Livy: The Early History of Rome,
Book One, 1-13, 15-16, 57-59
Titus Livius (59 BC – AD 17) wrote Ab urbe condita, a 142-volume history that went from the foundation of Rome in 753 BC to 9 BC. Although he seems to be generally accurate where he can be checked, he probably relied almost exclusively on prior literary sources and rarely consulted documents. His chief concern was with style and dramatic effect.
It would therefore be difficult to prove that any of the events in the early pages of Book One are historical. We are in the world of myth and legend—and, quite possibly, of pure and simple fiction—but it illustrates characteristic Roman attitudes.
The translation is by Rev. Canon Roberts (copyright expired), found at www.perseus.tufts.edu.
Aeneas Travels to Italy
1. To begin with, it is generally agreed that after the capture of Troy, after the rest of the Trojans were massacred, the Greeks refused to continue to wage war against Aeneas and Antenor, partly......
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Approximate Word Count: 813
Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |