§21.21.1ὥσθʼ ὑμᾶς, ἄνδρες Ῥωμαῖοι, πολλοὺς μὲν γεγονότας αὐτόπτας, πάντας δὲ γινώσκοντας διότι λέγομεν ἀληθῆ, δίκαιόν ἐστι τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν πρόνοιαν ποιήσασθαι περὶ ἡμῶν.
Therefore, O Romans, since many of you have been eyewitnesses and all of you know that we speak the truth, it is just that you should take fitting care of us. Therefore, O Romans, since many of you have been eyewitnesses and all of whom know that we speak the truth, it is just that you should take fitting care of us.
§21.21.2καὶ γὰρ ἂν πάντων γένοιτο δεινότατον, εἰ Μασαννάσαν μὲν τὸν οὐ μόνον ὑπάρξαντα πολέμιον ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον καταφυγόντα πρὸς ὑμᾶς μετά τινων ἱππέων, τοῦτον, ὅτι καθʼ ἕνα πόλεμον τὸν πρὸς Καρχηδονίους ἐτήρησε τὴν πίστιν, βασιλέα τῶν πλείστων μερῶν τῆς Λιβύης πεποιήκατε, Πλευρᾶτον δέ, §21.21.3πράξαντα μὲν ἁπλῶς οὐδέν, διαφυλάξαντα δὲ μόνον τὴν πίστιν, μέγιστον τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἰλλυρίδα δυναστῶν ἀναδεδείχατε, §21.21.4ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς διὰ προγόνων τὰ μέγιστα καὶ κάλλιστα τῶν ἔργων ὑμῖν συγκατειργασμένους παρʼ οὐδὲν ποιήσεσθε.
For indeed it would be the most terrible thing of all if, on the one hand, you have made Masannasa—who was not only once your enemy, but also finally fled to you with a few horsemen—on the ground that in one single war, that against the Carthaginians, he kept his loyalty, king of most parts of Libya, and on the other hand, Pleuratus, who did absolutely nothing but only preserved his loyalty, you have declared the greatest of the rulers in Illyria, while us, who through our ancestors have helped you achieve the greatest and most beautiful deeds, you will hold of no account.
§21.21.5τί οὖν ἐστιν ὃ παρακαλῶ, καὶ τίνος φημὶ δεῖν ἡμᾶς τυγχάνειν παρʼ ὑμῶν;
What then is it that I ask for, and what do I say we ought to obtain from you?
ἐρῶ μετὰ παρρησίας, §21.21.6ἐπείπερ ἡμᾶς ἐξεκαλέσασθε πρὸς τὸ λέγειν ὑμῖν τὸ φαινόμενον.
I will speak with frankness, since you have invited us to state to you what seems best to us.
§21.21.7εἰ μὲν αὐτοὶ κρίνετέ τινας τόπους διακατέχειν τῆς Ἀσίας τῶν ὄντων μὲν ἐπὶ τάδε τοῦ Ταύρου, ταττομένων δὲ πρότερον ὑπʼ Ἀντίοχον, τοῦτο καὶ μάλιστα βουλοίμεθʼ ἂν ἰδεῖν γενόμενον· §21.21.8καὶ γὰρ ἀσφαλέστατα βασιλεύσειν ὑμῖν γειτνιῶντες ὑπολαμβάνομεν καὶ μάλιστα μετέχοντες τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐξουσίας.
If you yourselves decide to occupy any parts of Asia that lie on this side of Taurus, and which were formerly subject to Antiochus, this is what we would most of all wish to see happen; for we think we shall rule most securely if we are neighbors to you and share most in your authority.
§21.21.9εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μὴ κρίνετε ποιεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐκχωρεῖν τῆς Ἀσίας ὁλοσχερῶς, οὐδενί φαμεν δικαιότερον εἶναι παραχωρεῖν ὑμᾶς τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου γεγονότων ἄθλων ἤπερ ἡμῖν.
But if you decide not to do this, but to withdraw from Asia entirely, we say that there is no one to whom it is more just for you to yield the prizes resulting from the war than to us. But if you decide not to do this, but to withdraw from Asia entirely, we say that there is no one to whom it is more just for you to yield the prizes resulting from the war than to us.
§21.21.10νὴ Δίʼ, ἀλλὰ κάλλιόν ἐστι τοὺς δουλεύοντας ἐλευθεροῦν. εἴγε μὴ μετʼ Ἀντιόχου πολεμεῖν ὑμῖν ἐτόλμησαν.
"But, by Zeus, it is nobler to free those who are enslaved." Yes, indeed, if only they had not dared to fight against you along with Antiochus! "But, by Zeus, it is nobler to free those who are enslaved." Yes, indeed, if only they had not dared to fight against you along with Antiochus!
§21.21.11ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦθʼ ὑπέμειναν, πολλῷ κάλλιον τὸ τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς φίλοις τὰς ἁρμοζούσας χάριτας ἀποδιδόναι μᾶλλον ἢ τοὺς πολεμίους γεγονότας εὐεργετεῖν. "
But since they submitted to this, it is far nobler to render fitting gratitude to true friends rather than to benefit those who have been enemies."