- 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
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- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:42.62.1-42.62.15
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
Following his victory, King Perseus attempts to negotiate peace with the Romans on the advice of his friends, but the Romans maintain their unyielding stance and demand complete submission, prompting Perseus to prepare for war once again.
Romani non abscedentes ab ripa Penei tulerunt in locum tutiorem castra.
The Romans, not departing from the bank of the Peneus, moved their camp to a safer place.
eo Misagenes Numida venit cum mille equitibus, pari peditum numero, ad hoc elephantis duobus et viginti.
To that place came Misagenes the Numidian with a thousand cavalry and an equal number of infantry, besides twenty-two elephants.
per eos dies consilium habenti regi de summa rerum,1cum iam consedisset ferocia ab re bene gesta, ausi sunt quidam amicorum consilium dare, ut secunda fortuna in condicionem honestae pacis uteretur potius, quam spe vana evectus in casum inrevocabilem se daret.
During those days, as the king was holding a council concerning the general state of affairs, since the ferocity arising from the successful action had already subsided, some of his friends dared to advise him that he should rather use his favorable fortune for the condition of an honorable peace than, carried away by vain hope, surrender himself to an irrevocable hazard.
modum inponere secundis rebus nec nimis credere serenitati praesentis fortunae, prudentis hominis et merito felicis esse.2
To impose a limit on prosperity and not to trust too much in the serenity of present fortune was the part of a prudent and deservedly fortunate man.
mitteret3 ad consulem, qui foedus in easdem leges renovarent, quibus Philippus pater eius pacem ab T. Quinctio victore accepisset.
He should send legates to the consul to renew the treaty on the same terms under which his father Philip had accepted peace from the victor Titus Quinctius.
neque finiri bellum magnificentius quam ab tam memorabili pugna posse, neque spem firmiorem pacis perpetuae dari, quam quae perculsos adverso proelio Romanos molliores factura sit ad paciscendum.
Neither could a war be concluded more magnificently than after such a memorable battle, nor was a firmer hope of perpetual peace offered than that which would make the Romans, struck by the adverse battle, more compliant to negotiate.
quodsi Romani tum quoque insita pertinacia aequa aspernarentur, deos hominesque et moderationis Persei et illorum pervicacis superbiae futuros testes.
But if the Romans even then, with their innate pertinacity, should spurn fair terms, gods and men would be witnesses both of the moderation of Perseus and of their persistent pride.
numquam ab talibus consiliis abhorrebat regis animus. itaque ut plurium adsensu conprobata est sententia, legati ad consulem missi;
The mind of the king was never averse to such counsels. Therefore, as the opinion was approved by the assent of the majority, legates were sent to the consul;
adhibito frequenti consilio auditi sunt.
having summoned a crowded council, they were heard.
pacem petiere, vectigal, quantum Philippus pactus esset, daturum Persea Romanis pollicentes; urbibus, agris locisque, quibus Philippus cessisset, cessurum quam primum.
They sought peace, promising that Perseus would give to the Romans as much tribute as Philip had agreed to, and that he would withdraw as soon as possible from the cities, lands, and places which Philip had ceded.
haec legati. summotis his cum consultarent, Romana constantia vicit in consilio. ita tum mos erat, in adversis rebus voltum secundae fortunae gerere, moderari animo in secundis.
Thus spoke the legates. When they were withdrawn and the Romans deliberated, Roman constancy prevailed in the council. Such was the custom then, to wear the countenance of favorable fortune in adverse circumstances, and to moderate the mind in prosperity.
responderi placuit, ita pacem dari, si de summa rerum liberum senatui permittat rex de se deque universa Macedonia statuendi ius.
It was resolved that the reply should be that peace would be granted only on the condition that the king should permit to the senate the free right of deciding concerning himself and the whole of Macedonia on the general state of affairs.
haec cum renuntiassent legati, miraculo ignaris Romani moris pertinacia esse,4 et plerique vetare amplius mentionem pacis facere;
When the legates had reported these things, to those ignorant of the Roman custom, their stubbornness was a matter of wonder, and most of them forbade making mention of peace any further;
ultro mox quaesituros, quod oblatum fastidiant. Perseus hanc ipsam superbiam — quippe ex fiducia virium esse5 — timere, et summam pecuniae augens, si pretio pacem emere posset, non destitit animum consulis temptare.
they believed that the Romans would soon voluntarily seek what they now disdained when offered. Perseus feared this very pride—since indeed it arose from confidence in their strength—and, increasing the sum of money, if he might buy peace at a price, did not cease to try the mind of the consul.
postquam nihil ex eo, quod primo responderat, mutabat, desperata pace ad Sycurium, unde profectus erat, redit, belli casum de integro temptaturus.
After the consul changed nothing of what he had first answered, despairing of peace, Perseus returned to Sycurium, whence he had set out, intending to try the fortune of war anew.
- 42.62.3consilium habenti regi de summa rerum
regi is in the dative case, functioning as the indirect object (or dative of reference) of 'ausi sunt quidam amicorum consilium dare'. 'consilium habenti' is a present participle modifying 'regi', meaning 'to the king who was holding a council'.
- 42.62.4prudentis hominis et merito felicis esse
The construction of 'esse' with the genitives 'prudentis hominis et merito felicis' is a genitive of characteristic, meaning 'it is the part/characteristic of a prudent and deservedly fortunate man'. The subjects are the preceding infinitive phrases 'modum inponere...' and 'nec... credere'.
- 42.62.5mitteret
A subjunctive (imperfect) representing an original imperative or hortatory subjunctive in direct speech, here functioning as an indirect command/exhortation: 'he should send'.
- 42.62.13miraculo ... esse
esse is a historical infinitive, functioning as the main verb (imperfect) of the clause. miraculo is a dative of purpose (predicative dative), literally 'to be for a wonder', meaning 'was a source of wonder'. ignaris is a dative of reference.
- 42.62.14quippe ex fiducia virium esse
An accusative with infinitive construction introduced by 'quippe' within the indirect speech, expressing a reason: 'since indeed it was from confidence of strength'.