33.2
Attalus
was the first to speak in the council. He began by recounting the services
which he had rendered to Greece as a whole and in particular to the
Boeotians. But he was too old and infirm to stand the strain of public
speaking, and suddenly became silent and fell down. Whilst they were
removing the king, who had lost the use of one side, the proceedings were
suspended. Aristaenus, the chief magistrate of the Achaeans, was the next to
speak, and he spoke with all the more weight because he gave the Boeotians
the same advice which he had given to the Achaeans. Quinctius himself
added a few remarks, in which he dwelt more upon the good faith of the
Romans and their sense of honour than upon their arms and resources.
Dicaearchus of Plataea next brought forward a motion in favour of alliance
with Rome. When its terms had been recited no one ventured to oppose it,
consequently it was passed by the unanimous vote of the cities of Boeotia.
After the council broke up Quinctius only stayed in Thebes as long as
Attalus' sudden attack made it necessary, and as soon as he saw that there
was no immediate danger to life but only powerlessness in the limbs, he left
him to undergo the necessary treatment and returned to Elatia. The
Boeotians, like the Achaeans before them, were thus admitted as allies, and
as he was leaving everything behind in peaceful security, he was able to
devote all his thoughts to Philip and the means of bringing the war to a close.
