却说后主在成都，闻邓艾取了绵竹，诸葛瞻父子已亡，大惊，急召文武商议。
The news of the fall of Mianzhu and the deaths in battle of Zhuge Zhan and Zhuge Shang, father and son, brought home to the Latter Ruler that danger was very near, and he summoned a council.
近臣奏曰：“城外百姓，扶老携幼，哭声大震，各逃生命。”
Then the officials said, "Panic has seized upon the people, and they are leaving the city in crowds.
Their cries shake the very sky!"
忽哨马报到，说魏兵将近城下。
Soon they reported the enemy were actually near the city,
多官议曰：“兵微将寡，难以迎敌；不如早弃成都，奔南中七郡。
and many courtiers advised flight. "We do not have enough troops to protect the capital.
Leave the city and flee south to the seven counties of Nanzhong," said they.
其地险峻，可以自守，就借蛮兵，再来克复未迟。”
"The country is difficult and easily defended.
We can get the Mangs to come and help us."
南蛮久反之人，平昔无惠；今若投之，必遭大祸。”
The Mangs are old rebels.
To go to them would be a calamity."
多官又奏曰：“蜀、吴既同盟，今事急矣，可以投之。”
Then some proposed seeking refuge in Wu: "The people of Wu are our sworn allies, and this is a moment of extreme danger.
Let us go thither."
周又谏曰：“自古以来，无寄他国为天子者。
But Qiao Zhou also opposed this, saying, "In the whole course of past ages no emperor has ever gone to another state.
若称臣于吴，是一辱也；若吴被魏所吞，陛下再称臣于魏，是两番之辱矣。
Imagine the disgrace of becoming a minister of Wu and then having to style yourself minister of Wei.
It would double the mortification.
Do neither.
魏必裂土以封陛下，则上能自守宗庙，下可以保安黎民。
and Wei will give Your Majesty a strip of land where the ancestral temple can be preserved, and the people will be saved from suffering.
后主未决，退入宫中。
The distracted Latter Ruler retired from the council without having come to any decision.
后主从谯周之言，正欲出降；忽屏风后转出一人，厉声而骂周曰：“偷生腐儒，岂可妄议社稷大事！
The Latter Ruler accepted it and decided to yield.
But from behind a screen stepped out ^+2 the fifth of the Emperor's sons, Liu Chan, Prince of Beidi.
Liu Chan shouted at Qiao Zhou, "You corrupt pedant, unfit to live among people!
How dare you offer such mad advice in a matter concerning the existence of a dynasty?”
自古安有降天子哉！”
Has any emperor ever yielded to the enemy?”
后主生七子：长子刘璿，次子刘瑶，三子刘琮，四子刘瓒，五子即北地王刘谌，六子刘恂，七子刘璩。
The Latter Ruler had seven sons in all---Liu Rui, Liu Dao, Liu Zhong, Liu Zan, Liu Chan, Liu Xue, and Liu Ju.
七子中惟谌自幼聪明，英敏过人，余皆儒善。
But the ablest, and the only one above the common level of people, was this Liu Chan.
后主谓谌曰：“今大臣皆议当降，汝独仗血气之勇，欲令满城流血耶？”
The Latter Ruler turned feebly to his son and said, "The ministers have decided otherwise: They advise surrender.
You are the only one who thinks that boldness may avail, and would you drench the city in blood?”
谌曰：“昔先帝在日，谯周未尝于预国政；今妄议大事，辄起乱言，甚非理也。
The Prince said, "While the First Ruler lived, this Qiao Zhou had no voice in state affairs.
Now he gives this wild advice and talks the most subversive language.
There is no reason at all in what he says,
臣切料成都之兵，尚有数万；姜维全师，皆在剑阁，若知魏兵犯阙，必来救应：内外攻击，可获大功。
for we have in the city many legions of soldiers, and Jiang Wei is undefeated in Saber Pass.
He will come to our rescue as soon as he knows our straits, and we can help him to fight.
We shall surely succeed.
岂可听腐儒之言，轻废先帝之基业乎？”
Why listen to the words of this dryasdust?
Why abandon thus lightly the work of our great forerunner?”
后主叱之曰：“汝小儿岂识天时！”
The Latter Ruler became angry at this harangue and turned to his son, saying, "Be silent!
You are too young to understand Heaven's will!"
谌叩头哭曰：“若势穷力极，祸败将及，便当父子君臣背城一战，同死社稷，以见先帝可也。
Liu Chan beat his head upon the ground and implored his father to make an effort. "If we have done our best and defeat yet comes, if parents and children, lords and ministers have set their backs to the wall and died in one final effort to preserve the dynasty, then in the shades of the Nine Golden Springs we shall be able to look the First Ruler in the face, unashamed.
后主不听。
The appeal left the Latter Ruler unmoved.
谌放声大哭曰：“先帝非容易创立基业，今一旦弃之，吾宁死不辱也！”
The Prince cried, "Is it not shameful in one day to throw down all that our ancestors built up with so great labor?
I would rather die.”
后主令近臣推出宫门，遂令谯周作降书，遣私署侍中张绍、驸马都尉邓良同谯周赍玉玺来雒城请降。
The Latter Ruler, now very angry, bade the courtiers thrust the young man out of the Palace.
Then he ordered Qiao Zhou to prepare the formal Act of Surrender.
After it had been written, three officers---Adviser Zhang Shao, Imperial Son-in-Law Commander Deng Liang, and Minister Qiao Zhou---were sent with it and the Hereditary Seal to the camp of Deng Ai to offer submission.