- 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-lat2:45.42.1-45.42.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-13
This section describes the profound impression made by Aemilius Paulus' speech, Gnaeus Octavius' naval triumph, and the Senate's post-war settlements, particularly the generous treatment of the Thracian king Cotys' envoys and the release of his son Bithys.
haec tanto dicta animo1 magis confudere audientium animos, quam si miserabiliter orbitatem suam deflendo locutus esset.
These words, spoken with such noble spirit, disturbed the minds of the listeners more than if he had spoken by lamenting his bereavement miserably.
Cn. Octavius kalendis Decembribus de rege Perseo navalem triumphum egit. is triumphus sine captivis fuit, sine spoliis.
Gnaeus Octavius celebrated a naval triumph over King Perseus on the Kalends of December. This triumph was without captives, without spoils.
dedit sociis navalibus in singulos denarios septuagenos quinos, gubernatoribus, qui in navibus fuerant, duplex, magistris navium quadruplex.
He gave to the naval allies seventy-five denarii each, to the helmsmen who had been on the ships double, and to the captains of the ships quadruple.
senatus deinde habitus est. patres censuerunt, ut Q. Cassius Persea regem cum Alexandro filio Albam in custodiam duceret; comites, pecuniam, argentum, instrumentum, quod haberet, nihil detrahens habere sineret;2
Then a senate was held. The fathers decreed that Quintus Cassius should lead King Perseus with his son Alexander to Alba into custody; and that he should permit him to keep his companions, money, silver, and whatever equipment he had, taking away nothing.
Bithys, filius Cotyis, regis Thracum, cum obsidibus in custodiam Carseolos est missus. ceteros captivos, qui in triumpho ducti erant, in carcerem condi placuit.
Bithys, the son of Cotys, king of the Thracians, was sent with the hostages into custody at Carseoli. It was decided that the other captives who had been led in the triumph should be shut up in prison.
paucos post dies, quam haec sunt acta, legati ab Cotye, rege Thracum, venerunt pecuniam ad redimendum filium aliosque obsides adportantes.
A few days after these things were done, ambassadors came from Cotys, king of the Thracians, bringing money to ransom his son and the other hostages.
eis in senatum introductis3 et id ipsum argumenti praetendentibus orationi, non sua voluntate Cotyn bello iuvisse Persea, quod obsides dare coactus esset, orantibusque, ut eos pretio, quantum ipsi statuissent patres, redimi paterentur, responsum ex auctoritate senatus est, populum Romanum meminisse amicitiae, quae cum Cotye maioribusque eius et gente Thracum fuisset.
When they were introduced into the senate and presented this very argument as their plea, that Cotys had not aided Perseus in the war of his own free will because he had been forced to give hostages, and begged that they would permit them to be ransomed at whatever price the fathers themselves should set, it was answered on the authority of the senate that the Roman people remembered the friendship which had existed with Cotys, his ancestors, and the nation of the Thracians.
obsides datos crimen, non criminis defensionem esse, cum Thracum genti ne quietus quidem Perseus, nedum bello Romano occupatus timendus fuerit.
That the giving of hostages was a crime, not a defense against a crime, since the Thracian nation had no reason to fear Perseus even when he was at peace, much less when he was occupied with the Roman war.
ceterum, etsi Cotys Persei gratiam praetulisset amicitiae populi Romani, magis, quid se dignum esset,4 quam quid merito eius fieri posset, aestimaturum, filium atque obsides ei remissurum.
Nevertheless, even if Cotys had preferred the favor of Perseus to the friendship of the Roman people, they would consider what was worthy of themselves rather than what might be done according to his desert, and would send back his son and the hostages to him.
beneficia gratuita esse populi Romani; pretium eorum malle relinquere in accipientium animis quam praesens exigere. legati tres nominati, T. Quinctius Flamininus, C. Licinius Nerva, M. Caninius Rebilus, qui obsides in Thraciam reducerent; et Thracibus munera data in singulos binum milium aeris.
That the favors of the Roman people were free; they preferred to leave the price of them in the minds of the recipients rather than to demand it immediately. Three commissioners were named, Titus Quinctius Flamininus, Gaius Licinius Nerva, and Marcus Caninius Rebilus, to conduct the hostages back to Thrace; and gifts of two thousand asses of bronze each were given to the Thracians.
Bithys cum ceteris obsidibus a Carseolis accersitus ad patrem cum legatis missus. naves regiae captae de Macedonibus invisitatae ante magnitudinis in campo Martio subductae sunt.
Bithys, summoned from Carseoli with the rest of the hostages, was sent to his father with the ambassadors. The royal ships captured from the Macedonians, of a size unseen before, were hauled up on the Campus Martius.
- 45.42.1tanto dicta animo
The perfect passive participle dicta modifies the subject haec, and tanto animo (with such a noble spirit) is an ablative phrase of manner. Together, it means 'these words, spoken with such a noble spirit.'
- 45.42.4nihil detrahens habere sineret
sineret is a subjunctive within the ut-clause, having Q. Cassius as its subject. The logical subject of the infinitive habere is the accusative Persea regem (and comites, etc.), and the present participle detrahens agrees with Q. Cassius, meaning 'permitting him to keep... without taking anything away.'
- 45.42.7eis in senatum introductis
A long participial construction starting with the plural pronoun eis (either dative of reference or ablative absolute), with which introductis, praetendentibus, and orantibus all agree. It functions in relation to the main impersonal passive verb responsum ... est, describing the circumstances of the ambassadors' introduction, plea, and request.
- 45.42.10magis, quid se dignum esset
In indirect speech, this section features the future infinitives aestimaturum [esse] and remissurum [esse] with the omitted subject populum Romanum. quid se dignum esset is an indirect question clause, where the reflexive pronoun se refers to the Roman people, the subject of the governing clause.