- Source
- Titi Livi ab urbe condita libri editionem priman, Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:40.56.1-40.56.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
Though aware that his conspiracy has been exposed, Perseus relies on his power and keeps his distance, while the dying King Philip attempts to leave the throne to Antigonus as a reward for revealing the truth. However, upon Philip's death, the physician Calligenes conceals the news and immediately summons Perseus, preventing Antigonus's accession.
Perseus certior factus omnia detecta esse, potentior quidem erat, quam ut fugam necessariam duceret:1 tantum ut procul abesset, curabat, interim velut ab incendio flagrantis irae, dum Philippus viveret, se defensurus. is spe potiundi ad poenam corporis eius amissa,2 quod reliquum erat, id studere, ne super impunitatem etiam praemio sceleris frueretur.
Perseus, having been informed that everything was uncovered, was indeed too powerful to deem flight necessary; he only took care to keep at a distance, intending in the meantime to protect himself as if from the fire of burning wrath as long as Philip lived. The latter, having lost the hope of getting hold of his person for punishment, was eager for what remained: namely, that he should not, in addition to impunity, also enjoy the reward of his crime.
Antigonum igitur appellat, cui et palam facti parricidii gratia obnoxius erat, et nequaquam pudendum aut paenitendum eum regem Macedonibus propter recentem patrui Antigoni gloriam fore censebat.
Therefore, he called upon Antigonus, to whom he was indebted on account of the disclosure of the parricide, and whom he thought would be by no means a king for whom the Macedonians would feel shame or regret, because of the recent glory of his uncle Antigonus.
“quando in eam fortunam veni,” inquit “Antigone, ut orbitas mihi, quam alii detestantur parentes, optabilis esse debeat, regnum, quod a patruo tuo forti, non solum fideli, tutela eius custoditum et auctum etiam accepi, id tibi tradere in animo est.
”Since I have come to such a fortune, Antigonus,” he said, “that childlessness, which other parents detest, must be desirable to me, it is my intention to hand over to you the kingdom, which I received after it had been guarded and even increased by the guardianship of your brave, and not only faithful, uncle.
te unum habeo, quem dignum regno iudicem. si neminem haberem, perire et exstingui id mallem quam Perseo scelestae fraudis praemium esse.
I have you alone whom I judge worthy of the kingdom. If I had no one, I would prefer that it perish and be extinguished rather than be a reward for Perseus for his wicked fraud.
Demetrium excitatum ab inferis restitutumque credam mihi, si te, qui morti innocentis, qui meo infelici errori unus illacrimasti, in locum eius substitutum relinquam.”
I shall believe that Demetrius has been raised from the dead and restored to me, if I leave you, who alone wept for the death of the innocent youth and for my unhappy error, substituted in his place.”
ab hoc sermone omni genere honoris producere eum non destitit. cum in Thracia Perseus abesset, circumire Macedoniae urbes principibusque Antigonum commendare; et si vita longior suppetisset, haud dubium fuit, quin eum in possessione regni relicturus fuerit.3
From this conversation onward, he did not cease to bring him forward with every kind of honor. While Perseus was away in Thrace, he went around the cities of Macedonia and recommended Antigonus to the leading men; and if a longer life had been granted to him, there was no doubt that he would have left him in possession of the kingdom.
ab Demetriade profectus Thessalonicae plurimum temporis moratus fuerat. inde cum Amphipolim venisset, gravi morbo est implicitus.
Having set out from Demetrias, he had stayed a very long time at Thessalonica. When he had come from there to Amphipolis, he was seized with a severe illness.
sed animo tamen aegrum magis fuisse quam corpore constat;4 curisque et vigiliis, cum identidem species et umbrae insontis interempti filii agitarent, exstinctum esse cum diris exsecrationibus alterius.
But it is well known that he was sicker in mind than in body, and that, worn out by anxieties and sleeplessness, while the phantom and shade of his innocent, murdered son repeatedly haunted him, he died with dire curses upon the other.
tamen admoveri potuisset Antigonus, si aut affuisset aut statim palam facta esset mors regis.
Nevertheless, Antigonus could have been brought forward if he had either been present or if the death of the king had been made public immediately.
medicus Calligenes, qui curationi praeerat, non exspectata morte regis, a primis desperationis notis nuntios per dispositos equos, ita ut convenerat, misit ad Perseum, et mortem regis in adventum eius omnes, qui extra regiam erant, celavit.
The physician Calligenes, who was in charge of the treatment, not waiting for the death of the king, at the first signs of hopelessness, sent messengers to Perseus by means of stationed horses, as had been agreed upon, and concealed the death of the king from everyone who was outside the palace until his arrival.
- 40.56.1potentior quidem erat, quam ut fugam necessariam duceret
The subjunctive duceret introduced by quam ut after the comparative potentior forms a clause of result/limitation, meaning 'he was too powerful to deem flight necessary' or 'so powerful that he did not think flight was needed.'
- 40.56.2spe potiundi ad poenam corporis eius amissa
An ablative absolute construction (spe... amissa). potiundi (the gerundive of the deponent verb potior) agrees with corporis. ad poenam expresses purpose, meaning 'the hope of getting hold of his person for punishment having been lost.'
- 40.56.7quin eum in possessione regni relicturus fuerit
A clause introduced by the negative expression of doubt haud dubium fuit, quin. The past contrary-to-fact apodosis (which would be reliquisset or relicturus fuit in a direct main clause) is subordinate here, resulting in the periphrastic subjunctive perfect form relicturus fuerit (active future participle + fuerit).
- 40.56.9sed animo tamen aegrum magis fuisse quam corpore constat
The impersonal verb constat ('it is well known/clear') is the main verb, governing the accusative and infinitive (A.C.I.) clauses aegrum... fuisse and exstinctum esse as its subjects. animo and corpore are ablatives of specification ('in mind,' 'in body').
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 1