§43.18.1Perseus principio hiemis egredi Macedoniae finibus non ausus, ne qua in regnum vacuum inrumperent Romani, sub tempus brumae, cum inexsuperabilis ab Thessalia montes nivis altitudo facit, §43.18.2occasionem esse ratus frangendi finitimorum spes animosque, ne quid averso se in Romanum bellum periculi ab iis esset, cum a Threcia pacem Cotys, ab Epiro Cephalus repentina defectione ab Romanis praestarent, Dardanos recens domuisset bellum, §43.18.3solum infestum esse Macedoniae latus, quod ab Illyrico pateret, cernens, neque ipsis quietis Illyriis et aditum praebentibus Romano, si domuisset proximos Illyriorum, Gentium quoque regem iam diu dubium in societatem perlici posse, cum decem milibus peditum, §43.18.4quorum pars phalangitae erant, et duobus milibus levium armorum et quingentis equitibus profectus Stuberram venit.
Perseus, at the beginning of winter, not having dared to go out from the borders of Macedonia, lest the Romans should break in anywhere into his vacant kingdom, near the time of the winter solstice, when the depth of the snow makes the mountains from Thessaly impassable, thinking it was an opportunity to break the hopes and spirits of his neighbors, lest there should be any danger from them while he was turned away toward the Roman war, since Cotys from Thrace and Cephalus from Epirus, by their sudden defection from the Romans, guaranteed peace, and a recent war had subdued the Dardanians, seeing that the only hostile side of Macedonia was that which lay open from Illyria, and since the Illyrians themselves were not quiet and were offering an approach to the Roman, he thought that if he subdued the nearest of the Illyrians, King Gentius also, who had long been wavering, could be enticed into alliance; setting out with ten thousand infantry, part of whom were phalangites, and two thousand light-armed troops and five hundred cavalry, he came to Stuberra.
§43.18.5inde frumento conplurium dierum sumpto iussoque apparatu oppugnandarum urbium sequi, tertio die ad Uscanam — Penestianae terrae ea maxima urbs est — posuit castra, prius tamen, quam vim admoveret, missis, qui temptarent nunc praefectorum praesidii, nunc oppidanorum animos.
Having taken from there provisions for several days, and having ordered the apparatus for besieging cities to follow, on the third day he pitched camp at Uscana—this is the largest city of the Penestian land—yet before he applied force, he sent men to test now the minds of the commanders of the garrison, now those of the townsmen.
§43.18.6erat autem ibi cum iuventute Illyriorum Romanum praesidium.
Now there was a Roman garrison there with the youth of the Illyrians.
postquam nihil pacati referebant, oppugnare est adortus et corona eam capere conatus est.
After they brought back no peaceful response, he began to assault it and attempted to take it by investment.
§43.18.7cum sine intermissione interdiu noctuque alii aliis succedentes, pars scalas muris, pars ignem portis inferrent, sustinebant tamen eam tempestatem propugnatores urbis, §43.18.8quia spes erat neque hiemis vim diutius pati Macedonas in aperto posse, nec ab Romano bello tantum regi laxamenti fore, ut posset morari.
Although, succeeding one another without intermission day and night, some brought ladders to the walls, others fire to the gates, the defenders of the city nevertheless withstood that storm, because there was hope that neither could the Macedonians endure the violence of winter in the open any longer, nor would there be so much respite for the king from the Roman war that he could delay.
§43.18.9ceterum postquam vineas agi turresque excitari vident, victa pertinacia est. nam praeterquam quod adversus vim pares non erant, ne frumenti quidem aut ullius alterius rei copia intus erat, ut in necopinata obsidione.
But after they saw the vineae being driven up and the towers being raised, their obstinacy was overcome; for besides the fact that they were not equal against force, there was not even a supply of grain or of any other thing inside, as is natural in an unexpected siege.
§43.18.10itaque cum spei nihil ad resistendum esset, C. Carvilius Spoletinus et C. Afranius a praesidio Romano missi, qui a Perseo peterent primo, ut armatos suaque secum ferentis abire sineret, dein, si id minus impetrarent, vitae tantum libertatisque fidem acciperent.
Therefore, when there was no hope for resisting, Gaius Carvilius of Spoletium and Gaius Afranius were sent from the Roman garrison to ask Perseus first that he would permit them to depart armed and carrying their possessions with them, and then, if they should obtain less than that, they should receive a pledge of life and liberty only.
§43.18.11promissum id benignius est ab rege quam praestitum; exire enim sua secum efferentibus iussis primum arma, dein libertatem ademit.
This was promised more generously by the king than it was performed; for having ordered them to go out carrying their possessions with them, he first took away their arms, then their liberty.
his urbe egressis et Illyriorum cohors — quingenti erant — et Uscanenses se urbemque dediderunt.
After these had gone out from the city, both the cohort of the Illyrians—there were five hundred of them—and the Uscanans surrendered themselves and the city.