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The Histories

§32.1.1-32.1.7

Envoys of Ariarathes and Attalus's Reception in Rome

Envoys from King Ariarathes of Cappadocia arrive in Rome with a gold crown and are warmly received by the senate. Later, Attalus, brother of King Eumenes of Pergamon, also arrives and is cleared of charges brought by the Galatians, receiving increased Roman favor.

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§32.1.1

ὅτι κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἧκον παρʼ Ἀριαράθου πρέσβεις στέφανόν τε κομίζοντες ἀπὸ μυρίων χρυσῶν καὶ διασαφοῦντες τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως προαίρεσιν, ἣν ἔχει πρὸς τὰ Ῥωμαίων πράγματα, καὶ τούτων1 μάρτυρας ἐπήγοντο τοὺς περὶ τὸν Τεβέριον.

​At this time envoys arrived from Ariarathes, bringing a crown of the value of ten thousand gold pieces and explaining the king’s policy which he maintained towards the affairs of the Romans. ​And they produced Tiberius and his colleagues as witnesses of these things.

§32.1.3

ὧν ἀνθομολογησαμένων2 ἡ σύγκλητος τόν τε στέφανον ἀπεδέξατο μετὰ μεγάλης χάριτος καὶ τὰ μέγιστα τῶν παρʼ αὐτῇ νομιζομένων δώρων ἀνταπέστειλε, τόν τε σκίπωνα καὶ τὸν ἐλεφάντινον δίφρον.

​Upon their confirming this, the senate accepted the crown with great gratitude and sent in return the greatest of the gifts customary among them, namely a scepter and an ivory chair.

§32.1.4

τούτους μὲν οὖν ἐξ αὐτῆς3 ἔτι πρὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀπέλυσεν ἡ σύγκλητος.

​Therefore, the senate dismissed them immediately, even before the winter.

§32.1.5

μετὰ δὲ τούτους Ἀττάλου παραγενηθέντος, ἤδη τῶν ὑπάτων τὰς ἀρχὰς εἰληφότων, καὶ τῶν Γαλατῶν αὐτοῦ κατηγορησάντων, οὓς ἀπεστάλκει Προυσίας, καὶ πλειόνων ἑτέρων ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀσίας, διακούσασα πάντων ἡ σύγκλητος οὐ μόνον ἀπέλυσε τῶν διαβολῶν τὸν Ἄτταλον, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσαυξήσασα τοῖς φιλανθρώποις ἐξαπέστειλε·

​After them, when Attalus arrived, the consuls having already entered upon their office, and when the Galatians, whom Prusias had sent, accused him, ​as well as many others from Asia, the senate, after hearing them all, not only acquitted Attalus of the accusations, but also sent him back with increased marks of favor.

§32.1.7

καθʼ ὅσον γὰρ ἀπηλλοτρίωτο τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ διεφέρετο πρὸς τὸν Εὐμένη,4 κατὰ τοσοῦτον ἐφιλοποιεῖτο καὶ συνηῦξε τὸν Ἄτταλον. —

​For the more they were estranged from the king and at variance with Eumenes, the more they conciliated Attalus and increased his power. —

Syntax notes4 items
  1. 32.1.2τούτων

    Genitive neuter plural demonstrative pronoun referring to the king's favorable policy (προαίρεσιν) mentioned in the preceding sentence. Literally, 'as witnesses of these things.'

  2. 32.1.3ὧν ἀνθομολογησαμένων

    A genitive absolute construction with the relative pronoun ὧν acting as the subject. The antecedent is the preceding phrase 'Tiberius and his colleagues' (τοὺς περὶ τὸν Τεβέριον). The verb ἀνθομολογέομαι means 'to agree in admitting' or 'to confirm in turn.'

  3. 32.1.4ἐξ αὐτῆς

    An idiomatic adverbial phrase with the omission of a feminine noun such as τῆς ὁδοῦ or τῆς ὥρας, meaning 'immediately' or 'straightway.'

  4. 32.1.7ἀπηλλοτρίωτο τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ διεφέρετο πρὸς τὸν Εὐμένη

    The subject of these verbs is understood from the context to be the senate (ἡ σύγκλητος) from the previous sentence. 'The king' (τοῦ βασιλέως) and 'Eumenes' (τὸν Εὐμένη) refer to the same person, King Eumenes II of Pergamon. The passage describes the diplomatic motive: the more estranged the senate was from King Eumenes, the more they tried to win over his brother Attalus.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)
  • 2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:32.1.1-32.1.7