§42.50.1paucos ante dies Perseus, postquam legati ab Roma regressi praeciderant spem pacis, consilium habuit.
A few days before, Perseus, after the envoys returned from Rome had cut off all hope of peace, held a council.
ibi aliquamdiu diversis sententiis certatum est.
There, for some time, the debate was waged with differing opinions.
§42.50.2erant, quibus vel stipendium pendendum, si iniungeretur, vel agri parte cedendum, si multarent, quidquid denique aliud pacis causa patiendum esset, non recusandum videretur, nec committendum, ut in aleam tanti casus se regnumque daret.
There were some to whom it seemed that either a tribute should be paid, if it were imposed, or a part of their territory should be ceded, if they were fined, and in short, whatever else had to be endured for the sake of peace should not be refused; nor should they risk committing themselves and the kingdom to the hazard of so great an event.
§42.50.3si possessio haud ambigua regni maneret, multa diem tempusque adferre posse, quibus non amissa modo reciperare, sed timendus ultro iis esse, quos nunc timeret, posset.
If an undisputed possession of the kingdom remained, days and time could bring many things, by which he might not only recover what had been lost, but also might even be feared by those whom he now feared.
§42.50.4ceterum multo maior pars ferocioris sententiae erat.
But by far the greater part was of a more fiercesome opinion.
quidquid cessisset, cum eo simul regno protinus cedendum esse adfirmabant.
They asserted that whatever was ceded, they must at the same time immediately cede the kingdom.
§42.50.5neque enim Romanos pecunia aut agro egere, sed hoc scire, cum omnia humana, tum maxima quaeque et regna et imperia sub casibus multis esse.
For they argued that the Romans did not lack money or land, but they knew this, that as all human affairs, so especially the greatest ones, both kingdoms and empires, are subject to many hazards.
§42.50.6Carthaginiensium opes fregisse sese, et cervicibus eorum praepotentem finitimum regem inposuisse; Antiochum progeniemque eius ultra iuga Tauri emotum; §42.50.7unum esse Macedoniae regnum, et regione propincum, et quod, sicubi populo Romano sua fortuna labet, antiquos animos regibus suis videatur posse facere.
They had broken the power of the Carthaginians, and had imposed upon their necks a very powerful neighboring king; Antiochus and his offspring had been driven beyond the ridges of Mount Taurus; the kingdom of Macedonia was the only one remaining, both close in region, and such as, if ever fortune should fail the Roman people, might seem able to inspire its kings with their ancient spirit.
§42.50.8dum integrao res sint, statuere apud animum suum Persea debere, utrum singula concedendo nudatus ad extremum opibus extorrisque regno Samothraciam aliamve quam insulam petere ab Romanis, ubi privatus superstes regno suo in contemptu atque inopia consenescat, malit, an armatus vindex fortunae dignitatisque suae, §42.50.9aut, ut viro forti dignum sit, patiatur, quodcumque casus belli tulerit, aut victor liberet orbem terrarum ab imperio Romano.
While resources were still unimpaired, Perseus ought to decide in his own mind whether, stripped of his resources by conceding individual things and exiled from his kingdom, he would prefer to seek Samothrace or some other island from the Romans, where, surviving his kingdom as a private citizen, he would grow old in contempt and poverty, or, as an armed champion of his fortune and dignity, suffer, as is worthy of a brave man, whatever the chance of war might bring, or as victor free the world from Roman rule.
§42.50.10non esse admirabilius Romanos Graecia pelli, quam Hannibalem Italia pulsum esse.
It was no more wonderful for the Romans to be driven from Greece than for Hannibal to have been driven from Italy.
neque hercule videre, qui conveniat, fratri adfectanti per iniuriam regnum summa vi restitisse, alienigenis bene parto eo cedere.
Nor, by Hercules, did they see how it was consistent to have resisted with all their might a brother who unjustly aimed at the kingdom, and to yield that kingdom, well-won, to foreigners.
§42.50.11postremo ita de bello et pace quaeri, ut inter omnes conveniat, nec turpius quicquam esse quam sine certamine cessisse regno nec praeclarius quam pro dignitate ac maiestate omnem fortunam expertum esse.
Finally, the question of war and peace was being discussed in such a way that all agreed that nothing was more shameful than to have yielded the kingdom without a contest, and nothing more glorious than to have tried every fortune for the sake of dignity and majesty.