§31.5.1anno quingentesimo quinquagesimo primo ab urbe condita, P. Sulpicio Galba C. Aurelio consulibus bellumcum rege Philippo initum est, paucis mensibus post pacem Carthaginiensibus datam.
In the five hundred and fifty-first year from the founding of the city, in the consulship of Publius Sulpicius Galba and Gaius Aurelius, the war with King Philip was entered upon, a few months after peace had been granted to the Carthaginians.
§31.5.2omnium primum eam rem idibus Martiis, §31.5.3quo die tum consulatus inibatur, P. Sulpicius consul rettulit, senatusque decrevit, uti consules maioribus hostiis rem divinam facerent quibus diis ipsis videretur cum precatione ea: §31.5.4“quod senatus populusque Romanus de re publica deque ineundo novo bello in animo haberet, ea res uti populo Romano sociisque ac nomini Latino bene ac feliciter eveniret; ” secundum rem divinam precationemque ut de re publica deque provinciis senatum consulerent.
First of all, on the Ides of March, the day on which the consulship was then entered upon, the consul Publius Sulpicius made a motion, and the senate decreed that the consuls should perform sacrifices with the larger victims to whichever gods should seem best to them themselves, with this prayer: “May that which the senate and the Roman people have in mind concerning the state and concerning the entering upon a new war turn out well and auspiciously for the Roman people, their allies, and the Latin name;” and that after the sacrifice and prayer they should consult the senate concerning the state and the provinces.
§31.5.5per eos dies opportune irritandis ad bellum animis et litterae ab M. Aurelio legato et M. Valerio Laevino propraetore adlatae et Atheniensium nova legatio venit, §31.5.6quae regem appropinquare finibus suis nuntiaret, brevique non agros modo, sed urbem etiam in dicione eius futuram, nisi quid in Romanis auxilii foret.
During those days, opportunely for stirring up minds for war, both letters were brought from the legate Marcus Aurelius and the propraetor Marcus Valerius Laevinus, and a new embassy from the Athenians arrived, which was to announce that the king was approaching their borders, and that in a short time not only their fields but also their city would be under his control, unless there should be some help in the Romans.
§31.5.7cum renuntiassent consules rem divinam rite peractam esse et precationi annuisse deos haruspices respondere laetaque exta fuisse et prolationem finium victoriamque et triumphum portendi, tum litterae Valerii Aureliique lectae et legati Atheniensium auditi.
When the consuls had reported back that the sacrifice had been duly performed, and that the haruspices answered that the gods had assented to the prayer, and that the entrails had been favorable, and that extension of territory, victory, and triumph were portended, then the letters of Valerius and Aurelius were read and the Athenian ambassadors were heard.
§31.5.8senatus inde consultum factum est, ut sociis gratiae agerentur, quod diu sollicitati ne obsidionis quidem metu fide decessissent; §31.5.9de auxilio mittendo tum responderi placere, cum consules provincias sortiti essent atque is consul, cui Macedonia provincia evenisset, ad populum tulisset, ut Philippo, regi Macedonum, indiceretur bellum.
Thereupon a decree of the senate was passed, that thanks should be given to the allies, because, though long solicited, they had not, even from fear of siege, departed from their loyalty; and they decided that a reply concerning sending aid should be given at that time, when the consuls should have drawn lots for the provinces and that consul to whom the province of Macedonia had fallen should have proposed to the people that war be declared against Philip, king of the Macedonians.