SECT. VII.

Polyxenides defeated by Livius. L. Scipio carries on the war against Antiochus, and defeats him near Magnesia.

"Whilst the affairs I have just related were passing in Greece, Antiochus lived easy and undisturbed in Ephesus; relying on the assurances of his flatterers and courtiers, that he had no reason to be under any apprehensions from the Romans, who (they declared) did not intend to cross into Asia. Hannibal was the only person capable of rousing him from this lethargy. He told the king plainly, that instead of entertaining vain hopes, and suffering himself to be lulled asleep by irrational and improbable discourse, he might be assured, that he would soon be forced to fight the Romans both by sea and land, in Asia, and for Asia; and that he must resolve, either to renounce the empire of it, or to defend it sword in hand, against enemies who aspired at no less than the conquest of the whole world.

The king then became sensible of the great danger he was in, and immediately sent orders to hasten the march of the troops from the east, which were not yet arrived. He also fitted out a fleet, embarked, and sailed to the Chersonesus. He there fortified Lysimachia, Sestos, Abydos, and other cities in that neighbourhood, to prevent the Romans from crossing into Asia by the Hellespont; and this being done, he returned to Ephesus.

Here it was resolved, in a great council, to venture a naval engagement. Polyxenides, admiral of the fleet, was ordered to go in search of C. Livius, who commanded that of the Romans, which was just before arrived in the Ægeau Sea, and to attack it. They met near Mount Corychus in Ionia. The battle was fought with great bravery on both sides; but at last Polyxenides was beaten, and obliged to fly. Ten of his ships were sunk, thirteen taken, and he escaped with the rest to Ephesus. The Romans sailed into the har bour of Canna, in Ætolia, drew their ships ashore, and fortified with a strong intrenchment and rampart, the place where they laid them up for the whole winter.

Antiochus, at the time this happened, was in Magnesia, assembling his land-forces. News being brought that his fleet was defeated, he marched towards the coast, and resolved to equip another so powerful, as might be able to preserve the empire of those seas. For this purpose, he refitted such ships as had been brought off, reinforced them with Ant J. C. 191. Liv. I. xxxvi n 41-45. Appian. in Syriac? b Liv. 1. xxxvii. n. 8. Appian. in Syriac. p. 100.

a A. M. 3813. D. 99, 100,

new ones, and sent Hannibal into Syria, to fetch those of Syria and Phoenicia. He also gave part of the army to Seleucus his son, whom he sent into Etolia, to watch the Roman fleet, and awe all the country round; and marched in person with the rest into winter-quarters in Phrygia.

« During these transactions, the Etolian ambassadors arrived at Rome, where they pressed to be admitted to audience, because the truce was near expiring. Quintius, who was returned from Greece, employed all his influence in their favour. But he found the senate very much exasperated against the Ætolians. They were considered, not as common enemies, but as a people, so very untractable, that it would be to no purpose to conclude an alliance with them. After several days' debate, in which they were neither allowed nor refused peace, two proposals were made to them, and left to their option; these were, either to submit entirely to the will of the senate; or to pay a thousand talents, and to acknowledge all those for their friends or enemies, whom the Romans should consider as such. As the Etolians desired to know particularly how far they were to submit to the will of the senate, no express answer was made them. They therefore withdrew, without obtaining any thing, and were ordered to leave Rome that very day, and Italy in a fortnight.

The next year the Romans gave the command of the land-armies, which Acilius had before, to L. Cornelius Scipio the new consul, under whom Scipio Africanus, his brother, had offered to serve as lieutenant. The senate and people of Rome were very desirous of trying, whether of the two, Scipio or Hannibal, the conqueror or the conquered, would be of the greater service to the army in which he should fight. The command of the fleet, which Livius had before, was given to L. Æmilius Regillus.

The consul being arrived in Etolia, did not trifle away his time in besieging one town after another; but wholly attentive to his principal view, after granting the Ætolians a six months' truce, in order that they might have full time for sending a second embassy to Rome, he resolved to march his army through Thessaly, Macedonia, and Thrace, and from thence to cross over into Asia. However, he thought it advisable previously to inform himself how Philip might stand affected. This prince gave the army such a reception as might be expected from the most faithful and most zealous ally. At its arrival, as well as departure, he furnished it with all necessary refreshments and supplies, with a truly

a Liv. 1. xxxvii. n. 1.

b About 190,0001.

c A. M. 38 L4. Ant. J. C. 190. Liv. 1. xxxvii n. 1-7. Appian, in Syriac p. 99, and 100.

royal munificence. In the entertainments which he made for the consul, his brother, and the chief officers of the Romans, he discovered an easy, graceful air; and such a politeness, as was very pleasing to Scipio Africanus. For this great man, who excelled in every thing, was not an enemy to a certain elegance of manners and noble generosity, provided they did not degenerate into luxury.

The praise which Livy gives Scipio in this place, is also very honourable to Philip. He had at that time, for his guests, the most illustrious personages in the world, a Roman consul, and at the same time general of the armies of that republic; and what was still more, Scipio Africanus, that consul's brother. Profusion is usual, and in some measure pardonable on these occasions; and yet nothing of that kind appeared in the reception which Philip gave to his guests. He regaled them in such a manner as became a great prince; and with a magnificence that suited their dignity and his own, but at the same time was far from discovering the least pomp or ostentation, and was infinitely improved by his engaging demeanour, and by the care he took to set before his guests with taste and decorum whatever might be most agreeable to them. Multa in eo dexteritas et humanitas visa. These personal qualities, in the opinion of Scipio, did Philip greater honour, and gave his guests a more advantageous idea of him, than the most sumptuous profusion could have done. This excellent taste on both sides, so uncommon in princes and great men, is a fine model for persons of their high rank.

The consul and his brother, in return for the noble and generous reception which Philip had given the army, remitted him in the name of the Roman people, who had invested them with full powers for that purpose, the remainder of the sum he was to pay them.

Philip seemed to make it his duty, as well as pleasure to accompany the Roman army; and to supply it with necessaries of every kind, not only in Macedonia but as far as Thrace. His experience taught him how much the Roman forces were superior to his own; and his inability to shake off the yoke of obedience and submission, always grating to kings, obliged him to cultivate the good opinion of a people on whom his future fate depended; and it was wise in him to do that with a good grace, which he would otherwise in some measure have been obliged to do. For in reality it was scarce possible for him not to retain a very strong resentment against the Romans, on account of the condition

a Multa in eo et dexteritas et humanitas visa, quæ commendabilia apud Afri canum erant ; virum, sicut ad cætera egregium, ita a comitate, quæ sine luxas ria esset, non aversum. Liv,

to which they had reduced him; for kings are never able to accustom themselves to depend on and submit to others.

a In the mean time the Roman fleet advanced towards Thrace, to favour the passage of the consul's troops into Asia. Polyxenides, Antiochus's admiral, who was a Rhodian exile, by a stratagem, defeated Pausistratus, who commanded the Rhodian fleet, which had been sent to the assistance of the Romans. He attacked him by surprise in the harbour of Samos, and burnt or sunk nine-and-twenty of his ships; and Pausistratus himself lost his life in this engagement. The Rhodians, so far from being discouraged by this great loss, meditated only their revenge. Accordingly, with incredible diligence they fitted out a more powerful fleet than the former. It joined that of Æmilius, and both fleets sailed towards Elea, to aid Eumenes, whom Seleucus was besieging in his capital. This succour arrived very seasonably; Eumenes being just on the point of being reduced by the enemy. Diophanes the Achaan, who had formed himself under the famous Philopomen, obliged the enemy to raise the siege. He had entered the city with a thousand foot and an hundred horse. At the head of his own troops only, and in sight of the inhabitants, who did not dare to follow him, he performed actions of such extraordinary bravery, as obliged Seleucus at length to raise the siege, and quit the country.

The Rhodian fleet being afterwards detached in quest of Hannibal, who was bringing to the king that of Syria and Phoenicia, the Rhodians, singly, fought him on the coasts of Pamphylia. By the goodness of their ships, and the dexterity of their seamen, they defeated that great captain, drove him into the port of Megiste, near Patara; and there blocked him up so close, as made it impossible for him to act for the service of the king.

The news of this defeat came to Antiochus, much about the time that advice was brought that the Roman consul was advancing by hasty marches into Macedonia, and was preparing to pass the Hellespont and enter Asia. Antiochus then saw the imminent danger he was in, and made haste to take all possible methods for preventing it.

< He sent ambassadors to Prusias king of Bithynia, to inform him of the design which the Romans had of entering Asia. They were ordered to display, in the strongest terms, the fatal consequences of that enterprise; that they were coming with a design to destroy all the kingdoms in the world,

a Liv. 1 xxxvii. n. 911, and n. 18-22. Appian. in Syr. p. 101-103. b Liv. 1. xxxvii. n. 23, 24.

viii.

Appian in Syr. p. 100. Cor. Nep. in Hannib. c.

e Liv. i. xxxvii. n. 25-30 Appian. in Syr. p. 101-104. Polyb, in Excerpt, Пegat. c. xxii

and subject them to the empire of the Romans; that after having subdued Philip and Nabis, they had resolved to attack him; that should he have the ill-fortune to be overcome, the fire spreading, would soon reach Bithynia; that as to Eumenes, no aid could be expected from him, as he had voluntarily submitted himself, and put on the chains of the Romans with his own hands.

These motives had made a great impression on Prusias, but the letters which he received at the same time from Scipio, the consul and his brother, contributed very much to remove his fears and suspicions. The latter represented to him, that it was the constant practice of the Romans to bestow the greatest honours on such kings as sought their alliance; and he mentioned several examples of that kind, in which he himself had been concerned. He said, that in Spain, several princes, who, before they were favoured with the protection of the Romans, had made a very inconsiderable figure, were since become great kings; that Masinissa had not only been restored to his kingdom, but that the dominions of Syphax had been added to it, whereby he was become one of the most powerful potentates of the universe. That Philip and Nabis, though vanquished by Quintius, had nevertheless been suffered to sit peaceably on their thrones; that in the preceding year the tribute which Philip had agreed to pay, was remitted, and his son, who was an hostage in Rome, sent back to him; that as to Nabis, he would have been on the throne at that time, had he not lost his life by the treachery of the Ætolians.

The arrival of Livius, who had commanded the fleet, and whom the Romans had sent as their ambassador to Prusias, fully determined him. He made it clear to him, which party might naturally be expected to be victorious; and how much safer it would be for him to rely on the friendship of the Romans than on that of Antiochus

END OF VOL. VI.