35.23
These
actual wars, however, preoccupied the thoughts of the senate far less than
the threatening prospect of war with Antiochus. Although they received
from time to time full information through their commissioners, there were
vague and unauthorised rumours afloat in which truth was largely blended
with falsehood. Amongst other things it was reported that as soon as
Antiochus reached Aetolia he would send his fleet on to Sicily. Atilius had
already been sent with his fleet to Greece, but as the senate, if it was to
retain its hold upon the friendly States, was bound to assert its authority as
well as send troops, T. Quinctius, Cn. Octavius, Cn. Servilius and P. Villius
were despatched on a special mission to Greece, and a decree was made
ordering M. Baebius to transfer his legions from Bruttium to Tarentum and
Brundisium, and if circumstances made it necessary transport them to
Macedonia. M. Fulvius was ordered to send a fleet of twenty ships to protect
Sicily, its commander to possess full powers. The command was vested in L.
Oppius Salinator; he had been plebeian aedile the previous year. Fulvius was
also to send to his colleague L. Valerius and inform him that fears were
entertained of Antiochus sending his fleet to Sicily, and the senate had
therefore decided that he should strengthen his army by raising an emergency
force of 12,000 foot and 400 horse for the defence of that part of the Sicilian
coast which faced Greece. The praetor took the men for the force from the
adjacent islands as well as from Sicily itself, and placed garrisons in all the
towns on the eastern coast. These rumours were strengthened by the arrival
of Attalus, the brother of Eumenes, who brought word that Antiochus had
crossed the Hellespont with his army, and that the Aetolians, who were
thoroughly prepared, were in arms immediately on his arrival. Thanks were
formally accorded to Eumenes as well as to Attalus. The latter was treated
as the guest of the State and suitably lodged; he was also presented with two
horses, two sets of equestrian armour, silver vases up to a hundred and gold
vases up to twenty pounds' weight.
