§32.3.1rebus, quae Romae agendae erant, perfectis consules in provincias profecti.
After the business which had to be transacted at Rome was finished, the consuls set out for their provinces.
§32.3.2P. Villius in Macedoniam cum venisset, atrox seditio militum iam ante irritata nec satis in principio compressa excepit.
When Publius Villius arrived in Macedonia, he was met by a violent mutiny of the soldiers, which had already been stirred up before and not sufficiently suppressed at the beginning.
§32.3.3duo milia ea militum fuere, quae ex Africa post devictum Hannibalem in Siciliam, inde anno fere post in Macedoniam pro voluntariis transportata erant.
These were two thousand soldiers who, after the defeat of Hannibal, had been transported from Africa to Sicily, and about a year later from there to Macedonia as volunteers.
id voluntate factum negabant: ab tribunis recusantes in naves impositos.
They denied that this had been done of their own free will, asserting that they had been put on board the ships by the tribunes despite their refusal.
§32.3.4sed utcumque, seu iniuncta seu suscepta foret militia, et eam exhaustam, et finem aliquem militandi fieri aequum esse.
But in any case, whether the service had been imposed or undertaken voluntarily, they claimed that it was now exhausted, and that it was only fair that some limit should be put to their campaigning.
§32.3.5multis annis sese Italiam non vidisse; consenuisse sub armis in Sicilia, Africa, Macedonia; confectos iam se labore opere, §32.3.6exangues tot acceptis vulneribus esse.
They said that they had not seen Italy for many years, that they had grown old under arms in Sicily, Africa, and Macedonia, and that they were now worn out by toil and labor, and exhausted from receiving so many wounds.
consul causam postulandae missionis probabilem, si modeste peteretur, videri dixit; seditionis nec eam nec ullam aliam satis iustam causam esse.
The consul said that their reason for demanding discharge seemed plausible if it were requested modestly; but that for mutiny, neither this nor any other cause was sufficiently justified.
§32.3.7itaque si manere ad signa et dicto parere velint, se de missione eorum ad senatum scripturum; modestia facilius quam pertinacia quod velint impetraturos.
Therefore, if they were willing to remain with the standards and obey orders, he would write to the senate about their discharge; they would obtain what they wanted more easily by moderation than by stubbornness.