Mithridates, he died old. Housman's passage is based on the belief of the ancients that Mithridates the Great [c. 135-63 B.C.] had so saturated his body with poisons that none could injure him. When captured by the Romans he tried in vain to poison himself, then ordered a Gallic mercenary to kill him.
![Mithridates, he died old. Housman's passage is based on the belief of the ancients that Mithridates the Great [c. 135-63 B.C.] had so saturated his body with poisons that none could injure him. When captured by the](http://cdn.quoteddaily.com/images/a-e-housman/mithridates-he-died-old-housmans-passage-is-based-on-the-belief-of-the-ancients-that-mithridates-the-great-c-135.jpg)