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Livy · History of Rome §31.32.1-31.32.5

Damocritus Delays the Aetolian Decision

Passage 1059 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

Damocritus, the praetor of the Aetolians, avoids immediate commitment to either the Romans or the Macedonians, delaying the decision by legal maneuvers so they can ally with whichever side proves more successful in the war.

§31.32.1haec dicta ab Romano cum essent, inclinatis omnium animis ad Romanos Damocritus, praetor Aetolorum, pecunia, ut fama est, ab rege accepta nihil aut huic aut illi parti adsensus, §31.32.2rem magni discriminis consiliis nullam esse tam inimicam quam celeritatem dixit; celerem enim paenitentiam, sed eandem seram atque inutilem sequi, cum praecipitata raptim consilia neque revocari neque in integrum restitui possint.
When these things had been said by the Roman, although the minds of all were inclined toward the Romans, Damocritus, the praetor of the Aetolians, having received money from the king (as the rumor is) and agreeing with neither this side nor that, said that in matters of great crisis nothing is so hostile to counsels as haste; for a swift repentance, but the same late and useless, follows, since decisions hurriedly precipitated can neither be recalled nor restored to their former state.
§31.32.3deliberationis eius, cuius ipse maturitatem expectandam putaret, tempus ita iam nunc statui posse: cum legibus cautum esset, ne de pace belloque nisi in Panaetolico et Pylaico concilio ageretur, decernerent extemplo, §31.32.4ut praetor sine fraude, cum de bello et pace agere velit, advocet concilium, et quod tum referatur decernaturque ut perinde ius ratumque sit, ac si in Panaetolico aut Pylaico concilio actum esset.
He said that the time for this deliberation, the maturity of which he himself thought should be waited for, could be determined even now in this way: since it was provided by the laws that they should not treat of peace and war except in the Panaetolic and Pylaic councils, let them decree immediately that the praetor, without penalty, when he wishes to treat of war and peace, may call a council, and that what is then proposed and decreed should be just as valid and ratified as if it had been transacted in the Panaetolic or Pylaic council.
§31.32.5dimissis ita suspensa re legatis egregie consultum genti aiebat: nam utrius partis melior fortuna belli esset, ad eius societatem inclinaturos.
Having thus dismissed the legates with the matter suspended, he said that the interest of the nation had been excellently consulted; for to whichever side the fortune of war should be better, they would incline to its alliance.
haec in concilio Aetolorum acta.
These things were done in the council of the Aetolians.

Notes

  1. 31.32.1nihil aut huic aut illi parti adsensus — nihil is an adverbial accusative meaning 'not at all'. adsensus is the perfect participle of the deponent verb adsentior, carrying an active meaning. huic aut illi parti is the dative case governed by adsensus.
  2. 31.32.2rem magni discriminis — magni discriminis is a genitive of quality modifying the noun rem, meaning 'a matter of great crisis/decision'.
  3. 31.32.4sine fraude — This expression with the ablative of fraus is a Latin legal idiom meaning 'without liability', 'without penalty', or 'legally'.
  4. 31.32.5egregie consultum genti — consultum [esse] is the impersonal passive (perfect infinitive) of the intransitive verb consulo, meaning 'measures had been taken for the benefit of...', with the beneficiary expressed by the dative genti.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §31.32.1-31.32.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:31.32.1-31.32.5

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