If he was with young children that didn't know any better, I bet the kids played too rough with him. They might have even picked him and accidently dropped him. Hopefully in time he'll come around. I think he will. In the mean time, if you want him to be able to get up on the couch, maybe build a little set of stairs or find something like a stool that he might be able to jump on to get up.
Does he bite when you go towards him or put your hands/arms near him?? Or is it only when he starts to be moved?
Well thank goodness Duke has you now!
By the way, I like his name. I love the "big" names for the little guys.
There's a Maximus that just joined and that's cute too!