Livy, Book I
Please read the Preface and Book I of Livy's History of Rome (also available here). Read the preface carefully. Skim through Book I, concentrating on stories you find particularly interesting.Livy believed that the study of history was important because of its application to our own lives. In particular, he notes that history is full of examples of how we ought to behave and how we ought not to behave. Cite a line or summarize a passage from Livy that you think particularly well illustrates the value of history/the lessons history has for us.
posted by Ancient Art at 9:17 AM
13 Comments:
The story I found particularly interesting is found in 1.13:
Then it was that the Sabine women, whose wrongs had led to the war, throwing off all womanish fears in their distress, went boldly into the midst of the flying missiles with dishevelled hair and rent garments. Running across the space between the two armies they tried to stop any further fighting and calm the excited passions by appealing to their fathers in the one army and their husbands in the other not to bring upon themselves a curse by staining their hands with the blood of a father-in-law or a son-in-law, nor upon their posterity the taint of parricide. "If," they cried, "you are weary of these ties of kindred, these marriage-bonds, then turn your anger upon us; it is we who are the cause of the war, it is we who have wounded and slain our husbands and fathers. Better for us to perish rather than live without one or the other of you, as widows or as orphans." The armies and their leaders were alike moved by this appeal. There was a sudden hush and silence. Then the generals advanced to arrange the terms of a treaty.
The passage ends in perfect harmony. The reason I chose this particular story lies in the reason the Sabine women flew out to the battlefield in the first place. They were the cause of the war. Their actions showed that they were owning up to their own faults. They offered themselves as a sacrifice instead of the death of those they cared about. In return, not only do the women live, but peace is restored. Livy portrays an important lesson to everyone who reads this passage: being strong enough to take responsibility for your actions (whatever the outcome) is the noble and right thing to do. The sooner you take that responsiblilty the better. Do not let people die because of something foolish you pridefully refuse to accept.
I found the story at the end of 1.11 an example of how we are not suppose to act. The story explains how the Sabines managed to enter the citadel after Tatius bribed the daughter of the commander of the citadel to let them in. It goes on to say that the traitor of the citadel was killed by the Sabines after they had entered the citadel. I think this shows how being greedy and untrue to your city and in turn your own family and people is how we should not act and the punishment reillustrate how unrewarding these traits can be in a person.
The thing that I found most interesting from this work of Livy comes from the very beginning. He states, "There is this exceptionally beneficial and fruitful advantage to be derived from the study of the past, that you see, set in the clear light of historical truth, examples of every possible type." Ultimately, this is why the study of history is so essential. By retracing the footsteps of the past we can better see where to go in the future. Livy phrases it perfectly when he talks about learning from the successes and the failures of the Roman empire.
What I found interesting was section 1.7, where the sign of vultures was used to determine who will be the ruler of the area. Remus was first approached by six, while Romulus had twelve vultures approach him. Romulus killed his twin brother and became the sole ruler and founder of Rome. The vultures determining who will be the superior leader is an odd twist on how people become pivotal leaders in history.
An important thing to mention is that in section 1.8 Romulus summons the people to council and gave them the set of laws and customs that would govern Rome. He would gain their respect and trust if he overwhelmed them with "the outward symbols of power." He would create a state that was superiority to its neighbor and the citizens were proud to live in. Romulus created the Roman Senate and the city was constantly expanding to become a great power in the region.
I found the story in 1.39 to be an intersting one. What I find most intersting is that Servius' life was changed because flames encircled his head one night. If such a thing never happened he would still be living the life of a slave. Instead, because of an act considered to be from the gods, he was raised and educated like a person of nobility and became a well known person in his city. When his city was captured by the Romans, he was killed, but his wife was spared and able to give birth to his son.
There seems to be a hint of morality here. If the gods send a sign of what it is they want done, people are to obey without question and not look upon it as a burden. Such is the case of the people who took Servius into their care when they received "a sign from the gods". If people do as the gods command, it can make a big difference for the better of the people around them, as happened to the people who cared for Servius.
I found this passage from 1:3 very interesting:
"His son, Ascanius, was not old enough to assume the government; but his throne remained secure throughout his minority. During that interval-such was Lavinia's force of character- though a woman was regent, the Latin State, and the kingdom of his father and grandfather, were preserved unimpaired for her son."
I think that this passage is important because it highlights the important role that women have played throughout history, even when they have not been given proper credit.
If not for Lavinia, the kingdom that Aeneas had worked so diligently to form may have been lost after his death at the hands of the Retulians and Etruscans. While she acted only as a regent, as the author states "such was Lavinia's force of character". She seems to be a good example of the strong, undefeatable women that have helped shape history.
The reign of Tullus saw a return to earlier traditions as seen in 1.31...
"...they heard a very loud voice from the grove on the summit, bidding the Albans celebrate their sacred rites after the manner of their fathers. These solemnities they had consigned to oblivion, as though they had abandoned their gods when they abandoned their country and had either adopted Roman rites, or, as sometimes happens, embittered against Fortune, had given up the service of the gods...In either case, however, it became permanently established whenever the same prodigy was reported; a nine days' solemnity was observed."
While Tullus continued with this observance, he still remained a war-monger, and refused to abide by the old ways.
In his latter years, as Tullus became ill, he became obsessed with the old religious rites. These rites, however, were not performed in exact compliance with Jupiter, and the god "burnt up the king and his house by a stroke of lightning." This illustrates the fact that choices based on poorly compiled information can get one into trouble, despite the best of intentions.
Like Amber, I found 1:13 as a perfect example of a lesson history has for us.
"Then it was that the Sabine women, whose wrongs had led to the war, throwing off all womanish fears in their distress, went boldly into the midst of the flying missiles with dishevelled hair and rent garments. Running across the space between the two armies they tried to stop any further fighting and calm the excited passions by appealing to their fathers in the one army and their husbands in the other not to bring upon themselves a curse by staining their hands with the blood of a father-in-law or a son-in-law, nor upon their posterity the taint of parricide."
After reading this passage, I was impressed by the courage the Sabine women. They saw a need for peace and that peace was possible between the two "families". Yet most importantly they admitted to being the "root" of the problem. How often do we find ourselves to have made a mistake, yet because of our pride—or shame—never take the initiative to make a mends? Obviously, this pride can be found not only in individuals but in countries. The Sabine women are a perfect example that it is best to swallow one's pride and fess up to fault.
the stroy of how rome got its name was interesting to me. first it is interesting that the city had to be named after one of the two brothers. Seeing that there was no way to decide peacefuly who it would be named for it seems to me that it would be best to have some completely differnt name. Remus was killed for the controll and name of the city. to me it could have been avoided had numitor just given each of them a city, or else it just could have been the power that they wanted and the clash would have just been postpond. In any case i would say this shows how much people will do for power or prestige. That one brother would have to kill the other over it, teaches that through history the human drive for power and prestige needs to be kept in check.
Great work on the comments! Be sure to use your observations and the observations of other students in preparing for Study Question One.
There are many interesting aspects one could talk about in the passages of book one. The histiory of the kings is interesting but the story of Romulus and Remus always intrigued me. When I first heard the story of of their birth and being suckled by a wolf, the first thing I thought of was--- "How ironic, Rome was brought up on a wolf in sheeps clothing." Roman history has contributed many good things to the cultures of the world but I can see more bad things than good. -
History is tought so we do not make the same mistakes as those before us.
According to the other, whilst the two armies were standing ready to engage and waiting for the signal, Latinus advanced in front of his lines and invited the leader of the strangers to a conference. He inquired of him what manner of men they were, whence they came, what had happened to make them leave their homes, what were they in quest of when they landed in Latinus' territory. When he heard that the men were Trojans, that their leader was Aeneas, the son of Anchises and Venus, that their city had been burnt, and that the homeless exiles were now looking for a place to settle in and build a city, he was so struck with the noble bearing of the men and their leader, and their readiness to accept alike either peace or war, that he gave his right hand as a solemn pledge of friendship for the future.
To me this means that peaceful efforts can always be had. That peace thru mediation is always a worthwhile choice to seek out. That conversation can end woes that war would otherwise impose. There are always aspects that treaties can impose that are worth the efforts of all parties. This seems to be a lost art in this time.
The passage that I found to be the most intriguing was 1.13. In this passage the Sabine women took to the front lines and placed themselves at the mercy of their enemies by revealing that the fault of the war rested in their hands. THis act was indeed selfless and courageous. Many individuals have a problem with taking responsibility for their actions, let alone placing themselves in harms way to do it. However, the women's actions were greatly rewarded when not only the war was ended but the two nations came together. I believe that this passage illustrates that pride is one of humanity's biggest downfalls.
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