Volume 19, 2007 - Brown University

74 Amy Hall Goins
Though Livy certainly admired these religiously-minded acts, Camillus
had a greater contribution to Roman history in Livy’s narrative. When the
Senate advocated a migration to Veii and the citizens seems poised to accept the
proposal, Camillus felt compelled to speak out against this plan. Livy ends Book
Five of his history with Camillus’ impassioned speech, in which he urges the
Romans not to abandon their city and their history. Camillus chastises the crowd
for preparing to leave the city and flout the will of the gods. “Only consider the
course during these latter years; you will find that when we followed God’s
guidance, all was well; when we scorned it, all was ill” (Livy 5.51). Camillus
reminds the crowd that the Romans triumphed over Veii only when they heeded
the gods and drained the Alban lake. The present state of affairs had befallen
Rome only after its citizens ignored the divine warning that the Gauls were
coming, and failed to punish its envoys who violated international law, thereby
shirking her duty to the gods. Rome’s suffering and defeat at the hands of the
Gauls, claimed Camillus, ensued because of her faithlessness. Only when the
Romans recalled their faith by seeking shelter and divine protection on the Capitol
and securing protection for the priests and religious articles did the city prevail
against its aggressors .
Camillus’ words and deeds constitute one of Livy’s most effective exempla.
He includes the description of Camillus’ pious acts as dictator to show his
readers the importance and centrality due to religion in Roman culture. Just as
Camillus prioritized religion over all other concerns, readers of Livy’s history
should remember to pay tribute to the gods or else risk incurring their wrath.
Camillus’ speech also highlights the importance of tradition, religious obligation,
and history. He cites specific instances in which Rome’s piety or impiety is
directly connected with her success or misfortune. Through his words and deeds,
Camillus shows his fellow citizens that Rome’s future is dependent upon her
remembering and embracing the past.
Gary B. Miles characterizes Livy’s history as one in which Romans are
constantly “recalling their past, being influenced by it, evoking it to influence
others—and deliberately shaping the way in which the past will be remembered
by posterity” (Miles, 1995: 69). Indeed, the most distinctive feature of Livy’s
history is not his attention to good and bad characters and the moral lessons they
provide, but his portrayal of the characters within his story as figures who
remember and reference history. The words and actions of the characters in
Livy’s history show us that the author’s moral lessons were alive within his
work. Exemplary Romans such as Camillus remembered the lessons of the past
and made dramatic speeches reminding their fellow citizens to do the same.
Those who ignored the guidance of history, like Spurius, suffered grave consequences.
Livy’s exempla are effective both within the text and without: they
feature characters responding to moral lessons from exemplary individuals and
they prompt readers to take the same lessons to heart. The aversion to monarchy,
the importance of unity in the face of external threats, and the importance of
religious tradition and obligation were historical lessons which resonated deep