Chapter 56

auctorem habui'; xxi. 38, 3, 'L. Cincius Alimentus, qui captum se ab Hannibale scribit, maxime auctor moveret.' Criticism of his authorities is most conspicuous in the case of Valerius Antias, whom at first he followed in good faith; he condemns him again and again for exaggeration and credulity, _e.g._ xxxiii. 10, 8, 'si Valerio qui credat, omnium rerum immodice numerum augenti'; xxxix. 43, 1, 'Valerius Antias, ut qui nec orationem Catonis legisset et fabulae tantum sine auctore editae credidisset.' He also recognizes the bias of Licinius Macer: vii. 9, 5, 'quaesita ea propriae familiae laus leviorem auctorem Licinium facit.' For the untrustworthiness of family records, cf. viii. 40, 4, 'vitiatam memoriam funebribus laudibus reor falsisque imaginum titulis, dum familiae ad se quaeque famam rerum gestarum honorumque fallenti mendacio trahunt.'

Livy often refers to authorities whom he does not name: 'invenio apud quosdam,' 'satis constat'; and to tradition: 'fama est,' 'dicitur,' 'fertur,' 'traditur.' Tradition was the sole source for events prior to the sack of Rome by the Gauls, cf. vi. 12, 2 _sqq._

There is no trace in Livy of any use of original documents.

He constantly resists the temptation to digress from his proper theme: _e.g._ xxxix. 48, 6, 'cuius belli et causas et ordinem si expromere velim, immemor sim propositi, quo statui non ultra attingere externa, nisi qua Romanis cohaererent rebus.'

In spite of his love of truth (xxii. 7, 4, 'nihil haustum ex vano velim, quo nimis inclinant ferme scribentium animi': cf. Tac. _Ann._