Anthony, the father of Marc
Anthony, was appointed to execute their vengeance; but, too confident of
success, he was beaten by the Cretans in a sea-battle. This naturally
encouraged them to carry on their piracies on a greater scale, and with
more boldness; but their triumph was of short duration, for Metellus, the
proconsul, having defeated their forces, united with those of the Cilician
pirates, landed on the island, and subdued the whole of it.
In the meantime, Mithridates, who had been very instrumental in encouraging
the pirates to commit depredations on the Roman vessels and coasts, was
vigorously preparing for war with the republic. His naval force, formed
partly of his own ships, and partly from those of most of the maritime
states, all of whom were jealous and afraid of the Romans, and regarded
Mithridates as their protector and deliverer, insulted even the coasts of
Italy. We have already noticed his unsuccessful sea-fight with the
Rhodians, almost the only people who continued faithful to the Romans. The
latter, at length, were fully sensible of the absolute necessity of forming
such a fleet as would enable them successfully to oppose Mithridates, who
was master, not only of Asia, but of all Greece, and the adjacent islands,
except Rhodes. Sylla was employed against him; but as he had very few
ships, he sent Lucullus to Syria, Egypt, Lybia, and Cyprus, to collect a
fleet.
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