! called them. At day break, the signal being given by the consul, the assault was made in that part of the city which had not yet been attacked; and from whence the besieged, on that account had drawn off their people. The city was taken in an instant, and the Etolians fled with the utmost precipitation into the citadel. The general suffered the city to be plundered, not so much from a spirit of hatred and revenge, as to reward the soldiers, who, till now, had not been allowed to plunder any of the cities they had taken. As the citadel was in want of provisions it could not hold out long; and accordingly, at the first assault, the garrison surrendered. Among the prisoners was Damocritus, a person of the greatest distinction among the Etolians, who in the beginning of the war had answered Quintius, "That he would bring him the decree to Italy, by which he had just before called in Antiochus." It did At the same time Philip was besieging Lamia*, which was but seven miles from Heraclea. not hold out long after the latter was taken. Some days before this, the Etolians had deputed ambassadors, with Thoas at their head, to Antiochus. The king promised them a speedy succour; gave them immediately a considerable sum of money, and kept Thoas, who staid very willingly with him, to hasten the execution of his promises. I The Etolians, who were exceedingly discouraged by the taking of Heraclea, considered how they might best put an end to a war, which had already been attended with very unhappy effects, and might have much worse. But the populace not approving the conditions of peace which were prescribed, the negociation came to nothing. In the mean time, the consul laid siege to Nau Liv. 1. xxxvi. n. 27, 35. * Both Lamia and Heraclea were in Phthiotis. 475 pactus, in which the Etolians had shut themselves up with all their forces. The siege had already been carried on two months, when Quintius, who during this time had been employed in Greece, in other matters, came thither and joined the consul. The destruction of that city would involve almost the whole people in the same fate. The usage which Quintius had met with from the Etolians, had given him the greatest reason to be dissatisfied with them. However, he was moved to compassion, when he saw them on the brink of destruction; and therefore he advanced so near the walls, as to be known by the besieged. The city was reduced to the last extremities. A rumour being spread that Quintius was approaching, immediately the citizens ran from all quarters to the walls. Those unfortunate people stretching forth their hands towards Quintius, and calling him by his name, all burst into tears, and implored his assistance with the most mournful cries. Quintius, moved with their condition even to shedding of tears, expressed by his gesture that he could do nothing for them, and returned to the consul. In their conversation he represented, that as he had overcome Antiochus, it was but lost time to continue the siege of those two cities, and that the year of his command was near expiring. Acilius agreed with him; but being ashamed to raise the siege, he left Quintius at liberty to act as he pleased. The latter advancing near the walls a second time, the mournful cries were again heard, and the citizens besought him to take compassion of them. Quintius, by a sign with his hand, bid them send deputies to him: when immediately Pheneas and the principal citizens came out, and threw themselves at his feet. Seeing them in that humble posture; "Your ca lamity (says he) banishes from my mind all "thoughts of resentment and revenge. You now "find that all things have happened as I foretold you they would; and you have not the conso"lation of being able to say, that none of these "misfortunes were owing to yourselves. But des"tined, as I am, by Providence, to preserve "Greece, your ingratitude shall not cancel my in"clination to do good. Depute therefore some persons to the consul, and beg a truce for as "much time as may suffice for sending ambas"dors to Rome, in order to make your submissions "to the senate. I will be your mediator and ad"vocate with the consul." They followed Quin-. tius's advice in every thing. The consul granted them a truce, broke up the siege, and marched back his army to Phocis. King Philip sent ambassadors to Rome, to congratulate the Romans on the happy success of this campaign, and to offer presents and sacrifices to the gods in the Capitol. They were received there with the highest marks of distinction; and the Romans gave up to them Demetrius, the son of Philip, who had been an hostage in their city. Thus ended the war which the Romans carried on against Antiochus in Greece. 477 191. SECT. VII. Polyxenides, admiral of Antiochus's fleet, is defeated by Livius. L. Scipio, the new consul, is appointed to carry on the war against Antiochus. Scipio Africanus, his brother, serves under him. The Rhodians defeat Hannibal in a sea-fight. The consul marches against Antiochus, and crosses into Asia. He gains a signal victory over him near Magnesia. The king obtains a peace; and gives up, by a treaty, all Asia on this side mount Taurus. Dispute between Eumenes and the Rhodians, in presence of the Roman senate, relating to the Grecian cities of Asia. A. M. WHILST the affairs I have just related passed' 3813 in Greece, Antiochus lived easy and undisturbed in Ant. J. C. 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 castern troops 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 ci Liv. 1. xxxvi. n. 41-45. Appian in Syriac. p. 99, 100. ties 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 Ægean 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 beat, 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 harbour of Canna, in Ætolia, drew their ships ashore, and fortified, with a good 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 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 Ætolia, to watch the Roman fleet, and awe all the country round; and marched in person with the rest into winter-quarters in Phrygia. u 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 credit in their favour. But he found the senate very much exasperated against the Etolians. They were considered, not as common Liv. 1. xxxvii. n. 8. Appian in Syriac. p. 100. 479 |