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V

This webpage reproduces a section of
The Res Gestae
of
Augustus
as published in the Loeb Classical Library,
1924

The text is in the public domain.

This text has been carefully proofread
and I believe it to be free of errors.
If you find a mistake though, please let me know!

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Monumentum Ancyranum
(Res Gestae Divi Augusti)

Part VI

32 54 Ad mé supplices confugerunt regés Parthorum Tíridates et postea Phrátes 1 regis Phratis filius; § Medorum Artavasdes; Adiabenorum Artaxa2 res; § Britannorum Dumnobellaunus et Tim​a. . . . . .; Sugambrorum 3 Maelo; § Marcomanórum Sueborum . . . . .rus. Ad me rex Parthorum 4 Phrates Orodis filius filiós suós nepotesque omnes misit in Italiam, non 5 bello superátus, sed amicitiam nostram per liberorum suorum pignora 6 petens. § Plúrimaeque aliae gentes expertae sunt p. R. fidem me prin7 cipe, quibus anteá cum populo Romano nullum extiterat legationum 8 et amícitiae commercium. §

32 23  Πρὸς ἐμὲ ἱκέται κατέφυγον βασιλεῖς Πάρθων μὲν 24 Τειριδάτης καὶ μετέπειτα Φραάτης, βασιλέως §1  Φράτου υἱός, Μήδων δὲ Ἀρταουάσδης, Ἀδιαβη2 νῶν Ἀρταξάρης, Βριταννῶν Δομνοελλαῦνος 3 καὶ Τιμ . . . . . . . . . , Σουγάμβρων Μαίλων, Μαρκο4μάνων Σουήβων . . . . . . . .ρος. § Πρὸς ἐμὲ βασιλεὺς 5 Πάρυων Φραάτης Ὠρώδου υἱὸς υἱοὺς αὑτοῦ υἱω6νούς τε πάντας ἔπεμψεν εἰς Ἰταλίαν, οὐ πολέμωι 7 λειφθείς, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν φιλίαν ἀξιῶν ἐπὶ τέ8 ºκνων ἐνεχύροις, πλεῖστά τε ἄλλα ἔθνη πεῖραν ἔλὰβεν δήμου Ῥωμαίων πίστεως ἐπ’ ἐμοῦ ἡγεμόνος, 10 ºοἴς τὸ πρὶν οὐδεμία ἦν πρὸς δῆμον Ῥωμαίων πρεσ11βειῶν καὶ φιλίας κοινωνία.

32 Kings of the Parthians, Tiridates,​131 and later Phrates,​132 the son of King Phrates, took refuge with me as suppliants; of the Medes, Artavasdes;​133 of the Adiabeni,​134 Artaxares; of the Britons, Dumnobellaunus​135 and Tim . . . . . .; of the Sugambri,​136 Maelo; of the Marcomanni and Suevi . . . . .rus. Phrates, son of Orodes, king of the Parthians, sent all his sons and grandsons to me in Italy, not because he had been conquered in war, but rather seeking our friendship by means of his own children as pledges.​137 And a large number of other nations experienced the good faith of the Roman people during my principate who never before had had any interchange of embassies or of friendship with the Roman people.

 p398  33 9 A me gentés Parthórum et Médórum per legatos principes eárum gen10 tium régés petitós accéperunt: Parthi Vononem regis Phrátis fílium, 11 régis Oródis nepótem, § Médí Ariobarzanem, regis Artavazdis fi12 lium, regis Ariobarzanis nepotem.

33 12  Παρ’ ἐμοῦ ἔθνη Πάρθων καὶ Μήδων διὰ πρέσβεων τῶν 13 παρ’ αὐτοῖς πρώτων βασιλεῖς αἰτησάμενοι ἔλαβον· 14 Πάρθοι Οὐονώνην, βασιλέως Φράτου υἱόν, βασιλέως 15 Ὠρώδου υἱωνόν, Μῆδοι Ἀριοβαρζάνην, βασιλέως 16 Ἀρταβάζου υἱόν, βασιλέως Ἀριοβαρζάνου υἱωνόν.

 p399  33 From me the peoples of the Parthians and of the Medes received the kings for whom they asked​138 through ambassadors, the chief men of those peoples; the Parthians Vonones, son of King Phrates, grandson of King Orodes; the Medes Ariobarzanes, the son of King Atavazdes, grandson of King Ariobarzanes.

34 13 Ín consulátú sexto et septimo, bella ubi civilia exstinxeram 14 per consénsum úniversórum potitus rerum omnium, rem publicam 15 ex meá potestáte § in senátus populique Romani arbitrium transtulí. 16 Quó pro merito meó senatus consulto Augustus appellátus sum et laureís 17 postés aedium meárum vestiti publice coronaque civíca super 18 iánuam meam  p400 fíxa est § clupeusque aureus in cúriá Iúliá posi19 tus, quem mihi senatum populumque Romanum dare virtutis cle20 mentiae iustitiae pietatis caussa testatum est per eius clúpei 21 inscriptionem. § Post id tempus praestiti omnibus dignitate, potes22 tatis autem nihilo amplius habui quam qui fuerunt mihi quo23 que in magistratu conlegae.

34 17  Ἐν ὑπατείαι ἕκτηι καὶ ἑβδόμηι μετὰ τὸ τοὺς ἐνφυ18λίους ζβέσαι με πολέμους κατὰ τὰς εὐχὰς τῶν ἐ19μῶν πολειτῶν ἐνκρατὴς γενόμενος πάντων τῶν 20 πραγμάτων, ἐκ τῆς ἐμῆς ἐξουσίας εἰς τὴν τῆς συν21κλήτου καὶ τοῦ δήμου τῶν Ῥωμαίων μετήνεγκα 22 κυριήαν. Ἐξ ἧς αἰτίας δόγματι συνκλήτου Σεβαστὸς 23 προσηγορεύθην καὶ δάφναις δημοσίαι τὰ πρόπυ24λά μου ἐστέφθη, ὅ τε δρύινος στέφανος ὁ διδόμενος 1 ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν πολειτῶν ὑπεράνω τοῦ πυλῶ2νος τῆς ἐμῆς οἰκίας ἀνετέθη, § ὅπλον τε χρυ3σοῦν ἐν τῶι βουλευτηρίωι ἀνατεθὲν ὑπό τε τῆς 4 συνκλήτου καὶ τοῦ δήμου τῶν Ῥωμαίων διὰ τῆς 5 ἐπιγραφῆς ἀρετὴν καὶ ἐπείκειαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην 6 καὶ εὐσέβειαν ἐμοὶ μαρτυρεῖ. § Ἀξιώμὰτι § πάντων 7 διήνεγκα, § ἐξουσίας δὲ οὐδέν τι πλεῖον ἔσχον 8 τῶν συναρξάντων μοι.

34 In my sixth and seventh consul­ships,​139 when I had extinguished the flames of civil war, after receiving by universal consent the absolute control of affairs, I transferred the republic from my own control to the will of the senate and the Roman people. For this service on my part I was given the title of Augustus​140 by decree of the senate, and the doorposts of my house were covered with laurels by public act, and a civic crown was fixed above my door,​141 and a golden shield was placed in  p401 the Curia Julia whose inscription testified that the senate and the Roman people gave me this in recognition of my valour, my clemency, my justice, and my piety.​142 After that time I took precedence of all in rank, but of power I possessed no more than those who were my colleagues in any magistracy.

35 24 Tertium decimum consulátum cum gerebam, senatus et equester ordo 25 populusque Románus úniversus appellavit me patrem patriae idque 26 in vestibulo aedium meárum inscribendum esse atque​35 in curia et in foró Aug. 27 sub quadrigis, quae mihi ex s. c. positae sunt, decrevit. Cum scripsi haec, 28 annum agebam septuagensumum sextum.

35 9  Τρισκαιδεκάτην ὑπατείαν ἄγοντός μου ἥ τε σύν10κλητος καὶ τὸ ἀγωγικὸν τάγμα ὅ τε σύνπας δῆμος τῶν 11 Ῥωμαίων προσηγόρευσέ με πατέρα πατρίδος καὶ τοῦτο 12 ἐπὶ τοῦ προπύλου τῆς οἰκίας μου καὶ ἐν τῶι βουλευτη13ρίωι καὶ ἐν τῆι ἀγορᾶι τῆι Σεβαστῆι ὑπὸ τῶι ἅρματι, ὅ μοι 14 δόγματι συνκλήτου ἀνετέθη, ἐπιγραφῆναι ἐψηφίσα15το. § Ὅτε ἔγραφον ταῦτα, ἣγον ἔτος ἑβδομηκοστὸν 16 ἕκτον. §

35 While I was administering my thirteenth consul­ship the senate and the equestrian order and the entire Roman people gave me the title of Father of my Country,​143 and decreed that this title should be inscribed upon the vestibule of my house and in the senate-house and in the Forum Augustum beneath the quadriga erected in my honour by decree of the senate. At the time of writing this I was in my seventy-sixth year.​144

Summary​145

 p402  1 29 Summá pecúniae, quam dedit in aerarium vel plebei Romanae vel dimis30 sis militibus: denarium sexiens milliens.

1 17  Συνκεφαλαίωσις § ἠριθμημένου χρήματος εἰς τὸ αἰρά18ριον ἢ εἰς τὸν δῆμον τὸν Ῥωμαίων ἢ εἰς τοὺς ἀπολε19λυμένους στρατιώτας §·º ἓξ μυριάδες μυριάδων.

1 The sum total of the money which he contributed to the treasury or to the Roman plebs or to discharged soldiers was 600,000,000 denarii.​146

2 31 Opera fecit nova § aedem Martis, Iovis Tonantis et Feretri, Apollinis, 32 díví Iúli, § Quirini, § Minervae, Iunonis Reginae, Iovis Libertatis, 33 Larum, deum Penátium, § Iuventatis, Matris deum, Lupercal, pulvinar 34 ad circum, § cúriam cum chalcidico, forum Augustum, basilicam 35 Iuliam, theatrum Marcelli, § porticus . . . . . . . . . . , nemus trans Tiberím 36 Caesarum. §

2 20  Ἔργα καινὰ ἐγένετο ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ ναοὶ μὲν Ἄρεως, Διὸς 21 Βροντησίου καὶ Τροπαιοφόρου, Πανός, Ἀπόλλω22νος, § θεοῦ Ἰουλίου, Κυρείνου, § Ἀθηνᾶς, § Ἥρας βασιλί23δος, § Διὸς Ἐλευθερίου, § ἡρώων, θεῶν πατρίων, § Νε24ότητος, § Μητρὸς θεῶν, § βουλευτήριον σὺν χαλκι1δικῶι, § ἀγορᾶι Σεβαστῆι, § θέατρον Μαρκέλλου, § βὰσι2λικὴ Ἰουλία, § ἄλσος Καισάρων, § στοαὶ ἐν Παλατίωι, 3 στοὰ ἐν ἱπποδρόμωι Φλαμινίωι.

2 The new works which he built were: the temple of Mars, of Jupiter Tonans and Feretrius, of Apollo, of the Deified Julius, of Quirinus, of Minerva, of Juno the queen, of Jupiter Libertas, of the Lares, of the Di Penates, of Youth, of the Mother of the gods, the Lupercal, the state box at the circus, the senate-house with the Chalcidicum, the Augustan Forum, the Basilica Julia, the theatre of Marcellus, . . . . . . . . the grove of the Caesars beyond the Tiber.​147

3 37 Refécit Capitolium sacrasque aedes numero octoginta duas, theatrum Pom38 peí, aquarum rivos, viam Flaminiam.

3 Ἐπεσκευάσθη τὸ Καπι4τώλιον, § ναοὶ ὀγδοήκοντα δύο, § θέατρον Πομ5 πηίου, § ὁδὸς Φλαμινία, § ἀγωγοὶ ὑδάτων.

3 He restored the Capitol and sacred buildings to the number of eighty-two, the theatre of Pompey, the aqueducts, the Flaminian Way.​148

 p404  4 39 Impensa praestita in spectacula scaenica et munera gladiatorum at40 que athletas et venationes et naumachiam et donata pecunia a  (?)
41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
42 terrae motu § incendioque consum43 ptis aut viritim amicis senatoribusque, quórum census explevit, 44 ínnumerabilis. §

4 Δαπάναι δὲ 6 εἰς θέας καὶ μονομάχους καὶ ἀθλητὰς καὶ ναυμα7χίαν καὶ θηρομαχίαν δωρεαί τε ἀποικίαις πόλεσιν 8 ἐν Ἰταλίαι, πόλεσιν ἐν ἐπαρχείαις § σεισμῶι καὶ ἐνπυ9ρισμοῖς πεπονηκυίαις ἢ κατ’ ἄνδρα φίλοις καὶ συν10κλητικοῖς, ὧν τὰς τειμήσεις προσεξεπλήρωσεν·º ἄ11πειρον πλῆθος.

4 The expenditures provided for theatrical shows, gladiatorial sports, for exhibitions of athletes, for hunts of wild beasts, and the naval combat,​149 and his gifts to colonies in Italy, to cities in the provinces which had been destroyed by earthquake or conflagration, or to individual friends and senators, whose property he raised to the required rating, are too numerous to be reckoned.​150

The Editor's Notes:

Critical Note:

35 atque Wirtz, et Mommsen.

Explanatory Notes:

131 26 B.C.

❦

132 20 B.C.

❦

133 31‑30 B.C.

❦

134 An Assyrian people, mentioned here for the first time.

❦

135 Probably the same Dumnobellaunus whose coins have been found in England. Cf. J. Evans, Coins of the Ancient Britons.

❦

136 The Sugambri, a German tribe living to the east of the Rhine, were finally defeated in 8 B.C., and transferred to the west bank.

❦

137 It was really in order to get his legitimate sons out of the way, so as to secure the succession for his illegitimate son, Phraataces, whose mother was an Italian slave, a present from Augustus. The date was 10 B.C.

❦

138 In 4‑5 B.C. the Parthians asked that the throne, vacated by the flight of Phraataces (see last note), be filled by (p399)Vonones, the legitimate son of Phraates, then a hostage in Rome. For Ariobarzanes see Chap. 27.

❦

139 28 and 27 B.C. In these and the following years he gradually divested himself of his extraordinary powers and contented himself with ordinary offices, but held in an extraordinary way, such as the tribunicia potestas, and the imperium. In form he restored the republic; in substance the real power rested with him, perhaps, in view of the circumstances, unavoidably. The statement which he makes here is clearly the one which he wishes to be the view of posterity. At any rate, the revolutionary and extraordinary acts of the triumviral period ceased, by his own edict (Dio, LIII.2), with the expiration of 28 B.C.

❦

140 January 16, 27 B.C. The title was suggested by Munatius Plancus.

❦

141 This crown, or the laurels, or both, are represented upon coins. See Cohen, Nos. 43‑48, 50, 207‑212, 301, 356, 385, 426, 476‑478, 482. Most of them have the inscription Ob cives servatos. The civic crown was the reward of the soldier who had saved the life of a citizen. It was given to Augustus because, by putting an end to the civil wars, and by his clemency, he had saved the lives of many citizens.

❦

142 Not mentioned by ancient writers, but represented upon coins and inscriptions. Cf. CIL IX.5811, with two Victories supporting a shield and the words, "The Senate and Roman people have given to Augustus a shield on account of his valour, clemency, justice, and piety." Kornemann in Klio, vol. XV, points out that virtus, iustitia, clementia, and pietas are the subjects of the first four chapters of the Mon. Anc.

❦

143 Formally bestowed February 5, 2 B.C. Before that he had often been called pater, or parens patriae informally. Suetonius, Augustus, 58, gives part of the address of Messala including the actual salutation, "senatus te consentiens cum populo Romano consalutat patriae patrem."

❦

144 Augustus was seventy-six on September 23, A.D. 13. Chap. 8 of the Mon. Anc. refers to his third census which was completed one hundred days before his death. This would bring the date of writing to between May 11, A.D. 14, and his departure for Campania. Augustus died at Nola, August 19, in that year.

❦

145 This summary, as Mommsen points out, is not by Tiberius, but apparently by one of the local magistrates of Ancyra.

❦

146 The total of the expenditures mentioned by Augustus in this connexion was 2,199,800,000 sesterces. The 600,000,000 denarii — 2,400,000,000 sesterces — is accordingly a round sum. See Mommsen, Res Gestae, p157.

❦

147 A summary of Chapter 19 and part of 20. Temples are mentioned first to simplify grammatical construction, the other buildings at random. The Greek does not correspond with the Latin: there is no equivalent in the Greek version for pulvinar ad circum, nor exact equivalent in the Latin text for στοαὶ ἐν Παλατίῳ, στοὰ ἐν ἱπποδρόμῳ Φλαμινίῳ.

❦

148 A summary of Chap. 20.

❦

149 Summarizes Chaps. 22, 23.

❦

150 These donations to cities and to individuals are not covered by Augustus in his account. The names of some of the cities aided are supplied by the authors and inscriptions: in Italy, Venafrum in Campania (CIL X.4842), and Naples (Dio, LV.10); in the provinces, Paphos in Cyprus, 15 B.C. (Dio, LIV.23), and several cities in Asia in 12 B.C. (Dio, LIV.30), and lastly Laodicea and Tralles (Strabo, XII.8.18; Suet. Tib. 8).

The census rating for a senator was raised from 800,000 sesterces to 1,200,000, and where senators were worthy, though poor, he raised their fortunes to that amount (Suet. Aug. 41).

Thayer's Note:

a Tinc must also be a possible reading according to some; see this note to Strabo, Geog. 4.5.3.

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