42.30
Such
were the views which monarchs took of the war. Amongst the free nations
and communities the common people were, as usual, almost to a man in
favour of the worse side, and supported the king and the Macedonians. You
would see great diversity amongst the views and sympathies of the ruling
classes. One party went so far in their admiration of the Romans that they
impaired their influence by their excessive partiality; some, attracted by the
justice of Roman rule, a more numerous body, by the prospect of gaining
power in their own cities if they rendered conspicuous service. The other
side were sycophants and flatterers of the king; the pressure of debt and the
hopelessness of their condition, if things remained as they were, drove many
in sheer desperation into revolutionary projects; others supported Perseus
from sheer caprice because he was popular. A third party, comprising the
most respectable and sensible men, if they had in any case to choose a
master, would have preferred the Romans to Perseus. If they had been free
to choose their condition, they would have had neither side made more
powerful through the overthrow of the other, but would have preferred that
the strength of both being equally balanced, a lasting peace on equal terms
might be established. In this way the cities, placed between the two, would
be under the best conditions, for one would always protect the helpless from
injury at the hands of the other. Holding these sentiments they watched in
safety and in silence the rivalries of those who supported the two parties.
On the day they entered office the consuls, in pursuance of the
senate's resolution, visited all the shrines in which there was usually a
lectisternium for the greater part of the year, offered sacrifices of the larger
victims and learned from the omens given by them that their prayers were
accepted by the gods. They then reported to the senate that the prayers and
sacrifices had been duly offered. The augurs made the announcement that if
any fresh enterprise was undertaken it ought to be begun without delay; all
the portents pointed to victory, triumph and the widening of frontiers. Good
fortune and success being thus promised to Rome, the senate ordered the
consuls to summon a meeting of the Assembly in their centuries and submit
the following order of the day: "Whereas Perseus, the son of Philip and King
of Macedonia, has broken the treaty made with his father and renewed with
him, by bearing arms against the allies of Rome, devastating fields and
occupying their cities; and whereas he has formed plans for levying war on
the people of Rome, and has to this end got together arms, soldiers and
ships; be it resolved that war be made upon him unless he gives satisfaction
for all these things." This resolution was put to the Assembly.