27.01.26: Level 3; Reading (review); [27](a) Maintain, don’t annihilate

Cōnstat nōn cūnctōs Rōmānōs verba Mārcī Porciī laudāvisse imprīmīsque Nāsīcam* sententiam eius sprēvisse.

“Nōn negō”, inquit, “mē quoque cōpiās Poenōrum reformīdāvisse; sed appāret eās ad Zamam strātās et dēlētās esse. Itaque crēdō Poenōs bellum cōgitāre dēsiisse. Tū, Catō, dīcis dīvitiās eōrum crēvisse, Carthāginem cūnctīs bonīs implētam esse – et ego gaudeō Carthāginem dīvitiīs abundāre. Neque ignōrō ā Poenīs dīvitiās amārī; itaque perīcula bellī vītābunt, amīcitiam nostram colent, frūmentum exportābunt. Cōnstat ab eīs pacta adhūc servāta esse; oportet ea pacta etiam ā nōbīs servārī. Proinde dēsine nōbīs bellum iniūstum suādēre, dēsine odium et inimīcitiās serere, dēsine Poenōs timēre! Equidem nōn sinam Carthāginem vastārī.”

*Nasica: Publius Scipio Nasica, a Roman politician who favoured the Greek influence, in contrast to Cato

[1] present active infinitive

ego gaudeō ¦ Carthāginem dīvitiīs abundāre │ I rejoice ¦ that Carthage is overflowing with riches

[2] present passive infinitive

Neque ignōrō ¦ ā Poenīs dīvitiās amārī │ Nor am I unaware ¦ that riches are loved by the Carthaginians

[3] Perfect active infinitive

Cōnstat ¦ nōn cūnctōs Rōmānōs verba Mārcī Porciī laudāvisse │  It is well known / generally agreed ¦ that not all Romans praised the words of Marcus Porcius (Cato)

… imprīmīsque Nāsīcam sententiam eius sprēvisse. │ … and ¦ that Nasica especially rejected his opinion.

Nōn negō … ¦ mē quoque cōpiās Poenōrum reformīdāvisse │ I do not deny … ¦ that I too dreaded the Carthaginian troops

crēdō ¦ Poenōs bellum cōgitāre dēsiisse │ I believe ¦ that the Carthaginians have stopped thinking about war

Tū, Catō, dīcis ¦ dīvitiās eōrum crēvisse … │ You say, Cato, ¦ that their wealth has grown

[4] Perfect passive infinitive

appāret ¦ eās ad Zamam strātās (esse) et dēlētās esse │ it is clear ¦ that they were overthrown and (were) destroyed at Zama

Tū, Catō, dīcis ¦ … Carthāginem cūnctīs bonīs implētam esse │ You say, Cato … ¦ that Carthage has been totally filled with all (sorts of) goods

Cōnstat ¦ ab eīs pacta adhūc servāta esse │ It is well known ¦ that the treaties have still been kept by them.

 ____________________

 It is well known / generally agreed that not all Romans praised the words of Marcus Porcius (Cato) and that Nasica especially rejected his opinion.

“I do not deny,” he said, “that I too dreaded the Carthaginian troops, but it is clear that they were overthrown and destroyed at Zama. Therefore, I believe that the Carthaginians have stopped thinking about war. You say, Cato, that their wealth has grown, that Carthage has been totally filled with all (sorts of) goods – and I rejoice that Carthage is overflowing with riches / wealth. Nor am I unaware that riches are loved by the Carthaginians; therefore, they will avoid the dangers of war, they will cultivate our friendship, (and) they will export grain. It is well known that the treaties have still been kept by them. It is necessary that these treaties also be kept by us [ = we too ought to keep these treaties]. Therefore, stop recommending an unjust war to us, stop sowing hatred and hostilities, stop fearing the Carthaginians! Indeed / for my part, I shall not allow Carthage to be laid waste.”