§45.41.1“quamquam, et qua felicitate rem publicam administraverim, et quae duo fulmina domum meam per hos dies perculerint, non ignorare vos, Quirites, arbitror, cum spectaculo vobis nunc triumphus meus, nunc funera liberorum meorum fuerint, §45.41.2tamen paucis, quaeso, sinatis me cum publica felicitate conparare eo, quo debeo, animo privatam meam fortunam.
"Although, with what good fortune I administered the republic, and what two thunderbolts have struck my house during these days, I think you are not ignorant, Quirites, since now my triumph, now the funerals of my children have been a spectacle for you, yet I beg you to permit me to compare, in a few words, my private fortune with the public prosperity, with that mind with which I ought to do so.
§45.41.3profectus ex Italia classem a Brundisio sole orto solvi; nona diei hora cum omnibus meis navibus Corcyram tenui.
Having set out from Italy, I loosened the fleet from Brundisium at sunrise; at the ninth hour of the day I reached Corcyra with all my ships.
inde quinto die Delphis Apollini pro me exercitibusque et classibus vestris sacrificavi.
From there, on the fifth day, I sacrificed at Delphi to Apollo for myself and for your armies and fleets.
§45.41.4a Delphis quinto die in castra perveni: ubi exercitu accepto, mutatis quibusdam, quae magna impedimenta victoriae erant, progressus, quia inexpugnabilia castra hostium erant neque cogi pugnare poterat rex, inter praesidia eius saltum ad Petram evasi et ad Pydnam regem acie vici; §45.41.5Macedoniam in potestatem populi Romani redegi et, quod bellum per quadriennium tres ante me consules ita gesserunt, ut semper successori traderent gravius, id ego quindecim diebus perfeci.
From Delphi on the fifth day I arrived at the camp; where, having received the army and changed certain things which were great hindrances to victory, I advanced; and because the enemy's camp was impregnable and the king could not be forced to fight, I escaped through his outposts along the pass to Petra and defeated the king in battle at Pydna; I brought Macedonia under the power of the Roman people, and that war which three consuls before me had waged for four years in such a way that they always handed it over more serious to their successor, I completed in fifteen days.
§45.41.6aliarum deinde secundarum rerum velut proventus secutus: civitates omnes Macedoniae se dediderunt, gaza regia in potestatem venit, rex ipse tradentibus prope ipsis dis in templo Samothracum cum liberis est captus.
Then followed, as it were, a harvest of other successful events: all the states of Macedonia surrendered, the royal treasury came into our power, the king himself, with his children, was captured in the temple of Samothrace, the gods themselves almost delivering him up.
mihi quoque ipsi nimia iam fortuna videri eoque suspecta esse.
To myself also, my fortune already seemed too great and was therefore suspected.
§45.41.7maris pericula timere coepi in tanta pecunia regia in Italiam traicienda et victore exercitu transportando.
I began to fear the dangers of the sea in transporting so much royal money to Italy and conveying the victorious army.
§45.41.8postquam omnia secundo navium cursu in Italiam pervenerunt neque erat, quod ultra precarer, illud optavi, ut, cum ex summo retro volvi fortuna consuesset, mutationem eius domus mea potius quam res publica sentiret.
After all things had arrived in Italy by a favorable voyage of the ships, and there was nothing more for which I might pray, I wished this: that, since fortune was accustomed to roll back from the summit, my house rather than the republic might feel its change.
§45.41.9itaque defunctam esse fortunam publicam mea tam insigni calamitate spero, quod triumphus meus, velut ad ludibrium casuum humanorum, duobus funeribus liberorum meorum est interpositus.
Therefore, I hope that the public fortune has run its course through my so remarkable calamity, because my triumph, as if in mockery of human casualties, was interposed between the two funerals of my children.
§45.41.10et cum ego et Perseus nunc nobilia maxime sortis mortalium exempla spectemur, illi, qui ante se captivos captivus ipse duci liberos vidit, incolumes tamen eos habet: §45.41.11ego, qui de illo triumphavi, ab alterius funere filii currum escendi, alterum rediens ex Capitolio prope iam expirantem inveni; neque ex tanta stirpe liberum superest, qui L. Aemili Pauli nomen ferat.
And since I and Perseus are now looked upon as the greatest examples of the mortal lot, he, who himself a captive saw his children led captives before him, nevertheless has them safe; I, who triumphed over him, ascended the chariot from the funeral of one son, and returning from the Capitol, found the other already almost expiring; nor does anyone survive of so great a stock of children to bear the name of Lucius Aemilius Paulus.
§45.41.12duos enim tamquam ex magna progenie liberorum in adoptionem datos Cornelia et Fabia gens habent: Paulus in domo praeter senem nemo superest.
For the Cornelia and Fabia families possess two who were given in adoption out of a large progeny of children; in the house of Paulus, no one survives except an old man.
sed hanc cladem domus meae vestra felicitas et secunda fortuna publica consolatur. ”
But your prosperity and the favorable public fortune console this ruin of my house."