§45.44.1consules eo anno agro tantum Ligurum populato, cum hostes exercitus numquam eduxissent, nulla re memorabili gesta Romam ad magistratus subrogandos redierunt et primo comitiali die consules crearunt M. Claudium Marcellum, C. Sulpicium Gallum, deinde praetores postero die L. Iulium, L. Apuleium Saturninum, A. Licinium Nervam, P. Rutilium Calvum, P. Quinctilium Varum, M. Fonteium. §45.44.2his praetoribus duae urbanae provinciae sunt decretae, duae Hispaniae, Sicilia ac Sardinia. §45.44.3intercalatum eo anno; postridie Terminalia kal. intercalariae fuerunt.
The consuls of that year, having only ravaged the territory of the Ligurians, as the enemy had never led out their armies, returned to Rome to elect their successors without having performed any memorable achievement. On the first comitial day, they elected Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Gaius Sulpicius Gallus as consuls, and on the following day, as praetors, Lucius Iulius, Lucius Apuleius Saturninus, Aulus Licinius Nerva, Publius Rutilius Calvus, Publius Quinctilius Varus, and Marcus Fonteius. To these praetors, the two urban provinces, the two Hispanias, Sicily, and Sardinia were decreed. An intercalation was made in that year; the day after the Terminalia was the intercalary Kalends.
augur eo anno mortuus est C. Claudius; in eius locum augures legerunt T. Quinctium Flamininum.
The augur Gaius Claudius died that year; in his place the augurs chose Titus Quinctius Flamininus.
et flamen Quirinalis mortuus Q. Fabius Pictor. §45.44.4eo anno rex Prusia venit Romam cum filio Nicomede.
Quintus Fabius Pictor, the flamen Quirinalis, also died. In that year, King Prusias came to Rome with his son Nicomedes.
is magno comitatu urbem ingressus ad forum a porta tribunalque Q. Cassi praetoris perrexit concursuque undique facto deos, §45.44.5qui urbem Romam incolerent, senatumque et populum Romanum salutatum se dixit venisse et gratulatum, quod Persea Gentiumque reges vicissent, Macedonibusque et Illyriis in dicionem redactis auxissent imperium. §45.44.6cum praetor senatum ei, si vellet, eo die daturum dixisset, biduum petit, quo templa deum urbemque et hospites amicosque viseret. §45.44.7datus, qui circumduceret eum, L. Cornelius Scipio quaestor, qui et Capuam ei obviam missus fuerat; et aedes, quae ipsum comitesque eius benigne reciperent, conductae. §45.44.8tertio post die senatum adit; gratulatus victoriam est; merita sua in eo bello commemoravit; petiit, ut votum sibi solvere, Romae in Capitolio decem maiores hostias et Praeneste unam Fortunae, liceret — ea vota pro victoria populi Romani esse —, et ut societas secum renovaretur agerque sibi de rege Antiocho captus, quem nulli datum a populo Romano Galli possiderent, daretur. §45.44.9filium postremo Nicomedem senatui commendavit.
Having entered the city with a large retinue, he proceeded from the gate straight to the forum and to the tribunal of Quintus Cassius the praetor, and as a crowd gathered from all sides, he declared that the gods who inhabited the city of Rome, and the senate and Roman people, he had come to salute and to congratulate, because they had conquered Kings Perseus and Gentius, and, having reduced the Macedonians and Illyrians under their sway, had enlarged their empire. When the praetor told him that he would grant him an audience with the senate on that very day if he wished, he requested a delay of two days, in order that he might visit the temples of the gods, the city, and his hosts and friends. There was given to conduct him Lucius Cornelius Scipio, the quaestor, who had also been sent to Capua to meet him; and a house was hired to receive him and his companions hospitably. Three days later, he went to the senate; he congratulated them on the victory; he recounted his own services in that war; he requested that he might be permitted to pay his vows — ten larger victims on the Capitol in Rome, and one to Fortune at Praeneste — these vows having been made for the victory of the Roman people — and that the alliance with him might be renewed, and that the land taken from King Antiochus, which, though given to no one by the Roman people, was possessed by the Gauls, might be granted to him. Finally, he commended his son Nicomedes to the senate.
omnium, qui in Macedonia imperatores fuerant, favore est adiutus. §45.44.10itaque cetera, quae petebat, concessa; de agro responsum est legatos ad rem inspiciendam missuros; si is ager populi Romani fuisset nec cuiquam datus esset, dignissimum eo dono Prusiam habituros esse: si autem Antiochi non fuisse et eo ne populi quidem Romani factum appareret aut datum Gallis esse, §45.44.11ignoscere Prusiam debere, si ex nullius iniuria quidquam ei datum vellet populus Romanus. §45.44.12ne cui detur quidem, gratum esse donum posse, quod eum, qui det, ubi velit, ablaturum esse sciat. §45.44.13filii Nicomedis commendationem accipere.
He was supported by the favor of all who had been commanders in Macedonia. Accordingly, the other things which he requested were granted; regarding the land, it was answered that they would send legates to investigate the matter; if that land had been the property of the Roman people and had been given to no one, they would consider Prusias most worthy of that gift; but if it should appear that it had not belonged to Antiochus, and therefore had not even become the property of the Roman people, or had been given to the Gauls, Prusias ought to excuse them if the Roman people wished nothing to be given to him to the injury of anyone. Indeed, a gift could not be pleasing to anyone when he knew that the giver would take it away whenever he wished. They accepted the commendation of his son Nicomedes.
quanta cura regum amicorum liberos tueatur populus Romanus, documento Ptolemaeum, Aegypti regem, esse. §45.44.14cum hoc responso Prusias est dimissus.
How great care the Roman people took to protect the children of friendly kings was proven by Ptolemy, the king of Egypt. With this response, Prusias was dismissed.
munera ei ex sestertiis iussa dari et vasorum argenteorum pondo quinquaginta. §45.44.15et filio regis Nicomedi ex ea summa munera dari censuerunt, ex qua Masgabae, filio regis Masinissae, data essent; et ut victimae aliaque, quae ad sacrificium pertinerent, seu Romae seu Praeneste immolare vellet, regi ex publico sicut magistratibus Romanis praeberentur; §45.44.16et ut ex classe, quae Brundisi esset, naves longae viginti adsignarentur, quibus uteretur; §45.44.17donec ad classem dono datam ei rex pervenisset, L. Cornelius Scipio ne ab eo abscederet sumptumque ipsi et comitibus praeberet, donec navem conscendisset. §45.44.18mire laetum ea benignitate in se populi Romani regem fuisse ferunt; munera sibi ipsi emi non sisse, filium iussisse donum populi Romani accipere. §45.44.19haec de Prusia nostri scriptores.
Presents were ordered to be given to him of sesterces and fifty pounds' weight of silver vessels. They also decreed that presents should be given to the king's son Nicomedes from the same sum as had been given to Masgaba, the son of King Masinissa; and that the victims and other things pertaining to the sacrifice, whether he wished to offer them at Rome or at Praeneste, should be supplied to the king at the public expense, just as to Roman magistrates; and that twenty warships from the fleet which was at Brundisium should be assigned for his use; and that, until the king should reach the fleet given to him as a present, Lucius Cornelius Scipio should not leave him, and should provide expenses for him and his retinue until he should embark. They relate that the king was wonderfully pleased with this kindness of the Roman people toward him; he would not permit any presents to be bought for himself, but ordered his son to accept the gift of the Roman people. Our writers relate these things concerning Prusias.
Polybius eum regem indignum maiestate nominis tanti tradit; pilleatum, capite raso, obviam ire legatis solitum libertumque se populi Romani ferre: ideo insignia ordinis eius gerere; §45.44.20Romae quoque, cum veniret in curiam, summisisse se et osculo limen curiae contigisse et deos servatores suos senatum appellasse aliamque orationem non tam honorificam audientibus quam sibi deformem habuisse. §45.44.21moratus circa urbem triginta haud amplius dies in regnum est profectus, actumque in Asia bellum.
Polybius records that this king was unworthy of the majesty of so great a title; that he was accustomed to go to meet legates with a shaven head, wearing a felt cap, and to call himself a freedman of the Roman people, and for that reason wore the badges of that class; and that at Rome also, when he came into the senate house, he prostrated himself, kissed the threshold of the house, called the senate his savior gods, and delivered an address that was not so much honorable to his hearers as it was degrading to himself. Having delayed around the city for not more than thirty days, he set out for his kingdom, and the war in Asia was carried on.