Such being Attalus\'s state of mind, the king, who had divined what would happen, sent his physician Stratus, in whom he placed great confidence, to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>,
both furnishing him with suggestions and giving him positive orders to adopt every device to prevent Attalus from following the advice of those who wished to ruin their kingdom.
Upon his arrival in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, he had a private interview the Attalus and reasoned with him at length, employing various arguments; for he was a man of good sense and persuasive power.
With difficulty he attained his purpose and made Attalus renounce his foolish project, by representing to him that for the present he shared the throne with his brother, differing from him only in this that he did not wear a crown and had not the title of king,
but otherwise having equal and in fact identical power; while as to the future he was the undisputed successor to the throne, and his hopes were not likely to be long deferred, as the king, owing to his infirm health, was in constant expectation of death, and, owing to his childlessness, could not, even if he wished, leave his kingdom to anyone else — the actual successor not having yet been recognized by him as his real son.
And above all he said it surprised him that Attalus should do a thing so injurious under present circumstances.
They should surely give great thanks to all the gods if by agreement and unity of action they could ward off the Galatian peril and the danger that threatened them from that quarter.
But if now he proceeded to quarrel with his brother, it was evident that he would ruin the kingdom and deprive himself both of his present power and his hope of future power, while at the same time depriving both brothers of the kingdom and the authority they exercised within its boundaries.
By these and similar arguments Stratius succeeded in persuading Attalus to leave things alone.
Walbank Commentary