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Eumenes, plotted against by Perseus, was reputed to be dead. When the story was brought to Pergamum, Attalus his brother put on the crown, married his wife, and assumed the rule. But upon learning that his brother was approaching alive, he went to meet him, attended, as was his wont, by his bodyguards, and holding a short spear. Eumenes greeted him kindly and whispered in his ear,

—ldquo;Haste not to marry ere you see him dead,—rdquo; Apparently a parody of a line of Sophocles adapted to fit the situation (μήπω μέγ᾽εἴπης, κλτ.). See Nauck, Trag. Graec. Frag., Sophocles, No. 601.

and neither said nor did anything else during his whole lifetime to arouse suspicion, but when he died he left to Attalus his wife and his kingdom. As a requital, Attalus reared no child of his own, although many were born, but while still living he transferred the kingdom to Eumenes’ son when the boy became of age.

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