40.7
Demetrius invited Perseus to supper at the
close of the day, but he refused to go, and each of them gave a banquet to
those who had been their comrades in the sham-fight. The lavish hospitality,
as befitted the festal day, and the high spirits of youth led both parties to
drink freely. Then they began to talk about the battle and jokes were made at
the expense of their opponents, not even their leaders being exempt. A spy
was sent from Perseus' party to listen to this conversation, but as he behaved
somewhat incautiously he was caught by some youths who happened to be
leaving the banquet-room and soundly cudgelled. Demetrius knew nothing of
this and he asked his companions, "If my brother is still in an angry mood
after the battle, why should we not go to him as boon companions and
appease him by our open-hearted merriment?" All of them, except those who
were afraid of prompt retaliation for thrashing the spy, called out that they
would go. Demetrius made those also go with him, and they concealed
swords under their garments to defend themselves in case of attack. Nothing
could possibly be kept secret in this family quarrel, both their houses were
full of spies and traitors. An informer ran to Perseus and told him that four
young men who were wearing concealed swords were coming with
Demetrius. Although he must have known the reason, for he had heard that
one of his guests had been thrashed by them, he made the affair look as black
as possible by ordering the door to be bolted, and going to the upper part of
the house, where the windows looked down on the road, he kept the
revellers from approaching the door, as though they were coming to murder
him. Demetrius was under the influence of wine, and finding himself shut out
protested loudly for some time and then returned to the banquet-room, not
knowing in the least what it all meant.
