An entire change of conduct ensued, and | irresistible. They were regarded by their neighbors from a shameless debauchee he became a sober man, as a stupid and barbarous race, but they seem to have and devoted himself to the study and practice of phi- cultivated music and eloquence. They were accuslosophy for the remainder of his life. tomed to indulge in bounteous feasting. Asclepiades, the physician, was a native of Bithynia. He at first taught eloquence at Rome, about eighty years before the Christian era; but he soon quitted that profession for the practice of medicine. He obtained great fame by an accident. One day he met a funeral, and, on looking at the body about to be buried, fancied that he could discern signs of life. The funeral was deferred, and Asclepiades succeeded in restoring the body to animation. This fortunate exploit brought him a great multitude of patients. He introduced an entire change in medical practice, disregarding in almost every thing the rules and principles of Hippocrates. Arrian was a native of Nicomedia, and flourished in the second century. His learning and eloquence raised him to high political dignities, and he was made consul of Rome under the emperors. He was the disciple of Epictetus, the most famous philosopher of that time. He wrote a philosophical work on the Conversations of Epictetus, and many other treatises of this sort. He is principally known as the historian of Alexander's expedition. His style acquired him the title of the "New Xenophon.' His history is the more valuable, as the author was both a politician and a military man. Dion Cassius was a native of Nice, and born toward the close of the second century. The Roman emperors had a high regard for him, and he was twice made consul. During a long residence at Rome, he had opportunities of collecting materials for history, and wrote a work in eighty books, comprehending all the events from the arrival of Æneas in Italy to his own time. He followed Thucydides as a model, and imitated him with tolerable success. The greater part of the history of Dion Cassius is lost. CHAPTER CLII. GALATIA AND CILICIA. Oppian - Dioscorides - -Aratus-Chrysippus. GALATIA, or GALLO-GRECIA, was bounded north by Paphlagonia, east by Pontus and Cappadocia, south by Phrygia, and west by Bithynia and Phrygia. The precise limits, however, cannot be fixed. According to Ptolemy, this country would include the whole of Phrygia and Paphlagonia. The name of Galatia was given to it from the Gauls, or Kelts, who invaded Asia Minor from Thrace, and settled in this country in the third century before the Christian era. These Gauls, or Galatæ, were divided into three tribes, the Tectosagi, the Trocmi, and the Tolistoboges. Each of these tribes was divided into four cantons, governed by as many tetrarchs. There was a general council of the nation, composed of three hundred senators. The last tetrarch and king of Galatia was Amyntas, on the death of whom the country became a Roman province. The religion of the ancient Galatæ, is very little known; but they are said to have offered human sacrifices, devoting to this purpose the prisoners taken in war. They were a tall and valiant people; their arms were a sword and buckler, and they usually fought naked. The impetuosity of their attack was almost Christianity appears to have been established here at a very early period. The inhabitants spoke the Greek language in common with their neighbors. Yet it seems they had not forgotten the original Gallic tongue so late as the fourth century of the Christian era; for St. Jerome informs us that their language was the same with that of the Treviri, a people in the northern part of European Gaul. The principal towns of Galatia were Ancyra, Taurium, and Pessinus. The capital was Ancyra, which, according to Pausanias, was founded by Midas, king of Phrygia, and named from an anchor, which was discovered on the spot. It was afterward greatly enlarged and adorned by Augustus, who, on this account, may be regarded as the founder of the city. It is now called Angouri, or Angora, and in its neighborhood was fought the famous battle, in which Timour defeated and took prisoner Bajazet, the Turkish sultan. CILICIA was bounded north by Pamphylia, Cappadocia, and Phrygia, east by Syria, south and west by the Mediterranean. It comprised two divisions, distinguished as the Mountainous and the Level. The lofty range of the Taurus lies on the north. In these mountains is a narrow pass called the Cilician Gates, through which the armies of Cyrus the younger and Alexander marched in their progress to the East. A similar pass forms a communication with Syria, and is called the Syrian Gates. According to Josephus, this country was first peopled by Tarshish, the son of Javan, and afterwards subjugated by a colony of Phoenicians, under a leader named Čilix. At a later period, other colonies, from Syria, Greece, and Asia Minor, mixed with the first settlers, and introduced the variety of languages for which Cilicia was distinguished. In some parts, Greek was spoken; in others, the Syrian tongue; but the predominant language was the Persian. Not much, however, is known of the history of Cilicia. Ancient writers represent the inhabitants of this country as a rough, unpolished race, proverbial for treachery, violence, and cruelty. The names of several kings of Cilicia are mentioned in history; but we know little more of the country in early times than that it was subject to the Lydian and Persian monarchs, then to the Macedonians, and then to the Romans. The Cilicians were most audacious pirates, and, in the latter days of the Roman republic, their corsairs were the terror of the Mediterranean. The Romans found it necessary to send a formidable fleet against them, under the command of Pompey, who effectually put a stop to their depredations, captured the strongholds of the pirates, and settled these marauders in different colonies, where they applied themselves to peaceful occupations. Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, was the birthplace of the apostle Paul; and, at one time, its fame as a seat of learning almost rivalled that of Athens and Alexandria. This city stood upon the River Cydnus, which was famous for the coldness of its waters. Alexander the Great nearly lost his life by bathing in this river while heated with exercise. The Cydnus is also famous for the voyage made upon it by Cleopatra, when on her way to attend the summons of Mark Antony. The gorgeous spectacle exhibited by the royal barge FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF PONTUS. and its accompaniments has afforded a theme for many striking poetical descriptions. Oppian, a poet and grammarian, was a native of Anazarba, in Cilicia, and flourished in the beginning of the third century. He wrote poems on fishing, hunting, fowling, and other subjects. The two first are still extant. The emperor Caracalla was so well pleased with them, that he gave the author a piece of gold for every line, on which account they obtained the name of "Oppian's golden verses." These works are much esteemed, by modern critics, for the force and elegance of their descriptions, and the ingenuity of their thoughts and similes. Oppian died of the plague, at the age of thirty. His townsmen honored him with a statue. Dioscorides, the famous physician and naturalist, was also a native of Anazarba. He lived in the first or second century, and, in the early part of his life, was a soldier. Afterwards he studied botany, and travelled in Europe and Asia, to gain a knowledge of plants. He wrote a work on the materia medica, which, for many ages, maintained the highest authority, and has been copied by the ancient Greek physicians, the Arabians, and the moderns, down to the revival of science. It has, however, all the rudeness and inaccuracy of the ancient scientific works, and is totally deficient in method. Aratus, a poet and astronomer, was born either at Soli or Myleanus, in Cilicia, 278 B. C. He was the author of various works, chiefly poetical; but the only one now extant is an astronomical poem in Greek, entitled "Phænomena." In this poem, Aratus treats of the nature and motions of the heavenly bodies, the figures of the constellations, &c., and the fables connected with their names. When Cicero was a young man, he translated this poem into Latin verse, and speaks in high commendation of the poetry, though he did not rank the author highly as an astronomer. Some critics are of opinion that Aratus transferred into his poem the observations of various astronomers of different countries, and, for want of sufficient skill in astronomy, confounded them. The poem, though little read in modern times, had many admirers among the ancients. It has been copied by Virgil in his Georgics. The apostle Paul was familiar with it, and quoted one of the lines in his address to the Athenians "for we are also his offspring;" ascribing it to "certain of their own poets.' Chrysippus, a stoic philosopher of great eminence, was a Cilician. He was born at Soli, about 290 B. C. Having spent his patrimony, he went to study philosophy at Athens, where he became a disciple of Cleanthes, the successor of Zeno. He was indefatigably industrious, and wrote a great number of treatises on philosophy and logic. He had a peculiar talent for disputation, and was accustomed to say to his preceptor, "Give me doctrines, and I will find arguments.' Such was his self-confidence, that, being once asked by a person to recommend some one as a preceptor for his son, he replied, "Myself; for, if I thought any philosopher my superior, I would become his pupil." He regarded the philosophical character as the most exalted among mankind, and would never pay court to princes or persons of rank, by dedicating his writ ings to them. He engaged deeply in the disputes concerning moral and physical evil, fate, free will, and possibility, which have at all times so much perplexed metaphysicians. He wrote books on a great variety 291 of subjects, among which were treatises on grammar, and on divination, and precepts for the education of children. He was made a freeman of Athens, where a statue was erected to his memory. CHAPTER CLIII. 500 to 87 B. C. PONTUS.-Foundation of the Kingdom of Pontus-Reign of Mithridates. THIS kingdom derived its name from the Pontus Euxinus, or Euxine Sea, which formed its northern boundary. The territory of Colchis lay on the east, Armenia on the south, and the River Halys on the west. The ancient geographers divided it into three parts; Pontus Galatius, so called because it was added to Galatia in the time of the Romans; Pontus Polemonaicus, so denominated from Polemon, one of its kings; and Pontus Cappadocius, which bordered on Cappadocia. The Medes and Persians were the possessors of this country in early times; under the latter, it was erected into a kingdom, and the crown bestowed on Artabazes, one of the royal family of Persia, about 500 B. C. The first kings of Pontus were feudatories of the Persian empire. Alexander of Macedon seized this kingdom at his conquest of the Persian empire; but, under his successors, it revolted, and became independent. Little is known of the history of Pontus at this period, except that Cappadocia and Paphlagonia were comprised in its government. Pharmaces, king of Pontus, who reigned 182 B. C., invaded the territories of Eumenes, king of Pergamus, who was an ally of the Romans. This brought on a war with the latter people, in which Pharnaces obtained some advantages. At his death, Mithridates, his son and successor, entered into an alliance with the Romans, and was denominated by them the "friend of Rome." After a long and prosperous reign, he was succeeded by his son Mithridates II., 124 B. C. This prince was but eleven years old when he assumed the regal authority. Yet, notwithstanding his tender age, he began his reign with the most inhuman and unnatural acts of cruelty, causing his mother to be thrown into prison, where she fell a martyr to his ill treatment. His tutors, dreading the effects of so unruly a temper, caused him to ride a wild, unmanageable horse, and contrived various other schemes for his destruction. But he was so completely on his guard against every species of treachery, that they found it impossible to effect their purpose. He devoted a great part of his time to the exercise of hunting, and often passed whole months in the open fields, reposing amid the frozen snow, to inure himself to hardship. He also fortified himself against poison, by swallowing powerful antidotes and preservatives. One of the first attempts upon his life was made by his wife, Laodice, who, being detected in criminal practices, endeavored to escape punishment by poisoning her husband. But the poison failed to take effect, and she was put to death by Mithridates. Shortly after this, Mithridates seized upon the kingdom of Paphlagonia, and divided it with his ally, Nicomedes, king of Bithynia. The Romans, having previously declared Paphlagonia a free state, sent ambassadors to the invader, threatening him with war 292 PONTUS-ATROCITIES OF MITHRIDATES. unless he withdrew his army. But this had so little effect on Mithridates, that he marched immediately into Galatia, which was then under the Roman protection, and annexed it to his dominions. He then marched against Cappadocia, and encountered Ariarathes, the king of that country, at the head of his army. Mithridates invited him to a conference, and, in sight of both armies, stabbed him to the heart. The Cappadocians were so overwhelmed with terror and astonishment at this unexpected treachery, that they threw down their arms, and submitted to Mithridates, who seized on all their fortresses, and bestowed the crown of Cappadocia upon his son, a child of eight years old. The Romans sent large forces into Asia Minor, to resist the growing power of Mithridates, who had now strengthened himself by alliances with many of the neighboring powers. Many battles were fought, and the Romans were completely overthrown. Mithridates overran Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, Lycia, and the adjacent countries, and ambassadors came to him from all parts, to gain his friendship. The Romans who fell into the hands of Mithridates were treated with great severity. Marius Aquilius, the legate of the republic, was carried about the country, bound to an ass. At Pergamus, the king caused him to be publicly scourged, and then to be stretched upon the rack. Lastly, he ordered melted gold to be poured down his throat, upbraiding him for his avarice, bribery, and corruption, (88 B. C.) MITHRIDATES, being elated with the success of this diabolical scheme of revenge, imagined himself firmly established in his dominion. Having learned that there was a great treasure in the Greek island of Cos, he sent a force thither and seized it. This treasure belonged to the queen of Egypt, and had been deposited there for safe keeping, on the breaking out of a war. Besides the property of the queen, money, to the amount of nearly a million of dollars, had been placed there at the same time by the Jews of Asia Minor. It appears that, in ancient times, money was deposited in the temples for security, much in the same manner that it is placed in banks at the present day, and that to rob a temple then was held as disgraceful as to plunder a bank in our own times. The The success which constantly attended the arms of Mithridates induced the free cities of Asia Minor to The fugitive Romans, who had escaped the general submit voluntarily to his authority, and thus elude massacre, took refuge in the Island of Rhodes. Miththe severities which fell upon those who opposed his ridates embarked with a naval force to reduce this power. In this manner having greatly augmented his island; but the Rhodians defeated him, and sunk sevdominion, and amassed enormous treasures, he resolved eral of his ships. He then withdrew to Pergamus, to take a terrible vengeance on his enemies, the and despatched his lieutenant Archelaus into Greece, Romans. Great numbers of these people were scat- which country submitted at once to his arms. tered over Asia Minor, and they had settled in multi-generals whom he sent into other quarters were equally tudes in the large cities of that country. Mithridates, in pursuance of his diabolical plan, despatched letters privately to the governors and magistrates of all the chief towns in his newly-acquired provinces, ordering them, on pain of the severest punishments, to massacre all the Romans in their territories, men, women, and children, on a certain day, and to let their bodies remain unburied in the fields. Half the goods of the unhappy vic'ims were assigned as a reward to their executioners. This cruel order being promulgated, the gates of the several cities were shut at the appointed time, the king's orders were proclaimed, and a most horrid slaughter ensued. At Ephesus, where Mithridates then resided, the wretched Romans were dragged from the shelter of Diana's temple, and put to the sword without mercy. At Pergamus, the inhabitants discharged showers of arrows upon them, as they clung for protection to the statues in the temple of Esculapius. At Adramyttium great numbers were murdered in the water, while attempting to swim, with their children on their backs, to the Island of Lesbos. The Caurians, whom the Romans had recently delivered from a foreign yoke, and reinstated in their ancient privileges, excelled all the rest in cruelty. The Trallians alone refused to imbrue their hands in the blood of their unoffending guests; but as the king's orders were peremptory, and death was threatened to all who hesitated to obey, they hired a Paphlagonian to massacre the few Romans who resided among them. This inhuman wretch shut them all up in the temple successful, so that Mithridates soon became master t only of Asia Minor, but of Greece, Macedon, and the neighboring islands as far as the Cyclades, with the exception of the Island of Rhodes. The progress of the conqueror was, however, soon checked by the Romans, who despatched Sulla with an army into Greece. This general reduced Athens after a short siege, and then encountered the army of Archelaus, which he defeated with such slaughter that one hundred and ten thousand men are said to have fallen by the swords of the Romans. Many other bloody battles were fought in this war; but at length Mithridates found his affairs declining to such an extent, that he was glad to purchase a peace by resigning all his conquests, and confining himself to the original kingdom of Pontus. Thus ended (84 B. C.) a war of four years, in which Mithridates expended an enormous amount of blood and treasure in the hope of acquiring the dominion of all Asia. No sooner was Mithridates relieved from his powerful enemies, the Romans, then he resolved to reduce those nations which had revolted from him during the war. Accordingly, he led his army against the Colchians, but on his nominating his son Mithridates for their king, they laid down their arms and submitted. This circumstance suggested to the king a suspicion that his son's ambition had caused the revolt, in consequence of which he immediately caused him to be bound with golden fetters, and afterwards sentenced him to death. REVERSES OF MITHRIDATES. 293 The whole kingdom of Pontus being thus reduced by the Romans, Lucullus demanded of Tigranes that he should deliver up Mithridates, threatening him with war in case of refusal. This demand was unsuccessful, and a battle soon took place between the Romans and Armenians, in which the latter were defeated with considerable loss; but, Mithridates advancing to their assistance, a fresh army was raised, and several im Mithridates, having acquired confidence by new suc- | also taken and set on fire; but Lucullus repaired the cesses, and learning that Sulla was dead, resolved to damages of the city, and permitted the inhabitants to attempt the recovery of those territories which the enjoy their houses and lands without further molesRomans had compelled him to relinquish. Accord- tation. ingly, he invaded Paphlagonia, Bithynia, and the adja. cent regions, and collected a fleet of above four hundred ships. The Romans sent an army under Cotta to check his operations. This general took possession of Chalcedon on the Bosphorus. Mithridates sent his admiral to sail into the harbor of this city and destroy the Roman fleet. This was done with a great loss on the part of the Romans, whose dead bodies covered the sea and the shore for miles. Elated by these suc-portant towns in Pontus were taken by the allied kings. cesses, Mithridates hastened to form the siege of Cyzicus; but Lucullus, who, commanding the Romans in that quarter, harassed his troops with such vigorous and unexpected attacks, that he was compelled to retire with a heavy loss. Lucullus followed up his success, and gained a victory over the fleet of Mithridates at Lemnos. He then directed his course to Bithynia and Paphlagonia, which submitted to him without resistance. He next invaded the kingdom of Pontus, where Mithridates had no army to oppose his victorious march. Lucullus here gave his army a season of refreshment. Most of the towns submitted to the Roman arms; but Amisus, a well garrisoned and strongly fortified city, shut its gates, and was immediately besieged by Lucullus. In one battle seven thousand of the Romans were killed, and the remainder of their army compelled to save themselves by flight. Mithridates received a dangerous wound in the thigh, from a Roman centurion, during this battle. After the war had been protracted for some time, Lucullus was recalled by the senate, and the command of the Roman army was intrusted to Pompey. This general (67 B. C.) sent proposals of peace to Mithridates, who appeared willing to treat; but on Pompey's requiring him to lay down his arms, and deliver up all who had revolted from the Romans during the war, he rejected the terms. To this measure he was compelled by the great number of desertions in his army. Pompey then advanced with a strong force into Pontus, but not being able to provoke Mithridates to a battle, he directed his course to Armenia, with a design either to reduce that kingdom, or compel the king to fight for its relief. Mithridates, divining his purpose, followed him at some distance, and encamped on a hill in Armenia, opposite to the Roman encampment. Here he reduced them to great extremities by cutting off their supplies, and harassing them with frequent skirmishes. Pompey at length found means to surround Mithridates, and the king was compelled to break through the Roman lines, under cover of the night, and retreat with all expedition. During the siege, a report reached the latter, that Mithridates was advancing with forty thousand men to the city of Cabira. He immediately took up his march with the bulk of his army in that direction, leaving two legions to continue the blockade of Amisus. A battle ensued, in which Mithridates proved victorious, and the Romans were compelled to retire to the mountains with considerable loss. The next action, however, resulted favorably for the Romans, and the king hearing that two of his generals were dated on the frontier of Cappadocia, resolved to break up his camp, and retire before Lucullus should receive a reënforcement. This design was no sooner imparted to the Pontic nobles, than they began privately to send away their most valuable effects. The soldiers, discovering this, plundered the baggage, nd put the escort to the sword. On this occasion, Hermeias, a noted soothsayer, was trodden to death, and Dorylaus, one of the generals of Mithridates, was killed for the sake of a purple garment which he wore. Being deserted by his army, Mithridates retired with a small retinue to the court of Tigranes, king of Armenia. In his flight, he was closely pursued, and at length overtaken, by a band of Galatians: he was upon the point of being made a prisoner, but, having craftily exposed to their sight one of his mules loaded with money, they immediately fell to plundering it, and the king escaped while they were quarrelling over the spoil. In the mean time, he had despatched a person to his capital of Pharnacia, who by his orders put to death his wives, sisters, and all his women, to prevent their falling into the hands of the Romans. Lucullus, finding that Mithridates had escaped him, led his army against Cabira, which soon surrendered this example was followed by most of course for Colchis. : the strong places in Pontus, the governors flocking from all parts to make their peace with the conqueror. Heraclea made an obstinate resistance, but was at length reduced by treachery, given up to plunder, and then set on fire and reduced to ashes. Amisus was As the Pontic army pursued their march, and about the dusk of the next evening entered a narrow valley, environed by steep hills, they were unexpectedly startled by the sound of the Roman trumpets, and by showers of stones and arrows which were discharged upon them from the hill tops. The greatest confusion ensued, for they were alike incapable of flight or resistance amid the darkness which soon enveloped them. When the moon rose, and showed them the enemy in every quarter, a general engagement took place. The troops of Mithridates fought with great valor and resolution; but the Romans rushed with such impetuosity from the eminences, and the spot was so unfavorable for resistance, that the whole army was cut to pieces, and the king himself escaped with great difficulty, by breaking through the Roman ranks at the head of a body of cavalry. These horsemen soon abandoned him to his fate, and he travelled all night with no other attendants than his wife, daughter, and a single officer. At daybreak, he fell in with a small body of his own forces, who escorted him to a strong castle on the frontiers, from which he directed his This country, however, did not afford him a safe asylum, and he was compelled again to take flight, and secure himself from pursuit in the barren wilds of Scythia. The Romans pursued Mithridates in his flight, turning their arms against the barbarous tribes in the 294 DEATH OF MITHRIDATES, HIS WIVES AND DAUGHTERS. This pa neighborhood of the Caucasus, whom they subjugated | safe conduct for himself and his friends; but this was with little opposition. All the fortresses and cities in Pontus were compelled to submit to them, and Pompey became master of an immense treasure in gold, silver, and other valuables. He also obtained possession of the manuscripts of Mithridates, from which he obtained a complete knowledge of the power, wealth, and resources of his dominions. Having completed the conquest of this kingdom, he marched into Syria, with a design to establish the Roman authority in that country, and penetrate through Arabia, as far as the Red Sea. But he was suddenly recalled from this expedition by an unexpected turn of affairs. refused. He next endeavored to excite the compas- Mithridates had hitherto concealed himself in a remote part of Scythia; but immediately on the departure of Pompey for the south, he resolved to strike another blow for the recovery of his kingdom. He left his hiding-place, and suddenly reappeared in Pontus, where he soon found means to gather a strong body of adherents. He then issued a summons for all his subjects, capable of bearing arms, to meet him at a certain place. They assembled in great numbers, and the king was enabled to recover possession of sev-constant use of antidotes, that the poison was without eral strong towns and fortresses. The disaffection, however, of one of his officers caused him a serious calamity. Four of the sons of Mithridates were made prisoners in a sedition which was raised by this person. The king sent his daughters to Scythia for safety, but they were waylaid and captured by the insurgents, and these children of Mithridates were given up by them to the Romans. In this emergency, Mithridates determined to apply for succor to the European Gauls, who were then at war with the Romans. Accordingly he began his march toward the west, designing to cross the Bosphorus, and pass round the northern shore of the Euxine Sea, through Dacia to Pannonia, form a junction with the Gallic armies, and invade Italy from the north. This desperate and romantic scheme being made public in the army, the soldiers were struck with apprehension, and showed symptoms of a mutinous disposition; the generals also attempted to dissuade the king from the prosecution of so hopeless an enterprise. But the severity which he exercised toward these friendly advisers silenced all remonstrance, and the army proceeded on its march till it reached the city of Panticapæum, in the Tauric Chersonesus, now called the Crimea. While they lay encamped at this place, Pharnaces, the favorite son of Mithridates, raised a powerful faction among the soldiers, by declaiming against the expedition to Italy, and offering to lead them back into Pontus. This had so decisive an effect, that the soldiers encouraged him to assume the supreme authority, and at length openly proclaimed him king. He then withdrew into the apartment of his women, where he administered poison to his wives and daugh. ters, and swallowed a powerful draught himself. The females died immediately; but Mithridates, as we are told by historians, had so fortified his system by the effect upon him, and he was compelled to fall upon his sword. Even this, however, did not sufficiently hasten his end; for the rebels, having stormed the city, and broken into the royal residence, found the king weltering in his blood, but still retaining possession of his senses. Pharnaces, hearing of his father's deplorable situation, sent a surgeon to dress his wound, hoping to ingratiate himself with Pompey by delivering him up to the Romans. In this, however, he was disappointed. A Gaul who served in the king's army, happening to enter his apartment, was struck with indescribable awe at such a spectacle of fallen majesty, and seeing him struggling with the pangs of death, he drew his sword and put an end to his agonies. Thus perished (63 B. C.) Mithridates the great, king of Pontus, after he had swayed the sceptre of that kingdom for sixty years, and maintained a contest with Rome for twenty-seven years, when that republic was at the very height of its martial power. His talents were such as might have placed him on a level with the ablest and best of princes, had he not sullied and perverted them by his vices. Enterprising and ambitious, with great strength of mind and versatile capacity, quick to discern advantages, unscrupulous as to means, utterly regardless of human life and suffering, and therefore, at times, barbarously cruel,—his greatness was that of an Asiatic, and his character will find many a parallel, though not many an equal, in Oriental history. He subdued twenty-two nations, each speaking a different language, and could converse with all in their native tongues. He was also an accom. plished writer, and wrote, among other things, a learned treatise on botany, in Greek. Pharnaces caused the body of his father to be embalmed, that he might present it to Pompey, who had now abandoned all thoughts of his Arabian expedition, and was retracing his steps to Pontus. When he heard of the death of Mithridates, he was thrown into a transport of joy, and was so impatient to communicate the news to his army, that he would not wait till a mound of turf could be raised, according to the custom of the camp; but, having ordered his attendants * M. Adelung, a learned German, who published a book upon all the known languages of the world, gave it the title of Mithridates, in allusion to this monarch. |