The historical anecdote about the fiery orator Gaius Gracchus and his slave Licinius—who would stand behind him with a pitch-pipe (fistula) to modulate his voice—does not actually come from Livy. The original accounts of this famous story are preserved by Cicero (De Oratore) and Plutarch (Life of Tiberius/Gaius Gracchus). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Livy’s own book covering this specific period of the Gracchi brothers (Book 60) is unfortunately lost to history, and its surviving summary (Periocha) does not mention Licinius. [1]

The exact Latin and English texts for this specific story from the primary ancient sources are outlined below.[1]

1. Cicero's Account (De Oratore, 3.225)

Cicero provides the earliest and most direct Latin account of Licinius using a bone pipe to keep Gracchus's passionate voice under control. [1, 2]

• Latin Text:

  "C. Gracchum, ... illum constat habuisse fistulatorem qui staret occulte post eum cum loqueretur, et qui inflaret celeriter eum sonum, quo illum aut remissum excitaret aut redundantem revocaret."

  [1]
• English Translation:

  "It is well known that Gaius Gracchus ... had a piper who stood hidden behind him while he was speaking, and who would quickly blow a note by which he could either rouse Gracchus if he flagged or recall him if he became overly vehement."

  [1]

2. Plutarch's Account (Life of Tiberius Gracchus, 2.4-5)

Plutarch originally wrote this in Greek, but it is heavily translated into Latin and English and details the slave's name, Licinius. [1, 2]

• English Translation (Loeb Classical Library):

  "...he employed an intelligent servant, Licinius, who stood behind him when he was speaking, with a sounding instrument for giving the tones of the voice their pitches. For whenever he perceived that his master’s tone was altering and breaking with anger... he would strike a soft note with his pipe, on hearing which Gaius would immediately check the vehemence of his passion..."

  [1, 2]

3. What does Livy say about Gracchus and his slave?

While Livy's main text for Gaius Gracchus's life is missing, alternative historians like Appian (The Civil Wars, 1.11) mention a different slave during Gracchus's final moments. When Gaius fled his political enemies across the Tiber, he was accompanied by a single loyal slave. Appian names him Philocrates, while alternative traditions sometimes name him Euporus. In a sacred grove, Gracchus ordered this slave to kill him to avoid capture. [1, 2, 3]

If you are tracking down specific stories about the Gracchi brothers, I can point you toward other primary source accounts of their land reforms or help you find Livy's surviving summaries (Periochae) of that era. Which direction would you like to explore next? [1, 3]