§26.32.1consul alter de postulatis Siculorum ad patres rettulit.
The other consul laid the demands of the Sicilians before the senators.
ibi cum diu sententiis certatum esset, et magna pars senatus, principe eius sententiae T. Manlio Torquato,
There, when a long debate had taken place, and a large part of the senate, with T.
§26.32.2cum tyrannis bellum gerendum fuisse censerent, hostibus et Syracusanorum et populi Romani, et urbem recipi, non capi, et receptam legibus antiquis et libertate stabiliri, non fessam miseranda servitute bello adfligi:
Manlius Torquatus as the leader of their opinion, felt that the war ought to have been waged against the tyrants, the enemies of both the Syracusans and the Roman people, and that the city should have been recovered, not captured, and, once recovered, established in its ancient laws and liberty, not afflicted by war when exhausted by a pitiable servitude.
§26.32.3inter tyrannorum et ducis Romani certamina praemium victoris in medio positam urbem pulcherrimam ac nobilissimam perisse, horreum atque aerarium quondam populi Romani, cuius munificentia ac donis multis tempestatibus, hoc denique ipso Punico bello adiuta ornataque res publica esset.
They argued that, amidst the struggles between the tyrants and the Roman commander, the most beautiful and noble city, placed in the midst as the prize of the victor, had perished—a city which was once the granary and treasury of the Roman people, by whose munificence and gifts the state had been aided and adorned in many difficult times, and finally in this very Punic War.
§26.32.4si ab inferis existat rex Hiero, fidissimus imperi Romani cultor, quo ore aut Syracusas aut Romam ei ostendi posse, cum, ubi semirutam ac spoliatam patriam respexerit, ingrediens Romam in vestibulo urbis, prope in porta, spolia patriae suae visurus sit?
If King Hiero, the most faithful cultivator of the Roman empire, should rise from the dead, with what face could either Syracuse or Rome be shown to him, since, when he looked back upon his half-ruined and despoiled fatherland, and entered Rome, he would see at the very entrance of the city, almost in the gate, the spoils of his own country?
§26.32.5— haec taliaque cum ad invidiam consulis miserationemque Siculorum dicerentur, mitius tamen decreverunt patres: acta M. Marcelli,
— While these and similar arguments were being urged to excite ill-will against the consul and pity for the Sicilians, the senators nevertheless passed a milder decree: namely, that the acts of M.
§26.32.6quae is gerens bellum victorque egisset, rata habenda esse; in relicum curae senatui fore rem Syracusanam mandaturosque consuli Laevino, ut, quod sine iactura rei publicae fieri posset, fortunis eius civitatis consuleret.
Marcellus, which he had performed while conducting the war and as victor, should be ratified; for the future, the affairs of Syracuse should be the care of the senate, and they would instruct the consul Laevinus to consult for the fortunes of that state as far as could be done without detriment to the commonwealth.
§26.32.7missis duobus senatoribus in Capitolium ad consulem, uti rediret in curiam, et introductis Siculis senatus consultum recitatum est,
Two senators having been sent to the Capitol to the consul, that he might return to the senate house, and the Sicilians having been introduced, the decree of the senate was read aloud.
§26.32.8legatiquebenigne appellati ac dimissi ad genua se Marcelli consulis proiecerunt * et obsecrantes, ut, quae deplorandae ac levandae calamitatis causa dixissent, veniam eis daret et in fidem clientelamque se urbemque Syracusas acciperet.
The envoys, having been kindly addressed and dismissed, threw themselves at the feet of the consul Marcellus, entreating him to grant them pardon for what they had said for the sake of deploring and mitigating their calamity, and to receive themselves and the city of Syracuse into his protection and patronage.
pollicens hoc consul clementer appellatos eos dimisit.
Promising this, the consul addressed them gently and dismissed them.