Perseus at Pella and His Night Flight to Amphipolis — Livy, History of Rome Book 44 (44.43.1–44.43.8), Latin & English

§44.43.1

Perseus ad Pieriam silvam via militari frequenti agmine equitum et regio comitatu fugit.

Perseus fled toward the Pierian forest by the military road, with a numerous body of cavalry and a royal retinue.

§44.43.2

simul in silvam ventum est,¹ ubi plures diversae semitae erant, et nox adpropinquabat, cum perpaucis maxime fidis via devertit.

As soon as they entered the forest, where there were many different paths, and as night was approaching, he turned off the road with a very few of his most faithful followers.

§44.43.3

equites sine duce relicti alii alia² in civitates suas dilapsi sunt; perpauci inde Pellam celerius quam ipse Perseus, quia recta et expedita via ierant, pervenerunt.

The cavalry, left without a leader, dispersed in different directions to their respective cities; from there, a very few reached Pella more quickly than Perseus himself, because they had gone by a straight and unobstructed road.

§44.43.4

rex ad mediam ferme noctem errore et variis difficultatibus viae est vexatus;

The king was harassed until almost midnight by losing his way and by the various difficulties of the journey;

§44.43.5

in regia Perseo,³ qui Pellae praeerant, Euctus Eulaeusque et regii pueri praesto erant. contra ea amicorum, qui alii alio casu servati ex proelio Pellam venerant, cum saepe arcessiti essent, nemo ad eum venit.

in the palace, Euctus, Eulaeus, and the royal pages, who had been in charge of Pella, were waiting for Perseus. On the other hand, of his friends, who, saved from the battle by various fortunes, had come to Pella, though they were repeatedly summoned, not one came to him.

§44.43.6

tres erant tantum cum eo fugae comites, Euander Cretensis, Neo Boeotus et Archidamus Aetolus.

There were only three companions of his flight with him: Evander the Cretan, Neo the Boeotian, and Archidamus the Aetolian.

§44.43.7

cum iis iam metuens, ne, qui venire ad se abnuerent, maius aliquid mox auderent,⁴ quarta vigilia profugit.

Fearing now with them lest those who refused to come to him might soon dare some greater enterprise, he fled during the fourth watch.

§44.43.8

secuti eum sunt admodum quingenti Cretenses. petebat Amphipolim; sed nocte a Pella exierat, properans ante lucem Axium amnem traicere, eum finem sequendi propter difficultatem transitus fore ratus Romanis.⁵

About five hundred Cretans followed him. He was heading for Amphipolis; but he had left Pella by night, hastening to cross the river Axius before daybreak, thinking that this would be the limit of pursuit for the Romans because of the difficulty of the passage.

Syntax notes5 items

44.43.2ventum est
An impersonal passive construction, meaning 'as soon as they arrived in the forest.' The implied subject is Perseus and his companions.
44.43.3alii alia
The repetition of alius in different cases ('some to one place, others to another') is a concise idiomatic expression indicating that they dispersed in various directions to their respective cities.
44.43.5Perseo
Dative case depending on praesto erant at the end of the clause, meaning 'were at hand for Perseus' or 'waiting to attend Perseus.'
44.43.7ne, qui venire ad se abnuerent, maius aliquid mox auderent
A clause of fearing introduced by metuens ('ne' with subjunctive auderent). The verb of the relative clause qui ... abnuerent is also in the subjunctive because it represents the subjective thoughts of the king (suboblique clause).
44.43.8eum finem sequendi propter difficultatem transitus fore ratus Romanis
An accusative with infinitive construction dependent on ratus (thinking). The demonstrative pronoun eum (referring to the river Axius) is the subject accusative of the infinitive fore (= futurum esse), while finem is its predicate, and Romanis is a dative of reference ('for the Romans').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:44.43.1-44.43.8