perfume; some are alo composed of aromatic herbs or Perfume leaves, as lavender, marjoram, sage, thyme, hyssop, &c.

PERCOLATION, a chemical operation which is the same with FILTRATION.

PERCUSSION, in Mechanics, the impression a body makes in falling or striking upon another; or the shock of two bodies in motion. See DYNAMICS and MECHANICS.

PERDICIUM, a genus of plants, belonging to the syngenesia class; and in the natural method ranking under the 49th order, Compositæ. See BOTANY Index. PERDIX, the partridge. See TETRAO, ORNITHOLOGY Index.

PEREASLAW, a strong populous town of Poland, in the palatinate of Kiovia, situated on the river Tribecz; in E. Long. 32. 44. N. Lat. 49. 46.

PERENNIALS, or PERENNIAL FLOWERS, in Botany, a term applied to those plants whose roots abide many years, whether they retain their leaves in winter or not. Those which retain their leaves are called ever-greens; but such as cast their leaves are named deciduous or perdifols.

PERFECT, something to which nothing is wanting, or that has all the requisites of its nature and kind.

PERFECT Cadence, in Music. See CADENCE. PERFECT Tense, in Grammar. See PRETERITE. PERFECTION, the state or quality of a thing

PERFECT.

Perfection is divided, according to Chauvinus, into physical, moral, and metaphysical.

Physical or natural perfection, is that whereby a thing has all its powers and faculties, and those too in full vigour; and all its parts both principal and secondary, and those in their due propertion, constitution, &c. in which sense man is said to be perfect when he has a sound mind in a sound body. This perfection is by the schools frequently termed NTIKN, because a thing is enabled thereby to perform all its operations.

Moral perfection is an eminent degree of virtue or moral goodness, to which men arrive by repeated acts of piety, beneficence, &c. This is usually subdivided into absolute or inherent, which is actually in him to whom we attribute it; and imputative, which exists in some other, and not in him it is attributed to.

See ANATOMY, Table of the Muscles.

Metaphysical, transcendental, or essential perfection, is the possession of all the essential attributes, or of all the parts necessary to the integrity of a substance; or it is that whereby a thing has or is provided of every thing belonging to its nature. This is either absolute, where all imperfection is excluded, such is the perfection of God; or secundum quid, and in its kind. PERFORANS MANUS. PERFORANS Pedis. PERFORATUS MANUS. PERFORATUS Pedis. PERFUME, denotes either the volatile effluvia from any body affecting the organ of smelling, or the substance emitting those effluvia; in which last sense the word is most commonly used. The generality of perfumes are made up of musk, ambergris, civet, rose and cedar woods, orange-flowers, jessamines, jonquils, tuberoses, and other odoriferous flowers. Those drugs commonly called aromatics, such as storax, frankincense benzoin, cloves, mace, &c. enter the composition of a

3

The use of perfumes was frequent among the He- Pergamum brews, and among the orientals in general, before it was known to the Greeks and Romans. In the time of Moses perfumes must have been known in Egypt, since he speaks of the art of the perfumer, and gives the composition of two kinds of perfumes (Exod. xxx. 25.), of which one was to be offered to the Lord upon the golden altar which was in the holy place; and the other was appointed for the anointing of the high priest and his sons (ibid. 34, &c.) as also of the tabernacle, and all the vessels that were used in divine ser vice.

The Hebrews had also perfumes which they made use of in embalming their dead. The composition is not known, but it is certain that they generally made use of myrrh, aloes, and other strong and astringent drugs, proper to prevent putrefaction (John xix. 49.). See the article EMBALMING.

Besides the perfumes for these purposes, the Scripture mentions other occasions whereon the Hebrews used perfumes. The spouse in the Canticles (i. 3.) commends the scent of the perfumes of her lover; and her lover in return says, that the scent of the perfumes of his spouse surpasses the most excellent odours (id. iv. 10-14.). He names particularly the spikenard, the calamus, the cinnamon, the myrrh, and the aloes, as making a part of these perfumes. The voluptuous woman described by Solomon (Prov. vii. 17.) says, that she had perfumed her bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. The epicures in the book of Wisdom (ii. 7.) encourage one another to the luxuriant use of odours and costly perfumes.

Isaiah (lvii. 9.) reproaches Judea, whom he describes as a spouse faithless to God, with being painted and perfumed to please strangers, "Thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes." Ezekiel (xxiii. 41.) seems to accuse the Jews with having profaned the odours and perfumes, the use of which was reserved to sacred things, by applying them to their own use.

They came afterwards to be very common among the Greeks and Romans, especially those composed of musk, ambergris, and civet. The nardus and malobathrum were held in much estimation, and were imported from Syria. The unguentum nardinum was variously prepared, and contained many ingredients. Malobathrum was an Indian plant. Perfumes were also used at sacrifices to regale the gods; at feasts, to increase the pleasures of sensation; at funerals, to overpower cadaverous smells, and please the manes of the dead; and in the theatres, to prevent the offensive effluvia, proceeding from a crowd, from being perceived.

Since people are become sensible of the harm they do to the head, perfumes are generally disused among us; however, they are still common in Spain and Italy.

PERGAMA, (Virgil), the citadel of Troy; which, because of its extraordinary height, gave name to all high buildings (Servius). Others say the walls of Troy were called Pergama.

PERGAMUM, (Pliny); called also Pergamea, (Virgil); Pergamia, (Plutarch; a town of Crete,

built.

Pergamum, built by Agamemnon in memory of his victory, (VelPergamus. leius). Here was the burying-place of Lycurgus (Aristoxenus, quoted by Plutarch). It was situated near Cydonia (Servius); to what point not said: but Scylax helps him out, who places the Dactynnean temple of Diana, which stood near Cydonia (Strabo), to the north of the territory of Pergamia.-Another PERGAMUM (Pliny, Strabo); a town of Mysia, situated on the Caïcus, which runs by it. It was the royal residence of Eumenes, and of the kings of the Attali (Livy). There an ancient temple of Esculapius stood; an asylum (Tacitus). The ornament of Pergamum was the royal library, vying with that of Alexandria in Egypt; the kings of Pergamum and Egypt rivalling each other in this respect (Pliny). Strabo ascribes this rivalry to Eumenes. Plutarch reckons up 200,000 volumes in the library at Pergamum. Here the membranæ pergamena, whence the name parchment, were invented for the use of books, (Varro, quoted by Pliny). The country of Galen, and of Oribasius chief physician to Julian the Apostate (Eunapius), called by some the ape of Galen. Here P. Scipio died (Cicero). Attalus son of Eumenes dying without issue, bequeathed his kingdom to the Roman people, who reduced it to a province, (Strabo). Pergameus, the epithet (Martial). Here was one of the nine conventus juridici, or assemblies of the Asia Romana, called Pergamenus, and the ninth in order (Pliny); which he also calls jurisdictio Per

gamena.

PERGAMUS, an ancient kingdom of Asia, formed out of the ruins of the empire of Alexander the Great. It commenced about the year 283 B. C. The first sovereign was one Philetarus an eunuch, by birth a Paphlagonian, of a mean descent, and in his youth a menial servant to Antigonus one of Alexander's captains. He afterwards served Lysimachus king of Macedon and Thrace, who appointed him keeper of his treasures lodged in Pergamus. While he held this employment, having fallen under the displeasure of Arsinoe wife to Lysimachus, she found means to make a quarrel between him and his master; upon which Philetarus seized on the castle of Pergamus, together with the treaures entrusted to his care, amounting to 90,000 talents. At first he offered his service, toge ther with his treasure, to Seleucus king of Syria: but both Seleucus and Lysimachus dying soon after, he kept possession of the town and treasure also till his death; which happened 20 years after his revolt from Lysimachus.

Philetarus left the city of Pergamus to his brother, or, according to some, to his brother's son Eumenes I. and he, laying hold of the opportunity offered by the dissensions among the Seleucidæ, possessed himself of many strong-holds in the province of Asia; and having hired a body of Galatians, defeated Antiochus at he was returning from a victory gained over his brother Seleucus Callinicus. By this victory he obtained possession of the greater part of Asia: however, he did not long enjoy his acquisitions; for he died next year of immoderate drinking, a vice to which he was greatly addicted.

Eumenes was succeeded by Attalus I. nephew of Philetarus, and the first who took upon him the title of king of Pergamus. He defeated the Gauls, who were desirous of settling in his territory; and, accor

ding to Livy, was the first of the Asiatic princes who Pergamus. refused to pay a contribution to these barbarians. When Seleucus Ceraunus was engaged in other wars, he invaded his territories, and conquered all the provinces on this side of Mount Taurus; but was soon driven out of his new acquisitions by Seleucus and his grandfather Achæus, who entering into an alliance against him, deprived him of all his newly acquired territories, and even besieged him in his capital. Upon this Attalus invited to his assistance the Gauls who had settled in Thrace and with their help not only obliged the enemy to raise the siege of Pergamus, but quickly recovered all the provinces he had lost. Af-ter this he invaded Ionia and the neighbouring provinces, where several cities voluntarily submitted to him. him. The Teians, Colophonians, with the inhabitants of Egea and Lemnos, sent deputies declaring themselves ready to acknowledge him for their sovereign; the Carsenes, on the other side the river Lycus, opened their gates to him, having first expelled the governor set over them by Achæus. From thence he advanced to Apia, and encamping on the banks of the river Megithus, received homage from the neighbouring nations. But here the Gauls being frightened by an eclipse of the moon, refuse to proceed farther; which obliged Attalus to return to the Hellespont, where he allowed his allies to settle, giving them a large and fruitful territory, and promising that he would always assist and protect them to the utmost of his power.

Attalus having thus settled his affairs with equal honour and advantage to himself, entered into an alliance with Rome, and afterwards joined them in their war against Philip king of Macedon, Here he had the command of the Rhodian fleet; with which he not only drove the Macedonians quite out of the seas, but having landed his men, he, in conjunction with the Athenians, invaded Macedon, and obliged Philip to raise the siege of Athens, which he had greatly distressed; for which services the Athenians not only heaped on him all the favours they could, but called one of their tribes by his name; an honour they had never bestowed on any for reigner before.

Attalus, not contented with all he had yet done against Philip, attempted to form a general confederacy of the Greeks against him. But while he was haranguing the Boeotians to this purpose, and exhorting them with great vehemence to enter into an alliance with the Romans against their common enemy, he fell down speechless. However he came to himself again, and desired to be carried by sea from Thebes to Pergamus, where he died soon after his arrival, in the 72d year of his age and 43d of his reign.

This prince was a man of great generosity, and such an enthusiast in learning and learned men, that he caused a grammarian named Daphidas to be thrown into the sea from the top of a high rock, because he spoke disrespectfully of Homer.

Attalus was succeeded by his eldest son Eumenes II. He was exceedingly attached to the Romans, insomuch that he refused the daughter of Antiochus the Great in marriage, lest he should thus have been led into a difference with that people. He also gave notice to the Roman senate of the transactions of Ariarathes king of Cappadocia, who was making great preparations both by sea and land. Nor did Eumenes stop here; for

when

Pergamus, when he saw the war about to break out between Antiochus and the Romans, he sent his brother Attalus to Rome to give information of the proceedings of Antiochus. The senate heaped honours both on Eumenes and his brother; and in the war which followed, gave the command of their fleet to the king of Pergamus in conjunction with C. Livius Salinator. The victory gained on this occasion was in a great measure owing to Eumenes, who boarded some of the enemy's ships in person, and during the whole action behaved with uncommon bravery. Some time afterwards Eumenes, entering the territories of Antiochus with a body of 5000 men, ravaged all the country about Thyatira, and returned with an immense booty. But in the mean time Antiochus invading Pergamus in his turn, ravaged the whole country, and even laid siege to the capital. Attalus, the king's brother, held out with a handful of men till the Achæans, who were in alliance with Eumenes, sent 1000 foot and 100 horse to his assistance. As this small body of auxiliaries were all chosen men, and commanded by an experienced officer, they behaved with such bravery that the Syrians were obliged to raise the siege. At the battle of Magnesia, too, Eumenes behaved with the greatest bravery: not only sustaining the first attack of the enemy's elephants, but driving them back again on their own troops, which put the ranks in disorder, and gave the Romans an opportunity of giving them a total defeat by attacking them opportunely with their horse. In consequence of this defeat, Antiochus was obliged to conclude a peace with the Romans on such terms as they pleased to prescribe; one of which was, that he should pay Eumenes 400 talents, and a quantity of corn, in recompense for the damage he had done him.

Eumenes now thought of obtaining some reward from the Romans equivalent to the services he had done them. Having gone to Rome, he told the senate, that he was come to beg of them that the Greek cities which had belonged to Antiochus before the commencement of the late war, might now be added to his dominions; but his demand was warmly opposed by the ambassadors from Rhodes, as well as by deputies from all the Greek cities in Asia. The senate, however, after hearing both parties, decided the matter in favour of Eumenes, adding to his dominions all the countries on this side of Mount Taurus which belonged to Antiochns; the other provinces lying between that mountain and the river Mæander, excepting Lycia and Caria, were bestowed on the Rhodians. All the cities, which had paid tribute to Attalus, were ordered to pay the same to Eumenes; but such as had been tributary to Antiochus were declared free.

Soon after this Eumenes was engaged in a war with Prusias king of Bithynia, who made war upon him by the advice of Hannibal the celebrated Carthaginian general. But Eumenes, being assisted by the Romans, defeated Prusias in an engagement by sea, and another by land; which so disheartened him, that he was ready to accept of peace on any terms. However, before the treaty was concluded, Hannibal found means to draw Philip of Macedon into the confederacy, who sent Philocles, an old and experienced officer, with a considerable body of troops to join Prusias. Hereupon Eumenes sent his brother Attalus to Rome with a

I

golden crown, worth 15,000 talents, to complain of Pergames Prusias for making war on the allies of the Roman people without any provocation. The senate accepted the present, and promised to adjust every thing to the satisfaction of their friend Eumenes, whom they looked upon to be the most steady ally they had in Asia. But in the mean time Prusias, having ventured another sea-fight, by a contrivance of Hannibal's gained a complete victory. The Carthaginian commander advised him to fill a great many earthen vessels with various kinds of serpents and other poisonous reptiles, and in the heat of the fight to throw them into the enemies ships so as to break the pots and let the serpents loose. All the soldiers and seamen were commanded to attack the ship in which Eumenes was, and only to defend themselves as well as they could against the rest; and that they might be in no danger of mistaking the ship, a herald was sent before the engagement with a letter to the king. As soon as the two fleets drew near, all the ships of Prusias, singling out that of Eumenes, discharged such a quantity of serpents into it, that neither soldiers nor sailors could do their duty, but were forced to fly to the shore, lest they should fall into the enemy's hands. The other ships, after a faint resistance, followed the king's example, and were all driven ashore with great slaughter, the soldiers being no less annoyed by the stings of the serpents, than by the weapons of the enemy. greatest part of the ships of Eumenes were burnt, several taken, and the others so much shattered that they became quite unserviceable. The same year Prusias gained two remarkable victories over Eumenes by land, both of which were entirely owing to stratagems of Hannibal. But, while matters were thus going on to the disadvantage of Eumenes, the Romans interfered, and by their deputies not only put an end to the differences between the two kings, but prevailed on Prusias to betray Hannibal; upon which he poisoned himself, as hath been related under the article HANNIBAL.

The

Eumenes being thus freed from such a dangerous enemy, engaged in a new war with the kings of Cappadocia and Pontus, in which also he proved victorious. His friendship for the Romans he carried to such a degree of enthusiasm, that he went in person to Rome to inform them of the machinations of Perses king of Macedon. He had before quarrelled with the Rhodians, who sent ambassadors to Rome to complain of him. But as the ambassadors happened to arrive while the king himself was present in the city, the Rhodian ambassadors could not obtain any hearing, and Eumenes was dismissed with new marks of favour. This journey, however, had almost proved fatal to him; for, on his return, as he was going to perform a sacrifice at Delphi, two assassins, sent by Perses, rolled down two great stones upon him as he entered the straits of the mountains. With one he was dangerously wounded on the head, and with the other on the shoulder. He fell with the blows from a steep place, and thus received many other bruises; so that he was carried on board his ship when it could not well be known whether he was dead or alive. His people, however, soon finding that he was still alive, conveyed him to Corinth, and from Corinth to Ægina, having caused their vessels to be carried over the isthmus.

Eumenes remained at Ægina till his wounds were cured,

ther's kingdom, not only granted all his requests, but Pergamus? sent him richer and more magnificent presents than they had ever done before. Upon this Attalus immediately set out on his return to Pergamus; which so provoked the senators, that they declared the cities free which they had promised to Attalus, thus rendering ineffectual their promise which they were ashamed openly to revoke; and as for the Gauls, who were on all occasions ready to invade the kingdom of Pergamus, they sent ambassadors to them, with instructions to behave in such a manner as would rather tend to encourage them in their design than dissuade them from it.

Pergamus. cured, which was done with such secrecy, that a report of his death was spread all over Asia, and even believed at Rome; nay, his brother Attalus was so convinced of the truth of this report, that he not only assumed the government, but even married Stratonice the wife of Eumenes. But in a short time Eumenes convinced them both of his being alive, by returning to his kingdom. On the receipt of this news, Attalus resigned the sovereignty in great haste, and went to meet his brother; carrying a halberd, as one of his guards. Eumenes received both him and the queen with great tenderness, nor did he ever say any thing which might tend to make them uneasy; only it is said he whispered in his brother's ear when he first saw him, "Be in no haste to marry my wife again till you are sure that I am dead."

The king being now more than ever exasperated against Perses, joined the Romans in their war against him; but during the course of it he suddenly cooled in his affection towards those allies whom he had hitherto served with so much zeal, and that to such a degree, that he admitted ambassadors from Perses, and offered to stand neuter if he would pay him 1000 talents, and for 1500, to influence the Romans to grant him a safe and honourable peace. But these negociations were broke off without effect, by reason of the distrust which the two kings had of one another. Eumenes could not trust Perses unless he paid him the money beforehand; while, on the other hand, Perses did not care to part with the money before Eumenes had performed what he promised; neither could he be induced to pay the sum in question, though the king of Pergamus offered to give hostages for the performance of his promise. What the reason of such a sudden change in the disposition of Eumenes was, is nowhere told; however, the fact is certain. The negociations above mentioned were concealed from the Romans as long as possible; but they soon came to be known: after which the republic began to entertain no small jealousy of their old friend, and therefore heaped favours on his brother Attalus, without taking any notice of the king himself. Eumenes had sent him to Rome to congratulate the senate on the happy issue of the war with Perses, not thinking that his practices had been discovered. However, the senate without taking any notice of their disaffection to Eumenes at first, entertained Attalus with the greatest magnificence; then several of the senators who visited him proceeded to acquaint him with their suspicions of the king, and desired Attalus to treat with them in his own name, assuring him, that the kingdom of Pergamus would be granted him, if he demanded it, by the senate. These speeches had at first some effect; but Attalus, being of an honest disposition, and assisted by the advice of a physician called Stratius, a man of great probity, resolved not to comply with their desire. When he was admitted to the senate, therefore, he first congratulated them on the happy issue of the Macedonian war, then modestly recounted his own services; and lastly, acquainted them with the motive of his journey; intreated them to send ambassadors to the Gauls, who by their authority might secure his brother from any danger of their hostilities; and he requested them also, that the two cities of Enus and Maronea might be bestowed on himself. The senate, imagining that Attalus designed to choose some other day to sue for his bro

For

Eumenes, being alarmed at those proceedings, resolved to go in person to Rome, in order to justify himself. But the senate having already condemned him in their own minds, resolved not to hear his vindication. this reason, as soon as they heard of his design, they made an act that no king should he permitted to enter the gates of Rome. Eumenes, however, who knew nothing of this act, set forward on his journey, and landed at Brundusium; but no sooner did the Roman senate get intelligence of his arrival there, than they sent a quæstor acquainting him with the decree of the senate; and telling him at the same time, that if he had any business to transact with the senate, he was appointed to hear it, and transmit it to them; but if not, that the king must leave Italy without delay. To this Eumenes replied, that he had no business of any consequence to transact, and that he did not stand in need of any of their assistance; and without saying a word more, went on board his ship, and returned to Pergamus.

On his return home, the Gauls, being encouraged by the cold reception which he had met with at Rome, invaded his territories, but were repulsed with great loss by the king, who afterwards invaded the dominions of Prusias, and possessed himself of several cities. This produced new complaints at Rome; and Eumenes was accused, not only by the ambassadors of Prusias, but also by those of the Gauls and many cities in Asia, of keeping a secret correspondence with Perses king of Macedon. This last charge was confirmed by some letters which the Romans themselves had intercepted; so that Eumenes found it impossible to keep up his credit any longer at Rome, though he sent his brothers Athenæus and Attalus thither to intercede for him. The senators, in short, had conceived the most implacable hatred against him, and seemed absolutely bent on his destruction, when he died, in the 39th year of his reign, leaving his kingdom and his wife to his brother Attalus. He left one son, but he was an infant, and incapable of governing the kingdom; for which reason Eumenes chose rather to give the present possession of the crown to his brother, reserving the succession to his son, than to endanger the whole by committing the management of affairs to his son's tutors.

Attalus, in the beginning of his reign, found himself greatly distressed by Prusias king of Bithynia, who not only overthrew him in a pitched battle, but advanced to the very walls of Pergamus, ravaging the country as he marched along; and at last reduced the royal city itself. The king, however, saved himself by a timely flight, and dispatched ambassadors to Rome, complaining of the bad usage of Prusias. The latter endeavoured to defend himself, and to throw the blame on Atta

lus.

Pergamus. lus. But, after a proper inquiry was made into the matter, Prusias was found to be entirely in the wrong; in consequence of which, he was at last obliged to conclude a peace with his adversary on the following terms. 1. That he should immediately deliver up to Attalus 20 ships with decks. 2. That he should pay 500 talents to Attalus within the space of 20 years. 3. That he should pay 100 talents to some of the other Asiatic nations by way of reparation for the damages they had sustained from him. And, 4. Both parties should be content with what they had before the beginning of the

war.

Some time after this, Prusias having made an unnatural attempt on the life of his son Nicomedes, the latter rebelled, and with the assistance of Attalus, drove his father from the throne, and, as is said, even murdered him in the temple of Jupiter. The Romans took no notice of these transactions, but showed the same kindness to Attalus as formerly. The last enterprise in which we find Attalus engaged, was against Andriseus the pretended son of Perses king of Macedon, where he assisted the Romans; after which he gave himself up entirely to ease and luxury, committing state affairs entirely to his ministers; and thus continued to his death, which happened in the 82d year of his age, about 138 .B. C.

Attalus II. was succeeded by Attalus III. the son of Eumenes; for the late king, considering that he only held the crown as a trust for his nephew, passed by his own children in order to give it to him, though he appears to have been by no means of worthy of it. He is said to have been deprived of his senses through the violence of his grief for his mother's death; and indeed, throughout his whole reign, he behaved more like a madman than any thing else. Many of his subjects of the highest quality were cut off with their wives and children, upon the most groundless suspicions; and for these executions he made use of mercenaries hired out from among the most barbarous nations. Thus be proceeded till he had cut off all the best men in the kingdom; after which he fell into a deep melancholy, imagining that the ghosts of those whom he had murdered were perpetually haunting him. On this he shut himself up in his palace, put on a mean apparel, let his hair and beard grow, and sequestered himself from all mankind. At last he withdrew from the palace, and retired into a garden, which he cultivated with his own hands, and filled with all sorts of poisonous herbs. These he used to mix with wholesome pulse, and send packets of them to such as he suspected. At last, being weary of this amusement, and living in solitude, because nobody durst approach him, he took it in his head to follow the trade of a founder, and make a brazen monument. But, while he laboured at melting and casting the brass, the heat of the sun and furnace threw him into a fever, which in seven days put an end to his tyranny, after he had sat on the throne five years.

On the death of the king, a will was found, by which he left the Roman people heirs of all his goods; upon which they seized on the kingdom, and reduced it to a province of their empire by the name of Asia Proper. But Aristonicus, a son of Eumenes by an Ephesian courtesan, reckoning himself the lawful heir to the crown, could by no means be satisfied with this usurpation of the Romans, and therefore assembled a consider

But

able army to maintain his pretensions. The people in Pergamus general, having been accustomed to a monarchy, dreaded a republican form of government; in consequence of which, they assisted Aristonicus, and soon put him in a condition to reduce the whole kingdom. The news, however, were soon carried to Rome; and Licinius Crassus, the pontifex maximus, was sent into the east, with orders to enforce obedience to the king's will. Historians take no notice of any forces which were sent along with this commander; whence it is supposed, that he depended on assistance from the Asiatics, who were in alliance with Rome, or from the Egyptians. when he came thither, he found both the Syrians and Egyptians so reduced, that he could not expect any assistance from them. However, he was soon supplied with troops in plenty by the kings of Pontus, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Paphlagonia; but managed matters so ill, that he was entirely defeated and taken prisoner. Those who took him, designed to carry him to Aristonicus; but he, not able to endure the disgrace, would have laid violent hands on himself if he had not been disarmed. However, being allowed to keep a rod for managing the horse on which he sat, he struck a Thracian soldier who stood near him so violently with it, that he beat out one of his eyes; upon which the other drew his sword, and run him through on the spot. His head was brought to Aristonicus, who exposed it to public view; but the body was honourably buried.

Aristonicus had no great time to enjoy the fruits of his victory. Indeed he behaved very improperly after it; for, instead of preparing to oppose the next army, which he might have been assured the Romans would send against him, he spent his time in feasting and revelling. But he was soon roused out of his lethargy by Perpenna the new consul, who having assembled with incredible expedition the troops of the allies, came unexpectedly upon him, obliged him to venture an engagement at a disadvantage, and entirely defeated him. Aristonicus fled to a city called Stratonice, but was so closely pursued by the conqueror, that the garrison having no method of supplying themselves with provisions, delivered up their leader, as well as a philosopher named Blosius, who had been the companion and counsellor of Aristonicus. The philosopher behaved with great resolution after being taken, and openly defended his siding with Aristonicus, because he thought his cause just. He exhorted the latter to prevent the disgrace and misery of captivity by a voluntary death; but Aristonicus, looking upon death as a greater misery than any captivity, suffered himself to be treated as his conquerors pleased.

In the mean time, a new consul named Manius Aquilius, being arrived from Rome, sent a most haughty message to Perpenna, requiring him immediately to deliver up Aristonicus, as a captive belonging to his triumph when the war should be ended. With this demand Perpenna refused to comply, and his refusal had almost produced a civil war. However, this was prevented by the death of Perpenna, which happened soon after the dispute commenced. The Pergamenians, notwithstanding the defeat and captivity of their leader, still held out with such obstinacy, that Aquilius was obliged to besiege, and take by force, almost every city in the kingdom. In doing this, he took a very effec

tual