§34.23.1post orationem Romani imperatoris percenseri aliorum sententiae coeptae sunt.
After the speech of the Roman general, the opinions of the others began to be reviewed.
§34.23.2cum legatus Atheniensium, quantum poterat, gratiis agendis Romanorum in Graeciam merita extulisset, “imploratos adversus Philippum tulisse opem, §34.23.3non rogatos ultro adversus tyrannum Nabim offerre auxilium” §34.23.4indignatusque esset haec tanta merita sermonibus tamen aliquorum carpi futura calumniantium, cum fateri potius praeteritorum gratiam deberent, apparebat incessi Aetolos.
When the envoy of the Athenians, as far as he could, by expressing thanks, had extolled the merits of the Romans toward Greece, [saying] “that, having been implored, they had brought help against Philip, and now, unasked, they voluntarily offered aid against the tyrant Nabis,” and had expressed indignation that these so great merits were nevertheless being carped at by the speeches of some who slandered the future, whereas they ought rather to acknowledge gratitude for past things, it was clear that the Aetolians were being attacked.
§34.23.5igitur Alexander, princeps gentis, invectus primum in Atheniensis, libertatis quondam duces et auctores, adsentationis propriae gratia communem causam prodentis, §34.23.6questus deinde Achaeos, Philippi quondam milites, ad postremum inclinata fortuna eius transfugas, et Corinthum recepisse et id agere, §34.23.7ut Argos habeant, Aetolos, primos hostis Philippi semper socios Romanorum, pactos in foedere suas urbes agrosque fore devicto Philippo, fraudari Echino et Pharsalo, §34.23.8insimulavit fraudis Romanos, quod vano titulo libertatis ostentato Chalcidem et Demetriadem praesidiis tenerent, qui Philippo cunctanti deducere inde praesidia obicere semper soliti sint §34.23.9“numquam donec Demetrias Chalcisque et Corinthus tenerentur liberam Graeciam fore,” §34.23.10postremo quia manendi in Graecia retinendique exercitus Argos et Nabim causam facerent.
Therefore, Alexander, the chief of that nation, having first inveighed against the Athenians, once leaders and authors of liberty, who were betraying the common cause for the sake of their own flattery, then having complained that the Achaeans, once soldiers of Philip, and finally deserters when his fortune declined, had both received Corinth and were striving to have Argos, and that the Aetolians, the first enemies of Philip and always allies of the Romans, who had covenanted in the treaty that their cities and fields would be theirs upon the defeat of Philip, were being defrauded of Echinus and Pharsalus, he accused the Romans of deceit, because, having displayed the empty title of liberty, they held Chalcis and Demetrias with garrisons, although they themselves, when Philip hesitated to withdraw his garrisons from there, had always been accustomed to object “that Greece would never be free as long as Demetrias, Chalcis, and Corinth were held,” and finally because they made Argos and Nabis a pretext for remaining in Greece and retaining their army.
§34.23.11deportarent legiones in Italiam; Aetolos polliceri aut condicionibus et voluntate sua Nabim praesidium Argis deducturum, aut vi atque armis coacturos in potestate consentientis Graeciae esse.
Let them transport their legions to Italy; the Aetolians promised either that Nabis would withdraw his garrison from Argos on conditions and of his own free will, or that they would compel him by force of arms to be under the power of a consenting Greece.