Humanitext Reader

Appian · Macedonian Affairs §XI#2

Defense of the Envoys and Their Expulsion by Rome

Passage 7 of 9 · Greek

Summary

Perseus's ambassadors argue before the senate that the Roman charges are unjust and based on the slanders of Eumenes and others, appealing for peace and the maintenance of treaties. The Romans, however, ignore their pleas and declare war, ordering the immediate expulsion of the Macedonian envoys and residents, which causes severe distress and chaos.

§XI#2"ἀλλʼ Ἀβρούπολιν ἐξέβαλε τῆς ἀρχῆς.
"But you say he expelled Abrupolis from his principality.
ἐπιδραμόντα γε τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἀμυνόμενος.
Yes, but in self-defense against one who had invaded our territories.
καὶ τοῦτʼ αὐτὸς ὑμῖν ἐδήλωσε Περσεύς, καὶ τὰς συνθήκας αὐτῷ μετὰ τοῦτο ἀνενεώσασθε, οὔπω διαβάλλοντος Εὐμένους.
And Perseus himself made this clear to you, and after this you renewed the treaty with him, before Eumenes was yet making his slanderous accusations.
τὸ μὲν δὴ περὶ Ἀβρούπολιν καὶ πρεσβύτερόν ἐστι τῶν συνθηκῶν, καὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν, ὅτε συνετίθεσθε, δίκαιον ἐφάνη.
Indeed, the matter concerning Abrupolis is older than the treaty, and in your eyes, when you made the agreement, it seemed just.
Δόλοψι γὰρ ἐπεστράτευσεν οὖσι τῆς ἰδίας ἀρχῆς, καὶ δεινὸν εἰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ λογισμὸν ὑμῖν ὀφλήσει.
For he made war against the Dolopians, who belonged to his own dominion, and it would be strange if he should render an account to you for his own subjects.
δίδωσι δʼ ὅμως, περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμενος ὑμᾶς τε καὶ δόξαν ἀγαθήν.
Yet he gives it nevertheless, because he highly values both you and his good reputation.
ἔκτειναν δʼ οἱ Δόλοπες οἵδε τὸν ἡγούμενον αὐτῶν αἰκισάμενοι, καὶ ζητεῖ Περσεὺς τί ἂν ὑμεῖς ἐδράσατε τοὺς ὑπηκόους τοιαῦτα πράξαντας.
And these Dolopians killed their leader after torturing him, and Perseus asks what you would have done to subjects who had committed such acts.
ἀλλʼ Ἀρθέταυρόν τινες ἀνελοντες ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ διέτριβον.
But you say some who had killed Artetaurus were staying in Macedonia.
κοινῷ γε πάντων ἀνθρώπων νόμῳ, καθὰ καὶ ὑμεῖς τοὺς ἑτέρωθεν φεύγοντας ὑποδέχεσθε.
Yes, according to the common law of all mankind, just as you also receive fugitives from elsewhere.
μαθὼν δὲ καὶ τοῦθʼ ὅτι ἔγκλημα ποιεῖσθε, ἐξεκήρυξεν αὐτοὺς τῆς ἀρχῆς ὅλης.
And when he learned that you made this a charge against him, he banished them from his entire dominion.
Βυζαντίοις δὲ καὶ Αἰτωλοῖς καὶ Βοιωτοῖς οὐ καθʼ ὑμῶν ἀλλὰ καθʼ ἑτέρων συνεμάχησεν.
And he allied himself with the Byzantines, Aetolians, and Boeotians, not against you, but against others.
καὶ ταῦτα πάλαι ὑμῖν ἡμέτεποι πρέσβεις ἐμήνυον, καὶ οὐκ ἐμέμφεσθε μέχρι τῆς Εὐμένους διαβολῆς, ἣν οὐκ εἰάσατε τοὺς ἡμετέρους πρέσβεις ἐς ὄψιν αὐτὸν ἐλέγξαι.
And our ambassadors had long ago reported these things to you, and you did not find fault until Eumenes' slander, whom you did not permit our ambassadors to confront and refute face-to-face.
ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν τὴν ἐν Δελφοῖς αὐτῷ γενομένην προσγράφετε Περσεῖ, πόσων Ἑλλήνων, πόσων δὲ βαρβάρων κατʼ Εὐμένους πρεσβευσάντων πρὸς ὑμᾶς οἷς πᾶσιν ἐχθρός ἐστι τοιοῦτος ὤν.
But you attribute the plot made against him at Delphi to Perseus, although so many Greeks and so many barbarians have sent embassies to you against Eumenes, to all of whom he is an enemy because of his character.
Ἐρέννιον δὲ τὸν ἐν Βρεντεσίῳ τίς ἂν πιστεύσειεν ὅτι Περσεύς, Ῥωμαῖον ὄντα καὶ φίλον ὑμέτερον καὶ πρόξενον, εἴληφεν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς βουλῆς φαρμακείαν, ὡς ἀναλῶσαι τὴν σύγκλητον διʼ αὐτοῦ δυνάμενος, ἢ τοὺς ὑπολοίπους εὐμενεστέρους ἕξων διὰ τοὺς ἀναιρουμένους;
And who would believe that Perseus has employed Herennius of Brundisium—who is a Roman, your friend, and host—for the poisoning of the senate, as if he could destroy the senate through him, or as if he would find the survivors more well-disposed on account of those who were killed?
ἀλλʼ Ἐρέννιος μὲν ἐψεύσατο τοῖς ἐπιτρίβουσιν ἐς τὸν πόλεμον ὑμᾶς πρόφασιν εὐσχήμονα διδούς, Εὐμένης δʼ ὑπʼ ἔχθρας τε καὶ φθόνου καὶ δέους οὐδὲ ταῦτʼ ὤκνησεν ἐγκαλέσαι Περσεῖ, ὅτι πολλοῖς ἔθνεσι κεχαρισμένος καὶ φιλέλλην, καὶ σωφρόνως ἀντὶ μέθης καὶ τρυφῆς ἄρχει.
But Herennius lied, giving a plausible pretext to those who are driving you to war, while Eumenes, out of hostility, envy, and fear, did not hesitate to accuse Perseus even of these things, namely that he is pleasing to many nations and a friend to the Greeks, and rules soberly instead of in drunkenness and luxury.
καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὑπέστητε ἀκροάσασθαι.
And you endured to listen to him saying these things.
τοιγάρτοι τὴν ἐκείνου διαβολὴν αὔξετε καθʼ ὑμῶν ὡς οὐ φέροντες σώφρονας καὶ δικαίους καὶ φιλοπόνους γείτονας.
Therefore you amplify his slander against yourselves, as if you cannot endure sober, just, and industrious neighbors.
Περσεὺς δʼ Ἐρέννιον μὲν καὶ Εὐμένη, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος ἐθέλοι, προκαλεῖται παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐς ἐξέτασιν καὶ κρίσιν, ὑμᾶς δʼ ἀναμιμνήσκει μὲν τῆς ἐς Ἀντίοχον τὸν μέγαν τοῦ πατρὸς ἑαυτοῦ προθυμίας καὶ βοηθείας, ἧς ἐπιγιγνομένης καλῶς ᾐσθάνεσθε, αἰσχρὸν δὲ παρελθούσης ἐπιλαθέσθαι, προφέρει δὲ συνθήκας πατρῴας τε καὶ ἰδίας πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑμῖν γενομένας.
And Perseus challenges Herennius and Eumenes, and anyone else who wishes, to an investigation and trial before you, and he reminds you of his father's eagerness and assistance against Antiochus the Great, which, when it was happening, you well appreciated, and which it is shameful to forget now that it has passed, and he adduces the treaties made by you with his father and with himself.
καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖσδε οὐκ ὀκνεῖ καὶ παρακαλεῖν ὑμᾶς, θεοὺς οὓς ὠμόσατε αἰδεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ πολέμου κατάρχειν ἀδίκως ἐς φίλους, μηδʼ ἔγκλημα ποιεῖσθαι γειτνίασιν καὶ σωφροσύνην καὶ παρασκευήν, οὐ γὰρ ἄξιον, ὡς Εὐμένους, καὶ ὑμῶν ἅπτεσθαι φθόνον ἢ φόβον.
And in addition to these, he does not hesitate to exhort you to revere the gods by whom you swore, and not to begin an unjust war against friends, nor to make a charge of proximity, sobriety, and preparation; for it is not fitting that envy or fear should touch you, as it did Eumenes.
τὸ δὲ ἐναντίον ἐστὶ σῶφρον, φείδεσθαι γειτόνων ἐπιμελῶν, καὶ ὡς Εὐμένης φησίν, εὖ παρεσκευασμένων. οἱ μὲν δὴ πρέσβεις τοιαῦτα εἶπον, οι δὲ οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἀποκρινάμενοι τὸν πόλεμον ἐς τὸ φανερὸν ἐκύρουν.
But the opposite is wise: to spare careful neighbors, and, as Eumenes says, well-prepared ones." So the ambassadors spoke thus, but they, answering them nothing, openly ratified the war.
καὶ ὁ ὕπατος ἐκέλευε τοὺς πρέσβεις ἐκ μεν τῆς πόλεως αὐτῆς ἡμέρας, ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ἰταλίας τριάκοντα ἄλλαις ἐξιέναι.
And the consul ordered the ambassadors to depart from the city on that very day, and from Italy within thirty other days.
τὰ δὲ αὐτὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐπιδημοῦσι Μακεδόνων ἐκήρυττεν.
And he proclaimed the same things to the Macedonians who were residing there.
καὶ θόρυβος αὐτίκα μετὰ τὸ βουλευτήριον ἐπίφθονος ἦν, ἐν ὀλίγαις ὥραις ἐλαυνομένων τοσῶνδε ὁμοῦ, καὶ οὐδὲ ὑποζύγια εὑρεῖν ἐν οὕτω βραχεῖ διαστήματι, οὐδὲ πάντα φέρειν δυναμένων.
And immediately after the senate-meeting, there was an offensive tumult, with so many being driven out together in a few hours, and being unable even to find pack-animals in so short an interval, nor to carry everything.
ὑπὸ δὲ σπουδῆς οἱ μὲν οὐκ ἔφθανον ἐπὶ τοὺς σταθμούς, ἀλλʼ ἐν μέσαις ἀνεπαύοντο ταῖς ὁδοῖς, οἱ δὲ παρὰ ταῖς πύλαις μετὰ παίδων ἑαυτοὺς ἐρρίπτουν καὶ μετὰ γυναικῶν.
And because of the haste, some did not reach the lodging-stations in time, but rested in the middle of the roads, while others threw themselves down near the gates with their children and wives.
πάντα τε ἐγίγνετο ὅσα εἰκος ἐν αἰφνιδίῳ καὶ τοιῷδε κηρύγματι· αἰφνίδιον γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐφαίνετο διὰ τὰς ἔτι πρεσβείας. "
And everything happened that was likely to occur in a sudden and such-like proclamation; for it seemed sudden to them on account of the embassies still ongoing.

Notes

  1. 6λογισμὸν ὑμῖν ὀφλήσει — The verb ὀφλήσει is the third-person singular future indicative of ὀφλισκάνω (to incur, to owe). It is used here in a conditional clause introduced by the impersonal phrase δεινὸν [ἐστιν] εἰ ("it would be strange/dreadful if..."). The idiom λογισμὸν ὀφλισκάνω (corresponding to the Latin rationem reddere) means "to render an account" or "to be held accountable," pointing out the absurdity of Perseus having to answer to Rome regarding his own subjects (the Dolopians).
  2. 7τίς ἂν πιστεύσειεν — An potential optative with ἄν, which, combined with the interrogative pronoun τίς, expresses a strong rhetorical negative ("who would believe?", implying "no one would"). The subsequent participles ὡς ... δυνάμενος and ἕξων agree with the main subject Περσεύς (Perseus), representing his subjective intentions or reasoning ("thinking that he could..." or "intending to have...").
  3. 8καθʼ ὑμῶν — The preposition κατά with the genitive case means "against" or "to your own disadvantage," modifying the verb αὔξετε (you amplify). It conveys a rhetorical criticism that by taking Eumenes' slanders seriously and heading toward war, the Romans are amplifying these accusations to their own dishonor and moral disadvantage on the international stage.

Cite this passage

Appian, Macedonian Affairs §XI#2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0551.tlg011.humanitext-grc2:XI%232

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