferred on his eldest son.
54. While these things passed in Macedonia, the consuls went to their
provinces. Marcellus sent forward an express to Lucius Porcius, the
proconsul, to lead up the legions to the new town of the Gauls; they
surrendered themselves to the consul on his arrival. There were of
these twelve thousand fighting men, most of whom had arms, which they
had forced from the inhabitants: all which, to their great
mortification, were taken from them, as was every thing else which they
had either acquired by plundering in the country, or had brought along
with them. They sent ambassadors to Rome to complain of those
proceedings, who being introduced to an audience of the senate, by the
prætor Caius Valerius, represented that “in consequence of a redundancy
of people in Gaul they had been compelled by the want of land, and
indeed of every thing, to cross the Alps in quest of a settlement: that
they had settled in those lands which they found waste and uncultivated
without doing injury to any. They had likewise begun to build a town,
which was a proof that they did not come to ravage either city or lands.
That some time ago, Marcus Claudius sent them a message, that unless
they surrendered to him he would march against them, and that preferring
a certain, though not very honourable peace, to the uncertainties of
war, they had thrown themselves on the protection of Rome before they
submitted to its power. That in a short time after, being ordered to
quit the country, they had intended to remove without murmuring to
whatever part of the world they were able; and that, notwithstanding,
their arms, and finally all the property which they had brought with
them, or driven before them, were taken from them. They therefore
besought the senate and people of Rome not to treat harmless people, who
had surrendered themselves, with greater severity than they would
enemies.” To this discourse the senate ordered the following answer to
be given: That “neither had they acted properly in coming into Italy,
and attempting to build a town in the territory of others, without
permission from any Roman magistrate commanding in that province; nor
did the senate approve of people who had surrendered being stripped of
their property. They would therefore send to the consuls ambassadors,
who would order all their effects to be restored, provided they returned
to the place whence they came; and who would also proceed to the other
side of the Alps, and give warning to the Gallic states to keep their
people at home. That the Alps, an almost impassable barrier, lay between
the two countries, and whoever should pass in future, should meet no
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