Humanitext Reader

Livy · History of Rome §45.4.1-45.4.7

Return of Marcellus and Perseus's Failed Peace Overture

Passage 1730 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

The return of M. Marcellus from Hispania and the failed initial peace negotiations between the defeated King Perseus and the consul Paulus, where Perseus's insistence on his royal title led to rejection until he sued under a private name, though negotiations still broke down.

§45.4.1per eosdem dies et M. Marcellus, ex provincia Hispania decedens Marcolica nobili urbe capta, decem pondo auri et argenti ad summam sestertii deciens in aerarium rettulit.
During those same days, M. Marcellus also, on departing from the province of Hispania after capturing the noble city of Marcolica, brought into the treasury ten pounds of gold and silver to the sum of one million sesterces.
§45.4.2Paulus Aemilius consul cum castra, ut supra dictum est, ad Siras terrae Odomanticae haberet, litterae ab rege Perseo per ignobiles tres legatos ei allatae sunt.
When the consul Paulus Aemilius, as was said above, had his camp at Sirae in the Odomantic territory, letters from King Perseus were brought to him by three low-born legates.
quos cum flentes ac sordidatos cerneret, et ipse inlacrimasse dicitur sorti humanae, §45.4.3quod, qui paulo ante non contentus regno Macedoniae Dardanos Illyriosque oppugnasset, Bastarnarum accivisset auxilia, is tum amisso exercitu, extorris regno, in parvam insulam conpulsus, supplex, fani religione, non viribus suis tutus esset.
When he saw them weeping and in squalid attire, he himself also is said to have shed tears for the human lot, because he who, a little before, not content with the kingdom of Macedonia, had attacked the Dardanians and Illyrians, and had summoned the aid of the Bastarnae, was then, having lost his army, banished from his kingdom, driven into a small island, as a suppliant, protected not by his own strength but by the sanctity of a temple.
§45.4.4sed postquam regem Persea consuli Paulo salutem legit, miserationem omnem stultitia ignorantis fortunam suam exemit.
But after he read "King Perseus to the consul Paulus, greeting," the foolishness of one who did not know his own fortune removed all compassion.
§45.4.5itaque, quamquam in reliqua parte litterarum minime regiae preces erant, tamen sine responso ac sine litteris ea legatio dimissa est.
Therefore, although in the remaining part of the letter there were entreaties by no means kingly, yet without an answer and without a letter that embassy was dismissed.
§45.4.6sensit Perseus, cuius nominis obliviscendum victo esset; itaque alterae litterae cum privati nominis titulo missae et petiere et impetravere, ut aliqui ad eum mitterentur, cum quibus loqui de statu et condicione suae fortunae posset.
Perseus realized which name had to be forgotten by the vanquished; therefore a second letter, sent with the title of a private name, both requested and obtained that some persons should be sent to him with whom he might speak concerning the state and condition of his fortune.
§45.4.7missi sunt tres legati, P. Lentulus, A. Postumius Albinus, A. Antonius.
Three legates were sent: P. Lentulus, A. Postumius Albinus, and A. Antonius.
nihil ea legatione perfectum est, Perseo regium nomen omni vi amplectente, Paulo, ut se suaque omnia in fidem et clementiam populi Romani permitteret, tendente.
Nothing was accomplished by that embassy, since Perseus clung to his kingly title with all his might, while Paulus insisted that he should surrender himself and all his possessions to the faith and clemency of the Roman people.

Notes

  1. §45.4.3quod, qui paulo ante non contentus regno Macedoniae Dardanos Illyriosque oppugnasset, Bastarnarum accivisset auxilia, is tum amisso exercitu, extorris regno, in parvam insulam conpulsus, supplex, fani religione, non viribus suis tutus esset — A causal clause introduced by the conjunction `quod` (because), explaining the reason why Paulus is said to have wept (`dicitur inlacrimasse`). The antecedent `is` is modified by the relative clause `qui...`. The verbs in both the relative clause (`oppugnasset`, `accivisset`) and the main clause of the `quod`-clause (`tutus esset`) are in the subjunctive mood, expressing the subjective or reported reason.
  2. §45.4.4ignorantis fortunam suam — Genitive singular of the present participle `ignorans`, modifying either the noun `stultitia` (foolishness) or an implied `Persei` (of Perseus), meaning 'the foolishness of one (Perseus) who was ignorant of his own fortune.'
  3. §45.4.6cuius nominis obliviscendum victo esset — An indirect question clause. It features the impersonal passive periphrastic construction `obliviscendum esset` with a dative of agent `victo` (for the vanquished) and the genitive object `cuius nominis` required by the verb `obliviscor`, meaning 'which name had to be forgotten by the vanquished.'
  4. §45.4.7Perseo regium nomen omni vi amplectente, Paulo... tendente — Two ablative absolute constructions (`Perseo... amplectente` and `Paulo... tendente`) in parallel, explaining the circumstances or reasons why the embassy failed. `Paulo... tendente` is followed by an `ut` clause indicating the substance of his insistence.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §45.4.1-45.4.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:45.4.1-45.4.7

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