§45.1.1victoriae nuntii, Q. Fabius et L. Lentulus et Q. Metellus, quanta potuit adhiberi festinatio, celeriter Romam cum venissent, praeceptam tamen eius rei laetitiam invenerunt.
When the messengers of victory, Q. Fabius, L. Lentulus, and Q. Metellus, had arrived quickly in Rome, with all the speed that could be made, they nevertheless found the joy of that event already anticipated.
§45.1.2quarto post die, quam cum rege est pugnatum, cum in circo ludi fierent, murmur repente populi tota spectacula pervasit pugnatum in Macedonia et devictum regem esse; §45.1.3dein fremitus increvit; postremo clamor plaususque velut certo nuntio victoriae allato est exortus.
On the fourth day after the battle with the king was fought, while the games were being held in the circus, a rumor suddenly spread among the people throughout the entire spectator stands, that a battle had been fought in Macedonia and the king had been utterly defeated; then the murmur grew; finally a shout and applause broke out, as if a certain message of victory had been brought.
§45.1.4mirari magistratus et quaerere auctorem repentinae laetitiae; qui postquam nullus erat, evanuit quidem tamquam certae rei gaudium, omen tamen laetum insidebat animis.
The magistrates wondered and sought the author of this sudden joy; after it turned out to be no one, the joy as if for a certain fact indeed vanished, but a joyful omen remained in their minds.
§45.1.5quod postquam veris nuntiis Fabi Lentulique et Metelli adventu firmatum est, cum victoria ipsa, tum augurio animorum suorum laetabantur.
And when this was confirmed by the true messages upon the arrival of Fabius, Lentulus, and Metellus, they rejoiced both at the victory itself and at the presage of their own minds.
§45.1.6et altera traditur circensis turbae non minus similis veri laetitia.
Another story of joy of the circus crowd, no less likely to be true, is also handed down.
ante diem quintum decimum kalendas Octobres, ludorum Romanorum secundo die, C. Licinio consuli ad quadrigas mittendas escendenti tabellarius, qui se ex Macedonia venire diceret, laureatas litteras reddidisse dicitur.
On the fifteenth day before the Kalends of October, the second day of the Roman Games, a courier, who said he came from Macedonia, is said to have delivered a laurelled letter to the consul C. Licinius as he was mounting to start the chariots.
§45.1.7quadrigis missis consul currum conscendit et, cum per circum reveheretur ad foros publicos, laureatas tabellas populo ostendit.
After the chariots were started, the consul mounted his chariot, and, as he was driven back through the circus to the public seats, he showed the laurelled tablets to the people.
§45.1.8quibus conspectis repente inmemor spectaculi populus in medium decurrit.
On seeing these, the people, suddenly forgetful of the spectacle, rushed down into the center.
eo senatum consul vocavit recitatisque tabellis ex auctoritate patrum pro foris publicis denuntiavit populo L. Aemilium collegam signis conlatis cum rege Perseo pugnasse;
There the consul summoned the senate, and after the tablets were read, by the authority of the senators, in front of the public seats, he announced to the people that his colleague L.
§45.1.9Macedonum exercitum caesum fusumque; regem cum paucis fugisse; civitates omnes Macedoniae in dicionem populi Romani venisse.
Aemilius had fought a pitched battle with King Perseus; that the army of the Macedonians had been slaughtered and routed; that the king had fled with a few; and that all the cities of Macedonia had come under the dominion of the Roman people.
§45.1.10his auditis clamor cum ingenti plausu ortus; ludis relictis domos magna pars hominum ad coniuges liberosque laetum nuntium portabant.
On hearing this, a shout arose with immense applause; leaving the games, a great part of the men carried the joyful news home to their wives and children.
§45.1.11tertius decimus dies erat ab eo, quo in Macedonia pugnatum est.
It was the thirteenth day from that on which the battle was fought in Macedonia.