Humanitext Reader

Livy · History of Rome §42.42.1-42.42.9

Perseus' Refutation of Eumenes and Appeal for Peace

Passage 1632 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

Perseus defends his pilgrimage to Delphi and support for Aetolia and others, criticizes the slanders of Eumenes, and appeals to Roman clemency against an unjust war.

§42.42.1at cum processissem inde ad visendas Larisam et Antronas et Pteleon, qua in propinquo Delphi sunt, sacrificandi causa, ut multo ante debita vota persolverem, Delphos escendi.
But when I had proceeded from there to visit Larissa, Antronae, and Pteleon, near which places Delphi is situated, for the purpose of sacrificing, in order to pay the vows due long before, I went up to Delphi.
§42.42.2et his, criminis augendi causa, cum exercitu me isse adicitur; scilicet, ut, quod nunc vos facere queror, urbes occuparem, arcibus inponerem praesidia.
And to these details, for the sake of magnifying the charge, it is added that I went with an army; doubtless, so that I might occupy cities and place garrisons in their citadels—the very thing which I now complain that you are doing.
§42.42.3vocate in concilium Graeciae civitates, per quas iter feci, queratur unusquilibet militis mei iniuriam; non recusabo, quin simulato sacrificio aliud petisse videar.
Summon to an assembly the states of Greece through which I made my journey; let any single one of them complain of an injury from my soldier; I shall not refuse to seem to have sought something else under the pretence of a sacrifice.
§42.42.4Aetolis et Byzantiis praesidia misimus et cum Boeotis amicitiam fecimus.
We sent garrisons to the Aetolians and Byzantines, and made a friendship with the Boeotians.
haec, qualiacumque sunt, per legatos meos non solum indicata sed etiam excusata sunt saepe in senatu vestro, ubi aliquos ego disceptatores non tam aequos quam te, Q. Marci, paternum amicum et hospitem, habebam.
These actions, of whatever character they are, have not only been reported but also frequently excused by my ambassadors in your senate, where I had some judges, though not so fair as you, Quintus Marcius, my father's friend and my guest.
§42.42.5sed nondum Romam accusator Eumenes venerat, qui calumniando omnia detorquendoque suspecta et invisa efficeret et persuadere vobis conaretur, non posse Graeciam in libertate esse et vestro munere frui, quoad regnum Macedoniae incolume esset.
But the accuser Eumenes had not yet come to Rome, a man to make everything suspected and hated by slandering and distorting, and to try to persuade you that Greece could not be in liberty and enjoy your favor so long as the kingdom of Macedonia remained unharmed.
§42.42.6circumagetur hic orbis; erit mox, qui arguat nequiquam Antiochum ultra iuga Tauri emotum; graviorem multo Asiae, quam Antiochus fuerit, Eumenen esse; conquiescere socios vestros non posse, quoad regia Pergami sit; eam arcem supra capita finitimarum civitatium impositam.
This wheel will turn; there will soon be someone to argue that Antiochus was removed beyond the ridges of Taurus in vain; that Eumenes is a much heavier burden to Asia than Antiochus was; that your allies cannot be at peace as long as the palace of Pergamum stands; and that this citadel has been placed over the heads of the neighboring states.
§42.42.7ego haec, Q. Marci et A. Atili, quae aut a vobis obiecta aut purgata a me sunt, talia esse scio, ut aures, ut animi audientium sint, nec tam referre, quid ego aut qua mente fecerim, quam, quomodo id vos factum accipiatis.
I know, Quintus Marcius and Aulus Atilius, that these things which have either been objected by you or cleared by me are of such a nature as the ears and the minds of the hearers are; and that it does not matter so much what I did or with what mind I did it, as how you receive it as done.
§42.42.8conscius mihi sum nihil me scientem deliquisse, et, si quid fecerim inprudentia lapsus, corrigi me et emendari castigatione hac posse.
I am conscious to myself that I have committed no fault knowingly, and that, if I have done anything slipping through imprudence, I can be corrected and improved by this chastisement.
§42.42.9nihil certe insanabile nec, quod bello et armis persequendum esse censeatis, commisi; aut frustra clementiae gravitatisque vestrae fama volgata per gentes est, si talibus de causis, quae vix querella et expostulatione dignae sunt, arma capitis et regibus sociis bella infertis. ”
Certainly I have committed nothing incurable, nor anything which you should think ought to be pursued with war and arms; otherwise, the reputation of your clemency and gravity is spread in vain among the nations, if for such reasons, which are scarcely worthy of complaint and expostulation, you take up arms and bring war upon allied kings."

Notes

  1. §42.42.1qua in propinquo — The relative adverb `qua` (or adverbial ablative feminine singular of the relative pronoun) refers to the previously mentioned places (Larissa, Antronae, Pteleon), meaning 'where' or 'near which places'. `in propinquo` is a substantival use of the neuter singular adjective in the ablative, indicating proximity.
  2. §42.42.2et his ... adicitur — The subject of the impersonally used passive verb `adicitur` (is added) is the accusative and infinitive clause `me isse` (that I went). The dative `his` refers to the previously mentioned details of his journey, to which this allegation is added.
  3. §42.42.3non recusabo, quin — The negative verb of refusing `non recusabo` (I shall not refuse) is followed by a `quin` clause with the subjunctive (`videar`), expressing a strong acceptance or willingness to allow the consequence ('I shall not object to seeming...').
  4. §42.42.5qui ... efficeret — The verbs `efficeret` and `conaretur` in the relative clause introduced by `qui` are in the imperfect subjunctive, expressing the characteristic or class of the antecedent `Eumenes` ('the sort of man who would...').
  5. §42.42.6quoad regia Pergami sit — A subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction `quoad` (as long as). Since it is subordinate to an indirect statement (`conquiescere ... non posse`), the verb is in the subjunctive mood (`sit`) rather than the indicative.
  6. §42.42.7ut aures, ut animi audientium sint — A clause of result introduced by `talia ... ut`. After the subjunctive `sint`, a predicate adjective (such as `talia` or a phrase indicating 'dependent on') is understood, or `sint` itself functions to mean 'are dependent on' the ears and minds of the hearers.
  7. §42.42.7nec tam referre — The infinitive of the impersonal verb `refert` (it matters / is of importance), standing in indirect discourse after `scio`. The real subjects are the indirect questions `quid ego ... fecerim` and `quomodo id ... accipiatis`.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §42.42.1-42.42.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:42.42.1-42.42.9

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