Perseus's Peace Overtures and Roman Inflexibility — Polybius, The Histories Book 27 (27.8.1–27.8.15), Greek & English

§27.8.1

ὅτι μετὰ τὴν νίκην τῶν Μακεδόνων, συνεδρίου παρὰ τῷ Περσεῖ συναχθέντος, ὑπέδειξάν τινες τῶν φίλων διότι δεῖ πρεσβείαν πέμψαι τὸν βασιλέα πρὸς τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Ῥωμαίων, ἐπιδεχόμενον¹ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ὅτι φόρους δώσει Ῥωμαίοις, ὅσους πρότερον ὑπέσχετο [ὁ] πατὴρ καταπολεμηθείς, καὶ τόπων ἐκχωρήσει τῶν αὐτῶν.

That after the victory of the Macedonians, a council having been assembled under Perseus, some of his friends suggested that the king should send an embassy to the Roman general, accepting even now to pay to the Romans as much tribute as his father, after being defeated, had previously promised, and to evacuate the same territories.

§27.8.3

ἐάν τε γὰρ δέξωνται τὰς διαλύσεις, καλὴν ἔφασαν ἔσεσθαι τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν ἐξαγωγὴν τοῦ πολέμου, πεπροτερηκότι² διὰ τῶν ὑπαίθρων, καὶ καθόλου πρὸς τὸ μέλλον εὐλαβεστέρους ὑπάρξειν τοὺς Ῥωμαίους, πεῖραν εἰληφότας τῆς Μακεδόνων ἀνδρείας εἰς τὸ μηδὲν ἄδικον μηδὲ βαρὺ προστάττειν Μακεδόσιν.

For they said that, if they accepted the reconciliation, the conclusion of the war would be honorable for the king, since he had gained the advantage in the open field, and overall, for the future, the Romans would be more cautious, having experienced the courage of the Macedonians, so as to command nothing unjust or harsh to the Macedonians.

§27.8.4

ἐάν τε μὴ δέξωνται θυμομαχοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς γεγονόσιν, ἐκείνοις μὲν δικαίως νεμεσήσειν τὸ δαιμόνιον, αὐτῷ δὲ διὰ τὴν μετριότητα συναγωνιστὰς ὑπάρξειν τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους.

And if they did not accept, being angry at what had happened, the divine power would justly be indignant with them, while both gods and men would be allies to him because of his moderation.

§27.8.5

ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐδόκει τοῖς πλείοσι τῶν φίλων. συγκαταθεμένου δὲ τοῦ Περσέως ἐπέμποντο παραχρῆμα πρεσβευταὶ Πάνταυχος Βαλάκρου καὶ Μίδων Βεροιεύς.

These things, then, seemed good to the majority of his friends. And Perseus having agreed, Pantauchus son of Balacrus and Midon of Beroea were immediately sent as ambassadors.

§27.8.6

ὧν παραγενομένων πρὸς τὸν Λικίννιον εὐθέως ὁ στρατηγὸς συνῆγε συνέδριον. τῶν δὲ πρέσβεων διασαφησάντων τὰ κατὰ τὰς ἐντολάς, μεταστησάμενοι τοὺς περὶ τὸν Πάνταυχον ἐβουλεύοντο περὶ τῶν προσπεπτωκότων.

When they arrived before Licinius, the general immediately summoned a council. The ambassadors having explained their instructions, they dismissed Pantauchus and his companions and deliberated on the proposals.

§27.8.7

ἔδοξεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ὡς βαρυτάτην δοῦναι τὴν ἀπόκρισιν.

It seemed good to them, therefore, with one mind to give the harshest answer.

§27.8.8

ἴδιον γὰρ τοῦτο πάντῃ παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἔθος καὶ πάτριόν ἐστι τὸ κατὰ μὲν τὰς ἐλαττώσεις αὐθαδεστάτους καὶ βαρυτάτους φαίνεσθαι, κατὰ δὲ τὰς ἐπιτυχίας ὡς μετριωτάτους.

For this is in every way a peculiar and ancestral custom among the Romans, to appear most arrogant and harsh in adversity, but most moderate in success.

§27.8.9

τοῦτο δʼ ὅτι καλὸν πᾶς ἄν τις ὁμολογήσειεν· εἰ δὲ καὶ δυνατὸν ἐν ἐνίοις καιροῖς, εἰκότως ἄν τις ἐπαπορήσειεν.

That this is noble, anyone would agree; but whether it is also possible on certain occasions, one might reasonably doubt.

§27.8.10

πλὴν τότε γε τοιαύτην ἔδωκαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν· ἐκέλευον γὰρ ἐπιτρέπειν τὸν Περσέα τὰ καθʼ αὑτόν, καὶ καθόλου διδόναι τῇ συγκλήτῳ τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ὡς ἂν αὐτῇ δοκῇ, βουλεύεσθαι περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Μακεδονίαν.

At any rate, on that occasion they gave such an answer: for they ordered Perseus to submit his affairs to them, and in general to give the senate full authority to deliberate concerning Macedonia as it might see fit.

§27.8.11

οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Πάνταυχον ταῦτʼ ἀκούσαντες ἐπανῆλθον καὶ διεσάφουν τῷ Περσεῖ καὶ τοῖς φίλοις.

Pantauchus and his companions, having heard these things, returned and explained them to Perseus and his friends.

§27.8.12

ὧν τινες ἐκπληττόμενοι τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν παρωξύνοντο καὶ συνεβούλευον τῷ Περσεῖ μήτε διαπρεσβεύεσθαι μηκέτι μήτε διαπέμπεσθαι περὶ μηδενός.

Some of whom, being struck by their arrogance, were exasperated and advised Perseus neither to send any more embassies nor to negotiate about anything at all.

§27.8.13

οὐ μὴν ὁ Περσεὺς τοιοῦτος ἦν, ἀλλὰ προστιθεὶς καὶ τὸ πλῆθος αὔξων τῶν χρημάτων διεπέμπετο πλεονάκις πρὸς τὸν Λικίννιον. προκόπτων δʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πλείστων φίλων ἐπιτιμώντων αὐτῷ καὶ φασκόντων ὅτι νικῶν ποιεῖ τὰ τοῦ λειπομένου³ καὶ τοῖς ὅλοις ἐπταικότος, οὕτως ἠναγκάσθη τὰς διαπρεσβείας ἀπογνοὺς μεταστρατοπεδεῦσαι πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ Συκύριον. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τούτων ἦν. —

But Perseus was not of such a mind; rather, adding and increasing the amount of money, he sent messages repeatedly to Licinius. But making no progress, and moreover, since the majority of his friends reproached him, saying that, though victorious, he was acting like one who was defeated and had utterly failed, he was thus forced to give up hope of negotiations and to move his camp back to Sycurium. And these things happened in this manner. —

Syntax notes3 items

27.8.2ἐπιδεχόμενον
This is an accusative masculine singular present participle, agreeing not with the feminine noun πρεσβείαν, but with τὸν βασιλέα (the accusative subject of the infinitive πέμψαι), indicating the king's active acceptance of the terms while sending the embassy.
27.8.3πεπροτερηκότι
A perfect active participle in the dative masculine singular, agreeing with the dative τῷ βασιλεῖ, expressing the reason: 'since he had gained the advantage (in the open field).'
27.8.14τὰ τοῦ λειπομένου
The neuter plural accusative article τὰ with the genitive participle λειπομένου ('the one who is left behind/defeated') forms an idiomatic expression meaning 'the actions/part of a defeated person.' It functions as the direct object of ποιεῖ, meaning 'to act like a defeated person.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:27.8.1-27.8.15