45.20
These
arguments prevailed with Attalus. Accordingly, when introduced to the
senate he offered his congratulations on the victory, and alluded to the
services, such as they were, which he and his brothers had rendered. He then
described the serious unrest among the Gauls which had brought about a
revolt and begged the senate to send envoys to them with sufficient influence
and authority to induce them to lay down their arms. Having carried out his
instructions so far as they affected the welfare of the kingdom, he asked that
Aenus and Maronea might be assigned to him. So, to the disappointment of
those who supposed that after bringing charges against his brother he would
ask for the kingdom to be divided between them, he left the senate-house.
Seldom at any time has either king or private citizen been listened to with
such universal pleasure and approval; all honours and gifts were showered
upon him during his stay, and his departure was witnessed by large crowds.
Amongst the numerous delegations from Greece the one from Rhodes
excited the greatest interest. They appeared in white garments as befitted
their mission of congratulation, and indeed if they had shown themselves in
mourning it might have looked as though they were lamenting the fall of
Perseus. When the consul, M. Junius, consulted the senate as to whether
they would grant them free quarters and hospitality and an audience, the
House decided that the obligations of hospitality should not be discharged in
their case. The envoys meanwhile were standing in the Comitium, and when
the consul came out of the senate-house they told him that they had come to
offer their congratulations on the victory and to rebut the accusations of
treason, and they begged that the senate would grant them an audience. The
consul told them plainly that it was to friends and allies that the Romans
were wont to give a hospitable welcome and grant an audience of the senate.
The conduct of the Rhodians during the war had not been such that they
deserved to be counted amongst the friends and allies of Rome. On hearing
this, they all prostrated themselves to the ground and implored the consul
and all who were present not to think it just and right that the new charges
which were falsely made against them should outweigh their services in the
past, services to which the Romans themselves could testify. They lost no
time in putting on mourning garments and visiting the residences of the
principal men, whom they implored not to condemn them without a hearing.
