Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, PLA-RAM

P o
r 367 i
PON
Pontus.
6.3
His fon
Pha naces
revolts.
thia, Panonia, &c. and joining the Gatils, pafs the Alps,
and invade Italy.
This delign was no fooner known in the army., but
the foldiers openly began to complain and mutiny ; ex¬
aggerating the boldnefs of the attempt, the length
of the march, and the unfurmountable difficulties that
mull neceflarily attend fuch a defperate enterprife.
The chief commanders did all that lay in their power
to divert him from it ; reprefenting to him, that if he
was not able to cope with the Romans in his Own king¬
dom., much lefs would he be a match for them in Ita¬
ly or Gaul, where they could daily receive new fup-
plies whereas he would lofe the greateft part of his ar¬
my' in fo long and difficult a march, and the reft per¬
haps in the fail engagement, without any poffibility of
repairing the lofs. Rut all was to no purpole j for they
found him fo unalterably fixed in his refolution, that he
caufed thofe to be put to death who with moft warmth-
remonftrated agarnft it, not fpariiy even his own fon
Exipodras, for dropping fome unguarded expreffions on-
that occafion. Thus they were forced to let him pur-
fue his own meafures, till they found a more proper op¬
portunity to oppofe them, which foon after offered, as
they were encamped at Bofphorus Cimmerrus, on their
march into Scythia.
Here Pharnaces, the king’s favourite fon whom he
had appointed to fucceed him, oblerving the general
difeontent that reigped in the army, began to enter¬
tain thoughts of placing the mown on his own head ;
and not doubting but the foldiery would Hand by him,
if he declared againft the intended expedition into Ita¬
ly, openly protefted among the Roman deferters, who
were a coniiderable part of the army, that if they
would follow him he would return into Pontus. The
Romans, who were well appnftd of the danger that
attended fuch an undertaking, and had moft of all ex¬
claimed againft it, promifed to fupport him to the ut-
moft of their power, and even encouraged him, upon
fome expreffions which he purpofely dropped, to af-
fume the title of king, a title which his father feem-
ed determined to hold till he had deflroyed, by his rafh
and delperate attempts, himfelf, his. friends, and his
army. Pharnaces, finding he could depend on the Ro¬
mans engaged the fame night moft of the chief com¬
manders m his party, and by their means the greater
part of the foldiery. It was agreed, that next morn¬
ing by break of day all thofe who had declared in his
favour fhould appear in arms, and with a loud fhout
proclaim Pharnaces king ; which was done according¬
ly, and the fhout returned even by thofe whom,Phar¬
naces had not thought fit to let into the fecret. Phe
king, who had taken up his quarters in the city, being
awaked by the noife, fent out lome of his domeftics
to know what had happened in the army. Neither
did the officers or foldieis diffemble the matter, but
boldly anfwered, that they had chofen a young king
infttad of an old dotard governed by eunuchs.
Hereupon Mithridates mounting on horfeback, and
attended by his guards, went out to appeafe the tu¬
mult : but his guards torfaking him, and his horfe be¬
ing killed under him, he was obliged to fly back into
the city ; from whence he fent feveral of his atten¬
dants one after another to defire of his fon a fafe eon-
dubt for himfelf and his friends. But as none of the
meffengers returned, fome being fiain, and others tiding
Pontus.
64
with the new king, Mithridates endeavoured to move
his fon to compaffion, by fignifying to him honi the
walls the diftreffed condition lie was reduced to by a
fon whom he had favoured above the reft of his chil¬
dren ; but finding him nowife affefted by his fpeech,
turning to the gods, he befeeched them with many
tears to make his fon know one day by experience the
grief and agony which a father muft feel in feeing his
love and tendernefs requited with fuch ungrateful and
monflrous returns. Having thus fpoke, he thank¬
ed in a very obliging manner thofe who had flood by
him to the laft, and exhorted them to make their fub-
miffion to the new king on the heft terms they c uld
procure ; adding, that as for himfelf, he was detei mi¬
ned not to outlive the rebellion of a fon whom he had
always diitinguilhed with particular marks of paternal
affeftion.
After this,, he withdrew into the apartment of his Mnhn-
wives and concubines, where he firft took ponon him-^^*
felf, and then prefented it to them, and to his favou- leftroy
rite daughters Mithridatis and Niffa, who not long himfeLf.
before had been betrothed to the kings of Egypt and
Cyprus. To the women it proved immediate death ;
but on the king, who from his infancy had inured his
conftitution to poifonous potions, it had fo flow an
operation, that he was forced, through fear of falling
into the rebels hands, to recur to his iword. Neither
did the wound, as he was greatly weakened by the
poifon, prove mortal: fo that the rebels, having in
the mean time ftormed the town, and broke into the
houfe, found the king wallowing in his blood, but
ftill alive, and in his fenfes ; which Pharnaces hearing,
fent fume of thofe that were about him to drefs his
wounds, with a defign to deliver him up to the Ro¬
mans, and thereby ingratiate himfelf with Pompey.—
But, in the mean time, a Gaul, who ferved in the ar- ^ ^ ^ ^
my, by name Bit<etus, or Bit hocus, entering the. king’s' 0‘his ,lfc
room in queft of booty, and being touched with com- ut •>! com¬
paffion in feeing him forfaken by ail his friends, and p^fTiou.
ftruggling on the bare ground with the pangs of death,
drawing his fword, put an end to his prefent agonies,
and prevented the infults which he chiefly apprehend¬
ed' if he fhould fall alive into his Ion’s hands. The
barbarian is faidy when he iirft faw the king, to have
been fo awed with the majefty of his countenance, that,
forgetful of his booty, he fled out of the room ; but
being called back, and earneftly intreated by the dy¬
ing prince to put an end to his mifery, he; fummoned
all his courage to perform, as he did, with a trembling
hand, that office; and immediately retired without
tombing any thing that belonged to the king, though
the hopes of a rich booty was the only motive that had
led him thither.
Pompey, who was at that time engaged in a war
with the Jews, received the firft notice of the death of
Mithridates as he was on his march to JerufaJem. The
meffenger who brought the joyful tidings was fent by
Pharnaces, and appeared unexpectedly, before Pom¬
pey with the branch of a laurel, as was cuftomary on
the like occafions, twilled round the head of his jave- Crt
lin. When he heard what had happened at Pantica- Exceifr.'c-
pseum, he was fo impatient to •irnpa.t it to the foiJR}mans tfr;
diery, that he could not even wait till they had raifed deatW-
him a mount of turf from whence to fpeak to the army,
according to the cuftom of the camp ; but ordered
thoku.
65
Gaul