38.18
After
dismissing his men he sent messengers to Eposognatus, who was the only
Gaulish chief who had remained friendly to Eumenes and refused assistance
to Antiochus against the Romans. The consul then resumed his advance; on
the first day he reached the Alander and the day after, a village called
Tyscon. Here a deputation arrived from Oroanda begging for peace. They
were ordered to pay 200 talents, and the consul allowed them to return
home and report his demand to their government. From there he marched to
Plitendum, his next halting-place being Alyatti. Here the messengers sent to
Eposognatus returned in company with envoys from the chief, who begged
the consul not to commence hostilities against the Tectosagi, as he would go
to them himself and persuade them to submit. His request was granted. Then
the army entered a tract of country called Axylon. It derives its name from
the character of the soil; not only does it bear nothing in the shape of timber,
but not even brambles or thorn bushes grow here, or anything which can
serve for fuel. The inhabitants use cow-dung instead of wood. Whilst the
Romans were encamped at Cuballum, a fortified place in Gallograecia, a
body of enemy cavalry appeared making a great tumult. Their sudden attack
not only threw the Roman outposts into confusion but caused some losses
amongst them. As the tumult reached the camp, the Roman cavalry hurrying
out from all the gates routed the Gauls and put them to flight, and a
considerable number of the fugitives were slain.
The consul, aware that he was now in the enemy's country,
advanced with caution, keeping his force well together and throwing out
scouting parties. Marching continuously, he came to the river Sangarius, and
as there was no possibility of fording it, he decided to construct a bridge.
The Sangarius rises in the Adoreos range and flowing through Phrygia
mingles its waters with the Tymbris on the frontier of Bithynia, and with its
volume thus increased flows through Bithynia and empties itself into the
Propontis. It is not, however, so remarkable for its size as for the vast
quantity of fish with which it supplies the inhabitants. When the bridge was
completed the army crossed the river and as they were marching along the
bank they were met by the "Galli" or priests of the Mater Magna from
Pessinus with their insignia, who prophesied in mystic and oracular verses
that the goddess was granting the Romans safety and victory in the war and
the sovereignty of the country in which they were. The consul welcomed the
omen and fixed his camp for the night on that very spot. The next day he
arrived at Gordium. This is not a large place but it possesses a widely-known
and much-frequented market; a larger one, in fact, than most inland towns. It
is almost equally distant from three seas, the Hellespont, the Euxine at
Sinope, and the sea which washes the shores of Cilicia, and also adjoins the
territories of several large populations, who for the sake of mutual
commercial advantages have made this their business centre. The Romans
found it deserted, the inhabitants having fled, and stored with goods of every
description. Whilst they were encamped here, envoys from Eposognatus
arrived with the intelligence that he had interviewed the Gaulish chiefs but
could not make them listen to reason. They were abandoning their villages
and farms in the open country, and together with their wives and children
were carrying their portable property and driving their flocks and herds
before them towards Olympus. Here they intended to defend themselves by
arms and their strong position.
