Quotes from Livy Exam 1 Flashcards
“My task is an immensely laborious one. I shall have to go back more than seven hundred years and trace my story from its small beginnings up to these recent times when its ramifications are so vast that any adequate treatment is hardly possible.”
Livy’s Purpose for writing: Recount the history of Rome from its earliest beginnings
“Events before Rome was born have come to us in old tales with more of the charm of poetry than of a sound historical record, and such traditions I propose neither to affirm nor deny…I invite the reader’s attention to the much more serious consideration of the kind of lives our ancestors lived, of who were the men, and what the means both in politics and war by which Rome’s power was first acquired and subsequently expanded.”
Livy’s purpose for writing: Historical, not poetic, account
“It is generally accepted that after the fall of Troy, the Greeks kept up hostilities against all the Trojans, except Aeneas and Antenor who had worked consistently for peace and the restoration of Helen and for that reason, they were allowed to go”
Livy’s version of Aeneas
“Turnus and his people then looked for help to Mezentius, king of the rich and powerful Etruscans, whose seat of government was in Caere…”
War with Turnus–Lavinia promised to him, but King Latinus tried to promise her to Aeneas instead
“One act of violence led to another; [Aemulius] proceeded to murder his brother’s male children and made his niece, Rhea Silvia, a Vestal, ostensibly to do her honor, but actually by condemning her to perpetual virginity to preclude the possibility of issue”
Aemulius overthrows his brother Numitor
“Romulus and Remus were suddenly seized by an urge to found a new settlement on the spot where they had been left to drown as infants and had been subsequently brought up…Unhappily, the brother’s plans for the future were marred by the same source which had divided their grandfather and Amulius –jealousy and ambition.”Dispute
Romulus and Remus and the Foundation of Rome
“…Remus, by way of jeering at his brother, jumped over the half-built walls of [Romulus’] new settlement, whereupon Romulus killed him in a fit of rage, adding the threat, “So perish whoever else shall overleap my battlements.”
Romulus kills Remus because they have a dispute over power
“Lavinium was by then a populous and, for those days, a reich and flourishing town … the Latins had already grown so strong that no neighboring peoples dared to attack them.”
indication of population growth, foundation of Alba Longa
”There was, in point of fact, already an excess of population at Alba (Longa)…”
indication of population growth; foundation of Rome
“We are mothers now, our children are your sons –your grandsons … Turn your anger on us. We are the cause of strife. On our account our husbands and fathers lie wounded or dead, and we would rather die ourselves than live on either widowed or orphaned”
Rape of the Sabine women; war between Romans and Sabines; women interfere by speaking out
“Accordingly the senators recovered thefavor of the populace by granting them supreme power [to elect the king], but on the condition that their election of a king should be valid only if it were ratified by themselves.”
The position of Rex was not hereditary; the Rex was elected and then ratified by the senators
“the senate naturally felt that a Sabine king would unduly increase the influence of the Sabine element in the community.”
the senate didn’t believe Numa Pompilius should be rex because they felt he would increase the influence of the sabine community; but, he became second king anywas
“A little boy named Servius Tullius was lying asleep, when his head burst into flames. Many people saw it happen. The noise and excitement caused by such an extraordinary event came to the ears of the king and queen. A servant ran for water when the queen stopped him declaring that the child must not be disturbed. A few minutes later he opened his eyes and the fire went out.”
story of servius tellius; shows how the Romans viewed themselves as descendants of Gods; their ruler was divine
“What is due to him is for you to decide. As for me, I am innocent of fault, but I will take my punishment. Never shall Lucretia provide a precedent for unchaste women to escape what they deserve.”
Lucretia kills herself as punishment for being raped by Sextus because it is considered infidelity and even though it is not her fault, she feels it was unmoral and that she should be punished
By this girl’s blood –none more chaste until a tyrant wronged her –and by the gods, I swear that with sword and fire, and whatever else can lend strength to my arm, I will pursue Lucius Tarquinius the Proud, his wicked wife, and all his children and never again will I let them or any other man be King in Rome.”
Brutus, Kinsmen of Lucretia on her rape; he’s going to end the rule of Tarquin the Proud and his family and end the Monarchy period of Rome
