41 
It is a curious monument of the state of the Latin language at 
the date of its engraving. It is by no means its oldest historical 
document; but while the laws of the Twelve Tables and others 
have come down to us by transcription, and therefore may 
have been altered in grammar and orthography, this decree 
appears exactly as it was issued. It has everywhere the D 
after the dative and ablative case, as populod ; the infinitive is 
formed in er, as dicier, figier; the long u is represented by a 
diphthong, as pious, jouheo. Senatus has for its genitive 
senatuos, after the analogy of Greek nouns in us, showing the 
reason of the long u in the genitive, as representing a 
contraction. 
Livy’s account of this remarkable event in the history of the 
Roman Republic is one of the best specimens both of his 
narrative and his oratorical power. His reputation for the 
more homely qualities of the historian, research and accuracy, 
has sufiered severely at the hands of some eminent moderns. 
In the index to the English translation of Niebuhr’s Roman 
History, the article Livy,” is one long indictment against 
him, of which haste, inaccuracy, misapprehension, patriotic 
prejudices, neglect of authorities, form the several counts. No 
doubt he wrote history more in the fashion of Hume than of 
Rapin, and trusted to style to conceal the defect of industry. 
How far he is chargeable with unfaithfulness to his authorities, 
or neglect of such as were within his reach, it is in most cases 
impossible to say, because they have perished. But a fortunate 
accident has preserved the original text of the decree against 
the Bacchanalia, and we find that he has copied its very words. 
Is it not a fair presumption that if in other cases we could 
confront him with authentic documents, we should find him 
not so careless, faithless, and prejudiced, as he is described 
by Niebuhr ? 
The same volume contains exact representations of many 
other monuments and objects connected with early Roman 
history; tablets containing laws and decrees; the inscriptions on 
the tombs of the illustrious family of the Scipios ; bilingual 
monuments in Latin and Oscan, Umbrian and Etruscan ; the 
Duillian column, commemorative of a naval victory over the 
D 
