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Livy · Ab Urbe Condita XXII

Ab Urbe Condita 22.13

Hannibal's guide mistakes Casinum

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Liv. 22.13.1Hannibal ex Hirpīnīs in Samnium trānsit, Beneventānum dēpopulātur agrum, Telesiam urbem capit, inrītat etiam dē industriā ducem Rōmānum, sī forte accēnsum tot indignitātibus clādibusque sociōrum dētrahere ad aequum certāmen possit.Hannibal crosses from the Hirpini into Samnium, ravages the territory of Beneventum, captures the town of Telesia, and even provokes the Roman general on purpose, in case, inflamed by so many outrages and disasters suffered by the allies, he could draw him down to a fair fight. Liv. 22.13.2Inter multitūdinem sociōrum Italicī generis, quī ad Trasumennum captī ab Hannibale dīmissīque fuerant, trēs Campānī equitēs erant, multīs iam tum inlectī dōnīs prōmissīsque Hannibalis ad conciliandōs populārium animōs.Among the multitude of allies of Italian stock who had been captured by Hannibal at Trasimene and released, there were three Campanian horsemen, already then enticed by many gifts and promises from Hannibal to win over the minds of their countrymen. Liv. 22.13.3Hī nūntiantēs sī in Campāniam exercitum admōvisset, Capuae potiendae cōpiam fore, cum rēs maior quam auctōrēs esset, dubium Hannibalem alternīsque fīdentem ac diffīdentem tamen, ut Campāniam ex Samniō peteret, mōvērunt.These men, reporting that if he moved his army into Campania there would be an opportunity of gaining Capua, although the matter was too great for those who vouched for it, moved Hannibal, who was doubtful and by turns trusting and mistrusting, nevertheless to make for Campania from Samnium.

Liv. 22.13.4Monitōs etiam atque etiam, ut prōmissa rēbus adfirmārent, iussōsque cum plūribus et aliquibus prīncipum redīre ad sē dīmīsit.He sent them away, warned again and again to confirm their promises by deeds, and told to return to him with more men and some of the leading citizens. Liv. 22.13.5Ipse imperat ducī, ut sē in agrum Casīnātem dūcat, ēdoctus ā perītīs regiōnum, sī eum saltum occupāsset, exitum Rōmānō ad opem ferendam sociīs interclūsūrum.He himself orders his guide to lead him into the territory of Casinum, having been informed by those who knew the region that if he seized that pass he would cut off the Roman's way out to bring help to the allies. Liv. 22.13.6Sed Pūnicum abhorrēns ab Latīnōrum nōminum prōnūntiātiōne ōs, Casilīnum prō Casīnō dux ut acciperet, fēcit, āversusque ab suō itinere per Allīfānum Caiatīnumque et Calēnum agrum campum Stellātem dēscendit.But his Punic mouth, ill-suited to the pronunciation of Latin names, caused the guide to understand Casilinum instead of Casinum, and turning away from his own route he descended through the territories of Allifae, Caiatia and Cales into the Stellatian plain.

Liv. 22.13.7Ubi cum montibus flūminibusque clausam regiōnem circumspexisset, uocātum ducem percunctātur, ubi terrārum esset.There, when he had looked round and seen the region shut in by mountains and rivers, he summons the guide and asks him where on earth he was. Liv. 22.13.8Cum is Casilīnī eō diē mānsūrum eum dīxisset, tum dēmum cognitus est error, et Casīnum longē inde aliā regiōne esse;When the guide said that he would stay at Casilinum that day, then at last the mistake was recognised, and that Casinum was far off in another region; Liv. 22.13.9virgīsque caesō duce et ad reliquōrum terrōrem in crucem sublātō, castrīs commūnītīs, Maharbalem cum equitibus in agrum Falernum praedātum dīmīsit.and having had the guide beaten with rods and raised on a cross to terrify the rest, and fortified his camp, he sent Maharbal with the cavalry into the Falernian territory to plunder. Liv. 22.13.9Ūsque ad aquās Sinuessānās populātiō ea pervēnit.That pillaging reached as far as the waters of Sinuessa. Liv. 22.13.10Ingentem clādem, fugam tamen terrōremque lātius Numidae fēcērunt;The Numidians caused enormous destruction, but flight and terror still more widely; Liv. 22.13.11nec tamen is terror, cum omnia bellō flagrārent, fidē sociōs dīmōvit, vidēlicet quia iūstō et moderātō regēbantur imperiō nec abnuēbant, quod ūnum vinculum fideī est, meliōribus pārēre.and yet that terror, though everything was ablaze with war, did not shake the allies from their loyalty, evidently because they were governed by a just and moderate rule and did not refuse — which is the one bond of loyalty — to obey their betters.

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Grammar in this passage: gerunds and gerundives ×3, purpose clauses ×2, indirect statement ×3, ablative absolute ×2

Latin vocabulary for this passage (164 words)
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
Hirpīnus, -a, -umof the Hirpini, a people of southern Italy
in, prep. with acc. and abl.with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
trānseō, -īre, -iī, -itusgo across or over, cross
Beneventānus, -a, -umof Beneventum, a town of Samnium
dēpopulor, -ārī, -ātus sumlay waste, ravage
ager, agri, m.field, land
urbs, urbis, f.city
capiō, capere, cēpī, captustake, catch, seize; receive, suffer; adopt
irrītō (inrītō), -āre, -āvī, -ātusprovoke, stir up
etiam, adv.and now, also, too, even
dē, prep, with abl.down from, from, out of; about, concerning, of
industria, -ae f.diligence, hard work
dux, ducis, m. and f.leader, commander
Rōmānus, -a, -umRoman
sī, conj.if
forte, adv.by chance, accidentally
accendō, -cendere, -cendī, -cēnsuskindle, light
tot (indecl.)so many
indignitās, -ātis f.humiliation, indignity
clādēs, -is f.disaster, defeat, destruction
que, enclitic conj.and
socius, -ī, m.companion, comrade, ally
dētrahō, -trahere, -trāxī, -trāctusdraw or pull off
ad, prep. with acc.to, toward; at, near; for
aequus, -a, -umlevel; equal; fair
certāmen, -minis, n.struggle, contest
possum, posse, potuībe able, have power, can
inter, prep, with acc.among, between
multitūdō, -tūdinis, f.multitude
Italicus, -a, -umItalian; bellum Italicum: the Social War of 91–88 BC between Rome and its Italian allies
genus, generis, n.kind, nature
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.who, which
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
dīmittō, -mittere, -mīsī, -missussend different ways, send forth or away, despatch; let slip, lose
sum, esse, fuī, futūrusbe
trēs, tria, plur. adj.three
Campānus, -a, -umCampanian, of Campania (or Capua)
eques, equitis m.horseman; (pl.) cavalry
multus, -a, -ummuch, great; plur., many
iam, adv.now, already
tum, adv.then, at that time
illiciō, -licere, -lexī, -lectusentice, lure, seduce
dōnum, -ī, n.gift
prōmissum, -ī n.promise
conciliō, -āre, -āvī, -ātumwin over; win, obtain
populāris, -eof the people; popular; courting the people (a 'popular' politician)
animus, -ī, m.mind; heart; spirit, courage
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
nūntiō, -āre, -āvī, -ātusreport, announce
exercitus, -ūs, m.army
admoveō, -ēre, -mōvī, -mōtusmove up, bring near
potior, -īrī, -ītusbecome master of, get possession of
cōpia, -ae, f.supply, abundance; plur., forces, troops
cum, conj.when, while, after; since; although
rēs, reī, f.thing, matter, affair, circumstance, situation; rē vērā, in truth, in fact, really
magnus, -a, -umlarge, big, great, mighty; loud
quam, adv.how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
auctor, -ōris m.originator, instigator
dubius, -a, -umdoubtful, uncertain
alternus, -a, -umone after the other, alternating
fīdō, -ere, fīsus sumtrust, rely on (+ dat. or abl.); fīdēns, confident, bold
atque, ac (conj.)and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
diffīdō, -ere, -fīsus sumdistrust, lose confidence in (+ dat.)
tamen, adv.however, yet, nevertheless
ut, conj.as; when; that; ita ut, as
petō, -ere, -īvī or -iī, -ītusseek, ask; attack
moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtusmove
moneō, -ēre, -uī, -ituswarn
prōmittō, -mittere, -mīsī, -missussend or put forth, promise
affirmō, -āre, -āvī, -ātusassert, declare firmly
iubeō, iubēre, iussī, iussusbid, order, command
cum, prep, with abl.with
plūrēs, -a, plur. adj.more, many, several
et, conj.and; et ... et, both ... and
aliquis, -quid, indef. pron.someone, any one, something, anything, some, any
prīnceps, -ipisfirst, chief; as noun: leader
redeō, -īre, -iī, -itusgo back, return
suī, sibi, sē or sēsē, reflexive pron.himself, herself, itself, themselves
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
imperō, -perāre, -perāvī, -perātuscommand, order, enjoin
Casīnās, -ātisof Casinum
dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductuslead; make, dig; with or without in mātrimōnium, marry
ēdoceō, -ēre, -docuī, -doctuminform thoroughly, explain
perītus, -a, -um (+ gen.)skilled, experienced (in)
regiō, -ōnis, f.direction; country, region
is, ea, id, dem. pron.this, that; he, she, it, they
saltus, -ūs m.wooded pass, forest glade, woodland
occupō, -cupāre, -cupāvī, -cupātusseize; fill
exitus, -ūs m.way out; outcome, end
ops, opis f.; pl. opēs, -umhelp; (pl.) resources, wealth, power
ferō, ferre, tulī, lātusbear, bring
interclūdō, -ere, -clūsī, -clūsumcut off, block
sed, conj.but
Pūnicus, -a, -umPunic, Carthaginian; bella Pūnica: the wars with Carthage
abhorreō, -ēre, -uīshrink back from; be inconsistent with, be foreign to (ā + abl.)
Latīnus, -a, -umLatin
nōmen, -minis, n.name (that by which one is known)
prōnūntiātiō, -ōnis f.proclamation, announcement
ōs, ōris, n.mouth
prō, prep. with abl.before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
accipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptustake to oneself, receive, accept; hear; suffer
faciō, facere, fēcī, factusmake, do; iter facere, see iter
āvertō, -ere, āvertī, āversumturn away, turn aside
suus, -a, -umhis, her, its, or their own; his, her, its, their
iter, itineris, n.a going, journey, march; iter facere, to journey, march
per, prep, with ace.through, by means of
Allīfānus, -a, -umof Allifae, a town of Samnium
Caiatīnus, -a, -umof Caiatia, a town of Campania
campus, -ī, m.plain, field
Stellās, -ātisStellatian; ager Stellās: a fertile plain in northern Campania
dēscendō, -scendere, -scendī, -scēnsusclimb down, descend
ubi, adv.where; conj., when
mōns, montis, m.mountain
flūmen, -minis, n.river
claudō, -ere, clausī, clausumclose, shut; (agmen) bring up the rear
circumspiciō, -ere, -spexī, -spectuslook around; look around for, consider
vocō, -āre, -āvī, -ātuscall, summon
percontor (percunctor), -ārī, -ātus sumquestion closely, inquire, ask
terra, -ae, f.land, earth
diēs, -ēī, m. and f.day
maneō, manēre, mānsī, mānsusremain
dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictussay, speak; diem dīcere, to appoint or set a day
dēmum, adv.at last
cognōscō, -gnōscere, -gnōvī, -gnitusfind out, learn; in tenses of completed action, have found out, know
error, -ōris m.wandering; mistake, error
longē, adv.far
inde (adv.)from there; then
alius, -a, -udanother, other; aliī ... aliī, some ... others
virga, -ae f.rod, stick, staff
caedō, -ere, cecīdī, caesumcut, cut down; kill
reliquus, -a, -umleft, the remaining, the other, the rest of
terror, -ōris, m.terror, fright
crux, crucis f.cross (a wooden frame for execution)
tollō, tollere, sustulī, sublātuslift, raise; take away, remove; ancorās tollere, to weigh anchor
castra, -ōrum, n. plur.camp
commūniō, -īre, -īvī, -ītumfortify strongly
Falernus, -a, -umFalernian; ager Falernus: the Falernian district of northern Campania
praedor, -ārī, -ātusplunder
ūsque, adv.all the time; ūsque ad, as far as, until; quō ūsque, see quō
aqua, -ae, f.water
Sinuessānus, -a, -umof Sinuessa, coastal town in Campania
populātiō, -ōnis f.plundering, ravaging
perveniō, -venīre, -vēnī, -ventuscome through, come, arrive, reach
ingēns, -gentis, adj.huge, vast
fuga, -ae, f.flight
lātēwidely
neque or nec, conj.and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
omnis, -eall, every
bellum, -ī, n.war
flagrō, -āre, -āvīblaze, burn; be inflamed (with: abl.)
fidēs, -eī f.faith, trust; pledge
dīmoveō, -ēre, -mōvī, -mōtusmove apart, stir aside
vidēlicet (adv.)clearly, evidently; (ironic) of course
quia (conj.)because
iūstus, -a, -umjust
moderātus, -a, -umrestrained, moderate; (as noun) restraint
regō, -ere, rēxī, rēctumguide, steer, rule
imperium, -ī, n.command; sway, rule
abnuō, -ere, -nuīrefuse, decline, reject
ūnus, -a, -umone; only, alone
vinculum, -ī, n.bond, chain
bonus, -a, -umgood
pāreō, -ēre, -uīobey
Livy, Ab Urbe Condita XXII. Latin text: B. O. Foster, Livy (Loeb, 1919–29), with some passages from W. Weissenborn and H. J. Müller (Teubner, 1884–1911), public domain; digital text from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA. Word analysis: drafted by our own tagger (trained on the hand-checked texts on this site), with every doubtful word checked by hand. English translation and section titles: written for this app, each checked against the Latin by a second reader.