§45.19.1inter multas regum gentiumque et populorum legationes Attalus, frater regis Eumenis, maxime convertit in se omnium oculos animosque.
Among the many embassies of kings, nations, and peoples, Attalus, brother of King Eumenes, especially drew the eyes and minds of all upon himself.
§45.19.2exceptus enim est ab iis, qui simul eo bello militaverant, haud paulo adduxerant eum duae in speciem honestae res, §45.19.3una gratulatio conveniens in ea victoria, quam ipse adiuvisset, altera querimonia Gallici tumultus acceptaeque cladis, qua regnum in dubium adductum esset.
For he was welcomed by those who had served together with him in that war; two matters, honorable in appearance, had brought him in no small degree: one, a congratulation fitting for that victory which he himself had helped to achieve; the other, a complaint about the Gallic uprising and the defeat sustained, by which the kingdom had been brought into danger.
§45.19.4suberat et secreta spes honorum praemiorumque ab senatu, quae vix salva pietate ei contingere poterant.
Beneath this lay also a secret hope of honors and rewards from the senate, which could scarcely fall to his lot while keeping his duty to his brother unimpaired.
erant enim quidam Romanorum quoque non boni auctores, qui spe cupiditatem eius elicerent: §45.19.5eam opinionem de Attalo et Eumene Romae esse, tamquam de altero Romanis certo amico, altero nec Romanis nec Persei fido socio.
For there were certain advisers even among the Romans, of no good character, who by holding out hope enticed his ambition: namely, that such was the opinion about Attalus and Eumenes in Rome, as of the one being a sure friend to the Romans, and the other a faithful ally neither to the Romans nor to Perseus.
§45.19.6itaque vix statui posse, utrum, quae pro se, an, quae contra fratrem petiturus esset, ab senatu magis inpetrabilia forent; adeo universos omnia et huic tribuere et illi vero negare.
Therefore, it could scarcely be decided whether the things he was going to ask for himself, or those against his brother, would be more obtainable from the senate; so completely did everyone grant everything to the former and deny everything to the latter.
§45.19.7eorum hominum, ut res docuit, Attalus erat, qui, quantum spes spopondisset, cuperent, ni unius amici prudens monitio velut frenos animo eius gestienti secundis rebus inposuisset.
Attalus was of the number of those men, as the event showed, who would desire as much as hope had promised, had not the prudent admonition of a single friend imposed, as it were, a bridle on his mind which was exulting in prosperity.
§45.19.8Stratius cum eo fuit medicus, ad id ipsum a non securo Eumene Romam missus speculator rerum, quae a fratre agerentur, monitorque fidus, si decedi fide vidisset.
Stratius, a physician, was with him, sent to Rome for this very purpose by Eumenes, who was anxious, to be a watcher of the things done by his brother, and a faithful monitor if he should see him departing from loyalty.
§45.19.9is ad occupatas iam aures sollicitatumque iam animum cum venisset, adgressus tempestivis sermonibus rem prope prolapsam restituit, aliis alia regna crevisse rebus dicendo: §45.19.10regnum eorum novum, nullis vetustis fundatum opibus, fraterna stare concordia, quod unus nomen regium et praecipuum capitis insigne gerat, omnes fratres regnent.
When he came to ears already preoccupied and a mind already disturbed, approaching him with timely discourse, he restored a situation that had almost slipped away, by saying that different kingdoms had grown by different means: their own kingdom, being new and founded on no ancient wealth, stood by fraternal concord, because, while one bore the royal title and the chief ornament of the head, all the brothers ruled.
§45.19.11Attalum vero, qui aetate proximus sit, quis non pro rege habeat? neque eo solum, quia tantas praesentes eius opes cernat, sed quod haud ambiguum sit prope diem regnaturum;
Indeed, who would not hold Attalus, who was next in age, as king?
eam infirmitatem aetatemque Eumenis esse nullam stirpem liberum habentis; §45.19.12necdum enim agnoverat eum, qui postea regnavit.
And not only for this reason, that one saw his great present power, but because there was no doubt that he would rule in a short time; such was the infirmity and age of Eumenes, who had no offspring of children; (for he had not yet acknowledged him who ruled afterwards).
quid adtinere vim adferre rei sua sponte ad eum mox venturae? accessisse etiam novam tempestatem regno tumultus Gallici, cui vix consensu et concordia regum resisti queat; §45.19.13si vero ad externum bellum domestica seditio adiciatur, sisti non posse.
What was the point of using force upon a thing that would soon come to him of its own accord? Furthermore, a new storm of Gallic uprising had come upon the kingdom, which could scarcely be resisted even by the agreement and concord of the kings; if indeed domestic sedition were added to foreign war, it could not be sustained.
nec aliud eum, quam, ne frater in regno moriatur, sibi ipsi spem propinquam regni erepturum.
Nor would he achieve anything else, by preventing his brother from dying as king, than depriving himself of his own near hope of the kingdom.
§45.19.14si utraque gloriosa res esset, et servasse fratri regnum et eripuisse, servati tamen regni, quae iuncta pietati sit, potiorem laudem futuram fuisse.
Even if both actions were glorious—to have preserved the kingdom for his brother and to have snatched it away—yet the praise for preserving the kingdom, which was joined with duty, would have been preferable.
sed enim vero cum detestabilis altera res et proxima parricidio sit, quid ad deliberationem dubii superesse?
But since in truth the other course was detestable and next to parricide, what doubt was left for deliberation?
§45.19.15utrum enim partem regni petiturum esse, an totum erepturum? si partem, ambo infirmos distractis viribus et omnibus iniuriis propalam obnoxios fore; si totum, privatumne ergo maiorem fratrem, an exulem esse illa aetate, illa corporis infirmitate, an ad ultimum mori iussurum?
For would he ask for a part of the kingdom, or seize the whole? If a part, both would be weak with divided forces and openly exposed to every injury; if the whole, would he then order his older brother, at that age and with that physical weakness, to be a private citizen, or an exile, or ultimately to be put to death?
§45.19.16egregium enim, ut fabulis traditus impiorum fratrum eventus taceatur, Persei exitum videri, qui ex fraterna caede raptum diadema in templo Samothracum, velut praesentibus dis exigentibus poenas, ad pedes victoris hostis prostratus posuerit.
Indeed, to say nothing of the end of impious brothers handed down in fables, the fate of Perseus seemed a striking warning, who, having snatched the diadem from his brother's murder, laid it down prostrate at the feet of a victorious enemy in the temple of Samothrace, as if the present gods were exacting punishment.
§45.19.17eos ipsos, qui non illi amici, sed Eumeni infesti stimulent eum, pietatem constantiamque laudaturos, si fidem ad ultimum fratri praestitisset.
Those very men who, being no friends to him but hostile to Eumenes, were egging him on, would praise his duty and constancy if he maintained his loyalty to his brother to the end.