45.3
The two
commissioners who had been sent to Illyria reported on their return that the
Illyrian army had been destroyed and Gentius taken prisoner, and that Illyria
had made formal submission to Rome. For these successes, gained under the
leadership and auspices of L. Anicius, the praetor, the senate ordered a three
days' thanksgiving. A second celebration of the Latin Festival was
proclaimed by the consul for 10th-12th November. Some writers assert that
the envoys from Rhodes who were still in Rome were summoned before the
senate after the announcement of the victory, as if to expose them and their
stupid arrogance to ridicule. Agepolis, their leader, is reported to have
declared that they had been sent by the government of Rhodes to make
peace between Perseus and the Romans because that war was burdensome
and hurtful to the whole of Greece and an expensive and unprofitable one to
the Romans themselves. Now that the war had ended otherwise, the Fortune
who presides over Rome had done well to give them an opportunity of
congratulating the Romans on their splendid victory. So far the Rhodians.
The senate's reply was to the effect that it was neither to promote the
interests of Greece nor to save the Roman exchequer that the Rhodians had
despatched that embassy, but solely in the interest of Perseus. Had they
really felt as anxious about these two matters as they pretended to be, the
envoys ought to have been sent at the time when Perseus led his army into
Thrace and went on for two years attacking the cities of Greece, some by
actual investment, others by intimidation; there was no mention of peace
made by the Rhodians then. It was not till they learnt that the mountain
defiles had been crossed and the Romans had invaded Macedonia that they
sent their envoys, their only motive being to save Perseus from the dangers
which were hanging over him. With this reply the envoys were dismissed.
