37.36
The
envoy came to the conclusion that, as far as the council was concerned, he
was not obtaining any reasonable terms, and in accordance with his
instructions he tried what he could do with Scipio in a private interview. He
began by telling him that the king would restore his son without ransom, and
then, ignorant alike of Scipio's character and Roman usage, he held out to
him the offer of an enormous bribe if he obtained peace through his
instrumentality, and also a full share in the sovereign power, with the sole
exception of the royal title. Scipio replied: "Your ignorance of the Romans
as a whole, and of me in particular to whom you have been sent, is the less
surprising when I see that you are ignorant of the situation of the man from
whom you have come. You ought to have held Lysimachia to prevent our
entering the Chersonese, or else you ought to have opposed us at the
Hellespont to prevent our passing into Asia, if you intended to ask for peace
from us as from those who were anxious about the issue of the war. But now
that you have left the passage into Asia open and have accepted not only the
bit but the yoke as well, what room is there for any discussion on equal
terms, since you will have to submit to our sovereignty? I shall look upon my
son as the greatest gift which the king's generosity could bestow; as to his
other offers, I pray heaven my circumstances may never be in need of them,
my mind at all events never will. In my public capacity as representing the
State I will neither take anything from him nor give him anything. What I can
give now is sincere advice. Go and tell him in my name to abandon hostilities
and accept any terms of peace that may be offered." These words did not
influence the king in the least, he regarded his chances in war as quite safe,
and this too at the very time when terms were proposed to him as though he
were already vanquished. For the present, therefore, he dropped all mention
of peace, and devoted all his care to preparing for war.