When Cnaeus Manlius was approaching Cibyra and had sent Helvius to find
out the intentions of Moagĕtes, the latter begged him by ambassadors
not to damage the country, because he was a friend of Rome, and ready
to do anything that was required of him; and, at the same time, he
offered Helvius a compliment of fifteen talents. In answer to this,
Helvius said that he would refrain from damaging the territory; but
that as to the general question Moagĕtes must communicate with the
Consul, for he was close behind with his army. Moagĕtes accordingly
sent ambassadors to Cnaeus, his own brother being one of them. When
the Consul met them in the road, he addressed them in threatening
and reproachful terms, asserting that “Not only had Moagĕtes shown
himself the most determined enemy of Rome, of all the princes in Asia,
but had done his very best to overthrow their empire, and deserved
punishment rather then friendship.”[106] Terrified by this display
of anger, the ambassadors abstained from delivering the rest of the
message with which they were charged, and merely begged him to have
an interview with Moagĕtes: and when Cnaeus consented they returned
to Cibyra. Next morning the Tyrant came out of the town accompanied
by his friends, displaying his humility by a mean dress and absence
of all pomp; and, in conducting his defence, descanted in melancholy
terms on his own helplessness and the poverty of the towns under his
rule (which consisted of Cibyra, Syleium, and the town in the Marsh),
and entreated Cnaeus to accept the fifteen talents. Astonished at his
assurance, Cnaeus made no answer, except that, “If he did not pay five
hundred talents, and be thankful that he was allowed to do so, he would
not loot the country, but he would storm and sack the city.” In abject
terror Moagĕtes begged him not to do anything of the sort; and kept
adding to his offer little by little, until at last he persuaded Cnaeus
to take one hundred talents, and one thousand medimni of corn, and
admit him to friendship....[107]
[Sidenote: Pacification of Pamphylia.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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