39.47
Demetrius, who was at the time quite a
young man, had to answer all the charges. It was by no means an easy matter
for him to retain in his memory either the details of the allegations or the
proper reply to be made to them. They were not only very numerous, but
most of them were very trivial, such as disputes about boundaries, the
carrying off of cattle and men, the capricious administration of justice,
judges corrupted by bribes or intimidated by threats of violence. When the
senate found that Demetrius could not explain things clearly and that they
could get no definite information from him and saw that the youth was
embarrassed and at a loss what to say, they ordered the question to be put to
him whether he had received from his father any memorandum dealing with
these matters. On his stating that he had received one, they thought by far
the wisest course would be to have the king's own replies to each point
raised. They at once called for the book and allowed him to quote from it. It
contained concise explanations under each head. Some of the things he had
done were, he said, in compliance with the dictates of the commissioners;
with regard to other of his acts, it was not his fault but that of his accusers
that he had failed to comply. Interspersed throughout the memorandum were
protests against the partiality shown in the rulings of the commissioners and
the unfair way in which the discussion had been carried on before Caecilius,
and also the undeserved and unworthy insults heaped upon him from all
sides. The senate took these as marks of irritation on his part; however, as
the young prince apologised for some things, and gave an undertaking that
for the future all would be done as the senate wished, it was decided that the
following reply should be given: "Nothing which his father had done was
more correct or more in accordance with the senate's wishes than his
willingness, whatever his conduct had been, to send his son Demetrius to
give satisfaction to Rome. Much of the past the senate could close their eyes
to and forget and put up with, and they believed that they could trust
Demetrius, for though they returned him to his father in bodily presence,
they had his mind and feelings with them still as a hostage, and they knew
that so far as was consistent with his affection for his father he was a friend
to the People of Rome. Out of regard for him they would send a commission
to Macedonia, so that whatever had not been done which ought to have been
done it might even yet be carried out without any penalty for past
omissions." They also wished Philip to understand that he was indebted to
his son Demetrius for the complete restoration of his good relations with
Rome.
