For observing that the chief cause of the Byzantines\' resolute endurance of the war lay in their hopes of support from Achaeus, and knowing that Achaeus\' father was a prisoner at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alexandria&groupId=1063&placeId=1868">Alexandria</a> and that Achaeus above all things desired his deliverance, they decided to send an embassy to Ptolemy begging him to give up <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Andromachus&groupId=330&placeId=640">Andromachus</a>.
They had indeed previously made this request without insisting much on it, the now they pressed it most seriously, in order that by doing this favour to Achaeus they might put him under such an obligation that he would do all they demanded.
Ptolemy, on the arrival of the embassy, deliberated as to retaining <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Andromachus&groupId=330&placeId=640">Andromachus</a>, whom he hoped to make use of at the proper time, considering that his differences with Antiochus had not yet been decided, and that Achaeus, who had just proclaimed himself king, could exercise a decisive influence in certain important matters;
for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Andromachus&groupId=330&placeId=640">Andromachus</a> was Achaeus\' father and brother of Laodice the wife of Seleucus.
But nevertheless, as his sympathies in general were with the Rhodians and he was anxious to do them any favour, he yielded and gave up <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Andromachus&groupId=330&placeId=640">Andromachus</a> to them to conduct back to his son.
Having accomplished this and in addition conferred certain honours on Achaeus they deprived the Byzantines of their most important source of hope.
At the same time the Byzantines met with another mischance; for Tiboetes on his way from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> foiled their hopes by his death, upon which the Byzantines relaxed their efforts, while Prusias, fortified in his expectations of success in the war, at one and the same time was himself attacking the enemy from Asia with his whole energy, and on the European side, by hiring the services of the Thracians, prevented the Byzantines from venturing out of their gates.
The Byzantines, all their hopes being now defeated, were suffering on all sides from the war and began to look about for an honourable solution of the questions at issue.
Walbank Commentary