§31.14.1tum P. Sulpicius secundum vota in Capitolio nuncupata paludatis lictoribus profectus ab urbe Brundisium venit
Then Publius Sulpicius, having discharged his vows on the Capitol, set out from the city with lictors in military cloaks and came to Brundisium.
§31.14.2et veteribus militibus voluntariis ex Africano exercitu in legiones discriptis navibusque ex classe Cn. Cornelii electis altero die, quam a Brundisio solvit, in Macedoniam traiecit.
Having distributed into legions the veteran volunteers from the African army and selected ships from the fleet of Gnaeus Cornelius, he crossed over to Macedonia on the second day after he sailed from Brundisium.
§31.14.3ibi ei praesto fuere Atheniensium legati orantes, ut se obsidione eximeret.
There, ambassadors of the Athenians met him, entreating him to deliver them from the siege.
missus extemplo Athenas est C. Claudius Cento cum viginti longis navibus et mille militum.
Gaius Claudius Cento was immediately dispatched to Athens with twenty warships and a thousand soldiers.
neque enim ipse rex Athenas obsidebat; §31.14.4eo maxime tempore Abydum oppugnabat, iam cum Rhodiis et Attalo navalibus certaminibus, neutro feliciter proelio, vires expertus; §31.14.5sed animos ei faciebat praeter ferociam insitam foedus ictum cum Antiocho, Syriae rege, divisaeque iam cum eo Aegypti opes, cui morte audita Ptolomaei regis ambo imminebant.
For the king himself was not besieging Athens; at that very time he was attacking Abydos, having already tested his strength against the Rhodians and Attalus in naval engagements, though neither battle was successful; but his confidence, besides his innate ferocity, was raised by the treaty struck with Antiochus, king of Syria, and the wealth of Egypt already divided with him, which both of them were eyeing upon hearing of the death of King Ptolemy.
§31.14.6contraxerant autem sibi cum Philippo bellum Athenienses haudquaquam digna causa, dum ex vetere fortuna nihil praeter animos servant.
Now the Athenians had brought war upon themselves with Philip for a by no means sufficient cause, while preserving nothing of their ancient fortune except their pride.
§31.14.7Acarnanes duo iuvenes per initiorum dies non initiati templum Cereris inprudentes religionis cum cetera turba ingressi sunt.
Two Acarnanian youths, uninitiated, during the days of the mysteries entered the temple of Ceres with the rest of the crowd, ignorant of the religious law.
§31.14.8facile eos sermo prodidit absurde quaedam percunctantis, deductique ad antistites templi, cum palam esset per errorem ingressos, tamquam ob infandum scelus interfecti sunt.
Their speech easily betrayed them as they were asking certain absurd questions, and being brought before the temple priests, although it was obvious that they had entered by mistake, they were put to death as if for an unspeakable crime.
§31.14.9id tam foede atque hostiliter factum gens Acarnanum ad Philippum detulit impetravitque ab eo, ut datis Macedonum auxiliis bellum se inferre Atheniensibus pateretur.
The Acarnanian nation reported this so foul and hostile deed to Philip and obtained from him permission to wage war on the Athenians, with Macedonian auxiliary forces being provided.
§31.14.10hic exercitus primo terram Atticam ferro ignique depopulatus cum omnis generis praeda in Acarnaniam rediit.
This army, having first devastated the Attic territory with fire and sword, returned to Acarnania with booty of every kind.
et irritatio quidem animorum ea prima fuit; postea iustum bellum decretis civitatis ultro indicendo factum.
And this indeed was the first provocation of their feelings; afterwards a regular war was made by formally declaring it besides, through decrees of the state.
§31.14.11Attalus enim rex Rhodiique persecuti cedentem in Macedoniam Philippum cum Aeginam venissent, rex Piraeum renovandae confirmandaeque cum Atheniensibus societatis causa traiecit.
For when King Attalus and the Rhodians, pursuing Philip as he retreated into Macedonia, had come to Aegina, the king crossed over to Piraeus for the purpose of renewing and confirming the alliance with the Athenians.
§31.14.12civitas omnis obviam effusa cum coniugibus ac liberis, sacerdotes citu insignibus suis intrantem urbem ac di prope ipsi exciti sedibus suis acceperunt.
The whole state poured out to meet him with their wives and children, the priests with their insignia, and the gods themselves, as if almost summoned from their abodes, received him as he entered the city.