37.33
Meantime the consul who had marched
through the districts of Aenus and Maronea received intelligence of the
defeat of the king's fleet at Myonnesus and the evacuation of Lysimachia.
The latter piece of intelligence gave him greater gratification than the former,
at all events when they arrived there, for they found the city packed with
supplies of every description as though these had been prepared against the
arrival of the army, for they had been looking forward to having to endure
the extremes of toil and hunger during the siege of their city. The consul
remained encamped here for some days to allow time for the baggage to
come in and also the sick who, worn out by illness and the length of the
march, had been left in all the fortified towns of Thrace. When all had been
taken in they resumed their march through the Chersonese and arrived at the
Hellespont. Here, thanks to King Eumenes, every preparation had been made
for the passage, and they went on board the ships which had been drawn up
at the different points and crossed over without hindrance or opposition as
though to friendly shores. The Romans had expected this to be the occasion
of a severe contest, and they were in high spirits when they found the way to
Asia open to them. They remained in camp at the Hellespont for some time,
as the holy days during which the Ancilia were borne in procession happened
to fall during their march. These days enjoined special religious duties on
Publius Scipio as one of the Salii, and kept him apart from the army,
consequently their advance was delayed till he rejoined them.
