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PAULUS AEMILIUS ¹

[1] Paulus Aemilius, when he was a candidate for a second term as consul, failed of election. But when the war against Perseus and the Macedonians dragged on because of the inexperience and effeminacy of the generals, the people appointed him consul. But he said he owed no thanks to them; for it was not because he wanted office, but because they wanted an officer, that he was chosen general. ²

[2] Coming home from the Forum and finding Tertia, his little daughter, in tears, he asked the reason. And she said, Our Perseus is dead. (It was a pet dog which had that name.) Good luck be with me, my girl, said he; I accept the omen.³

[3] Finding at camp much boldness and talk on the part of would-be generals and meddlers, he told them to keep quiet, and only sharpen their swords, and he would attend to everything else.⁴

[4] He gave orders that the sentinels at night should stand guard without spear or sword, so that, with no hope of defending themselves against the enemy, they might better contend against sleep. ⁵

[5] Having invaded Macedonia by way of the mountains, and seeing the enemy standing in battle array, he said, in answer to Nasica’s urgings to attack at once, Oh yes, if I were of your age; but much experience forbids me to fight, immediately after a march, against an army standing in battle array.⁶

[6] Having vanquished Perseus, he said, as he was carrying out the entertainments to celebrate the victory, that it was a part of the same proficiency to provide an army most terrifying to an enemy and a party most agreeable to friends. ⁷

[7] Perseus, having been made a prisoner, indignantly spurned the thought of being made a part of his victor’s triumph. That rests with you, said Aemilius, thereby giving him leave to make away with himself. ⁸

[8] Of the unlimited treasure which was found he took nothing himself, but to his son-in-law Tubero ⁹ he gave a silver goblet of five pounds weight in recognition of his supreme valour. And this, they say, is the first silver heirloom that ever found its way into the Aelian house. ¹⁰

[9] Of the four male children that were born to him, two he happened to have given to others for adoption. ¹¹ Of the two that were at home one died five days before his triumph, at the age of fourteen, and the other five days after the triumph, at the age of twelve. When he went forth, and the people expressed their compassion and sympathy, he said that now he had no fears or misgivings about his country, since Fortune had thrust upon his house the retribution due for all their good fortune, and he had received this in behalf of all. ¹²

Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1931.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Sayings of Kings and Commanders (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).)

Editions (2)

Ἀποφθέγματα βασιλέων καὶ στρατηγῶν Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).) — 80 focus

Παύλου Ἀιμιλίου

[1] Παῦλος Αἰμίλιος δευτέραν ὑπατείαν μετελθὼν ἀπέτυχεν ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦ πρὸς Περσέα καὶ Μακεδόνας πολέμου μῆκος λαμβάνοντος ἀπειρίᾳ καὶ μαλακίᾳ τῶν στρατηγῶν, ἐκεῖνον ὕπατον ἀπέδειξαν, οὐκ ἔφη χάριν ἔχειν αὐτοῖς· οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀρχῆς δεόμενος, ὡς ἐκείνων ἄρχοντος, ᾑρῆσθαι στρατηγός.

[2] ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς οἶκον ἐξ ἀγορᾶς καὶ τὴν Τερτίαν τὸ θυγάτριον εὑρὼν δεδακρυμένον ἐπυνθάνετο 198a τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπούσης δὲ ὅτι Περσεὺς τέθνηκεν ἡμῖν ʽ κυνίδιον δʼ ἦν οὕτως ὀνομαζόμενον ʽ , ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ, εἶπεν, ὦ θύγατερ, καὶ δέχομαι τὸν οἰωνόν.

[3] εὑρὼν δὲ ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου πολλὴν θρασύτητα καὶ λαλιὰν παραστρατηγούντων καὶ πολυπραγμονούντων ἐκέλευσεν ἡσυχίαν ἔχειν καὶ ποιεῖν ὀξείας τὰς μαχαίρας μόνον, αὑτῷ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων μελήσειν.

[4] τὰς δὲ νυκτερινὰς φυλακὰς ἐκέλευσεν φυλάττειν ἄνευ λόγχης καὶ ξίφους, ὅπως ἀμύνασθαι τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπεγνωκότες μᾶλλον καὶ διαμαχοῦνται πρὸς τὸν ὕπνον.

[5] ἐμβαλὼν δὲ διὰ τῶν ἄκρων εἰς Μακεδονίαν καὶ συντεταγμένους ἰδὼν τοὺς πολεμίους, τοῦ 198b Νασικᾶ παρακαλοῦντος αὐτὸν εὐθὺς ἐπιχειρεῖν εἴγε τὴν σήν, εἶπεν, ἡλικίαν εἶχον, αἱ δὲ πολλαί με πεῖραι κωλύουσιν ἐκ πορείας πρὸς φάλαγγα συντεταγμένην μάχεσθαι.

[6] νικήσας δὲ τὸν Περσέα καὶ τὰς ἐπινικίους ποιούμενος ἑστιάσεις ἔλεγε τῆς αὐτῆς ἐμπειρίας εἶναι στράτευμα φοβερώτατον πολεμίοις καὶ συμπόσιον ἥδιστον φίλοις παρασχεῖν.

[7] τοῦ δὲ Περσέως αἰχμαλώτου γενομένου καὶ παρακρουομένου¹ τὸν θρίαμβον, ἐπὶ σοί, εἶπε, τοῦτʼ ἐστίν, ἐξουσίαν διδοὺς αὐτῷ ἑαυτὸν ἀνελεῖν.

[8] χρημάτων δὲ ἀπείρων εὑρεθέντων, αὐτὸς μὲν 198c οὐκ ἔλαβε, τῷ δὲ γαμβρῷ Τουβέρωνι φιάλην ἀργυρᾶν ὁλκῆς πέντε λιτρῶν ἀριστεῖον ἔδωκε. καὶ τοῦτό φασι πρῶτον εἰς τὸν Αἰλίων² οἶκον εἰσελθεῖν κειμήλιον ἀργυροῦν.

[9] τεττάρων δὲ παίδων ἀρρένων αὐτῷ γεγονότων, δύο μὲν πρότερον ἐτύγχανεν ἐκδεδωκὼς ἑτέροις θέσθαι· δυοῖν δὲ ὄντων ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ὁ μὲν ἡμέραις πέντε πρὸ τοῦ θριάμβου, τετταρεσκαίδεκα γεγονὼς ἔτη, ἀπέθανεν, ὁ δὲ ὕστερον πέντε τοῦ θριάμβου, δωδεκαέτης. προελθὼν δέ, τοῦ δήμου συναλγοῦντος αὐτῷ καὶ συμπενθοῦντος, 198d νῦν ἔφη περὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἀδεὴς γεγονέναι καὶ ἀκίνδυνος, ὁπότε τῶν εὐτυχημάτων τὴν νέμεσιν εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἀπερεισαμένης τῆς τύχης ὑπὲρ πάντων αὐτὸς ἀναδέδεκται.

Ἀποφθέγματα βασιλέων καὶ στρατηγῶν Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol II. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 80 focus

Παύλου Ἀιμιλίου

Παῦλος Αἰμίλιος δευτέραν ὑπατείαν μετελθὼν ἀπέτυχεν· ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦ πρὸς Περσέα καὶ Μακεδόνας πολέμου μῆκος λαμβάνοντος ἀπειρίᾳ καὶ μαλακίᾳ τῶν στρατηγῶν, ἐκεῖνον ὕπατον ἀπέδειξαν, οὐκ ἔφη χάριν ἔχειν αὐτοῖς· οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀρχῆς δεόμενος, 15 ὡς ἐκείνων ἄρχοντος, ᾑρῆσθαι στρατηγός

[2] ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς οἶκον ἐξ ἀγορᾶς καὶ τὴν Τερτίαν τὸ θυγάτριον εὑρὼν δεδακρυμένον ἐπυνθάνετο τὴν 198a αἰτίαν· εἰπούσης δὲ ὅτι Περσεὺς τέθνηκεν ἡμῖν κυνίδιον δʼ ἦν οὕτως ὀνομαζόμενον, ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ 20 εἶπεν ὦ θύγατερ καὶ δέχομαι τὸν οἰωνόν.

[4] τὰς δὲ νυκτερινὰς φυλακὰς ἐκέλευσεν φυλάσσειν ἄνευ λόγχης καὶ ξίφους, ὅπως ἀμύνασθαι τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπεγνωκότες μᾶλλον καὶ διαμαχοῦνται πρὸς τὸν ὕπνον.

[5] ἐμβαλὼν δὲ διὰ τῶν ἄκρων εἰς Μακεδονίαν 5 καὶ συντεταγμένους ἰδὼν τοὺς πολεμίους, τοῦ Νασικᾶ 198b παρακαλοῦντος αὐτὸν εὐθὺς ἐπιχειρεῖν εἴγε τὴν σὴν εἶπεν ἡλικίαν εἶχον, αἱ δὲ πολλαί με πεῖραι κωλύουσιν ἐκ πορείας πρὸς φάλαγγα συντεταγμένην μάχεσθαι.

νικήσας δὲ τὸν Περσέα καὶ τὰς ἐπινικίους ποιούμενος ἑστιάσεις ἔλεγε τῆς αὐτῆς ἐμπειρίας εἶναι στράτευμα φοβερώτατον πολεμίοις καὶ συμπόσιον ἥδιστον φίλοις παρασχεῖν.

[7] τοῦ δὲ Περσέως αἰχμαλώτου γενομένου καὶ 15 παρακρουομένου τὸν θρίαμβον ἐπὶ σοί εἶπε τοῦτʼ ἐστίν, ἐξουσίαν διδοὺς αὐτῷ ἑαυτὸν ἀνελεῖν.

[8] χρημάτων δὲ ἀπείρων εὑρεθέντων, αὐτὸς μὲν 198c οὐκ ἔλαβε, τῷ δὲ γαμβρῷ Τουβέρωνι φιάλην ἀργυρᾶν ὁλκῆς πέντε λιτρῶν ἀριστεῖον ἔδωκε. καὶ τοῦτό 20 φασι πρῶτον εἰς τὸν Αἰλίων ¹ οἶκον εἰσελθεῖν κειμήλιον ἀργυροῦν.

[9] τεσσάρων δὲ παίδων ἀρρένων αὐτῷ γεγονότων, δύο μὲν πρότερον ἐτύγχανεν ἐκδεδωκὼς ἑτέροις θέσθαι· δυεῖν δὲ ὄντων ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ὁ μὲν ἡμέραις 25 πέντε πρὸ τοῦ θριάμβου , τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα ² γεγονὼς ἔτη, ἀπέθανεν, ὁ δὲ ὕστερον πέντε τοῦ θριάμβου, δωδεκαέτης. προελθὼν δέ, τοῦ δήμου συναλγοῦντος αὐτῷ καὶ συμπενθοῦντος, νῦν ἔφη 198d περὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἀδεὴς γεγονέναι καὶ ἀκίνδυνος, ὁπότε τῶν εὐτυχημάτων τὴν νέμεσιν εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἀπερεισαμένης τῆς τύχης ὑπὲρ πάντων αὐτὸς ἀναδέδεκται .

Translations (1)

The apophthegms or remarkable sayings of kings and great commanders. Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. I. Goodwin, William W., editor; Hinton, Edward, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 80 focus

[80] PAULUS AEMILIUS. Paulus Aemilius, when he stood for his second consulship, was rejected. Afterwards, the war with Perseus and the Macedonians being prolonged by the. ignorance and effeminacy of the commanders, they chose him consul. I thank, said he, the people for nothing; they choose me general, not because I want the office, but because they want an officer. As he returned from the hall to his own house, and found his little daughter Tertia weeping, he asked her what she cried for? Perseus, said she (so her little dog was called), is dead. Luckily hast thou spoken, girl, said he, and I accept the omen. When he found in the camp much confident prating among the soldiers, who pretended to advise him and busy themselves as if they had been all officers, he bade them be quiet and only whet their swords, and leave other things to his care.

He ordered night-guards should be kept without swords or spears, that they might resist sleep, when they had nothing wherewith to resist the enemy. He invaded Macedonia by the way of the mountains; and seeing the enemy drawn up, when Nasica advised him to set upon them presently, he replied: So I should, if I were of your age; but long experience forbids me, after a march, to fight an army marshalled regularly. Having overcome Perseus, he feasted his friends for joy of the victory, saying, it required the same skill to make an army very terrible to the enemy, and a banquet very acceptable to our friends. When Perseus was taken prisoner, he told Paulus that he would not be led in triumph. That, said he, is as you please,—meaning he might kill himself. He found an infinite quantity of money, but kept none for himself; only to his son-in-law Tubero he gave a silver bowl that weighed five pounds, as a reward of his valor; and that, they say, was the first piece of plate that belonged to the Aemilian family. Of the four sons he had, he parted with two that were adopted into other families; and of the two that lived with him, one of them died at the age of fourteen years, but five days before his triumph; and five days after the triumph, at the age of twelve years died the other. When the people that met him bemoaned and compassionated his calamities, Now, said he, my fears and jealousies for my country are over, since Fortune hath discharged her revenge for our success on my house, and I have paid for all.

Notes on the current edition

Sayings of Kings and Commanders

1. L. Aemilius Paulus (Macedonicus), a famous Roman general, conqueror of Perseus at Pydna in 168 B.C.; consul 182 and 168 B.C.

2. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. vi. (258 B), chap. ix. (259 C), chap. xi. (260 C).

3. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. x. (260 B), quoted from Cicero, De divinatione, i. 46 (103); see too Valerius Maximus, i. 5. 3.

4. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. xiii. (261 F), and chap. xi. (260 C); Livy, xliv. 22 and 34.

5. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. xiii. (262 A); Livy, xliv. 33, says without shield.

6. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. xvii. (263 F).

7. Ibid. chap. xxviii. (270 D); Moralia, 615 E. Cf. Stobaeus, Florilegium, xviii. 22.

8. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. xxxiv. (273 C).

9. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chap. v. (257 C).

10. Ibid. chap. xxviii. (270 E); cf. also Pliny, Natural History, xxxiii. 50 (142); and Valerius Maximus, iv. 4. 9.

11. To the houses of Scipio and of Fabius.

12. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chaps. xxxv. and xxxvi. (274 A and F); Seneca, Ad Marciam de consolatione, 13; Valerius Maximus, v. 10. 2; Velleius Paterculus, i. 10. Cicero refers briefly to Aemilius’s fortitude ( De amicit, 2 (9); Tusc. Disput. iii. 28 (70); Letters, iv. 6).

Plutarch Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata 80

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

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PAULUS AEMILIUS ¹

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Παύλου Ἀιμιλίου

Παύλου Ἀιμιλίου

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PAULUS AEMILIUS 1

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PAULUS AEMILIUS ¹