§31.31.1tum Romanus legatus: “totam orationis mea formam Macedones primum, §31.31.2deinde Athenienses mutarunt.
Then the Roman legate said: "First the Macedonians, and then the Athenians, have changed the whole character of my speech.
nam et Macedones, cum ad conquerendas Philippi iniurias in tot socias nobis urbes venissem, ultro accusando Romanos, defensionem ut accusatione potiorem haberem effecerunt, §31.31.3et Athenienses in deos inferos superosque nefanda atque inhumana scelera eius referendo quid mihi aut cuiquam reliquerunt, quod obicere ultra possim?
For when I had come to complain of the injuries of Philip against so many of our allied cities, the Macedonians, by voluntarily accusing the Romans, brought it about that I should hold my defense as more important than my accusation; and the Athenians, by relating his impious and inhuman crimes against the gods below and above, what have they left for me or anyone else that I can further bring forward as a charge?
§31.31.4eadem haec Cianos, Abydenos, Aenios, Maronitas, Thasios, Parios, Samios, Larisenses, Messenios hinc ex Achaia existimate queri, graviora acerbioraque eos, quibus nocendi maiorem facultatem habuit.
Consider that these very same things are lamented by the Cians, Abydenes, Aenians, Maronites, Thasians, Parians, Samians, Larisens, and the Messenians from here in Achaea; those against whom he had greater opportunity of doing harm have suffered things heavier and more bitter.
§31.31.5nam quod ad ea attinet, quae nobis obiecit, nisi gloria digna sunt, fateor ea defendi non posse.
For as far as those things are concerned which he has objected against us, unless they are worthy of glory, I confess they cannot be defended.
Regium et Capuam et Syracusas nobis obiecit.
He has objected against us Regium, Capua, and Syracuse.
§31.31.6regium Pyrrhi bello legio a nobis Reginis ipsis, ut mitteremus, orantibus in praesidium missa urbem, ad quam defendendam missa erat, per scelus possedit.
As for Regium, during the Pyrrhic War, a legion sent by us as a garrison at the request of the Regians themselves, so that we might send it, took possession through crime of the city which it had been sent to defend.
§31.31.7comprobavimus ergo id facinus? an bello persecuti sceleratam legionem, in potestatem nostram redactam, tergo et cervicibus poenas sociis pendere cum coegissemus, urbem, agros suaque omnia cum libertate legibusque Reginis reddidimus?
Did we therefore approve of that deed? Or did we, having pursued the criminal legion with war, when we had reduced it under our power and compelled them to pay the penalty to our allies with their backs and necks, restore to the Regians their city, lands, and all their property, along with their liberty and laws?
§31.31.8Syracusanis oppressis ab externis tyrannis, quo indignius esset, cum tulissemus opem et fatigati prope per triennium terra marique urbe munitissima oppugnanda essemus, cum iam ipsi Syracusani servire tyrannis quam capi a nobis mallent, captam iisdem armis et liberatam urbem reddidimus.
To the Syracusans, when they were oppressed by foreign tyrants—which made it the more unworthy—when we had brought help, and after we had been exhausted for nearly three years on land and sea in besieging a most fortified city, and when the Syracusans themselves already preferred to serve tyrants rather than to be captured by us, we restored the city captured and liberated by those same arms.
§31.31.9neque infitias imus Siciliam provinciam nostram esse et civitates, quae in parte Carthaginiensium fuerunt et uno animo cum illis adversus nos bellum gesserunt, stipendiarias nobis ac vectigales esse; quin contra hoc et vos et omnes gentes scire volumus, pro merito cuique erga nos fortunam esse.
Nor do we deny that Sicily is our province, and that the cities which were on the side of the Carthaginians and waged war against us with one mind with them, are tributary and taxpayer to us; on the contrary, we wish both you and all nations to know this, that each has a fortune according to its merit toward us.
§31.31.10an Campanorum poenae, de qua ne ipsi quidem queri possunt, nos paeniteat? hi homines, cum pro iis bellum adversus Samnites per annos prope septuaginta cum magnis nostris cladibus gessissemus,
Or should we repent of the punishment of the Campanians, of which not even they themselves can complain?
§31.31.11ipsos foedere primum, deinde conubio atque cognationibus, postremo civitate nobis coniunxissemus, §31.31.12tempore nostro adverso primi omnium Italiae populorum, praesidio nostro foede interfecto, ad Hannibalem defecerunt, deinde indignati se obsideri a nobis Hannibalem ad oppugnandam Romam miserunt.
These men, when we had waged war on their behalf against the Samnites for nearly seventy years with great disasters to ourselves, and had united them to us first by treaty, then by intermarriage and family ties, and finally by citizenship, in our adverse time, first of all the peoples of Italy, having shamefully slaughtered our garrison, revolted to Hannibal, and then, indignant at being besieged by us, sent Hannibal to attack Rome.
§31.31.13horum si neque urbs ipsa neque homo quisquam superesset, quis id durius quam pro merito ipsorum statutum indignari posset?
If of these people neither the city itself nor any single human being survived, who could be indignant at this being decided as a harsher measure than their own merit deserved?
§31.31.14plures sibimet ipsi conscientia scelerum mortem consciverunt, quam ab nobis supplicio adfecti sunt.
More of them, from the consciousness of their crimes, inflicted death upon themselves than were punished by us.
ceteris ita oppidum, §31.31.15ita agros ademimus, ut agrum locumque ad habitandum daremus, urbem innoxiam stare incolumem pateremur, ut, qui hodie videat eam, nullum oppugnatae captaeve ibi vestigium inveniat.
To the rest, we so took away the town, so took away the lands, that we gave them land and a place to dwell, and allowed the harmless city to stand unharmed, so that whoever sees it today can find no trace of its being besieged or captured.
sed quid ego Capuam dico, cum Carthagini victae pacem ac libertatem dederimus?
But why do I speak of Capua, when we gave peace and liberty to conquered Carthage?
§31.31.16magis illud est periculum, ne nimis facile victis ignoscendo plures ob id ipsum ad experiundam adversus nos fortunam belli incitemus.
There is rather a danger of this, lest by pardoning the conquered too easily, we might incite more, for that very reason, to try the fortune of war against us.
§31.31.17haec pro nobis dicta sint, haec adversus Philippum, cuius domestica parricidia et cognatorum amicorumque caedes et libidinem inhumaniorem prope quam crudelitatem vos, quo propiores Macedoniae estis, melius nostis.
Let these things be said on our behalf, and these against Philip, whose domestic parricides, slaughters of relatives and friends, and lust, almost more inhuman than his cruelty, you, as you are closer to Macedonia, know better.
§31.31.18quod ad vos attinet, Aetoli, nos pro vobis bellum suscepimus adversus Philippum, vos sine nobis cum eo pacem fecistis.
As far as you are concerned, Aetolians, we undertook the war on your behalf against Philip, but you made peace with him without us.
§31.31.19et forsitan dicatis bello Punico occupatis nobis coactos metu vos leges pacis ab eo, qui tum plus poterat, accepisse; et nos, cum alia maiora urgerent, depositum a vobis bellum et ipsi omisimus.
And perhaps you might say that, since we were occupied with the Punic War, forced by fear, you accepted the terms of peace from him who was then more powerful; and we, since other greater matters pressed upon us, also let drop the war abandoned by you.
§31.31.20nunc et nos deum benignitate Punico perfecto bello totis viribus nostris in Macedoniam incubuimus, et vobis restituendi vos in amicitiam societatemque nostram fortuna oblata est, nisi perire cum Philippo quam vincere cum Romanis mavultis. ”
Now, by the kindness of the gods, the Punic War having been finished, we have leaned with all our forces upon Macedonia, and the fortune of restoring yourselves to our friendship and alliance is offered to you, unless you prefer to perish with Philip rather than to conquer with the Romans."