Bolis the Cretan Agrees to Rescue Achaeus
(See
7, 15-18)
Bolis was by birth a Cretan, who had long enjoyed
the honours of high military rank at King Ptolemy's court,
and the reputation of being second to none
in natural ability, adventurous daring, and experience in war.
B.C. 214. Sosibius secures the help of Bolis to rescue Achaeus. |
By repeated arguments Sosibius secured this man's fidelity; and when he felt
sure of his zeal and affection he communicated
the business in hand to him. He told him that he could not
do the king a more acceptable service at the present crisis
than by contriving some way of saving Achaeus. At the
moment Bolis listened, and retired without saying more than
that he would consider the suggestion. But after two or
three days' reflection, he came to Sosibius and said that he would
undertake the business; remarking that, having spent some
considerable time at
Sardis, he knew its topography, and that
Cambylus, the commander of the Cretan contingent of the
army of Antiochus, was not only a fellow citizen of his but a
kinsmen and friend. It chanced moreover that Cambylus and
his men had in charge one of the outposts on the rear of the
acropolis, where the nature of the ground did not admit of
siege-works, but was guarded by the permanent cantonment of
troops under Cambylus. Sosibius caught at the suggestion,
convinced that, if Achaeus could be saved at all from his
dangerous situation, it could be better accomplished by the
agency of Bolis than of any one else; and, this conviction being
backed by great zeal on the part of Bolis, the undertaking was
pushed on with despatch. Sosibius at once supplied the
money necessary for the attempt, and promised a large sum
besides in case of its success; at the same time raising the
hopes of Bolis to the utmost by dilating upon the favours he
might look for from the king, as well as from the rescued
prince himself.
Full of eagerness therefore for success, Bolis set sail without delay, taking with him a letter in cipher and other
credentials addressed to Nicomachus at
Rhodes, who was
believed to entertain a fatherly affection and devotion for
Achaeus, and also to Melancomas at
Ephesus; for these were
the men formerly employed by Achaeus in his negotiations
with Ptolemy, and in all other foreign affairs.