§40.6.1forte lustrandi exercitus venit tempus, cuius sollemne est tale: caput mediae canis praecisae et pars ad dexteram, cum extis posterior ad laevam viae ponitur: §40.6.2inter hanc divisam hostiam copiae armatae traducuntur.
By chance, the time came for purifying the army, the ritual of which is as follows: the head and the front part of a female dog cut in half are placed on the right side of the road, and the rear part with the entrails is placed on the left. Between this divided victim the armed troops are led.
praeferuntur primo agmini arma insignia omnium ab ultima origine Macedoniae regum, deinde rex ipse cum liberis sequitur, §40.6.3proxima est regia cohors custodesque corporis, postremum agmen Macedonum cetera multitudo claudit. §40.6.4latera regis duo filii iuvenes cingebant, Perseus iam tricesimum annum agens, Demetrius quinquennio minor, medio iuventae robore ille, hic flore, fortunati patris matura suboles, si mens sana fuisset. §40.6.5mos erat lustrationis sacro peracto decurrere exercitum, et divisas bifariam acies concurrere ad simulacrum pugnae. §40.6.6regii iuvenes duces ei ludicro certamini dati: ceterum non imago fuit pugnae, sed tamquam de regno dimicaretur, ita concurrerunt, multaque vulnera rudibus facta, nec praeter ferrum quicquam defuit ad iustam belli speciem.
In front of the vanguard are carried the illustrious arms of all the kings of Macedonia from its earliest origin; then the king himself follows with his children. Next is the royal cohort and the bodyguards, and the remaining multitude of Macedonians closes the rear. The two young sons flanked the king: Perseus, already in his thirtieth year, and Demetrius, five years younger; the former in the mature strength of youth, the latter in its bloom, the ripe offspring of a fortunate father, had they but been of sound mind. It was the custom, after the sacred rite of purification was completed, for the army to perform maneuvers, and for the forces, divided into two parts, to clash in a mock battle. The royal youths were appointed leaders of this playful contest; but it was no representation of a battle, but they clashed as if they were fighting for the kingdom, and many wounds were inflicted with wooden swords, nor did anything except real steel lack for the complete appearance of war. The party which was under Demetrius was by far superior.
§40.6.7pars ea, quae sub Demetrio erat, longe superior fuit. id aegre patiente Perseo laetari prudentes amici eius, eamque rem ipsam dicere praebituram causam criminandi iuvenis.
While Perseus bore this with grievance, his clever friends rejoiced, and said that this very circumstance would afford a ground for accusing the youth.