45.41
"Although, Quirites, I do not suppose
that you are unaware of the good fortune and success which have marked
my administration, nor of the two thunderbolts which have within these last
few days fallen upon my house, seeing that you were at one time spectators
of my triumph, and at another were watching the obsequies of my children,
still I ask you to allow me to make a comparison in a befitting spirit between
the prosperity of the republic and my own private fortunes. "On my
departure from Italy I ordered the fleet to leave Brundisium at sunrise. In
nine days I brought up at Corcyra with all my ships. Five days later I offered
sacrifice to Apollo at Delphi on behalf of myself and of your fleets and
armies. Four days brought me from Delphi to the camp, where after taking
over the army I made changes in certain matters that were seriously
interfering with the chances of victory. As the enemy camp was unassailable,
and the king could not be forced into an engagement, I advanced and cleared
the pass in spite of the force posted to defend it, and advanced to Petra.
Here I forced the king to give battle and defeated him. Macedonia submitted,
and in a fortnight I finished a war which for four years the consuls before me
had conducted in such a way that each handed on to his successor a more
serious task than he had received. The fruits of that victory showed
themselves in further successes; the cities of Macedonia made their
surrender; the royal treasure fell into our hands; the king himself was
captured with his children in a temple at Samothrace, almost as though the
gods had delivered him into our power. Even I began to regard my good
fortune as something too great, and therefore distrusted it. I began to fear
the perils of the sea, whilst carrying the royal treasury into Italy and
transporting my victorious army.
"We had a favourable voyage, and after all had reached Italy safely,
and there was nothing more for me to pray for, my one ardent desire was
that in the usual turn of Fortune's wheel the change might affect my house
rather than the commonwealth. I hope, therefore, that its continued
prosperity has been secured by the signal calamity which has overtaken me.
As though in mockery of mortal grief, my triumph intervened between the
death of my two sons. Both Perseus and myself may now be regarded as
noteworthy examples of the lot which awaits men. He, himself a captive, has
seen his children led as captives before him, but still, he has them safe and
sound; I, who have triumphed over him, went from the funeral of one of my
sons in my chariot to the Capitol, and returned to find the other at the point
of death. Out of all my sons, not one remains to bear the name of Lucius
Aemilius Paulus. As though I had a large family, two have been adopted by
the Cornelian and Fabian houses; there is not a Paulus left except myself. But
your happiness and the good fortune of the republic are my consolation in
this ruin of my house." The self-restraint which this speech evinced made a
far greater impression upon his audience than if he had indulged in tearful
laments over his bereavement.