§41.22.1legati nonis Iuniis ex Africa redierunt, qui convento prius Masinissa rege Carthaginem ierant; ceterum certius aliquanto, quae Carthagine acta essent, ab rege scierant quam ab ipsis Carthaginiensibus. §41.22.2conpertum tamen adfirmaverunt legatos ab rege Perseo venosse, iisque noctu senatum in aede Aesculapi datum esse.
On the Nones of June, the ambassadors returned from Africa, who, after first meeting with King Masinissa, had gone to Carthage; however, they had learned what had been done at Carthage somewhat more certainly from the king than from the Carthaginians themselves. Nevertheless, they asserted that it had been confirmed that ambassadors had come from King Perseus, and that a hearing of the senate had been granted to them by night in the temple of Aesculapius.
ab Carthagine legatos in Macedoniam missos et rex adfirmaverat et ipsi parum constanter negaverant. §41.22.3in Macedoniam quoque mittendos legatos senatus censuit.
That ambassadors had been sent from Carthage to Macedonia, both the king had asserted, and they themselves had denied with little constancy. The senate decided that ambassadors should also be sent to Macedonia.
tres missi sunt, C. Laelius M. Valerius Messalla Sex.
Three were sent: C. Laelius, M. Valerius Messalla, and Sex.
Digitius. §41.22.4Perseus per id tempus, quia quidam Dolopum non parebant et, de quibus ambigebatur rebus, disceptationem ab rege ad Romanos revocabant, cum exercitu profectus sub ius iudiciumque suum totam coegit gentem. §41.22.5inde per Oetaeos montes transgressus, religionibus quibusdam animo obiectis, oraclum aditurus Delphos escendit.
Digitius. Perseus, during that time, because some of the Dolopians did not obey and were transferring the dispute concerning matters in question from the king to the Romans, set out with an army and brought the whole nation under his own law and judgment. From there, having crossed the Oetaean mountains, since certain religious scruples had presented themselves to his mind, he went up to Delphi to consult the oracle.
cum in media repente Graecia apparuisset, magnum non finitimis modo urbibus terrorem praebuit, sed in Asiam quoque ad regem Eumenen nuntios tumultuosos misit. §41.22.6triduum non plus Delphis moratus, per Pthiotidem Achaiam Thessaliamque sine damno iniuriaque eorum, per quorum fines iter fecit, in regnum rediit. §41.22.7nec earum tantum civitatium, per quas iturus erat, satis habuit animos sibi conciliare; aut legatos aut litteras dimisit, petens, ne diutius simultatum, quae cum patre suo fuissent, meminissent; nec enim tam atroces fuisse eas, ut non cum ipso potuerint ac debuerint finiri; §41.22.8secum quidem omnia illis integra esse ad instituendam fideliter amicitiam; cum Achaeorum maxime gente reconciliandae gratiae viam quaerebat.
When he had suddenly appeared in the middle of Greece, he caused great terror not only to the neighboring cities, but also sent alarming messengers to King Eumenes in Asia. Having delayed at Delphi no more than three days, he returned to his kingdom through Phthiotis, Achaea, and Thessaly, without any damage or injury to those through whose territories he made his journey. Nor did he think it enough to conciliate the minds of those states only through which he was about to pass; he sent either ambassadors or letters, requesting that they should no longer remember the enmities which had existed with his father; for they had not been so fierce that they could not and should not have been ended with him; with himself, indeed, all things were open for them to establish friendship faithfully; he was seeking a way to restore goodwill especially with the nation of the Achaeans.