(1) Sīc cōnservātīs suīs rēbus, Poenus, illūsīs Crētēnsibus omnibus, ad Prūsiam in Pontum pervēnit. Apud quem eōdem animō fuit ergā Italiam neque aliud quicquam ēgit quam rēgem armāvit et exercuit adversus Rōmānōs.
(2) Quem cum vidēret domesticīs opibus minus esse rōbustum, conciliābat cēterōs rēgēs, adiungēbat bellicōsās nātiōnēs. Dissidēbat ab eō Pergamēnus rēx Eumenēs, Rōmānīs amīcissimus, bellumque inter eōs gerēbātur et marī et terrā.
(3) Sed utrobīque Eumenēs plūs valēbat propter Rōmānōrum societātem. Quō magis cupiēbat eum Hannibal opprimī; quem sī remōvisset, faciliōra sibi cētera fore arbitrābātur. Ad hunc interficiendum tālem iniit ratiōnem.
(4) Classe paucīs diēbus erant dēcrētūrī. Superābātur nāvium multitūdine; dolō erat pugnandum, cum pār nōn esset armīs. Imperāvit quam plūrimās venēnātās serpentēs vīvās colligī eāsque in vāsa fīctilia conicī.
(5) Hārum cum effēcisset magnam multitūdinem, diē ipsō, quō factūrus erat nāvāle proelium, classiāriōs convocat iīsque praecipit, omnēs ut in ūnam Eumenis rēgis concurrant nāvem, ā cēterīs tantum satis habeant sē dēfendere. Id illōs facile serpentium multitūdine cōnsecūtūrōs.
(6) Rēx autem in quā nāve veherētur, ut scīrent, sē factūrum. Quem sī aut cēpissent aut interfēcissent, magnō iīs pollicētur praemiō fore.
notes
vocabulary
(1) cōnservō –āre: retain, maintain, preserve ※
illūdō –lūdere –lūsī –lūsum: deceive, mock, trick
Crētēnsis Crētēnse: Cretan ※
Prūsias –ae m.: Prusias (king of Bithynia) ※
Pontus –ī m.: Pontus (kingdom in northeastern Asia Minor)
ergā: towards, in relation to (+acc.) ※
armō –āre: arm, equip with weapons ※
(2) domesticus –a –um: personal, private, domestic
rōbustus –a –um: strong
conciliō –āre: unite, win over
adiungō –iungere –iūnxī –iūnctum: join to, connect, add ※
bellicōsus –a –um: warlike, fierce
nātiō nātiōnis f.: people, nation, race ※
dissideō –sidēre –sēdī –sessum: disagree, quarrel
Pergamēnus –a –um: of Pergamum (a kingdom in Asia Minor) ※
Eumenēs Eumenis m.: Eumenes (II, king of Pergamum in Asia Minor) ※
(3) utrobīque: on both sides
societās societātis f.: alliance
opprimō –primere –pressī –pressum: crush, overpower ※
removeō –movēre –mōvī –mōtum: remove, dismiss ※
ineō –īre –iī –itum: go into, begin, undertake
(4) venēnō –āre: poison
serpēns serpentis f.: snake ※
vīvus –a –um: alive, living ※
vāsum –ī n.: vase, container ※
fīctilis fīctile: made of clay, earthen ※
coniciō –icere –iēcī –iectum: cast, fling, toss ※
(5) nāvālis nāvāle: naval
classiārius –ī m.: mariner; (pl.) naval forces, marines
convocō –āre: call together, assemble
concurrō –currere –currī –cursum: join battle with
(6) polliceor –licērī –licitus sum: promise