Asia: King Attalus I
[They endeavoured] to prevent Antiochus from sailing along their coast, not from enmity to him, but from a
suspicion that by giving support to Philip he would become
an obstacle in the way of Greek liberty. . . .
King Antiochus was very desirous of possessing Ephesus,
owing to its extremely convenient position; for it appeared to
occupy the position of an Acropolis for expeditions by land
and sea against Ionia and the cities of the Hellespont, and to
be always a most convenient base of operations for the kings
of Asia against Europe. . . .
Of King Attalus, who now died, I think I ought to
Death of King Attalus,
who had fallen ill at Thebes, before the battle of Cynoscephalae, and had been brought home
to die at Pergamum, autumn, B. C. 197. Livy, 33, 21. |
speak a suitable word, as I have done in the
case of others. Originally he had no other
external qualification for royalty except money
alone, which, indeed, if handled with good
sense and boldness, is of very great assistance
in every undertaking, but without these qualities
is in its nature the origin of evil, and, in fact,
of utter ruin to very many. For in the first
place it engenders envy and malicious plots,
and contributes largely to the destruction of body and soul.
For few indeed are the souls that are able by the aid of
wealth to repel dangers of this description. This king's greatness of mind therefore deserves our admiration, because he
never attempted to use his wealth for anything else but the
acquisition of royal power,—an object than which none greater
can be mentioned. Moreover he made the first step in this
design, not only by doing services to his friends and gaining
their affection, but also by achievements in war. For it was
after conquering the Gauls, the most formidable and warlike
nation at that time in Asia, that he assumed this rank and
first puts himself forward as king. And though he obtained
this honour, and lived seventy-two years, of which he reigned
forty-four, he passed a life of the utmost virtue and goodness
towards his wife and children; kept faith with all allies and
friends; and died in the midst of a most glorious campaign,
fighting for the liberty of the Greeks; and what is more
remarkable than all, though he left four grown-up sons, he so well
settled the question of succession, that the crown was handed
down to his children's children without a single dispute. . . .
