Livy Book 30 chapter 32 - notes
Animation of the Battle of Zama.
ut est uentum:
ut with indicative = as or when.
est uentum an impersonal passive of an intransitive verb. The rule is to choose whatever subject fits in the context, and translate as if the verb were active.
pronuntiant ... expedirent: This is an indirect command construction, omitting
ut.
pronuntiant is present tense, and so, according to the normal sequence of tenses, the subjunctive should be present also; but it is imperfect,
expedirent. This is because
pronuntiant is an historic present - the present tense used for the past, to make it more vivid - and so is regarded as a past, historic tense. It is interesting that Livy lumps the two commanders' speeches into one. They both saw the coming battle in the same way, as an all-or-nothing affair.
arma expedirent ... animosque: That they should prepare their weapons and their spirits; the verb goes more naturally with
arma than with
animos, but the meaning is quite clear. They should get their armour on and get psyched up.
ad supremum certamen: For one last, decisive battle.
si felicitas adesset: If luck was on their side.
uictores: The word hangs on to the end of the sentence, agreeing with
milites. It is what has been called 'loose' construction, when a long sentence does not end with the main verb. A long sentence where the clauses are tightly organised and the main verb come to drive in the final nail is sometimes called a 'periodic' sentence.
Roma an Carthago ... daret .... scituros: Livy gives us a fairly long passage of oratio obliqua, and leaves out some of the signposts that would help us find our way. [utrum] Roma an Carthago .., daret, [milites] ... scituros [esse]. They said that 'the soldiers would know ... whether Rome or Carthage would adminster justice ...
neque enim Africam aut Italiam sed orbem terrarum: "Not Africa or Italy but the world" is the subject of
fore in this accusative and infinitive construction. Africa was the name that the Romans used for what became a province comprising part of North Africa; it did not refer to the whole continent.
par periculum praemio: Equal to the prize [would be] the danger [to those] for whom the fortune of battle was hostile. If you win, you will win everything. If you lose, you will lose everything.
patebat: The oratio obliqua has finished. Livy is now explaining (in the indicative) what the situation actually was.
neque Romanis effugium ...: Did the Romans not still have a fleet?
supremo auxilio effuso: With her last help poured away; Once Hannibal had come back to help them, they had no one else.
effuso suggests pouring out the last of their supply of water, and seeing it trickle into the desert sand.
ad hoc discrimen:
discrimen is not just a battle. It means a parting of the ways or separation, and so a decisive moment.
procedunt: Another historic present. See how Livy lays out the scene for us: first, we see the armies advancing; then we are reminded that they represent the two richest nations in the world; their commanders are by far the most distinguished they have known, the armies are both brave and have both won battle honours in the past. Those battle honours are imagined as a pile of trophies, which was either going to grow higher or would be pushed over.
anceps: literally 'two-headed', so doubtful.
contemplantibus: To those contemplating, as they considered ...
modo ... modo : now ... now
cum oculis ... pensarent:
cum with the verb, not the noun. When.
oculis magis quam ratione: What does Livy really mean by this? They weighed up the relative strength of the armies by eye, not by brain. Does this mean anything?
obuersabantur: Happy and sad things (thoughts) simultaneously showed themselves to them as they considered ...(contemplantibus).
quae ... ea: Literally: The things which didn't of their own accord come to their help, those things their leaders by encouraging and exhorting suggested.
res gestas: achievements
occidione occisos: slaughtered with slaughter, a very strong phrase, annihilated.
ubi ... uenerat: whenever he came to a soldier outstanding from the memory of some battle. Hannibal knew his men, and could remember their achievements, which he now recalled as he inspected the lines.
Scipio Hispanias: Supply
referebat from the previous sentence. 'The Spains' because the Romans knew two provinces, Nearer and Further Spain.
recentia ... proelia: The Romans were on a winning streak. They had destroyed two enemy camps and defeated Syphax
confessionem: By their actions they were confessing their desperate plight.
neque non: literally: They could neither not seek peace; i.e. They could not avoid seeking peace.
prae insita animis perfidia:
prae, not a very commonly used word: because of (referring to a hinderance). Scipio could appeal to the general belief among Romans that the Carthaginians were incorrigibly untrustworthy.
liberum fingenti qua uolt flectit: Scipio himself is not necessarily to be trusted. From
fingere comes 'fiction'. His private conversation was freely open to a fictional report.
qua uolt flectit: He turns it the way he wants - an example of 'spin'.
ominatur: It was the right and duty of the commander-in-chief of a Roman army to take the auspices before a battle or other important decision.
auspiciis: See
the Oxford Classical Dictionary for a description of these. The fact that the commander in chief observed the birds himself and reported the result to the army made it very easy for him to proclaim whatever favourable message he chose. More opportunity for 'spin'.
ad aegates ... insulas: The Aegates Islands, off the west coast of Sicily, were the scene of a great Roman naval victory in BC 241.
Map and details here.
Scipio seems to be claiming that exactly the same flight of birds was seen before the battle at the Aegates Islands as he had just seen at Zama.
adesse ... esse: The oratio obliqua continues until
penates deos. Notice how Scipio promises his troops all those prizes that they are longing for, in order: First, an end to the hard work and danger; then the chance to get rich by plundering Carthage; next, they could go home to their own country, then they would have a reunion with their loved ones, and finally they would settle down with the domestic gods, representing a settled home life.
celsus ... corpore uoltuque ita laeto ...: Scipio's ability to ooze confidence was part of his greatness as a leader. Winston Churchill, whatever his private feelings, did the same for the people of Britain in 1940.
instruit: An historic present. The three ranks of soldiers were arranged in the normal way. The special arrangements were still to come.
