Cotys, King of the Odrysae
At this period Cotys, king of the Odrysae, sent ambassadors to Rome, asking for the restoration
note
of his son, and pleading his defence for having
acted on the side of Perseus. The Romans,
considering that they had effected their purpose by the successful issue of the war against Perseus, and that they had no
need to press their quarrel with Cotys any further, allowed
him to take his son back—who, having been sent as a hostage
to Macedonia, had been captured with the children of Perseus,
—wishing to display their clemency and magnanimity, and with
the idea at the same time of binding Cotys to themselves by
so great a favour. . . .