36.21
Just
before the consul's arrival Antiochus left Chalcis and directed his course first
to Tenos and from there to Ephesus. As the consul drew near to Chalcis the
king's commandant, Aristoteles, left the city and the gates were thrown open
to the consul. All the other cities in Euboea were delivered up without any
fighting, and in a few days peace was established everywhere in the island
and the army returned to Thermopylae without injuring a single city. This
moderation displayed after the victory was much more deserving of praise
than even the victory itself. In order that the senate and people might receive
an authoritative report of the operations the consul sent M. Cato to Rome.
He set sail from Creusa, the emporium of Thespia, situated in the innermost
part of the Gulf of Corinth, and made for Patrae in Achaia; from Patrae he
went on to Corcyra, skirting the shores of Aetolia and Acarnania, and so
made his passage to Hydruntum in Italy. From there he journeyed by land,
and by rapid travelling reached Rome in five days. Entering the City before it
was light he went straight to the praetor, M. Junius, who summoned a
meeting of the senate at daybreak. L. Cornelius Scipio had been sent on by
the consul some days previously, and on his arrival found that Cato had
outstripped him. He went into the senate house while Cato was making his
report and the two generals were conducted by order of the senate to the
Assembly, where they gave the same details of the Aetolian campaign as had
been given to the senate. A decree was made that there should be
thanksgivings for three days, and the praetor was to sacrifice forty
full-grown victims to such of the gods as he thought fit. M. Fulvius Nobilior,
who had gone to Spain as praetor two years previously, entered the City
about this time in ovation. He had carried before him 130,000 silver denarii
and 12,000 pounds of other silver, as well as 127 pounds of gold.
