§41.23.1haec una ex omni Graecia gens et Atheniensium civitas eo processerat irarum, ut finibus interdiceret Macedonibus.
This nation alone out of all Greece, and the state of the Athenians, had proceeded to such a pitch of anger that they barred the Macedonians from their territories.
§41.23.2itaque servitiis ex Achaia fugientibus receptaculum Macedonia erat, quia, cum finibus suis iis interdixissent, intrare regni terminos ipsi non audebant.
Therefore, Macedonia was a refuge for fleeing slaves from Achaea, because, since they had barred them from their own territories, they themselves did not dare to enter the boundaries of the kingdom.
§41.23.3id cum Perseus animadvertisset, conprensis omnibus litterae. ceterum ne similis fuga servorum postea fieret, cogitandum et illis esse.
When Perseus had noticed this, having apprehended all of them, [sent] a letter... [stating that] for the rest, they too must consider how a similar flight of slaves should not happen in future.
§41.23.4recitatis his litteris per Xenarchum praetorem, qui privatae gratiae aditum apud regem quaerebat, et plerisque moderate et benigne scriptas esse censentibus litteras, atque iis maxume, qui praeter spem recepturi essent amissa mancipia, Callicrates ex iis, qui in eo verti salutem gentis crederent, si cum Romanis inviolatum foedus servaretur, “parva” §41.23.5inquit “aut mediocris res, Achaei, quibusdam videtur agi:
After this letter was read aloud by the praetor Xenarchus, who was seeking an avenue of private favor with the king, and when most people, and especially those who contrary to expectation were about to recover their lost slaves, judged that the letter had been written moderately and kindly, Callicrates, one of those who believed that the safety of the nation depended on keeping the treaty with the Romans inviolate, said: "Achaeans, to some, a small or moderate matter seems to be at stake; I, however, think that the greatest and most serious of all is not only at stake, but in a certain way has already been decided.
§41.23.6ego maxumam gravissimamque omnium non agi tantum arbitror, sed quodam modo actam esse. nam qui regibus Macedonum Macedonibusque ipsis finibus interdixissemus manereque id decretum sciremus, §41.23.7quo caveramus, scilicet ne legatos, ne nuntios admitteremus regum, per quos aliquorum ex nobis animi sollicitarentur, ii contionantem quodam modo absentem audimus regem, et, si dis placet, orationem eius probamus.
For we, who had barred the kings of the Macedonians and the Macedonians themselves from our territories and knew that this decree remains in force, by which we had taken precautions, namely, that we should not admit ambassadors or messengers of the kings, through whom the minds of some of us might be stirred up, we now, in a way, hear the king speaking in assembly though absent, and, if it please the gods, approve of his speech.
§41.23.8et cum ferae bestiae cibum ad fraudem suam positum plerumque aspernentur et refugiant, nos caeci specie parvi beneficii inescamur et servulorum minimi pretii recipiendorum spe nostram ipsorum libertatem subrui et temptari patimur.
And while wild beasts for the most part reject and flee from food placed for their entrapment, we, blind, are baited by the appearance of a small benefit, and in the hope of recovering slaves of very little value, we allow our own liberty to be undermined and assailed.
§41.23.9quis enim non videt viam regiae societatis quaeri, qua Romanum foedus, quo nostra omnia continentur, violetur? nisi hoc dubium alicui est, bellandum Romanis cum Perseo esse et, quod vivo Philippo expectatum, morte eius interpellatum est, id post mortem Philippi futurum.
For who does not see that a way to an alliance with the king is being sought, by which the Roman treaty, in which all our affairs are contained, would be violated? Unless this is doubtful to anyone, that the Romans must wage war with Perseus, and that which was expected during Philip's lifetime and was interrupted by his death will happen after Philip's death.
§41.23.10duos, ut scitis, habuit filios Philippus, Demetrium et Persea.
Philip, as you know, had two sons, Demetrius and Perseus.
genere materno, virtute, ingenio, favore Macedonum longe praestitit Demetrius.
Demetrius far excelled in his maternal lineage, virtue, character, and the favor of the Macedonians.
§41.23.11sed quia in Romanos odii regnum posuerat praemium, Demetrium nullo alio crimine quam Romanae amicitiae initae occidit; Persea, quem belli cum populo Romano prius paene quam regni heredem futurum sciebat, regem fecit.
But because he had set the kingdom as a reward for hatred against the Romans, he killed Demetrius on no other charge than that of having entered into Roman friendship; and he made Perseus king, whom he knew would be the heir of war with the Roman people almost before he was the heir of the kingdom.
§41.23.12itaque quid hic post mortem patris egit aliud quam bellum paravit? Bastarnas primum ad terrorem omnium in Dardaniam inmisit; qui si sedem eam tenuissent, graviores eos accolas Graecia habuisset, quam Asia Gallos habebat.
Therefore, what else did this man do after his father's death than prepare for war? First, he sent the Bastarnae into Dardania to the terror of all; and if they had held that seat, Greece would have had them as more troublesome neighbors than Asia had the Gauls.
§41.23.13ea spe depulsus non tamen belli consilia omisit; immo, si vere volumus dicere, iam incohavit bellum.
Driven from that hope, he nevertheless did not abandon his plans of war; on the contrary, if we wish to speak truly, he has already begun the war.
Dolopiam armis subegit nec provocantis de controversiis ad disceptationem populi Romani audivit.
He subdued Dolopia by force of arms and did not listen to those appealing to the arbitration of the Roman people concerning disputes.
inde transgressus Oetam, ut repente in medio umbilico Graeciae conspiceretur, Delphos escendit.
Crossing Oeta from there, so that he might suddenly be seen in the very center of Greece, he went up to Delphi.
§41.23.14haec usurpatio itineris insoliti quo vobis spectare videtur? Thessaliam deinde peragravit; quod sine ullius eorum, quos oderat, noxa, hoc magis temptationem metuo.
Where does this undertaking of an unusual journey seem to you to point? Then he traversed Thessaly; and because this was done without harm to any of those whom he hated, I fear this test all the more.
§41.23.15inde litteras ad nos cum muneris specie misit et cogitare iubet, quo modo in reliquum hoc munere non egeamus, hoc est, ut decretum, quo arcentur Peloponneso Macedones, tollamus, rursus legatos regios et hospitia cum principibus et mox Macedonum exercitus, ipsum quoque a Delphis — §41.23.16quantum enim interfluit fretum? — traicientem in Peloponnesum videamus, inmisceamur Macedonibus armantibus se adversus Romanos.
From there he sent a letter to us with the appearance of a favor, and bids us consider how for the future we may not need this favor; that is, that we should abolish the decree by which the Macedonians are excluded from the Peloponnese, and see again royal ambassadors and guest-friendships with our leading men, and soon Macedonian armies, and him too from Delphi — — for how wide is the strait that flows between? — crossing into the Peloponnese, and that we should become entangled with the Macedonians as they arm themselves against the Romans.
§41.23.17ego nihil novi censeo decernendum servandaque omnia integra, donec ad certum redigatur, vanusne hic timor noster an verus fuerit.
I think that nothing new should be decreed, and that all things should be kept as they are, until it is brought to a certainty whether this fear of ours is groundless or real.
§41.23.18si pax inviolata inter Macedonas Romanosque manebit, nobis quoque amicitia et commercium sit; nunc de eo cogitare periculosum et inmaturum videtur. ”
If peace remains unbroken between the Macedonians and the Romans, let us also have friendship and commerce; for now, to think about it seems dangerous and premature."