- 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-lat2:45.8.1-45.8.8
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-13
Paulus questioned Perseus on his motives for starting the war, and comforted the silent king by highlighting Roman clemency. He then lectured his own soldiers on the changeability of human fortune before dismissing the army to winter quarters.
prima percontatio fuit, qua subactus iniuria contra populum Romanum bellum tam infesto animo suscepisset, quo se regnumque suum ad ultimum discrimen adduceret?
The first questioning was, by what injury compelled had he undertaken war against the Roman people with such a hostile mind, whereby he brought himself and his kingdom into the ultimate danger?
cum responsum expectantibus cunctis terram intuens diu tacitus fleret, rursus consul:
While all were waiting for his answer, and he, looking at the ground, wept in silence for a long time, the consul spoke again:
“si iuvenis regnum accepisses, minus equidem mirarer1 ignorasse te, quam gravis aut amicus aut inimicus esset populus Romanus;
”If you had received the kingdom as a youth, I would indeed wonder less that you were ignorant of how weighty the Roman people were either as a friend or as an enemy;
nunc vero, cum et bello patris tui, quod nobiscum gessit, interfuisses, et pacis postea, quam cum summa fide adversus eum coluimus, meminisses, quod fuit consilium, quorum et vim in bello et fidem in pace expertus esses, cum iis tibi bellum esse quam pacem malle?”2
but as it is, since you were present at the war of your father which he waged with us, and you remembered the peace afterwards which we observed towards him with the utmost good faith, what was your plan, that you preferred to have war rather than peace with those whose strength in war and good faith in peace you had experienced?”
nec interrogatus nec accusatus3 cum responderet, “utcumque tamen haec, sive errore humano seu casu seu necessitate inciderunt, bonum animum habe. multorum regum populorumque casibus cognita populi Romani clementia non modo spem tibi, sed prope certam fiduciam salutis praebet.”
When, neither questioned nor accused, he made no answer, the consul said, “However these things have happened, whether by human error, or by chance, or by necessity, nevertheless keep a good heart. The clemency of the Roman people, known through the misfortunes of many kings and nations, offers you not only hope, but almost a certain confidence of safety.”
haec Graeco sermone Perseo; Latine deinde suis “exemplum insigne cernitis” inquit “mutationis rerum humanarum. vobis hoc praecipue dico, iuvenes. ideo in secundis rebus nihil in quemquam superbe ac violenter consulere decet nec praesenti credere fortunae, cum, quid vesper ferat, incertum sit.
These things he spoke to Perseus in the Greek tongue; then in Latin to his own men, he said, “You see a notable example of the change of human affairs. I say this especially to you, young men. Therefore, in prosperity it is not fitting to behave arrogantly or violently against anyone, nor to trust in present fortune, since what the evening may bring is uncertain.
is demum vir erit, cuius animum neque prosperae res flatu suo efferent nec adversae infringent.” consilio dimisso tuendi cura regis4 Q. Aelio mandatur.
He alone will be a man whose mind neither prosperity puffs up with its breeze, nor adversity breaks.” The council being dismissed, the care of guarding the king was committed to Q. Aelius. Aelius.
eo die et invitatus ad consulem Perseus et alius omnis ei honos habitus est, qui haberi in tali fortuna poterat. exercitus deinde in hiberna dimissus est.
On that day, Perseus was both invited to the consul’s table and all other honor was paid to him which could be paid in such a fortune. The army was then dismissed to their winter quarters.
- 45.8.3si iuvenis regnum accepisses, minus equidem mirarer
A mixed conditional sentence. The protasis accepisses (subjunctive pluperfect) represents a past contrary-to-fact condition, while the apodosis mirarer (subjunctive imperfect) expresses a present contrary-to-fact state.
- 45.8.4quod fuit consilium, quorum... cum iis tibi bellum esse quam pacem malle?
The clause quod fuit consilium is a direct question, followed by the infinitive phrase tibi bellum esse quam pacem malle (with the subject accusative te omitted, malle being the present active infinitive), which functions as an accusative of exclamation or apposition explaining the nature of that 'plan'.
- 45.8.5nec interrogatus nec accusatus
Perfect participles used adjectivally agreeing with the subject (Perseus), implying a concessive sense: 'although he was neither questioned nor accused (he made no answer)'.
- 45.8.7tuendi cura regis
The gerundive tuendi agrees in case and gender with the noun regis (genitive), forming a gerundive phrase that functions as an objective genitive modifying the noun cura ('the care/duty of guarding the king').
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 1
- 2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1