Ducentesimum Vicesimum Septimum Latinum Verbum Diei: November 14, 2010

[Christina Wallin]

Theme for this month: Moralistic words

invidia, invidiae

Definition: ill will, spite; jealousy, envy;dislike;

Sententia: Livy, Ab Urbe Condita 8.31.6-7

si posset, in omnes saeviturum fuisse: quia id nequeat, in unum
saevire; etenim invidiam tamquam ignem summa petere; in caput
consilii, in ducem incurrere;

If he [the dictator] were able, he would have poured out his fury
against everyone: since that should prove impossible, against one he
was raging; for indeed [it is true] that jealousy seeks the highest
just as fire [i.e. lightening] does; he was attacking the source of
the plan, the leader [i.e. Fabius].

Titus Livius was a historian of the Golden Age of Latin literature, a
contemporary of Vergil.  He wrote a massive, 142-book history of Rome,
Ab Urbe Condita, of which only books 1-10 and 21-45 survive today, in
addition to fragments of other books.  This selection from the 8th
book of Ab Urbe Condita describes how  Lucius Papirius Cursor, the
dictator in 325 BC, is furious at Quintus Fabius, the master of the
horse. Fabius had gone against orders in attacking the enemy when the
dictator was away. He did indeed secure a victory against the
Samnites, though the dictator was furious at him said victory. Though
angry at the whole army, the dictator pours out his anger against
Fabius alone.