§39.26.1Philippus, ut accusatoris potius quam rei speciem haberet, et ipse a querellis orsus Menelaidem in Dolopia, quae regni sui fuisset, Thessalos vi atque armis expugnasse questus est; item Petram in Pieria ab iisdem Thessalis Perrhaebisque captam.
Philip, in order that he might have the appearance of an accuser rather than a defendant, also began with complaints of his own, complaining that the Thessalians had by force and arms captured Menelais in Dolopia, which had belonged to his kingdom; likewise that Petra in Pieria had been captured by the same Thessalians and Perrhaebians.
§39.26.2Xynias quidem, haud dubie Aetolicum oppidum, sibi contribuisse eos; et Paracheloida, quae sub Athamania esset, nullo iure Thessalorum formulae factam.
He complained too that they had annexed to themselves Xyniae, which was without doubt an Aetolian town, and that Parachelois, which was under Athamania, had been made part of the jurisdiction of the Thessalians with no right.
§39.26.3nam quae sibi crimina obiciantur de insidiis legatorum et maritimis portubus frequentatis aut desertis, §39.26.4alterum ridiculum esse, se reddere rationem, quos portus mercatores aut nautici petant, alterum mores respuere suos.
For, as to the charges which were brought against him concerning the ambush laid for the envoys and the maritime ports being frequented or deserted, he said that the one was ridiculous, that he should render an account of which ports merchants or sailors sought, and the other was repugnant to his character.
§39.26.5tot annos esse, per quos numquam cessaverint legati nunc ad imperatores Romanos nunc Romam ad senatum crimina de se deferre: quem umquam verbo violatum esse?
There were so many years during which envoys had never ceased to bring charges against him, now to the Roman commanders, now to the senate at Rome: who had ever been violated even by a word?
§39.26.6semel euntibus ad Quinctium insidias dici factas: sed quid iis accident, non adici.
An ambush was said to have been laid once for those on their way to Quinctius; but what had happened to them was not added.
quaerentium quod falso obiciant, cum veri nihil habeant, ea crimina esse.
Those charges belonged to people who, having nothing of truth, were seeking something to charge falsely.
§39.26.7insolenter et immodice abuti Thessalos indulgentia populi Romani, velut ex diutina siti nimis avide meram haurientes libertatem: §39.26.8ita servorum modo praeter spem repente manumissorum licentiam vocis et linguae experiri et iactare sese insectatione et conviciis dominorum.
The Thessalians were insolently and immoderately abusing the indulgence of the Roman people, as if drinking unmixed liberty too greedily from a long-continued thirst; thus, in the manner of slaves suddenly manumitted contrary to expectation, they were testing the license of their voice and tongue, and boasting of themselves by attack and abuse of their masters.
§39.26.9elatus deinde ira adiecit nondum omnium dierum solem occidisse id minaciter dictum non Thessali modo in sese, sed etiam Romani acceperunt.
Then, carried away by anger, he added that the sun of all days had not yet set; this threatening remark not only the Thessalians but also the Romans took as directed against themselves.
§39.26.10et cum fremitus post eam vocem ortus et tandem sedatus esset, Perrhaeborum inde Athamanumque legatis respondit eandem, de quibus illi agant, civitatium causam esse. §39.26.11consulem Acilium et Romanos sibi dedisse eas, cum hostium essent.
And when the clamour that arose after that speech had at last been quieted, he then replied to the envoys of the Perrhaebians and Athamanes that the case of the cities they were dealing with was the same: the consul Acilius and the Romans had given them to him when they belonged to the enemy.
§39.26.12si suum munus qui dedissent adimere velint scire cedendum esse: sed meliori et fideliori amico in gratiam levium et inutilium sociorum iniuriam eos facturos.
If those who had given their own gift wished to take it away, he knew that he must yield; but they would be doing an injustice to a better and more faithful friend for the sake of fickle and useless allies.
§39.26.13nec enim ullius rei minus diuturnam esse gratiam quam libertatis, praesertim apud eos, qui male utendo eam corrupturi sint.
For the gratitude for nothing was less lasting than that for liberty, especially among those who were going to ruin it by misuse.
§39.26.14causa cognita pronuntiarunt legati placere deduci praesidia Macedonum ex iis urbibus, et antiquis Macedoniae terminis regnum finiri.
The case having been heard, the envoys declared that it was their pleasure that the garrisons of the Macedonians should be withdrawn from those cities, and that the kingdom should be bounded by the ancient limits of Macedonia.
de iniuriis, quas ultro citroque illatas querantur, quo modo inter eas gentes et Macedonas disceptetur, formulam iuris exsequendi constituendam esse.
Concerning the injuries which they complained had been inflicted on both sides, how the dispute between those nations and the Macedonians should be arbitrated, a formula for executing the law must be established.