§36.9.1ὅτι περὶ Καρχηδονίων, ὅτε κατεπολέμησαν αὐτοὺς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, καὶ περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸν Ψευδοφίλιππον κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλάδα πολλοὶ καὶ παντοῖοι διεφέροντο λόγοι, τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ Καρχηδονίους, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πάλιν ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ τὸν Ψευδοφίλιππον.
That concerning the Carthaginians, when the Romans subdued them, and concerning the affairs of the Pseudo-Philip in Greece, many and diverse reports were in circulation, at first about the Carthaginians, and after this again about the Pseudo-Philip.
§36.9.2τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ Καρχηδονίους ἀμφιδοξουμένας εἶχε τὰς ἀποφάσεις καὶ τὰς διαλήψεις·
Now, the opinions regarding the Carthaginians were divided and held contrasting views.
§36.9.3ἔνιοι μὲν γὰρ συγκατῄνουν τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις, φάσκοντες αὐτοὺς φρονίμως καὶ πραγματικῶς βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τῆς δυναστείας· §36.9.4τὸ γὰρ τὸν ἐπικρεμάμενον φόβον καὶ τὴν πολλάκις μὲν ἠμφισβητηκυῖαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόλιν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας, ἔτι δὲ καὶ νῦν δυναμένην ἀμφισβητῆσαι σὺν καιρῷ, ταύτην ἐπανελομένους βεβαιῶσαι τῇ σφετέρᾳ πατρίδι τὴν ἀρχὴν νοῦν ἐχόντων εἶναι καὶ μακρὰν βλεπόντων ἀνθρώπων.
For some agreed with the Romans, saying that they had deliberated wisely and practically concerning their empire; for to remove the hanging fear and that city which had often disputed the hegemony with them, and was even now capable of disputing it when opportunity offered, and thus to secure the empire for their own country, was the part of men of understanding and far-sightedness.
§36.9.5ἔνιοι δὲ τούτοις ἀντέλεγον, φάσκοντες οὐ ταύτην ἔχοντας αὐτοὺς τὴν προαίρεσιν κατεκτῆσθαι τὴν ἡγεμονίαν καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν εἰς τὴν Ἀθηναίων καὶ Λακεδαιμονίων ἐκτρέπεσθαι φιλαρχίαν καὶ βραδύτερον μὲν ἐκείνων ὁρμᾶν, ἥξειν δʼ ἐπὶ ταὐτὸ τέλος ἐκ τῶν προφαινομένων.
But others argued against these, saying that the Romans had not acquired their hegemony with this purpose, and were gradually turning aside into the same love of power as the Athenians and Lacedaemonians, and although they started later than them, they would reach the same end from what was apparent.
§36.9.6πρότερον μὲν γὰρ πᾶσι πεπολεμηκέναι μέχρι τοῦ κρατῆσαι καὶ συγχωρῆσαι τοὺς ἀντιταξαμένους ὅτι δεῖ πείθεσθαι σφίσι καὶ ποιεῖν τὸ παραγγελλόμενον· §36.9.7νῦν δὲ προοίμιον μὲν ἐκτεθεῖσθαι τῆς ἰδίας προαιρέσεως τὰ κατὰ Περσέα, βαστάσαντας ἐκ ῥιζῶν τὴν Μακεδόνων βασιλείαν, τετελειωκέναι δὲ κατὰ τὸ παρὸν διὰ τῆς περὶ Καρχηδονίων διαλήψεως· §36.9.8μηδενὸς γὰρ ἀνηκέστου γεγονότος ἐξ ἐκείνων, ἀνηκέστως καὶ βαρέως βεβουλεῦσθαι περὶ αὐτῶν, πᾶν ἀναδεχομένων καὶ πᾶν ὑπομενόντων ποιήσειν τὸ προσταττόμενον.
For formerly they had made war against all until they conquered them and made those who opposed them agree that they must obey them and do what was commanded; but now, they had set forth a prelude to their own purpose in the case of Perseus, having utterly destroyed the Macedonian kingdom, and had completed it at present through their decision regarding the Carthaginians; since, although no irreparable action had been committed by them, the Romans had deliberated irreparably and harshly against them, though they accepted everything and submitted to do whatever was ordered.
§36.9.9ἕτεροι δὲ καθόλου μὲν πολιτικὸν εἶναι τὸ Ῥωμαϊκὸν ἔθνος ἔφασαν καὶ τοῦτʼ ἴδιον εἶναι καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ σεμνύνεσθαι τοὺς Ῥωμαίους, ἐπὶ τῷ καὶ τοὺς πολέμους ἁπλῶς καὶ γενναίως πολεμεῖν, μὴ νυκτεριναῖς ἐπιθέσεσι χρωμένους μηδʼ ἐνέδραις, πᾶν δὲ τὸ διʼ ἀπάτης καὶ δόλου γινόμενον ἀποδοκιμάζοντας, μόνους δὲ τοὺς ἐκ προδήλου καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον κινδύνους ὑπολαμβάνοντας αὑτοῖς καθήκειν.
Others said that the Roman nation was entirely political and this was their characteristic, and they prided themselves on this, namely on waging wars simply and nobly, not using night attacks nor ambushes, but disapproving of everything done by fraud and deceit, and considering that only open and face-to-face dangers were appropriate for them.
§36.9.10νῦν δὲ πάντα περὶ τοὺς Καρχηδονίους διʼ ἀπάτης καὶ δόλου κεχειρικέναι, κατὰ βραχὺ τὸ μὲν προτείνοντας, τὸ δʼ ἐπικρυπτομένους, ἕως οὗ παρείλαντο πάσας τὰς ἐλπίδας τοῦ βοηθεῖν αὐτοῖς τοὺς συμμάχους.
But now they had managed everything regarding the Carthaginians by fraud and deceit, proposing some things while concealing others gradually, until they stripped them of all hopes of being aided by their allies.
§36.9.11τοῦτο δὲ μοναρχικῆς πραγματοποιίας οἰκεῖον εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ πολιτικῆς καὶ Ῥωμαϊκῆς αἱρέσεως καὶ προσεοικὸς ἀσεβήματι καὶ παρασπονδήματι κατὰ τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον.
This was more characteristic of monarchical intrigue than of a political and Roman choice, and resembled an impiety and a breach of treaty according to right reason.
ἦσαν δέ τινες οἱ καὶ τούτοις ἀντιλέγοντες.
But there were some who argued against these too.
§36.9.12εἰ μὲν γὰρ πρὶν ἢ δοῦναι τοὺς Καρχηδονίους τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν αὑτῶν οὕτως ἐχείριζον τὰ πράγματα, κατὰ βραχὺ τὰ μὲν προτείνοντες, τὰ δὲ παραγυμνοῦντες, εἰκότως ἂν αὐτοὺς ἐνόχους §36.9.13φαίνεσθαι τοῖς ἐγκαλουμένοις εἰ δὲ δόντων αὐτῶν τῶν Καρχηδονίων τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν ὥστε βουλεύεσθαι Ῥωμαίους ὅ, τι ποτὲ φαίνοιτο περὶ αὐτῶν, οὕτω κατὰ τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ὥς ποτε δοκοῖ σφίσι, τὸ κριθὲν ἐπέταττον καὶ παρήγγελλον, οὐκέτι τὸ γινόμενον ἀσεβήματι παραπλήσιον εἶναι καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ παρασπονδήματι μικροῦ δεῖν· ἔνιοι δʼ ἔφασαν οὐκ ἀδικήματι τὸ παράπαν·
For if, before the Carthaginians gave up the decision over themselves, they had managed affairs in this way, gradually proposing some things and laying bare others, they would naturally appear to be guilty of the charges; but if, after the Carthaginians themselves had surrendered the decision so that the Romans might deliberate whatever seemed good to them, they thus, according to their authority, as it once seemed fit to them, commanded and ordered what was decided, the action was no longer similar to an impiety, and indeed not even a breach of treaty; and some said it was not an injustice at all.
§36.9.14τριῶν γὰρ οὐσῶν διαφορῶν, εἰς ἃς τὸ πᾶν ἔγκλημα φύσει καταντᾶν, εἰς οὐδεμίαν ἐμπίπτειν τούτων τὸ γινόμενον ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων·
For since there are three divisions into which every charge naturally falls, the action of the Romans fell into none of these.
§36.9.15ἀσέβημα μὲν γὰρ εἶναι τὸ περὶ τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τοὺς γονεῖς καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἁμαρτάνειν, παρασπόνδημα δὲ τὸ παρὰ τὰς ἐνόρκους καὶ τὰς ἐγγράπτους ὁμολογίας πραττόμενον, ἀδίκημα δὲ τὸ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους καὶ τοὺς ἐθισμοὺς ἐπιτελούμενον·
For impiety is to sin against the gods, parents, and the dead; a breach of treaty is what is done contrary to sworn and written agreements; and an injustice is what is performed contrary to laws and customs.
§36.9.16ὧν οὐδὲν κατὰ τὸ παρὸν ἐνόχους εἶναι Ῥωμαίους·
Of none of these are the Romans guilty at present.
οὐ γὰρ εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς οὐδʼ εἰς τοὺς γονεῖς οὐδʼ εἰς τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐξαμαρτάνειν, οὐδὲ μὴν ὅρκους οὐδὲ συνθήκας παραβαίνειν, τὸ δʼ ἐναντίον αὐτοὺς ἐγκαλεῖν τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις ὅτι παραβεβήκασι.
For they did not sin against the gods, nor parents, nor the dead, nor did they violate oaths or treaties; on the contrary, they themselves accused the Carthaginians of having violated them.
§36.9.17καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ νόμους οὐδʼ ἐθισμοὺς οὐδὲ τὴν κατʼ ἰδίαν πίστιν ἀθετεῖν· λαβόντας γὰρ τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν παρʼ ἑκόντων ὃ βούλοιντο πράττειν, οὐ πειθαρχούντων τοῖς παραγγελλομένοις, οὕτως αὐτοῖς προσάγειν τὴν ἀνάγκην.
Nor indeed did they discard laws, customs, or private faith; for having received the decision from willing givers to do what they wished, when they did not obey the orders, they thus brought force upon them.