37.13
Polyxenidas suspected that the enemy
would make for Samos in order to form a junction with the Rhodian fleet.
Putting out from Ephesus he first stood off Myonnesus, and from there
sailed on to an island called Macris for the purpose of catching any stragglers
from the fleet as it sailed past, or attacking, at advantage the hindmost ships.
When he saw that the fleet was scattered by the storm he thought that his
chance of attacking them had come, but in a short time the gale increased in
violence and raised a heavy sea, making it impossible for him to approach
them. He now steered for the island of Aethalia, intending to attack them the
next day while they were putting into Samos. Towards evening a few Roman
ships gained a deserted harbourage in the island, and the rest of the fleet,
after tossing on the deep the whole night through, reached the same haven.
Here they learnt from the peasants that the enemy's fleet was lying at
Aethalia, and a council of war was held to decide whether they should seek a
decision at once or wait for the Rhodian contingent. It was decided to put
off the encounter and they returned to their base at Corycus. Polyxenidas
also, after waiting in vain, returned to Ephesus. Now that the sea was clear
of the hostile ships the Romans sailed to Samos. The Rhodian fleet arrived a
few days later, and to show that the Romans had only been waiting for them,
they left at once for Ephesus to bring about a decisive battle, or if the enemy
declined battle, to force an admission that he was afraid to fight, which
would very materially influence the attitude of the various cities. They lay off
the entrance to the harbour with the ships all abreast in a long line. As no
enemy appeared, one division of the fleet anchored at the harbour mouth, the
other disembarked its marines who proceeded to devastate the country far
and wide. While they were bringing back an enormous amount of plunder
and passing near the walls, Andronicus, a Macedonian, who commanded the
garrison of Ephesus, made a sortie, took a large part of the plunder from
them and drove them back to the ships. The next day the Romans planted an
ambuscade about half-way between the city and the coast and advanced in
line of march towards the city in order to draw the Macedonian outside the
walls. Suspecting what had happened no one came out, and they marched
back to their ships. As the enemy shunned an encounter either on land or
sea, the fleet returned to Samos. From this port the praetor despatched two
vessels belonging to the Italian allies and two Rhodian ships under the
command of Epicrates to the Strait of Cephallania. This sea was infested by
pirates under the leadership of Hybristas a Lacedaemonian, and supplies
from Italy were cut off.
