With stylistic brilliance and historical imagination, the first five books of Livy's monumental history of Rome record events from the foundation of Rome through the history of the seven kings, the establishment of the Republic and its internal struggles, up to Rome's recovery after the fierce Gallic invasion of the fourth century bc. Livy vividly depicts the great characters, legends, and tales, including the story of Romulus and Remus. Reprinting Robert Ogilvie's lucid 1971 introduction, this highly regarded edition now boasts a new preface, examining the text in light of recent Livy scholarship, informative maps, bibliography, and an index. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt with an introduction by Robert Ogilvie.

Romulus and Remus, the rape of Lucretia, Horatius at the bridge, the saga of Coriolanus, Cincinnatus called from his farm to save the state -- these and many more are stories which, immortalized by Livy in his history of early Rome, have become part of our cultural heritage. This new annotated translation includes maps and an index and is based on R. M Ogilvie's Oxford Classical text, the best to date. - ;`the fates ordained the founding of this great city and the beginning of the world's mightiest empire, second only to the power of the gods' Romulus and Remus, the rape of Lucretia, Horatius at the bridge, the saga of Coriolanus, Cincinnatus called from his farm to save the state - these and many more are stories which, immortalised by Livy in his history of early Rome, have become part of our cultural heritage. The historian's huge work, written between 20 BC and AD 17, ran to 12 books, beginning with Rome's founding in 753 BC and coming down to Livy's own lifetime (9 BC). Books 1-5 cover the period from Rome's beginnings to her first great foreign conquest, the capture of the Etruscan city of Veii and, a few years later, to her first major defeat, the sack of the city by the Gauls in 390 BC. -

Books VI-X of Livy's monumental work trace Rome's fortunes from its near collapse after defeat by the Gauls in 386 bc to its emergence, in a matter of decades, as the premier power in Italy, having conquered the city-state of Samnium in 293 bc. In this fascinating history, events are described not simply in terms of partisan politics, but through colourful portraits that bring the strengths, weaknesses and motives of leading figures such as the noble statesman Camillus and the corrupt Manlius vividly to life. While Rome's greatest chronicler intended his history to be a memorial to former glory, he also had more didactic aims - hoping that readers of his account could learn from the past ills and virtues of the city.

In addition to Valerie Warrior's crisp, fluent translation of the first five books of Livy's Ab Urbe Condita, this edition features a general introduction to Livy and his work, extensive foot-of-the-page notes offering essential contextual information, and a chronology of events. Three appendices--on the genealogies of the most prominent political figures in the early Republic, Livy's relationship with Augustus, and Livy's treatment of religion--offer additional insight into the author and the early history of Rome.

"Here is a superb new translation of Books 6 to 10 of Livy's monumental history of Rome, covering the period when Rome, in a series of ever greater wars, imposed mastery over virtually the entire Italian peninsula. Livy paints vivid portraits of all the notable figures, such as young Manlius Torquatus, victor in a David-versus-Goliath duel with a Gallic chieftain, and Appius Claudius who built Rome's first major highway, the Appian Way. Livy's blend of factual narrative and imaginative recreation brings to life a key moment in the rise of Rome, and the one complete account we have, as the city passes from the mists of legend into the light of history. J. C. Yardley's translation gives a vivid sense of the energy, variety, and literary skill of Livy's great work. Dexter Hoyos's Introduction sets Livy in the context of Roman historiography and deftly explains why this period was so critical an era for the rise of Rome. The most up-to-date edition, drawing on the latest scholarship, this major work of Roman literature and history includes comprehensive notes that clarify problems of historical content, topography, and chronology, a detailed glossary of Roman technical terms, an appendix on the Roman legion of the time, and two maps."--Publisher's website.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt: ...the insurgents with a superior force, and that the insurgents made no attempt to advance into Latium and to throw themselves on the hostile capital. We are however too little acquainted with their respective circumstances to judge whether or how they could have acted otherwise, or to what extent the remissness of the Roman government on the one hand and the looseness of the connection among the federate communities on the other contributed to this want of unity in the conduct of the war. It is easy to see, that with such a system there would be victories and defeats but the final settlement might be very long delayed; and it is no less plain, that a clear arid vivid picture of such a war--which resolved itself into a series of engagements on the part of individual corps operating at the same time, sometimes separately, sometimes in combination--cannot be prepared out of the remarkably fragmentary accounts which have reached us. The first assault, as a matter of course, fell on the for-Cummence-tresses adhering to Rome in the insurgent districts, which ment of the in all haste closed their gates and carried in their moveable war-property from the country. Silo threw himself on the for-The fortress designed to hold in check the Marsians, the strong tresses. Alba, Mutilus on the Latin town of.ZEsernia established in the heart of Samnium: in both cases they encountered the most resolute resistance. Similar conflicts probably raged in the north around Firmum, Hatria, Pinna, in the south around Luceria, Beneventum, Nola, Paestum, before and while the Roman armies gathered on the borders of the insurgent Vol. m. B Caesar in Cam-90. pania and Sumnium..Ssernia taken by the insurgents, asnlso Nola. Campania for the most part lost to the Romans....