Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 42
Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. and Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D., Ed.

6. From Delphi and the meeting of the Aetolian council Marcellus crossed to Aegium in the Peloponnesus, where he had called¹ a meeting of the Achaeans. [2] There, having heartily praised the people because they had steadfastly adhered to their old resolution² not to permit the kings of the Macedonians to enter their territory, he made conspicuous the hatred which the Romans felt for Perseus; [3] that this hatred should break out betimes was the [p. 309]consequence of the arrival in Rome of King Eumenes,³ bringing with him a memorandum which he had prepared, after thorough investigation, as to Perseus' preparations for war. [4] About the same time five commissioners were sent to the king to look into the situation in Macedonia. They were also instructed to proceed to Alexandria for the purpose of renewing the friendship of the Romans with Ptolemy.⁴ [5] The commissioners were the following: Gaius Valerius, Gaius Lutatius Cerco, Quintus Baebius Sulca, Marcus Cornelius Mammula, Marcus Caecilius Denter. [6] From King Antiochus⁵ also came ambassadors about the same time: their chief, Apollonius, when he was given an audience before the senate, made explanations for the king, giving many plausible reasons why he was paying his tribute later than the appointed day; [7] he had, he said, brought the entire sum with him in order that the king might ask no indulgence except in the matter of the delay. In addition, he said that he was bringing, as a gift, golden vases of five hundred pounds' weight. [8] The king begged that the alliance and friendship which had existed with his father might be renewed with him too, and that the Roman people would give him any orders which were proper to give to a king who was a loyal and faithful ally; he would fail in no performance of duty. [9] The senate, the ambassador went on, had rendered such services to the king when he was in Rome, the young men such courtesy, that all ranks had regarded him as a king, not as a hostage. [10] The ambassadors received a gracious reply, and Aulus Atilius, the praetor urbanus, was instructed to renew with Antiochus the treaty which had existed with his father. [11] The city quaestors received the tribute, the [p. 311]censors the golden vases, and the responsibility was⁶ delegated to them of depositing them in whatever temples they saw fit; the ambassador⁷ received one hundred thousand as-pieces as a gift, and a house, free of charge, was given for his entertainment, and his expenses, so long as he should be in Italy, were provided for by decree. [12] The Roman ambassadors who had been in Syria had reported that Apollonius stood in highest favour with the king and was most friendly to the Roman people.