No One Notices Demetrius's Absence
At Rome, during the whole of the following day, no one
The absence of Demetrius is not ascertained in Rome until the fourth day. |
was likely to make any inquiry for Demetrius
or those who had gone with him. For those
of his household who stayed in the city supposed him to have gone to Cerceii; and those
at Anagnia were expecting him to come there
too. The flight from Rome, therefore, was entirely unremarked;
until one of his slaves, having been flogged at Anagnia, ran off
to Cerceii, expecting to find Demetrius there; and not finding
him, ran back again to Rome, hoping to meet him on
the road. But as he failed to meet him anywhere, he went and
informed his friends in Rome and the members of his household who had been left behind in his house. But it was not
until the fourth day after his start that, Demetrius being looked
for in vain, the truth was suspected.
The Senate is summoned, but decides not to attempt pursuit. |
On the
fifth the Senate was hastily summoned to consider the matter, when Demetrius had already
cleared the Straits of Messina. The Senate
gave up all idea of pursuit: both because they imagined that
he had got a long start on the voyage (for the wind was in his
favour), and because they foresaw that, though they might wish
to hinder him, they would be unable to do so.
Commissioners appointed for Greece and Asia, B. C. 162. |
But some few days afterwards they appointed
Tiberius Gracchus, Lucius Lentulus, and Servilius Glaucia as commissioners: first to inspect
the state of Greece; and, next, to cross to Asia and watch the
result of Demetrius's attempt, and examine the policy adopted
by the other kings, and arbitrate on their controversies with
the Gauls. Such were the events in Italy this year. . . .
Demetrius expecting the arrival of the commissioner who
was to be sent to him. . . .