§19.10.1πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Ῥωμαίων ὕπατος ἀντιγράφει τήν τε αὐθάδειαν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐπιρραπίζων καὶ τὸ φρόνημα τῆς Ῥωμαίων πόλεως ἐνδεικνύμενος· Πόπλιος Οὐαλέριος Λαβίνιος, στρατηγὸς ὕπατος Ῥωμαίων, §19.10.2βασιλεῖ Πύρρῳ χαίρειν.
To this the consul of the Romans wrote back, chastising the arrogance of the man and displaying the spirit of the Roman state: Publius Valerius Laevinus, Consul of the Romans, to King Pyrrhus, greeting.
ἀνδρὸς ἔργον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ σώφρονος ἀπειλητικὰς πέμπειν ἐπιστολὰς πρὸς τοὺς ὑπηκόους· ὧν δʼ οὔτε τὴν δύναμιν ἐξήτακεν οὔτε τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐπέγνωκε, τούτων ὡς φαύλων καὶ μηδενὸς ἀξίων καταφρονεῖν, ἀνοήτου μοι φαίνεται τρόπου τεκμήριον εἶναι καὶ τὸ διάφορον οὐκ ἐπισταμένου.
It seems to me to be the part of a prudent man to send threatening letters to his own subjects; but to despise as base and worthless those whose power he has neither tested nor whose valor he has recognized, seems to me to be a proof of a foolish character, and of one who does not understand the difference.
§19.10.3ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ τοῖς λόγοις τιμωρεῖσθαι τοὺς ἐχθροὺς εἰώθαμεν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔργοις, καὶ οὔτε δικαστὴν ποιούμεθά σε περὶ ὧν Ταραντίνοις ἢ Σαυνίταις ἢ τοῖς ἄλλοις πολεμίοις ἐγκαλοῦμεν οὔτʼ ἐγγυητὴν λαμβάνομεν ἐκτίσματος οὐδενός, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ὅπλοις τὸν ἀγῶνα κρινοῦμεν καὶ τὰς τιμωρίας, ὡς ἂν αὐτοὶ θέλωμεν, ἀναπράξομεν.
As for us, we are not accustomed to punish our enemies with words, but with deeds; and we neither make you an arbitrator concerning the complaints we have against the Tarentines, the Samnites, or our other enemies, nor do we accept you as a guarantor of any compensation. Rather, we shall decide the contest with our own arms and shall exact punishments in whatever way we ourselves wish.
ταῦτα δὴ προειδὼς ἀνταγωνιστὴν ἡμῖν παρασκεύαζε σαυτόν, ἀλλὰ §19.10.4μὴ δικαστήν.
Therefore, knowing this beforehand, prepare yourself as an opponent to us, and not as an arbitrator.
καὶ περὶ ὧν ἡμᾶς αὐτὸς ἀδικεῖς οὕστινας ἐγγυητὰς ἐκτισμάτων παρέξεις σκόπει· μὴ Ταραντίνους ἀναδέχου μηδὲ τοὺς πολεμίους τὰ δίκαια ὑφέξειν.
And consider what sort of guarantors of compensation you will provide for the wrongs you yourself commit against us; do not guarantee that the Tarentines or our other enemies will submit to justice.
εἰ δʼ ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου πόλεμον αἴρεσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς διέγνωκας, ἴσθι σοι ταὐτὸ συμβησόμενον, ὃ πᾶσι συμβαίνειν ἀνάγκη τοῖς μάχεσθαι βουλομένοις, §19.10.5πρὶν ἐξετάσαι πρὸς οὓς ποιήσονται τὴν μάχην.
But if you have decided by all means to wage war against us, know that the same thing will happen to you which must happen to all who wish to fight, before examining those against whom they will wage the battle.
ταῦτα ἐνθυμούμενος, εἴ τινος δέῃ τῶν ἡμετέρων, ἀποθέμενος τὰς ἀπειλὰς καὶ τὸ βασιλικὸν αὔχημα καταβαλὼν ἴθι πρὸς τὴν βουλὴν καὶ δίδασκε καὶ πεῖθε τοὺς συνέδρους, ὡς οὐδενὸς ἀτυχήσων οὔτε τῶν δικαίων οὔτε τῶν εὐγνωμόνων.
Bearing these things in mind, if you require anything of ours, lay aside your threats, cast down your royal pride, go to the Senate, and instruct and persuade the senators, confident that you will fail to obtain nothing of what is just or reasonable.