The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost BooksLivy
History
The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost Books
Livy
Rome -- History
cautious leader, as he was not of so high a spirit. The Romans, and king
Eumenes, put in their fleet, first, at Erythræ; and, having staid there
one night, they, on next day, reached Corycus, a promontory in Teios.
When they intended to pass over hence, to the nearest part of the Samian
territory; not waiting for the rising of the sun, from which the pilots
could learn the state of the weather, they exposed themselves to the
varying storm. About the middle of the passage, the wind changing from
north-east to north, they began to be tossed about on the sea, stormy
with billows.
13. Polyxenidas, taking it for granted that the enemy would go to Samos
to join the Rhodian fleet, set sail from Ephesus, and stopped first at
Myonnesus, from whence he crossed over to the island which they call
Macris; in order that, when the enemy’s fleet should sail by, he might
be able to attack, with advantage, either any ships that straggled from
the main body, or might attack the rear of the fleet itself. After that
he saw the fleet dispersed by the storm, first of all he thought this a
good opportunity to attack it; but, in a little time, the wind
increasing and raising a heavy sea, because he could not possibly come
up with them, he steered to the island of Æthalia, that, from thence, he
might next day fall on the ships, as they made for Samos, from the main
sea. A small number of Roman vessels, just as it grew dark, got into a
desert harbour on the Samian coast; the rest, after being tossed about
all night, ran into the same harbour. Then when it was learned from the
country people, that the enemy’s fleet lay at Æthalia, a consultation
was held whether they should attack them immediately, or wait for that
of the Rhodian fleet. The attack being deferred, for so they resolved,
they sailed away to Corycus, whence they had come. Polyxenidas also,
having kept his station for some time, without effecting any thing,
returned to Ephesus. On this the Roman ships, the sea being clear of the
enemy, sailed to Samos. The Rhodian fleet came to the same place after a
few days. And that it might appear that they were only waiting for this,
they immediately sailed away to Ephesus, that they should either decide
it in a naval contest, or, in case the enemy should decline a battle, to
extort from them a confession of fear, which would have the best effect
on the minds of the states of Asia. They lay opposite the entrance of
the harbour, with the fleet formed in a line abreast of it, but none
came out against them; the fleet being divided, one part lay at anchor
before the mouth of the harbour, the other landed a body of soldiers.
Andronicus, a Macedonian, who was in garrison at Ephesus, then made a
sally against them, driving off great booty from the widely-deserted
country; when they came near the walls, he stripped them of the greatest
part of their plunder, and drove them down to the shore and their
ships. On the day following, the Romans, having laid an ambuscade about
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