§42.12.1nam apud Graeciae atque Asiae civitates vereri maiestatem eius omnes.
For among the states of Greece and Asia, everyone revered his majesty.
nec pro quibus meritis, pro qua munificentia tantum ei tribuatur, cernere nec dicere pro certo posse, utrum felicitate id quadam eius accidat, an. §42.12.2quod ipse vereatur dicere, invidia adversus Romanos favorem illi conciliet.
And they could neither discern nor say for certain because of what merits or what munificence so much was bestowed upon him, whether it happened by some good fortune of his, or, what he himself was afraid to say, hostility toward the Romans won him this favor.
§42.12.3inter ipsos quoque reges ingentem auctoritate esse, Seleuci filiam duxisse eum, non petentem, sed petitum ultro; sororem dedisse Prusiae precanti atque oranti;
Among the kings themselves, too, he possessed immense authority; he had married the daughter of Seleucus, not as a suitor, but having been sought out himself; and he had given his sister to Prusias at his earnest entreaty.
§42.12.4celebratas esse utrasque nuptias gratulatione donisque innumerabilium legationum, et velut auspicibus nobilissumis populis deductas esse.
Both marriages had been celebrated with the congratulations and gifts of countless embassies, and had been conducted, as it were, with the most noble peoples as sponsors.
§42.12.5Boeotorum gentem, captatam Philippo, numquam ad scribendum amicitiae foedus adduci potuisse; §42.12.6tribus nunc locis cum Perseo foedus incisum litteris esse, uno Thebis, altero ad Delium, augustissumo et celeberrumo in templo, tertio Delphis.
The nation of the Boeotians, though courted by Philip, could never be brought to sign a treaty of friendship; now, a treaty with Perseus was engraved in writing in three places: one at Thebes, another at Delium in that most august and famous temple, and a third at Delphi.
in Achaico concilio vero, nisi discussa res per paucos Romanum imperium intentantis esset, eo rem prope adductam, ut aditus ei in Achaiam daretur.
Indeed, in the Achaean council, had not the matter been shattered by a few men who brandished the Roman power as a threat, things had been brought to such a pass that entry into Achaea would have been granted to him.
§42.12.7at hercule suos honores, cuius merita in eam gentem privatim an publice sint maiora vix dici possit, partim desertos per incultum ac neglegentiam, partim hostiliter sublatos esse.
But by Hercules! His own honors—though whether his services to that nation were greater privately or publicly could hardly be said— were partly abandoned through neglect and lack of respect, and partly abolished with hostile intent.
iam Aetolos quem ignorare in seditionibus suis non ab Romanis, sed a Perseo praesidium petisse?
Who was now ignorant of the fact that the Aetolians, during their civil dissensions, had sought protection not from the Romans but from Perseus?
§42.12.8his eum fultum societatibus atque amicitiis eos domesticos apparatus belli habere, ut externis non egeat.
Supported by these alliances and friendships, he possessed such domestic preparations for war that he did not stand in need of foreign help.
triginta milibus peditum, quinque milibus equitum in decem annos frumentum praeparasse, ut abstinere et suo et hostium agro frumentandi causa possit.
For thirty thousand infantry and five thousand cavalry, he had prepared grain for ten years, so that he could keep away from both his own and the enemy's territory for the purpose of foraging.
§42.12.9iam pecuniam tantam habere, ut decem milibus mercennariorum militum praeter Macedonum copias stipendium in totidem annos praeparatum habeat, praeter annuum, quod ex metallis regiis capiat, vectigal.
And now he had so much money that, besides the Macedonian forces, he had pay prepared for ten thousand mercenary troops for as many years, in addition to the annual revenue which he received from the royal mines.
§42.12.10arma vel tribus tantis exercitibus in armamentaria congessisse.
He had accumulated weapons in his armories for even three such armies.
iuventutem, ut iam Macedonia deficiat, velut ex perenni fonte unde hauriat, Threciam subiectam esse.
As for the youth, even if Macedonia should now fail, Thrace was subjected to him, as if a perennial spring from which he might draw.