§15.8.1Ἀννίβας μὲν οὖν ταῦτʼ εἶπεν.
Thus Hannibal spoke.
ὁ δὲ Πόπλιος ὑπολαβὼν οὔτε τοῦ περὶ Σικελίας ἔφη πολέμου Ῥωμαίους οὔτε τοῦ περὶ τῆς Ἰβηρίας αἰτίους γεγονέναι, Καρχηδονίους δὲ προφανῶς· §15.8.2ὑπὲρ ὧν κάλλιστα γινώσκειν αὐτὸν τὸν Ἀννίβαν.
But Publius, in reply, said that the Romans were responsible neither for the war concerning Sicily nor for that concerning Iberia, but the Carthaginians were manifestly so; of which facts, he said, Hannibal himself was best aware.
μάρτυρας δὲ καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς γεγονέναι τούτων, περιθέντας τὸ κράτος οὐ τοῖς ἄρχουσι χειρῶν ἀδίκων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀμυνομένοις. §15.8.3βλέπειν δὲ καὶ τὰ τῆς τύχης οὐδενὸς ἧττον καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων στοχάζεσθαι κατὰ δύναμιν. " §15.8.4ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν πρὸ τοῦ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους διαβαίνειν εἰς Λιβύην αὐτὸς ἐξ Ἰταλίας ἐκχωρήσας προύτεινας τὰς διαλύσεις ταύτας, οὐκ ἂν οἴομαί σε διαψευσθῆναι τῆς ἐλπίδος. §15.8.5ἐπεὶ δὲ σὺ μὲν ἄκων ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας ἀπηλλάγης, ἡμεῖς δὲ διαβάντες εἰς τὴν Λιβύην τῶν ὑπαίθρων ἐκρατήσαμεν, δῆλον ὡς μεγάλην εἴληφε τὰ πράγματα παραλλαγήν. §15.8.6τὸ δὲ δὴ μέγιστον ἤλθομεν ἐπὶ τί πέρας; §15.8.7ἡττηθέντων καὶ δεηθέντων τῶν παρὰ σοῦ πολιτῶν ἐθέμεθα συνθήκας ἐγγράπτους, ἐν αἷς ἦν πρὸς τοῖς ὑπὸ σοῦ νῦν προτεινομένοις τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἀποδοῦναι χωρὶς λύτρων Καρχηδονίους, τῶν πλοίων παραχωρῆσαι τῶν καταφράκτων, πεντακισχίλια τάλαντα προσενεγκεῖν, ὅμηρα δοῦναι περὶ τούτων. §15.8.8ταῦτʼ ἦν ἃ συνεθέμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους· ὑπὲρ τούτων ἐπρεσβεύσαμεν ἀμφότεροι πρός τε τὴν σύγκλητον τὴν ἡμετέραν καὶ πρὸς τὸν δῆμον, ἡμεῖς μὲν ὁμολογοῦντες εὐδοκεῖν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις, Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ δεόμενοι τούτων τυχεῖν.
And he said that the gods also had been witnesses to this, having bestowed the victory not on those who began unjust violence, but on those who defended themselves. He added that he himself also looked at the power of Fortune no less than anyone else, and estimated human affairs as far as possible. "But," he continued, "if, before the Romans crossed over into Libya, you had yourself retired from Italy and proposed these terms of peace, I do not think you would have been disappointed in your hope. But now, since you have been removed from Italy against your will, and we, having crossed into Libya, have become masters of the open country, it is clear that circumstances have undergone a great change. And indeed, what is the most important point, to what conclusion did we come? When your fellow-citizens were defeated and begged for peace, we made a written treaty, in which, in addition to the terms now proposed by you, it was agreed that the Carthaginians should restore the prisoners without ransom, give up their decked ships, pay five thousand talents, and give hostages for these conditions. These were the terms we agreed upon with one another; on these we both sent embassies, we to our Senate and people, and you to your own, we agreeing to be satisfied with what was written, and the Carthaginians begging to obtain these terms.
ἐπείσθη τὸ συνέδριον τούτοις, §15.8.9ὁ δὲ δῆμος συγκατῄνεσε.
The Senate was persuaded by these, and the people consented.
τυχόντες ὧν ἠξίουν ἠθέτησαν ταῦτα Καρχηδόνιοι, παρασπονδήσαντες ἡμᾶς. §15.8.10τί λείπεται ποιεῖν; §15.8.11σὺ τὴν ἐμὴν χώραν μεταλαβὼν εἶπον.
Having obtained what they requested, the Carthaginians made these terms void, violating their treaty with us. What is left for us to do? Place yourself in my position and say.
ἀφελεῖν τὰ βαρύτατα τῶν ὑποκειμένων ἐπιταγμάτων;
Are we to subtract the heaviest of the conditions imposed?
ἵνα δὴ λαβόντες ἆθλα τῆς παρανομίας διδαχθῶσι τοὺς εὖ ποιοῦντας εἰς τὸ λοιπὸν παρασπονδεῖν·
In order that, having received rewards for their lawlessness, they may be taught to violate treaties with their benefactors in the future?
ἀλλʼ ἵνα τυχόντες ὧν ἀξιοῦσι χάριν ὀφείλωσιν ἡμῖν; §15.8.12ἀλλὰ νυνὶ μεθʼ ἱκετηρίας τυχόντες ὧν παρεκάλουν, ὅτι βραχείας ἐλπίδος ἐπελάβοντο τῆς κατὰ σέ, παρὰ πόδας ὡς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῖν κέχρηνται καὶ πολεμίοις. §15.8.13ἐν οἷς βαρυτέρου μέν τινος προσεπιταχθέντος δυνατὸν ἀνενεγκεῖν τῷ δήμῳ περὶ διαλύσεως, ὑφαίρεσιν δὲ ποιουμένοις τῶν ὑποκειμένων οὐδʼ ἀναφορὰν ἔχει τὸ διαβούλιον. §15.8.14τί πέρας οὖν πάλιν τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων;
Or so that, having obtained what they request, they may owe us gratitude? But now, although they obtained what they entreated for with supplications, as soon as they laid hold of a slight hope in you, they immediately treated us as enemies and adversaries. In these circumstances, if some heavier condition were added, it would be possible to refer the matter to the people concerning peace; but when we make a reduction of the conditions imposed, the council does not even allow a reference. What then is the conclusion of our words once again?
ἢ τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν ὑμᾶς διδόναι περὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἢ μαχομένους νικᾶν".
Either that you submit yourselves and your country to our discretion, or conquer us in battle."