Ecce Romani III Fabulae

Chapter 63: Background Information

Culture/History: The Age of Augustus

Grammar: Indefinite Pronouns, Adjectives • Interrogative Pronouns • Relative Pronouns

The Readings

The past five chapters covered the excitement of the late Republic. This chapter and some that follow cover the early Empire. In earlier chapters we discussed a bit about the age of Augustus but now we will read his own words. Augustus's work, Res Gestae, is the source of material for this chapter. The complete Res Gestae can be found today near the Ara Pacis (a copy also resides in the building that encloses the Ara). Moving away from the Tiber towards the chic shopping street known as the Via Del Corso, one passes the tomb of Augustus. Just before arriving on the Via Del Corso, in an unimpressive site, one can view the Res Gestae. In the 20th century Mussolini had the tablet moved to this site. As a soldier and dictator himself, he found a model in the age of Augustus and, indeed, the Roman empire itself attracted his interest. He spent much money restoring monuments throughout Italy in an attempt to link himself with Roman history and legitimize his fascist regime. (Hitler did much the same when he visited the tomb of Napoleon in Paris; he reportedly said that it was an occasion of two great leaders meeting at last.) Visit the Internet to find out more about Augustus and Res Gestae. Also visit the Ara Pacis found under Historia/Empire in the navigator bar section of the Latin III home page.

The statue shown on pages 100-101 of your textbook is a very popular image of Augustus. It was found in the Villa of Livia at the Prima Porta. Today it can be seen in the Vatican Museum. At the foot of the statue stands Cupid, son of Venus. This is an allusion to the Julian clan, into which Augustus was adopted. The gens Iulius claims to have descended from Iulus, son of Aeneas and grandson of Venus. The ceremonial armor was probably covered in gold originally and was meant to allude to Augustus as military leader. The breastplate portrays the restoration of the Roman signa lost by Crassus in 53 B.C. The loss of the signa -- standards topped by eagles -- was a great blow to Roman pride. They remained hidden for decades until the Parthians voluntarily returned them out of respect of Augustus.

The readings are presented chronologically. The first two cover the Emperor's rise to power from 44 B.C. to 27 B.C. Recall the events that occurred between the death of Caesar and the Battle of Actium (31 B.C.) and review Chapter 56. (If possible, rent the movie Cleopatra -- the 1963 version -- in which there is a good scene depicting Actium. The last two readings cover achievements during the principate.

Notice as you read the Res Gestae how the style of this work contrasts with that of Julius Caesar. One obvious difference is that Caesar wrote in the 3rd person, while Augustus wrote in the 1st person. Also note carefully and make a list of the characteristics and accomplishments of Augustus so that you can compare him with Trajan when you get to Chapter 64. Recall too what Eutropius wrote (in Chapter 57) about Augustus and draw your own comparisons.

Reading Notes

Passage A

  1. annos undeviginti natus (line 1) -- natus is the past participle of nascor; this is the common way to express age.
  2. dominatione factionis (line 2) -- Caesar's will designated Octavian as his adopted son and heir. Antony, having been a favorite of Caesar, was probably jealous. Conflict arose as to which man would lead the followers of Caesar and the senators sided with Augustus in the conflict. They viewed Antony as a bit of an upstart and too volatile and feared he might become a tyrant.
  3. in libertatem vindicavi (line 2) -- the battle of Mutina, in Cisalpine Gaul, was won by Octavian in Jan 43, B.C.
  4. on the Kalends of January in 43 B.C. (lines 3-4) Cicero moved to grant an imperium to Octavian that would give him the role of praetor, subordinate to the consuls Hirtius and Pansa but with the right to speak next after them.
  5. The formula used to grant the praetorship (line 5) was senatus consultum ultimum, a final decree of the Senate that granted extraordinary powers to magistrates in times of emergency. This was used in times when the state was considered to be in danger... or perhaps when the senators felt it to be in their best interest.
  6. As consuls, Hirtius and Pansa (lines 6-7) were also military leaders. Both were killed fighting against Antony at Mutina. After Mutina, in a position of strength and with a few senators on his side, Octavian marched on Rome and forced the Senate to to elect him consul in 43 B.C.
  7. A pact (line 7) to eliminate Brutus and Cassius, who truly wanted to restore the republic. The three assumed autocratic powers. Augustus held the imperium -- right to command soldiers -- first as praetor, then as consul, and finally as triumvir. This imperium provided a legal basis for his power.
  8. Caesar's assassins (line 8) were condemned by a court established after the triumvirs assumed control. Brutus and Cassius were deemed traitors against the Republic.
  9. vici bis acie (line 9) -- the two battles at Philippi, after which Brutus and Cassius committed suicide. Octavian vowed to erect a temple to Mars Ultor (Mars the Avenger). This temple, begun in 37 B.C. and dedicated in 2 B.C., was the centerpiece of his new Forum.
  10. The western provinces (line 11) were deeded to Octavian during the division of the empire. Antony received the eastern provinces.

Passage B

  1. Not really by universal consensus (lines 1-2) because much of his power was assumed by force of his imperium.
  2. potior (line 2) -- usually followed by an ablative, but with res the genitive is more common.
  3. rem... transtuli (lines 2-3) -- Augustus restored the Republic in form, but real power rested with him through his tribunica potestas, the right to veto and the right to propose legislation, and his imperium, the right to command soldiers.
  4. Laurels and wreaths of oak leaves (line 4) are seen on coins with his image, often with the inscription ob cives servatos. See the picture on page 7.
  5. clupeus (line 5) -- a small shield. The reference here is to an inscription with two Victories holding a shield and the words "The Senate and the People of Romehave given to Augustus a shield on account of his valor, clemency, justice and piety."

Passage C

  1. The reference is to those who sought amnesty after the battle of Actium (line 2). Augustus gave a general pardon in 27 B.C.and was awarded the corona civica for having saved Roman lives. Horace, in Ode II.7, celebrated the return of a friend due to this amnesty. However, Augustus did exectue prinsoers after both Philippi and Actium. He granted pardons when it was in his best interest: if it also pleased the Roman people, that was to his benefit as well.
  2. Notice the datives (line 2) after special verbs such as parco, ignosco, and pareo.
  3. fines auxi (lines 4) -- the result of campaigns in Gallia, Hispania, Ethiopia, Arabia, Germania, and against the Alpine tribes of Italia.
  4. add esse to the gerundive (line 6) for a passive periphrastic in indirect statement.
  5. bis...fuisse (line 11) -- a reference to the gates of the Temple of Janus, the two-headed god. The doors were opened during times of unrest and closed for peace. Tradition has it that Numa Pompilia, 2nd king of Rome, was the first to close the doors. They were closed again at the end of the 1st Punic War (235 B.C.). During Augustus's reign the doors were closed after the end of the civil war (29 B.C.) and again at the end of the Cantabrian war in Spain (25 B.C.). It is interesting to note here that we are given a time when the doors were closed but not when they were reopened. Did the army just unlock them as they marched out of town?

Passage D

  1. Atop the Capitoline hill (line 1) sat a great temple to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Juno, and Minerva. It was burned in 83 B.C., repaired by Augustus in 26 B.C. and again in 9 B.C. Pompey's theater, built in 55 B.C., was the first stone theater in Rome. Its foundations can be glimpsed today in subterranean restaurants near the Piasso Teatro Pompeo in Rome.
  2. In Ecce Book I, the Aqua Marcia (line 3) is mentioned. Its source lies in the Sabine Hills near Subiaco, the site of Saint Benedict's cave and monastery. Improvements made in 5-4 B.C. greatly increased the supply of water to Rome. Parts of the Aqua Marcia can still be seen in the lowest course of the three-tiered aqueduct that forms the Porta Tibertina.
  3. The Forum Iulius (line 4) was dedicated in 46 B.C. after the battle of Thapsus. The basilica was dedicated at the same time but burned shortly thereafter. Remains of the temple to Castor and Pollux -- just three slender columns supporting a fragment of architrave -- can be seen today in almost all images of the Forum Romanum.
  4. The Ponte Milvio (line 10) is where Constantine "the Great" defeated Maxentius in 312 A.D. and became emperor of Rome.

J. Jahnige, September 2003

Fabulae ^



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