45.6
However, the commission of such a crime
against his one remaining friend, who had been tested through so many
misfortunes and who had been betrayed because he would not betray his
master, alienated all men's sympathies from him. Each thinking only of
himself went over to the Romans, and as he was left all but alone he was
compelled to form plans for flight. There was a Cretan named Oroandas who
was familiar with the coast of Thrace through his trading journeys. Perseus
called upon him to take him on board with him to Cotys. There was a bay
formed by one of the headlands of Samothrace, named from the adjacent
temple of Demeter the Demetrium, and there the boat was lying. Just after
sunset everything required for use, and as much of the money as could be
carried without detection, was put on board. The king with three who shared
his flight went out at midnight through a door at the back of the house into
the garden which was close to his room, and after climbing the wall with
considerable difficulty succeeded in reaching the shore. Oroandas had only
waited till the money was on board, and as soon as it grew dark weighed
anchor and put out to sea for Crete. As no ship was to be found in the
harbour Perseus wandered about for some time on the shore. At last,
dreading the approach of day, he did not dare to return to his quarters but
hid himself in a dark corner on one side of the temple. The children of the
Macedonian nobility who were chosen to wait on the king used to be known
as "the royal pages." These boys had followed the king in his flight, and even
now refused to desert him until a proclamation was published by order of
Cnaeus Octavius, stating that the royal pages and any other Macedonians
who were in Samothrace would, if they went to the Romans, preserve their
personal safety and liberty, and all their property, both what they had with
them and what they had left in Macedonia. After this pronouncement all
went over and reported themselves to C. Postumius, one of the military
tribunes. Ion, the Thessalian, also gave up the king's little children to
Octavius, and now no one was left with the king except his eldest son Philip.
Then Perseus, inveighing against Fortune and the gods in whose temple he
was for refusing all aid to their suppliants, surrendered himself and his son
into the hands of Octavius. Orders were given for him to be put on board the
commander's ship, together with what remained of the money. The fleet at
once sailed back to Amphipolis. From there Octavius sent the king to the
consul's camp, having previously advised him that the king was being
brought to his camp as a prisoner.