Livy Women Flashcards
Were the Sabine Women important?
YES: vital for Rome to create the next generation
NO: have no power/control - snatched by Romans and most beautiful are earmarked as senators’ property.
YES: Romulus speaks to calm them - cares, and husbands flatter them too.
NO: the girls are frantic and furious, but Livy shows no sympathy for them. Says women are easily won over, e.g. by being told that the men were passionately in love with them.
YES: they bravely stop the battle and this leads to the men making peace in which Sabinum and Rome are joined with Rome as the capital.
Was Tarpeia important?
YES: she let the enemy into the stronghold in Rome which put the city in danger and lead to a battle.
NO: Livy gives her no pity when she is crushed to death.
Was Horatia important?
YES: the crowd are appalled at her murder, and her brother is put on trial for it.
NO: her death is not dealt with justly as Tullus Hostilius finds a way to allow Horatius to appeal, her own father says she deserved to die, and Horatius is let off with just a ritual.
Was Tanaquil important?
YES: persuades Lucamo to go to Rome to have a better chance.
Interprets the eagle sign as Jupiter on LTPs side which means he enters Rome ‘full of confidence’.
Interprets the crown of flames sign on ST to mean he will be Rome’s strength and inspiration one day. This leads to ST being adopted into the royal family and brought up as a prince.
Takes control when LTP is murdered, covering up the king’s death and urging ST to carry out the Kings duties until they announce the death. This leads to him becoming the next king.
Was Rea Silvia important?
YES: mother of Romulus, founder of Rome
NO: Livy is not sympathetic to her rape by Mars, even suggests she says it is the God to make it seem more respectable
NO: she has no power or control over events - she is forced to become a Vestal Virgin, raped and then thrown in prison.
NO: Livy does not tell us what happened to her, she doesn’t matter to him.
Was Lucretia important?
YES: makes the men promise to punish Sextus for his crime. After she kills herself, Brutus calls for revolution based on Sextus’ act plus the wrongs of LT. This ends the rule of kings in Rome.
NO: she is used as the catalyst for the revolution, but removing LT is the main focus, Sextus is not pursued directly or brought to trial.
What ideal characteristics do the women in chapter 1 show?
LOYALTY TO FAMILY: Sabine women - stop husbands and fathers fighting. Tanaquil - leaves her home town because they don’t respect Lucamo. Lucretia - holds out even in face of death from
Sextus.
BRAVERY: Sabine Women - run into middle of battle
MOTHERHOOD: Rea Silvia and Sabines - valued for their role in having children, especially sons.
PIETY: Tanaquil’s interpretations of the eagle and crown of flames signs.
MATRON OF HOUSEHOLD: Lucretia - spinning at night with maids busy round her - in control of her household, hardworking, doing ideal task; offers Sextus hospitality when he comes on his surprise visit.
HONOURABLE/PURITY: Lucratia - only gives into Sextus when he threatens to dishonour her in death (slave body); kills herself so no adulteress can escape punishment in the future; Brutus says ‘this blood was the purest in Rome’.
INTELLIGENCE: Tanaquil - clever plan made to cover up LTP death and put ST on throne; persuasive - LTP persuaded to go to Rome, ST talked into seizing the opportunity to become king.
Was Tullia important?
YES: deliberately sets out to win over LT and encourages him to kill Arruns & her sister and plot to seize the throne from ST.
Verbally bullies LT into usurping ST.
NO: LT takes action himself in the armed coup to remove ST.
What faults do the women in chapter 1 have?
DISLOYAL TO FAMILY:
Horatia - mourns enemy fiancé instead of dead brothers and doesn’t celebrate Horatius’ victory.
Tarpeia - betrays her father who is commander of the stronghold by admitting the enemy.
Tullia - murders her sister and her husband, encourages LT to remove and kill her father the king. Runs her chariot over ST’s body in the street.
DISLOYAL TO ROME:
Horatia - doesn’t celebrate Rome’s victory.
Tarpeia - lets enemy into Rome.
SELFISH/AMBITIOUS: Tanaquil - wants LTP to be able to become something. Tullia - wants to be married to a king, furious Arruns alas no interest in ‘a glorious career’; driven by jealousy of Tanaquil - she also wants to be a king maker.
DECEPTIVE: Tanaquil pretends LTP is only injured and lies to the mob about his condition.pj
Was Cloelia important?
YES: she was one of the hostages needed by the peace treaty. Out of admiration for her, Lars P. let her choose some extra hostages take back to Rome early. She was honoured with an equestrian statue. - the Romans saw her as someone to be respected and remembered.
NO: her escape didn’t change anything - she was returned to Lars
Porsenna.
Were Veturia & Volumnia important?
YES: Veturia’s speeach and the hug from Volumnia (and sons) convince Coriolanus to stop his attack and take his army out of Roman territory. The men of Rome had failed to stop him (negotiators, priests).
