§15.4.1summa tua auctoritas fecit meumque perpetuum de tua singulari virtute iudicium ut magni mea interesse putarem et res eas quas gessissem tibi notas esse et non ignorari a te qua aequitate et continentia tuerer socios provinciamque administrarem.
supreme authority, and my constant judgment concerning your singular virtue, made me think it to be of great importance to me both that the actions I had performed should be known to you, and that it should not be unknown to you with what justice and self-control I was protecting the allies and administering the province.
Iis enim a te cognitis arbitrabar facilius me tibi quae vellem probaturum. §15.4.2Cum in provinciam pr. K. Sext. venissem et propter anni tempus ad exercitum mihi confestim esse eundum viderem, biduum Laudiceae fui, deinde Apameae quadriduum, triduum Synnadis, totidem dies Philomeli.
For I believed that once these things were known to you, I would more easily prove to you what I wished. I had arrived in the province on the day before the Kalends of August, and saw that because of the time of year I must immediately go to the army, I stayed at Laodicea for two days, then at Apamea for four days, at Synnada for three days, and for the same number of days at Philomelium.
quibus in oppidis cum magni conventus fuissent, multas civitates acerbissimis tributis et gravissimis usuris et falso aere alieno liberavi.
When large assemblies had been held in these towns, I freed many communities from very bitter tributes, very heavy interest, and false debt.
Cumque ante adventum meum seditione quadam exercitus esset dissipatus, quinque cohortes sine legato, sine tribuno militum, denique etiam sine centurione ullo apud Philo melium consedissent, reliquus exercitus esset in Lycaonia, M. Anneio legato imperavi ut eas quinque cohortis ad reliquum exercitum duceret coactoque in unum locum a exercitu castra in Lycaonia apud Iconium faceret. §15.4.3quod cum ab illo diligenter esset factum, ego in castra a. d. vii K. Sept. veni, cum interea superioribus diebus ex. s. c. et evocatorum firmam manum et equitatum sane idoneum et populorum liberorum regumque sociorum auxilia voluntaria comparavissem.
And since before my arrival the army had been dispersed by a certain mutiny, and five cohorts had settled near Philomelium without a legate, without a military tribune, and finally even without any centurion, while the rest of the army was in Lycaonia, I ordered my legate Marcus Anneius to lead those five cohorts to the rest of the army, and, having gathered the army into one place, to pitch camp in Lycaonia near Iconium. this had been diligently done by him, I arrived at the camp on the seventh day before the Kalends of September, having in the meantime in the preceding days, according to the decree of the senate, prepared a strong force of veterans, a thoroughly suitable cavalry, and voluntary auxiliary troops from free peoples and allied kings.
interim cum exercitu lustrato iter in Ciliciam facere coepissem iii K. Sept. legati a rege Commageno ad me missi pertumultuose neque tamen non vere Parthos in Syriam transisse nuntiaverunt; §15.4.4quo audito vehementer sum commotus cum de Syria tum de mea provincia, de reliqua denique Asia.
Meanwhile, having purified the army and begun to march into Cilicia on the third day before the Kalends of September, envoys sent to me by the king of Commagene reported in great haste, yet not untruthfully, that the Parthians had crossed into Syria; which, I was violently disturbed both for Syria and for my province, and finally for the rest of Asia.
itaque exercitum mihi ducendum per Cappadociae regionem eam quae Ciliciam attingeret is putavi.
Therefore, I thought that I ought to lead my army through that region of Cappadocia which touched Cilicia.
nam si me in Ciliciam demisissem, Ciliciam quidem ipsam propter montis Amani naturam facile tenuissem (duo sunt enim aditus in Ciliciam ex Syria, quorum uterque parvis praesidiis propter angustias intercludi potest, nec est quicquam Cilicia contra Syriam munitius), sed me Cappadocia movebat, quae patet a Syria regesque habet finitimos, qui etiam si sunt clam amici nobis, tamen aperte Parthis inimici esse non audent.
For if I had descended into Cilicia, I would indeed easily have held Cilicia itself on account of the nature of Mount Amanus (for there are two passes into Cilicia from Syria, both of which can be blocked by small garrisons because of their narrowness, and nothing is more fortified than Cilicia against Syria); but Cappadocia disturbed me, which lies open from Syria and has neighboring kings who, even if they are secretly friendly to us, yet do not dare to be openly hostile to the Parthians.
itaque in Cappadocia extrema non longe a Tauro apud oppidum Cybistra castra feci, ut et Ciliciam tuerer et Cappadociam tenens nova finitimorum consilia impedirem. §15.4.5interea in hoc tanto motu tantaque exspectatione maximi belli rex Deiotarus, cui non sine causa plurimum semper et meo et tuo et senatus iudicio tributum est, vir cum benevolentia et fide erga populum R. singulari tum praestanti magnitudine et animi et consili, legatos ad me misit se cum omnibus suis copiis in mea castra esse venturum.
Therefore, I pitched camp in the extreme part of Cappadocia not far from the Taurus near the town of Cybistra, so that I might both protect Cilicia and, by holding Cappadocia, obstruct the new plans of the neighbors., in this so great agitation and so great expectation of a very great war, King Deiotarus, to whom not without reason the greatest tribute has always been paid both by my judgment and yours and that of the senate, a man of singular goodwill and fidelity toward the Roman people, as well as outstanding greatness of mind and counsel, sent envoys to me saying that he would come to my camp with all his forces.
cuius ego studio officioque commotus egi ei per litteras gratias idque ut maturaret hortatus sum. §15.4.6Cum autem ad Cybistra propter rationem belli quinque dies essem moratus, regem Ariobarzanem, cuius salutem a senatu te auctore commendatam habebam, praesentibus insidiis nec opinantem liberavi neque solum ei saluti fui sed etiam curavi ut cum auctoritate regnaret.
Moved by his zeal and sense of duty, I thanked him by letter and urged him to hasten., when I had delayed for five days at Cybistra on account of the plan of war, I rescued King Ariobarzanes—whose safety I held recommended by the senate on your authority—from imminent plots when he was not expecting it; and I was not only a means of safety to him, but also took care that he should reign with authority.
Metram et eum quem tu mihi diligenter commendaras, Athenaeum, importunitate Athenaidis exsilio multatos in maxima apud regem auctoritate gratiaque constitui, cumque magnum bellum in Cappadocia concitaretur, si sacerdos armis se, quod facturus putabatur, defenderet, adulescens et equitatu et peditatu et pecunia paratus †et toto iis, qui novari aliquid volebant, perfeci ut e regno ille discederet rexque sine tumultu ac sine armis omni auctoritate aulae communita regnum cum dignitate obtineret. §15.4.7interea cognovi multorum litteris atque nuntiis Hagnas Parthorum copias et Arabum ad oppidum Antiocheam accessisse magnumque eorum equitatum, qui in Ciliciam transisset, ab equitum meorum turmis et a cohorte praetoria, quae erat Epiphaneae praesidi causa, occidione occisum.
Metras, and Athenaeus, whom you had diligently recommended to me, who had been punished with exile through the cruelty of Athenais, I established in the greatest authority and favor with the king; and since a great war was being stirred up in Cappadocia, if the priest were to defend himself with arms (which he was expected to do), a young man prepared with cavalry, infantry, and money, and completely allied with those who wanted some revolution, I brought it about that he departed from the kingdom, and that the king, without tumult and without arms, with all the authority of the court secured, held his kingdom with dignity., I learned from the letters and messengers of many that great forces of the Parthians and Arabs had approached the town of Antioch, and that a large cavalry force of theirs, which had crossed into Cilicia, had been utterly destroyed by squadrons of my cavalry and by the praetorian cohort which was at Epiphanea for the purpose of a garrison.
qua re cum viderem a Cappadocia Parthorum copias aversas non longe a finibus esse Ciliciae, quam potui maximis itineribus ad Amanum exercitum duxi.
Wherefore, when I saw that the forces of the Parthians were turned away from Cappadocia and were not far from the borders of Cilicia, I led my army to Amanus by the longest possible marches.
quo ut veni, hostem ab Antiochea recessisse, Bibulum Antiocheae esse cognovi.
When I arrived there, I learned that the enemy had retreated from Antioch, and that Bibulus was at Antioch.
Deiotarum confestim iam ad me venientem cum magno et firmo equitatu et peditatu et cum omnibus suis copiis certiorem feci non videri esse causam cur abesset a regno meque ad eum, si quid novi forte accidisset, statim litteras nuntiosque missurum esse.
I immediately informed Deiotarus, who was already coming to me with a large and strong cavalry and infantry and with all his forces, that there seemed to be no reason why he should be away from his kingdom, and that I would immediately send letters and messengers to him if anything new should happen by chance.