§44.7.1consul plurimum et praesidii et spei cernens in stultitia et segnitia hostis, remisso nuntio ad Sp. Lucretium Larisam, ut castolla relicta ab hoste circa Tempe occuparet, praemisso Popilio ad explorandos transitus circa Dium, postquam patere omnia in omnis partes animadvertit, §44.7.2secundis castris pervenit ad Dium metarique sub ipso templo, ne quid sacro in loco violaretur, iussit.
The consul, perceiving the greatest protection and hope in the foolishness and sluggishness of the enemy, having sent a messenger back to Spurius Lucretius at Larisa to occupy the forts abandoned by the enemy around Tempe, and having sent Popilius ahead to reconnoitre the passes around Dium, after he noticed that all things lay open in all directions, on the second day's march arrived at Dium and ordered the camp to be laid out under the very temple, lest anything in the sacred place should be violated.
§44.7.3ipse urbem ingressus, sicut non magnam, ita exornatam publicis locis et multitudine statuarum munitamque egregie, vix satis credere in tantis rebus sine causa relictis non aliquem subesse dolum.
Having himself entered the city, which, though not large, was adorned with public places and a multitude of statues and excellently fortified, he could scarcely believe that, with such great resources abandoned without cause, there was not some trick underlying.
§44.7.4unum diem ad exploranda circa omnia moratus castra movet; satisque credens in Pieria frumenti copiam fore, eo die ad amnem nomine Mityn processit.
Having delayed one day to reconnoitre everything around, he moved camp; and believing that there would be an abundance of grain in Pieria, on that day he advanced to the river named Mitys.
§44.7.5postero die progressus Agassas urbem tradentibus sese ipsis recepit; et ut reliquorum Macedonum animos sibi conciliaret, obsidibus contentus sine praesidio relinquere se iis urbem inmunesque ac suis legibus victuros est pollicitus.
Advancing the next day, he received the city of Agassae, the inhabitants themselves surrendering it; and in order to conciliate the minds of the remaining Macedonians to himself, content with hostages, he promised that he would leave the city to them without a garrison, and that they should live free from taxes and under their own laws.
§44.7.6progressus inde diei iter ad Ascordum flumen posuit castra; et quantum procederet longius a Thessalia, eo maiorem rerum omnium inopiam sentiens, regressus ad Dium est dubitatione omnibus exempta, §44.7.7quid intercluso ab Thessalia patiendum fuisset, cui procul inde abscedere tutum non esset.
Having advanced from there a day's journey, he pitched camp at the river Ascordus; and the further he advanced from Thessaly, the greater the scarcity of all things he felt, so he returned to Dium, all doubt being removed from everyone, as to what would have had to be endured by him if cut off from Thessaly, since it was not safe for him to depart far from there.
§44.7.8Perseus coactis in unum omnibus copiis ducibusque increpare praefectos praesidiorum, ante omnes Asclepiodotum atque Hippiam; §44.7.9ab his dicere claustra Macedoniae tradita Romanis esse; cuius culpae reus nemo iustius quam ipse fuisset.
Perseus, having assembled all his forces and leaders, began to upbraid the commanders of the garrisons, before all Asclepiodotus and Hippias; he said that by them the gates of Macedonia had been surrendered to the Romans; of which guilt no one was more justly accused than he himself.
§44.7.10consuli postquam ex alto conspecta classis spem fecit cum commeatu naves venire — ingens enim caritas annonae ac prope inopia erat —, ab invectis iam portum audit onerarias naves Magnesiae relictas esse.
After the fleet, sighted from the high sea, gave hope to the consul that ships were coming with supplies—for there was a huge dearness of grain and almost a scarcity—, he heard from those who had already entered port that the cargo ships had been left behind at Magnesia.
§44.7.11incerto inde, quidnam agendum foret — adeo sine ulla ope hostis, quae adgravaret, cum ipsa difficultate rerum pugnandum erat —, peropportune litterae a Sp. Lucretio adlatae sunt castella se, §44.7.12quae super Tempe essent et circa Philan, tenere omnia frumentique in iis et aliarum in usum rerum copiam invenisse.
While it was uncertain what should be done—so much so that, without any action of the enemy to aggravate it, he had to fight with the very difficulty of circumstances—, very opportunely letters were brought from Spurius Lucretius stating that he held all the forts which were above Tempe and around Phila, and had found in them a supply of grain and other things for use.