The great name
of Mithridates, his reverse, his prayer, full of dignity, deeply affected
Eunones. He raised the suppliant, and commended him for having chosen the
nation of the Adorsi and his own good faith in suing for mercy. He sent at
the same time envoys to Cæsar with a letter to this effect, that
friendship between emperors of
Rome and sov-
MITHRIDATES BROUGHT TO ROME |
ereigns of powerful peoples was primarily based on a similarity of fortune,
and that between himself and Claudius there was the tie of a common victory.
Wars had glorious endings, whenever matters were settled by an amnesty. The
conquered Zorsines had on this principle been deprived of nothing. For
Mithridates, as he deserved heavier punishment, he asked neither power nor
dominions, only that he might not be led in triumph, and pay the penalty of
death.