Table Of ContentA COMMENTARY ON
L I VY
BOOKS VI-X
To the memory of
Frank Goodvear
A COMMENTARY ON
L I VY
BOOKS VI-X
S. P. Oakley
Volume III
Book IX
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A commentary on Livy, Books VI—X / S.P. Oakley.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents: v. III. Book IX.
i. Livy Ab urbe condita. Liber 6—10 2. Rome—History—
Republic, 265—30 B.C.—Historiography. 3. Punic Wars—
Historiography. I. Title.
PA6459.03 1996 937'.02'92—dc2o 96-17028
ISBN 0-19-927143-7 978–0–19–927143–6
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Preface
THIS commentary on book ix of Livy is a sequel to the commen-
taries on book vi and books vii and viii published in 1997 and 1998; a
significant portion of the material in it derives from a thesis entered
for Research Fellowship competitions in 1983 and a (shorter)
Cambridge Ph.D. thesis of 1984. In the Preface to my first volume
I rashly stated that by 1999 I hoped to have completed the whole
commentary on books vi–x. The task has taken far longer than I had
anticipated, partly because of time spent on an unrelated project,
partly because of the need to adjust to the requirements of working
in a different university, and partly because books ix and x contain
much more reliable, or possibly reliable, material on Roman institu-
tions and hence have elicited much more discussion from modern
scholars.
How best to cite this extensive literature has been a problem.
Sometimes, as in the earlier volumes, I hope that my own note has
superseded earlier treatments of a problem which I still cite because of
my debt to them. Sometimes I cite two or more treatments of a prob-
lem that are broadly similar to each other; for this practice Professor
Courtney has recently provided a justification that coincides exactly
with my own thinking: 'I have in mind that the reader's library may
include one but not another of the works to which I refer, so that it is
desirable to provide alternatives. I also feel that a good commentary
should point the readers to material for their own investigation.' In
order to keep the main lines of my arguments clear and uncluttered
I have made increasing use of footnotes, particularly for arguing
against views which I do not share.
For the last two-thirds of book ix Diodorus Siculus provides a
parallel narrative of great value. I have quoted this in full, hoping that
readers, especially those who do not have easy access to Drachmann's
Diodors romische Annalen, will find that the added convenience out-
weighs the extra expense caused by what amounts to about a dozen
extra pages of text.
Since I published my first volume the practice and theory of
writing commentaries have been increasingly discussed, and much
Preface
attention has been given to the small word 'cf.' In response to this,
I have extended my practice (which in the earlier volumes was not
invariable) of explaining explicitly why I adduce parallels or analo-
gies from ancient texts. If the large number of formulaic sentences
of the form 'for . . . cf. . . .' should prove wearisome, I hope that the
resulting clarity of argument will provide some compensation.
In my lexical notes I continue to use symbols to show which con-
cordances and indexes I have consulted, believing that this still
has value. However, for these and other notes, even more than for
volumes i and ii, I have supplemented my findings by using CD-
Roms of Greek and Latin literature, which are a splendid resource
for borrowing learning which otherwise one would not have.
Book ix is a fascinating text but poses many problems, for example
textual cruces, the digression on Alexander, the censorship of Ap.
Claudius Caecus, and (most difficult of all) Livy's famously unreli-
able account of the Second Samnite War in general and of the Caudine
Forks affair in particular. Where possible I have indicated what I
believe to be the most likely solution to these problems, but it is a
great vexation that many, both historical and textual, cannot certain-
ly be resolved with the evidence available. For example, it is fool-
ish for any scholar to propound with undue confidence a hypothesis
about the career of Ap. Claudius Caecus; and I am very conscious
that many of my textual and historical arguments might be shown
to be wrong by the discovery of papyri of, respectively, Livy and
a republican annalist. These difficulties have led to the writing of
a commentary nearly 650 pages long and consequential modification
of the original plan of the commentary on books vi—x, which will
now comprise four volumes. The commentary on book x, which is
considerably shorter, is already with the press, and will be published
in Autumn 2005.
Some references to volumes i and ii are accompanied by the
comment 'with addendum' (uel sim.). This refers to addenda and
corrigenda that will appear at the end of the commentary on book x.
However, on two matters I should like to respond straight away to
perceptive reviewers. Professor Jal justly remarked that only rarely
do I cite Erich Burck's Die Erzahlungskunst des T. Livius. Therefore
I gladly take this opportunity to state how much I have learnt from a
book that very greatly advanced our understanding of .Livy's literary
techniques. Professor Richard's observation that in volume ii there is
no historical introduction to book viii has made me realize that I did
not adequately signal my plan to comment annalistically on Livy's
narrative from 343 BC onwards, with longer introductory historical
vi
Preface
notes when a problem needed fuller discussion. However, there will
be a historical introduction to book x, with an overview of develop-
ments in the period covered by books ix and x.
Once again it is a pleasure to thank those who have helped me
by improving my work. Early versions of many notes were read by
Professor T. J. Cornell (later a Ph.D. examiner), Professor M. H.
Crawford, and the late Professor F. R. D. Goodyear. Dr J. Briscoe
and Professor P. G. Walsh sent me observations on my Fellowship
dissertation. My other Ph.D. examiner, Professor E. J. Kenney,
in addition to correcting some mistakes in argument, did me the
great service of insisting that the thesis was too dry and should have
included more literary comment; since then I have accumulated a
great deal more dry textual, linguistic, and historical material but
I trust that he will now find full coverage of literary matters. Dr
Briscoe (again) and Professor A. J. Woodman each read the whole
book in late drafts. Dr C. S. Kraus and Dr C. B. R. Pelling read
extensive portions of the commentary. Dr N. Hopkinson once again
kindly volunteered to read the proofs. Most of my textual notes were
scrutinized and improved by the late Professor W. S. Watt, several
by Professor M. D. Reeve, who has helped me also on various other
matters. Dr M.-R. Morello kindly let me see two important articles
before publication. Like others who have published commentaries
with the Clarendon Press, I have profited greatly from the copy-
editing of Dr L.-A. Holford-Strevens, who has saved me from
several mistakes and improved the book in both form and content.
This and the next volume of commentary would have taken even
longer to complete had I not been granted leave from my teaching
and administrative duties by both Emmanuel College, Cambridge
and the University of Reading, and had the Arts and Humanities
Research Board not paid for an additional term of leave in the spring
of 2002. I am most obliged and grateful to all three institutions.
My greatest debt, however, is to my wife, Ruth, who has cheerfully
accepted my preoccupation with Livy and has graciously allowed
me the time in the evenings and at week-ends that I have needed to
complete this commentary.
I dedicate this book to the memory of Frank Goodyear, who was as
fine a supervisor as a research student could hope to have.
S.P.O.
University of Reading
April 2003
vii
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Contents
List of Figures x
Abbreviations xi
Sigla xv
Map xvi
BOOK IX
Commentary 3
Appendices: 1. Further Conjectures in Book IX 647
2. Mancinus, Numantia, and the
Caudine Forks 648
3. Further Interpretations of the Aftermath
of the Caudine Forks 651
4. The Arguments that the Alexander
Digression was Composed in Livy's Youth 655
5. The Lack of Evidence for a 'Peripatetic'
portrait of Alexander 659
6. The Alexander Digression and Q. Curtius
Rufus 661
7. The Number of Romans Settled 338–298 BC 663
8. The Origins of the Annalistic Portrait of the
Claudii 665
9. Further Interpretations of the Career of
Ap. Claudius Caecus and of Roman Politics
and Political Factions in his Time 669
10. Ovid, fastivi. 649–92 678
11. The Brindisi elogium and Ap. Claudius Caecus 680
Bibliography 681
Indexes 721
