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Book 36 - Chapter 14

1
<head lang="la">III. Res Bithyniae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpemyan">ἔπεμψαν</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pilhyome%2Fnous">ἐπιληψομένους</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%3Ds">ὁρμῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Anikomh%2Fdous">Νικομήδους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kwlu%2Fsontas">κωλύσοντας</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fattalon">Ἄτταλον</w> <w lemma="polemei%3Dn">πολεμεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Aprousi%2Fa%7C">Προυσίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katesta%2Fqhsan">κατεστάθησαν</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkos">Μάρκος</w> <w lemma="%2Aliki%2Fnnios">Λικίννιος</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29%2Fnqrwpos">ἄνθρωπος</w> <w lemma="podagriko%5Cs">ποδαγρικὸς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="telei%2Fws">τελείως</w> <w lemma="a%29du%2Fnatos">ἀδύνατος</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="posi%2F">ποσί</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="%2Aau%29%3Dlos">Αὖλος</w> <w lemma="%2Amagki%3Dnos">Μαγκῖνος</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="kerami%2Fdos">κεραμίδος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kefalh%5Cn">κεφαλὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpesou%2Fshs">ἐμπεσούσης</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Ftas">τηλικαύτας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tosau%2Ftas">τοσαύτας</w> <w lemma="ou%29la%5Cs">οὐλὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kefalh%3Ds">κεφαλῆς</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="qaumasto%5Cn">θαυμαστὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29sw%2Fqh">ἐσώθη</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aleu%2Fkios">Λεύκιος</w> <w lemma="%2Amalle%2Folos">Μαλλέολος</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="a%29naisqhto%2Ftatos">ἀναισθητότατος</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>.
3
<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="prosdeome%2Fnhs">προσδεομένης</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fxous">τάχους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmhs">τόλμης</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkoun">ἐδόκουν</w> <w lemma="a%29fue%2Fstatoi">ἀφυέστατοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="kaqestame%2Fnoi">καθεσταμένοι</w>.
4
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="fasi">φασι</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkon">Μάρκον</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Frkion">Πόρκιον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aka%2Ftwna">Κάτωνα</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuo%2Fmenon">προσαγορευόμενον</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="sugklh%2Ftw%7C">συγκλήτῳ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="sumbh%2Fsetai">συμβήσεται</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29polo%2Fmenon">ἀπολόμενον</w> <w lemma="fqa%2Fsai">φθάσαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aprousi%2Fan">Προυσίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Anikomh%2Fdhn">Νικομήδην</w> <w lemma="ghra%2Fsant%27">γηράσαντ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fa%7C:">βασιλείᾳ·</w>
5
<w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="katataxh%3Dsai">καταταχῆσαι</w>, <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="katataxh%2Fsasan">καταταχήσασαν</w> <w lemma="a%29nu%2Fsasqai%2F">ἀνύσασθαί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="presbei%2Fan">πρεσβείαν</w>, <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="po%2Fdas">πόδας</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="kefalh%5Cn">κεφαλὴν</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="kardi%2Fan">καρδίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousan">ἔχουσαν</w>. —
<head>III. Affairs of Bithynia</head>The Romans sent legates to check the aggressive spirit of Nicomedes and to prevent Attalus from going to war with Prusias.
Those appointed were Marcus Licinius, a gouty man quite weak upon his legs, Aulus Mancinus, who in consequence of a tile falling on his head had received so many serious wounds on the head, that it is a wonder he escaped with his life, and Lucius Malleolus, who was thought to be the most stupid man in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>.
As the matter called for rapid and bold action, the legates selected were considered to be the most incompetent that could be found for this task.
Owing to this they say that Marcus Porcius Cato remarked in the senate that before it was finished not only would Prusias be dead but Nicomedes, too, would have died of old age in his royal state;
for how could the commission act expeditiously, or if it did, achieve any result, as it had not feet nor a head nor a heart.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
36.14.1 - 36.14.5
<p rend="Plain Text">Roman embassy sent to look into the dispute between Attalus II and Prusias II</p> <p rend="Plain Text"> This excerpt from de sent. must belong to the res Asiae of Ol. 157, 3 = 150/49; see p. 46. In 149 Prusias II sent an envoy Menas to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> to secure a reduction in the indemnity imposed in 154 (xxxiii. <milestone unit="page" n="672">[672]</milestone> 13. 5 n.); he was to be assisted by Prusias' son, Nicomedes (xxxii. 16. 4 n.), whom he was to assassinate should the mission fail (Iustin. xxxiv. 4. 1; App. Mith. 4; Zon. ix. 28)a story perhaps invented to justify the conspiracy into which the two entered shortly afterwards in company with the Pergamene representative, Andronicus, who had succeeded in getting the appeal for the remission of the indemnity rejected (cf. xxxii. 16. 2 n.; De Sanctis, iv. 3. 87 n. 19). Attalus sent Prusias an ultimatum to share his kingdom with Nicomedes, and when this was rejected Attalus and Nicomedes invaded <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Bithynia&groupId=402&placeId=748">Bithynia</a>. Prusias shut himself in the fortress of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Nicaea&groupId=792&placeId=1431">Nicaea</a> and sent an embassy to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>; but friends of Nicomedes succeeded in having the audience delayed, to give the rebels time to achieve their purpose (App. Mith. 4–7). Eventually, as recounted here, an embassy was sent; cf. Diod. xxxii. 20–21; Livy, ep. 50; Ox. ep. 50; Strabo, xiii. 4. 2, C. 624; Zon. ix. 28; Iustin. xxxiv. 4; Plut. Cato mai. 9. 1; App. Mith. 6; Geyer, RE, 'Nikomedes (4)', cols. 484–7; Habicht, RE 'Prusias II (2)', cols. 1120–3. </p>
Specifics
36.14.1 - 36.14.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῆς ὁρμῆς τῆς τοῦ Νικομήδους</w>:</emph> for this revolt see above 14. 1–5 n. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κωλύσοντας τὸν Ἄτταλον κτλ</w>:</emph> cf. App. Mith. 6, <w lang="el-GR">οἱ δ᾿ ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἄτταλον εὐθὺς ἐχώρουν εἰς τὴν Βιθυνίαν, καὶ προσιοῦσιν αὐτοῖς οἱ Βιθυνοὶ κατ᾿ ὀλίγους προσετίθεντο</w>. </p>
36.14.2 - 36.14.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Μάρκος Λικί?ννιος</w>:</emph> probably a praetorian, since A. Mancinus was aedilicius; but he is not otherwise known (cf. Mnzer, RE, 'Licinius (22)', col. 220). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Αὖλος Μαγκῖνος</w>:</emph> probably A. Hostilius Mancinus who, according to Ateius Capito in Coniectanea ix (Aul. Gell. iv. 14. 3–6), while curule aedile brought an action against a prostitute for throwing a stone from an upper storey and wounding him; the case was dismissed by tribunician action when Manilia, the prostitute, testified that he had come drunk to her house and tried to force an entrance. Mancinus was also dismissed from office. He may have been the son of the consul of 170 (xxvii. 16. 2 n.; De Sanctis, iv. 3. 88 n. 20). See Mnzer, RE, 'Hostilius (17)', cols. 2507–8. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κεραμίδος εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐμπεσούσης</w>:</emph> cf. Diod. xxxii. 20 (based on P.). According to Appian, Mith. 6, however, he was <w lang="el-GR">τὴν κεφαλήν ποτε λίθῳ πληγείς</w>, which would fit the story in Ateius Capito (see previous note). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Λεύκιος Μαλλέολος</w>:</emph> <w lang="el-GR">μαλλιοέων</w> M. Bttner-Wobst's reading rests on the assumption that this man came from the family of M. Publicius Malleolus, cos. 232 (Zon. viii. 18). But since Livy, Ox. ep. 50 gives the name as L. Manilius Volso the text should probably read <w lang="el-GR">Λεύκιος</w> <emph rend="bold" /> <w lang="el-GR">Μάλλιο[ς Οὐό]λσων</w>; the epitome calls him stolidus, which matches <w lang="el-GR">ἀναισθητότατος</w>. Though not otherwise mentioned, he will <milestone unit="page" n="673">[673]</milestone> have reached the Senate through family connections (cf. Mnzer, RE, 'Manlius (94)', col. 1223). </p>
36.14.3 - 36.14.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀφυέστατοι πρὸς χρεί?αν</w>:</emph> their choice was evidently a deliberate device, engineered by Nicomedes' supporters, to prevent any effective action in support of Prusias; cf. De Sanctis, iv. 3. 87. </p>
36.14.4 - 36.14.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Κάτωνα . . . εἰπεῖν</w>:</emph> for his bon mot see Diod. xxxii. 20; Livy, ep. 50; Ox. ep. 50; Plut. Cato mai. 9. 1; App. Mith. 6. Cato died shortly after this, in 149; cf. Plut. Cato mai. 27; Vell. Pat. i. 12. 7. </p> <p rend="Plain Text">Having instructed Attalus and Nicomedes to suspend their attack (which they agreed to do), the envoys were told by the Bithynians that they could tolerate Prusias no longer; they therefore returned to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> to convey this information to the Senate. Prusias left <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Nicaea&groupId=792&placeId=1431">Nicaea</a> for Nicomedia; but Nicomedes was let in by treachery and had his father murdered at the altar of Zeus (App. Mith. 7; Diod. xxxii. 21; Iustin. xxxiv. 4. 5; Zon. ix. 28; Livy, ep. 50). He ascended the throne as Nicomedes II Epiphanes (cf. Magie, ii. 1198 n. 44).</p>

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