42.6
Leaving
Delphi and the Aetolian council Marcellus proceeded to the Peloponnese,
where he had called a meeting of the Achaean council. Here he commended
them for having firmly retained the old decree forbidding the Macedonian
kings any approach to their territories, and he made it quite clear that the
Romans regarded Perseus as an enemy. To precipitate hostilities Eumenes
went to Rome, taking with him the notes he had made during his enquiry
into the warlike preparations going on. Five commissioners were at the same
time sent to the king to see for themselves the state of things in Macedonia,
and were instructed to visit Alexandria as well and renew the friendly
relations between Ptolemy and Rome. The members of the mission were C.
Valerius, Cn. Lutatius Cerco, Q. Baebius Sulca, M. Cornelius Mammula,
and M. Caecilius Denter. Envoys from Antiochus arrived about the same
date. Their leader, Apollonius, when introduced to the senate, alleged many
valid reasons why the king was paying his tribute after the appointed day. He
had, however, brought the whole amount, so that no favour need be shown
to the king beyond excusing the delay. He had, in addition, brought a present
of golden vases weighing 500 pounds. The king asked that the friendship and
alliance which had been formed with his father might be renewed with him,
and that the people of Rome would look to him for all that a friendly
monarch could supply; he would never be lacking in any service he could
render them. During his stay in Rome, he reminded the House, it was due to
the kindness of the senate and the friendliness of the younger men that he
was treated as a prince more than as a hostage. The deputation received a
gracious reply and the City praetor, A. Atilius, was ordered to renew the
alliance with Antiochus which had existed with his father. The tribute was
given into the charge of the City quaestors, and the golden vases were
handed to the censors with instructions to deposit them in whatever temples
they thought fit. The leader of the deputation received a present of 100,000
ases, and free quarters and hospitality were decreed to him as long as he
remained in Italy. The commissioners who had been in Syria had reported
that he held the highest place of honour with the king and was a devoted
friend to Rome.
