§39.49.1eventus memorabilis est, quod, cum bello superiores essent, Achaei, Philopoemen praetor eorum capitur, ad praeoccupandam Coronen, quam hostes petebant, inita valle iniqua cum equitibus paucis oppressus.
The outcome of the war is memorable because, although the Achaeans were superior in the war, Philopoemen, their praetor, was captured, having been surprised with a few horsemen in a difficult valley which he had entered to forestall the enemy in reaching Corone, for which they were making.
§39.49.2ipsum potuisse effugere Thracum Cretensiumque auxilio tradunt: sed pudor relinquendi equites, nobilissimos gentis, ab ipso nuper lectos, tenuit.
They relate that he himself could have escaped with the aid of the Thracians and Cretans; but shame at abandoning the horsemen, the noblest of the nation, recently chosen by himself, held him back.
§39.49.3quibus dum locum ad evadendas angustias cogendo ipse agmen praebet, sustinens impetus hostium, prolapso equo et suo ipse casu et onere equi super eum ruentis haud multum afuit, quin exalimaretur, §39.49.4septuaginta annos iam natus et diutino morbo, ex quo tum primum reficiebatur, viribus admodum attenuatis.
While he was providing them with an opportunity to escape from the narrow pass by bringing up the rear himself, sustaining the attacks of the enemy, his horse stumbled, and by both his own fall and the weight of the horse falling upon him, he was not far from losing his life, being already seventy years old and his strength greatly reduced by a long illness, from which he was then for the first time recovering.
§39.49.5iacentem hostes superfusi oppresserunt; cognitumque a verecundia memoriaque meritorum haud secus quam ducem suum attollunt reficiuntque et ex valle devia in viam portant, vix sibimet ipsi prae necopinato gaudio credentes;
As he lay there, the enemy poured over and overpowered him; and when he was recognized, out of respect and the memory of his services, they raised him up and revived him just as if he were their own general, and carried him from the pathless valley into the road, scarcely believing their own eyes for unexpected joy.
§39.49.6pars nuntios Messenen praemittunt debellatum esse, Philopoemenem captum adduci.
Some of them sent messengers ahead to Messene to announce that the war was finished and that Philopoemen was being brought in as a captive.
§39.49.7primum adeo incredibilis visa res, ut non pro vano modo sed vix pro sano nuntius audiretur.
At first, this seemed so incredible that the messenger was heard not merely as a liar but scarcely as a sane man.
deinde ut super alium alius idem omnes adfirmantes veniebant, tandem facta fides; §39.49.8et priusquam appropinquare urbi satis scirent, ad spectaculum omnes simul liberi ac servi, pueri quoque cum feminis, effunduntur.
Then, as one came after another, all confirming the same story, belief was finally established; and before they knew for certain that he was approaching the city, all rushed out together for the spectacle, free men and slaves, children also with women.
itaque clauserat portam turba, dum pro se quisque, nisi ipse oculis suis credidisset, vix pro comperta tantam rem habiturus videtur.
And so the crowd had blocked the gate, while each one, unless he had believed his own eyes, seemed scarcely likely to hold such a great matter as certain.
§39.49.9aegre submoventes obvios intrare portam, qui adducebant Philopoemenem, potuerunt.
Those who were bringing Philopoemen were barely able to enter the gate by pushing aside those in their way.
aeque conferta turba iter reliquum clauserat; §39.49.10et cum pars maxima exclusa a spectaculo esset, theatrum repente, quod propinquum viae erat, compleverunt, et, ut eo adduceretur in conspectum populi, una voce omnes exposcebant.
An equally dense crowd had blocked the rest of the road; and since the greatest part had been excluded from the spectacle, they suddenly filled the theatre, which was near the road, and with one voice all demanded that he should be brought there into the sight of the people.
§39.49.11magistratus et principes veriti, ne quem motum misericordia praesentis tanti viri faceret, cum alios verecundia pristinae maiestatis collatae praesenti fortunae, alios recordatio ingentium meritorum motura esset, procul in conspectu eum statuerunt, §39.49.12deinde raptim ex oculis hominum abstraxerunt, dicente praetore Dinocrate esse, quae pertinentia ad summam belli percunctari eum magistratus vellent.
The magistrates and leading men, fearing lest the pity for so great a man present before them might cause some disturbance—since some were likely to be moved by respect for his former majesty compared with his present fortune, others by the recollection of his vast services—placed him on view at a distance, then quickly snatched him from the sight of the people, the praetor Dinocrates saying that there were matters pertaining to the main issue of the war about which the magistrates wished to question him.
inde abducto eo in curiam et senatu vocato consultari coeptum.
Thence, after he was led into the senate-house and the senate was called, the deliberation began.