§34.60.1vixdum hi profecti erant, cum a Carthagine legati bellum haud dubie parare Antiochum Hannibale ministro attulerunt inieceruntque curam, ne simul et Punicum excitaretur bellum.
These had scarcely departed, when envoys from Carthage brought word that Antiochus was undoubtedly preparing for war with Hannibal as his assistant, and inspired the anxiety lest a Punic war might be stirred up at the same time.
§34.60.2Hannibal patria profugus pervenerat ad Antiochum, sicut ante dictum est, et erat apud regem in magno honore, nulla alia arte, nisi quod volutanti diu consilia de Romano bello nemo aptior super tali re particeps esse sermonis poterat.
Hannibal, a fugitive from his country, had come to Antiochus, as has been said before, and was in great honor with the king, for no other skill than that, to the king who had long been revolving plans for a Roman war, no one could be a more suitable partner in conversation on such a subject.
§34.60.3sententia eius una atque eadem semper erat, ut in Italia bellum gereretur:
His opinion was always one and the same: that the war should be waged in Italy.
§34.60.4Italiam et commeatus et militem praebituram externo hosti; si nihil ibi moveatur, liceatque populo Romano viribus et copiis Italiae extra Italiam bellum gerere, neque regem neque gentem ullam parem Romanis esse.
Italy would furnish both provisions and soldiers to a foreign enemy; if nothing was moved there, and the Roman people were allowed to wage war outside Italy with the strength and resources of Italy, neither king nor any nation would be a match for the Romans.
§34.60.5sibi centum tectas naves et decem milia peditum, mille equites deposcebat; ea se classe primum Africam petiturum; magno opere confidere et Carthaginienses ad rebellandum ab se compelli posse;
He demanded for himself a hundred decked ships, ten thousand infantry, and a thousand cavalry; with this fleet he would first head for Africa, and he was highly confident that the Carthaginians too could be compelled by him to rebel.
§34.60.6si illi cunctentur, se aliqua parte Italiae excitaturum Romanis bellum.
If they should hesitate, he would stir up war against the Romans in some part of Italy.
regem cum ceteris omnibus transire in Europam debere et in aliqua parte Graeciae copias continere neque traicientem et, quod in speciem famamque belli satis sit, paratum traicere.
The king ought to cross into Europe with all the rest and keep his forces in some part of Greece, not actually crossing, and yet, what would be sufficient for the appearance and reputation of war, prepared to cross.