The Senate Breaks its Alliance with Ptolemy Philometor
THIS year Comanus and his brother arrived at Rome on
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their mission from the younger Ptolemy, and
Menyllus of Alabanda from the elder. Their
interview with the Senate was the occasion of
many mutual recriminations expressed with great
bitterness; and when Titus Torquatus and
Gnaeus Merula gave evidence in favour of the
younger king, and supported him with great
earnestness, the Senate voted that Menyllus
and his colleagues should leave Rome within five days, and
that the treaty of alliance with the elder Ptolemy should be
annulled; but that they should send envoys to the younger
to inform him of the decree of the Senate. Publius Apustius
and Gaius Lentulus were appointed to this service, who
immediately sailed to Cyrene, and with great despatch announced to Physcon the decree of the Senate. Greatly
elated by this, Ptolemy began collecting mercenaries, and
devoted his whole attention and energies to the acquisition of
Cyprus. This was what was going on in Italy. . . .
