Collected Fragments of Ennius

by Quintus Ennius

  Varro: The phrase ‘As it were the Hellespont and its barriers’ comes from the fact that Xerxes at one time made a ‘barrier’ in that region. For, as Ennius says — and he stretched a bridge over deep Hellespont.

  370

  Antiochus laments his defeat at Thermopylae in 191 BC by Glabrio:

  Gellius: No one on that occasion remembered that the verb ‘verant’ was used by Ennius in the thirteenth book of the Annals... —

  ‘Do seers, in all their life’s course, tell much of truth?

  371

  Siege of Pergamum by Seleucus IV in 190 BC?:

  Servius (supplemented): ‘Favere.’ The old writers used it even in the sense of ‘velle.’ Ennius —

  The matrons crowded the walls, eager to look on.

  Book XIV. From the Departure of the Scipios to the settlement of Asia after the Battle of Magnesia

  372–3

  Defeat of Polyxenidas by Aemilius Rcgillus at Myonnesus, 190 BC; departure of the Roman fleet:

  Gellius: You made me understand those very charming words from Ennuis’ fourteenth book of Annals... —

  Forthwith they gently swept a sea of yellow marble; green foamed the brine beaten by the thronging ships.

  374

  The rapid advance:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Smooth glides the well-greased fir-wood through the waters.’ Ennius in the fourteenth book —

  Smooth glided the well-greased keel and its rush skimmed over the waves.

  375–6

  The enemy is sighted near Myonnesus:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Looking down on the sail-fluttering sea.’... Ennius in the fourteenth book —

  When they saw far off the enemy coming towards them with the breeze in sail-fluttering ships,

  377

  The Scipios cross the Hellespont, 190 BC:

  Priscianus: These same verbs are found, in the oldest writers, inflected according to the third conjugation also... —

  The broad beaches sound

  378–9

  Speech before the battle of Magnesia, 190 BC:

  Priscianus: ‘Orior’ and ‘morior’ are found to have been inflected by authors according to both the third and the fourth conjugation.... —

  ‘Now is the day when glory passing great Shows itself to us, whether we live or die.’

  380

  Beginning of the battle:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Then the battle-field, all iron, bristles with lances.’ ‘Bristles’ is strange here. But Ennius too in the fourteenth book has —

  On both sides the host bristles rough with javelins.

  ... But again earlier than all writers Homer said: ‘The battle, man-destroying, bristled with long spears.’

  381–2

  Antiochus in his defeat:

  Priscianus: Still, the oldest writers pronounced both long and short the penultimate syllable of the above-mentioned word (that is ‘tutudi’)... —

  He began to speak— ‘O my countrymen, what fortune has thus bruised me — and I deserved it not — and has destroyed me in fierce, in bitter war!

  383

  Burning of the dead after the battle:

  Festus: ‘Ob’ instead of ‘ad’...

  All butchered, and burnt in the clear calm night.

  Book XV. The Aetolian War, 189 BC, and the Achievement of M. fulvius nobilior, whom ennius celebrated elsewhere in a separate work (p ff.). The original conclusion of the Annals

  384

  The siege of Ambracia by Fulvius Nobilior, 189BC:

  Nonius: ‘Falae’ are wooden towers... —

  They cleft the corner-beams; floors and siege-towers were built

  385–6

  Priscianus: Ennius in the fifteenth book of the Annals —

  Many were laid low by death with sword and stone in headlong fall within or without the walls.

  387

  Priscianus: ‘Arcus’... is found even in the feminine gender in old writers... —

  They look up at the bows (?), which are said by mortals...

  A sortie

  Macrobius: There are other passages (in Virgil), consisting of several lines, which Maro, with the alteration of a few words, transferred from the old poets to his own work.... The passage about Pandarus and Bitias opening the gates is taken from the fifteenth book of Ennius, who introduced the tale of how two Histrians during a siege burst out of the gate and caused a slaughter among the besieging enemy.

  388–9

  Ennius’ original ending to his Annals; his old age:

  Cicero: For it is their own blemishes and their own sins that fools lay to the charge of old age, a thing which Ennius, of whom I made mention just now, was not wont to do, thus —

  Just as a valiant steed, who has often won victories at the Olympic games in the last lap, now at length, worn out by old age, takes rest,

  He is comparing his old age to that of a valiant and victorious horse.

  Book XVI. From 188 BC to the end of the Istrian War

  NOTE ON BOOK XVI

  That Ennius described the Istrian War is certain, provided that the episode about Aelius (see p. 154) is rightly interpreted. But Ennius must also have sketched the somewhat scattered events between 188 and 178, such as the march of Manlius through Thrace, the wars in Spain and Liguria, the affairs of Italy, the trial of the Scipios, the deaths of Scipio Africanus and of Hannibal, and the censorship of Cato. Nearly all the extant fragments seem to belong either to the Prologue of the book or to the Istrian War.

  Cp. St., p ff.; Livy, XLI; Valmaggi, p ff.

  390

  Prologue; past work; growing age:

  Festus: That ‘quippe’ means ‘quidni’ Ennius is a witness... in the sixteenth book —

  Surely it is enough that the old-time wars of warriors were undertaken!

  391

  Nonius: ‘Pigret’... —

  I am loth to take up the task late in ageing life.

  392

  Gellius: ‘Dies’ instead of ‘diei’... —

  Lastly, that which the long age of my day has crushed....

  But the heroism of two brothers re-inspires him:

  Pliny: Quintus Ennius had a particular admiration for Titus Aelius Teucer and his brother, and on their account added to his Annals the sixteenth book.

  393–4

  A general remark on this period of Roman History?:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘They strain with all their might and main’: Ennius... in the sixteenth book —

  Kings throughout their kingship are in quest of statues and sepulchres; they build up a name and strain with all their might and main.

  395

  The turning years:

  Priscianus: ‘Acer.’... —

  Autumn follows on summer; after it comes keen winter.

  Censorship of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, 179 BC:

  Cicero: But is it not true that our famous Marcus Lepidus, who was twice consul and also pontifex maximus, is praised, not only by the record of tradition but also in the written evidence of Annals and by the greatest of our poets, because with his colleague Marcus Fulvius, a great enemy of his, on the day when he was made censor, he at once made a reconciliation in the Campus?

  396

  An ageing Roman?:

  Festus: ‘Regimen’ for ‘regimentum’... —

  First the aged man, tardy in his ruling, skilled in war

  397

  The Istrian War, 178–7 BC:

  King Epulo sees the Romans move on Lake Timavus:

  Festus: ‘Spicit’ is likewise used by archaic writers without a preposition prefixed.... ‘spexit’ also. Ennius in the sixteenth book —

  When King Epulo spied them from the top of high crags,

  it Car. Sang. Mon. sit rell. fit Fabricius coll. Serv., ad Aen., VI, 685

  bradys Mr. bradyn cd.

  Epulo Bergk / / / / pulo Fest. epulo Varro (Apulo Flor., I, 26: Aepulo Liv., XLI, 11, 1; at cf. Verg.,
Aen., XIII, 459 Ĕpŭlo) populos olim V cautibus olim V cotibus Bergk nunc prob. V montibua Laetus contibus cd.

  398

  The Istrians from behind a hill keep watch over the Roman camp by the Lacus Timavus, 178 BC:

  Festus: ‘Obstipum,’ slanting... —

  Slanting mountains standing in the way, whence rises up the night.

  399

  The Istrians are well prepared:

  Priscianus: ‘Frux’... derived from φρύγω...

  ‘If by daylight, if at night, if soon, if now we be given success.

  400

  The Istrian plan of attack on the Romans:

  Festus: ‘Quando’... —

  ‘When night shall fly girt up by constellations in her midst,

  401–2

  Dawn comes:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Nor was there a clear and starlit heaven.’ Ennius had said before in his sixteenth book —

  Meanwhile the torch dies out and pink trailing dawnlight covers the Ocean.

  403–4

  The Romans on the watch:

  Servius (supplemented), reading ‘ore fave’ in Virgil: Come close with the silence of worship: in the sixteenth book Ennius —

  Here in ambush they keep watch, while some of them take rest, guarded by their swords, keeping a shut mouth under their shields.

  405

  The tribune Aelius reminds the consul (A. Manlius Vulso) of his duty:

  Festus: ‘Navus’ swift and strenuous... —

  ‘It is the part of commanders who are men of deeds, to keep discipline.

  406

  Aelius says he will stand his ground:

  Festus: The same (i.e. Ennius), when he says ‘sapsa’ instead of ‘ipsa nec alia,’ writes in the sixteenth book —

  ‘in the place where my very duty displays itself and commands me.

  407

  The hopes of Aelius:

  Festus: The archaic writers used a plural ‘speres’... —

  ‘I hope — if hopes can help at all,

  408

  Possibly from the consul’s reply to Aelius:

  Festus: ‘Prodit,’... ruins... —

  ‘Not to ruin the State by hoping eagerly

  409–16

  Aelius stands fast against violent attacks:

  Macrobius: Virgil has certain passages which he is believed to have transferred from Homer; but I shall show that they are passages which were taken from authors of ours who, earlier than Virgil, had transferred these passages from Homer to their own poetic works.... Homer on a brave fight fought by Ajax has —

  But Aias could no longer stand his ground; for distressed was he by spears. Yea, the will of Zeus overmastered him, the Trojans too who pelted him; dread was the rattle which his shining helmet thus pelted kept around his brows, for pelted was it again and again over its fair-wrought cheek-pieces. Weary was he too in his shoulder — the left where he firm and constant held his motley shield, nor could they by lunging all around him with their javelins so dash him off. And ever was he gripped in cruel gasping, while sweat unquenched poured down off his limbs from every point, nor could he in any wise draw breath; but on all sides heaped was hurt on hurt.

  This passage Ennius in the sixteenth book transferred to the fight of the tribune C. Aelius, in the following lines —

  From all sides the javelins like a rain-storm showered in upon the tribune, and pierced his buckler; then jangled the embossment under spears, the helmet too with brassy clang; but not one of them, though strain they did from every side, could rend apart his body with the iron. Every time he shakes and breaks the waves of lances; sweat covers all his body; he is hard distressed; to breathe he has not a chance. The iron came flying as the Histrians cast the spears from their hands to harass him.

  By the use of this as an example Virgil, on the subject of Turnus hemmed in, has rendered the same passage with a more elegant grace —

  Thus neither by the strength of his shield nor of his right hand can the young warrior withstand an onset so great, so overwhelmed is he by javelins cast at him from all sides: again and again his helmet jingles and jangles round the hollows of his temples, the firm plates of brass gave way under the stones, and his horse-hair crest was struck from his head; the embossment could not bear the blows; the Trojans, yea and Mnestheus too like a thunder-bolt, redoubled the thrusts of their spears. Then over all his body sweat trickled and flowed in a dark stream; no power had he to draw his breath; a sick sore gasping shook his wearied limbs.

  417

  The death of Aelius?:

  Macrobius: ‘He fell forward upon the wound; his weapons dinned over him.’ Ennius in the sixteenth book —

  He tumbled and withal his armour dinned over him.

  418

  The Istrians prevailed; they feast in the Roman camp at the order of the king:

  Diomedes: ‘Horitur’ was used for ‘hortatur’... —

  He orders and encourages them to break their fast.

  419–20

  The Romans recover their camp; King Epulo, half-drunk, escapes:

  Servius (supplemented): Others take ‘vellere’ to mean ‘to move.’ Ennius —

  Then the king, full roused, pulled himself up.

  421

  The siege of Nesactum by C. Claudius Pulcher, 177 BC?:

  Varro: There are many sounds which though belonging to animals have been used figuratively of men... Ennius... transferred from the kid —

  The clamour rolling skyward bleated through the air.

  422

  Festus: ‘Vagor’ instead of ‘vagitus’... —

  this clamour... the besiegers... with winged bleating

  423

  From scenes of battle:

  Priscianus on ‘tutudi’:... E. in the sixteenth book —

  The lance of sturdy mettle punched through his right side.

  424

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Then a cold sweat came oozing down all my body.’ Ennius in the sixteenth book —

  Then sweat oozed from all his fear-filled body.

  425–6

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Still the darting lance took away the helmet top.’ Ennius in the sixteenth book —

  Still the lance flying at him carried away with it the badge.

  Book XVII. Probably from the end of the Istrian War to the Defeat of P. Licinius Crassus at Callinicus, 171 BC, during the third Macedonian War

  427

  Perseus of Macedon fortifies the passes of Tempe, 171 BC?:

  Festus: ‘Specus’ in the feminine gender... Ennius —

  Then a hollow cavern opened widely inwards under the mountain.

  428

  Perseus watches Crassus from Mount Ossa?:

  Priscianus: Genitive even in -as... —

  himself the leader of the way

  429

  Defeat of P. Licinius Crassus in a cavalry-battle at Callinicus, 171 BC:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘The four-footed beat of the hoof shakes the crumbling plain.’ Ennius... in the seventeenth book —

  The horsemen charged, and the beating of their hollow hoofs shook the ground.

  430–32

  The clash:

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘As from time to time with a great whirlwind gales set against each other meet in conflict — the west wind and the south, and the east happy in his horses of the dawn.’ Ennius in the seventeenth book —

  They rushed together as when the breath of the showery Wind of the South and the Wind of the North with his counterblast strive to upheave billows on the mighty main.

  Homer: As when two winds, the Northern and the Western, stir up the fishy sea; they come on a sudden, blowing from Thrace, and forthwith the black billow rises to a head,

  433

  Macrobius, quoting Virgil: ‘Uproars to heaven a shout and the Latins, one and all,’... Ennius in the seventeenth book —

  Uproars to heaven the shout that rose from either side.

&nbs
p; 434–5

  Slackness of discipline in the Roman army?:

  Servius (supplemented): ‘Mussant’ here means ‘murmurant’; it is a term which is also used with a sense of not speaking... —

  No, it is not meet that good warriors should mumble; warriors who, straining in the toil of battle-fields, have given birth to deeds.

  436–8

  Unplaced fragments:

  Nonius: ‘Longiscere,’ to become long, or to be broken... —

  nor do their firm bodies languish at all.

  The same poet —

  when the sunny days shall make them lengthen long.

  Book XVIII. Further Events of the year 171?

  439

  Making a camp:

  Nonius: The ‘gruma’ is a certain measuring-instrument; by means of this, when it is fixed in position, roads are built in a truly straight line.... Ennius in the eighteenth book, for ‘to mark out with the measuring rod,’ uses the phrase —

  to level off the meeting-place