38.14
Three
days after this they reached the river Casus and advanced to attack the city
of Eriza, which they captured at the first assault. Continuing their march they
came to Thabusion, a fortified place commanding the Indus. This river got
its name from a mahout who was thrown from his elephant. They were now
not far from the city of Cibyra, but no deputation came from Moagetes, the
faithless and cruel tyrant of that city. In order to ascertain his attitude the
consul sent an advance-party of 4000 infantry and 500 cavalry under C.
Helvius. This force was already entering his territory when envoys met them
with the announcement that the tyrant was ready to comply with the consul's
orders. They begged Helvius to enter their territory peaceably and to restrain
his soldiery from plundering their fields; they also brought 15 lbs. of gold
made into a crown. Helvius promised to protect their fields from pillage and
told them to go to the consul. When they had spoken in a similar strain to
him, he replied: "We Romans have received no proofs of goodwill on the
part of the tyrant towards us, and it is a matter of common knowledge that
he is the sort of man whom we ought to think of punishing rather than
treating as a friend." The envoys were greatly perturbed at these words and
simply requested him to accept the golden crown and to allow the tyrant to
visit him in person with liberty to speak and clear himself of suspicions. The
consul gave permission and the next day the tyrant arrived. His dress and his
retinue were hardly equal to those of a private citizen of moderate means; his
language was abject and broken, and he sought to excuse himself by pleading
the poverty of his cities and his dominions. Besides Cibyra he had the city of
Sylleum and a place called Alimne, and out of these cities he promised,
though somewhat doubtfully, to raise 25 talents, but only by robbing himself
and his subjects. "Really," replied the consul, "this trifling is intolerable!
After trying, unblushingly, to fool us through your envoys, you actually keep
up the same effrontery now you are here. You say 25 talents will exhaust
your government. Very well, then, unless you pay down 500 talents in three
days, look out for the plunder of your fields and the investment of your city."
Though appalled by the threat, the tyrant still persisted in his presence of
poverty. Shuffling, whimpering and shedding crocodile tears, he was at last
brought to a fine of 100 talents, and in addition 10,000 medimni of corn. All
this was carried through in six days.
