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17. Overview
In this part
Part I provides information for getting started with your
AutoCAD®
Mechanical software. ■ About AutoCAD
Mechanical
■ Commands in AutoCAD
Mechanical
It includes an overview of the product capabilities, a summary
of commands with their toolbuttons and descriptions, and a
■ New and Revised
Commands
summary of new and revised commands in this release of
AutoCAD Mechanical.
In addition, Part I includes information about methods to
access commands, AutoCAD Mechanical Help, and product
support and training resources.
1
19. About AutoCAD
Mechanical
In this chapter
This chapter provides information about the AutoCAD®
Mechanical software application. It describes the software ■ AutoCAD Mechanical
Software Package
package, the basic design features in the software, and the
methods for accessing commands.
■ Leveraging Legacy Data
■ Starting AutoCAD
Mechanical
■ Accessing AutoCAD
Mechanical Commands
A brief overview of the Help, along with information about
where to find resources for product learning, training, and
support are included.
■ AutoCAD Mechanical Help
■ Product Support and
Training Resources
■ Design Features in
AutoCAD Mechanical
1
3
20. AutoCAD Mechanical Software Package
AutoCAD Mechanical is a 2D mechanical design and drafting solution for
engineers, designers, and detailers. Its intelligent production drawing and
detailing features decrease the time required to create and change 2D
production designs. AutoCAD Mechanical introduces many 3D concepts in
a familiar 2D environment. It is powered by AutoCAD®, with its easy-to-use
palette interface and time-saving xref functionality.
The AutoCAD Mechanical design software package includes both AutoCAD
Mechanical and AutoCAD. You can use one Options dialog box to customize
settings for both AutoCAD Mechanical and AutoCAD.
Leveraging Legacy Data
The tools for migrating legacy data are installed automatically when you install
the AutoCAD Mechanical software. A separate utility tool is available for
adding structure to legacy files after they are migrated.
The integrated Autodesk® IGES Translator for transferring and sharing of CAD
data between CAD/CAM/CAE systems is installed along with the AutoCAD
Mechanical product.
Newly generated files in AutoCAD Mechanical can be saved to a previous
version so that you can run multiple versions of AutoCAD Mechanical within
the same environment.
Starting AutoCAD Mechanical
You can start AutoCAD Mechanical by using one of the following procedures:
■ Click Start on the task bar, and then choose Programs. Select Autodesk ➤
AutoCAD Mechanical 2008.
■ On the desktop, double-click the AutoCAD Mechanical icon:
4 | Chapter 1 About AutoCAD Mechanical
21. Accessing AutoCAD Mechanical Commands
AutoCAD Mechanical provides several methods to access commands and
manage your design process.
The following are samples of the access methods available to you:
In the graphics area, right-click and choose Power Edit.
Context Menu
Toolbutton
Modify ➤ Power Commands ➤ Power Edit
Menu
AMPOWEREDIT
Command
The step-by-step procedures in the tutorials in Part II of this manual indicate
the command name in the opening procedural text. The appropriate toolbutton
is displayed in the margin next to the preferred access method. In the tutorials,
the context menu method is used when the menus are sensitive to what you
are doing. The browser method is used when you can save time and steps.
You can use any of the alternate methods as well.
Here is an example of how methods are used in the tutorials:
1 Use AMPOWEREDIT to edit a feature.
In the graphics area, right-click and choose Power Edit.
Context Menu
NOTE To find the location of a particular toolbutton, refer to Appendix A.
AutoCAD Mechanical Help
The Help in AutoCAD Mechanical provides information about AutoCAD
Mechanical with the power pack.
The Help is formatted for easy navigation, and includes:
■ Content organized by the major functional areas of AutoCAD Mechanical,
with Concept, Reference, and Procedure pages for each functional area.
Procedure pages provide step by step instructions on how to execute a
given task. The linked Concept page provides background information
about the procedure. The linked Reference pages contain information
Accessing AutoCAD Mechanical Commands | 5
22. about all the commands and dialog boxes visited while performing the
procedure.
■ Specific information about each of the features in the program.
■ Concepts and procedures for the new features in this release.
■ A keyword index and search function.
■ Printable Command Reference.
■ Guides to system variables and accelerator keys.
■ Access to Support Assistance with integrated links to solutions.
For access to Help, you can choose from the following methods:
■ From the Help menu, select Mechanical Help Topics.
■ Select the Help button in the standard toolbar.
■ Press F1.
■ Click the Help button within a dialog box.
Product Support andTraining Resources
Be more productive with Autodesk® software. Get trained at an Autodesk
Authorized Training Center (ATC®) with hands-on, instructor-led classes to
help you get the most from your Autodesk products. Enhance your productivity
with proven training from over 1,400 ATC sites in more than 75 countries.
For more information about Autodesk Authorized Training Centers, contact
atc.program@autodesk.com or visit the online ATC locator at
www.autodesk.com/atc.
Sources for product support are listed on the AutoCAD Mechanical Product
Information Web page. From the AutoCAD Mechanical Web site at
http://www.autodesk.com/autocadmech, navigate to the Support Knowledge Base.
You can also navigate to the Community page, which contains links to various
communities, including the AutoCAD Mechanical Discussion Group.
6 | Chapter 1 About AutoCAD Mechanical
23. Design Features in AutoCAD Mechanical
This section provides an overview of the functionality in the AutoCAD
Mechanical software, including numerous innovative 2D design features.
Mechanical Structure
Mechanical structure comprises a suite of 2D structure tools for organizing
drawings and for reusing associative data. The capabilities of reuse in blocks
and accessibility in layer groups are combined in mechanical structure. When
you start the AutoCAD Mechanical application, the Mechanical structure
environment is enabled by default. You can also work with it disabled.
The mechanical structure tools include:
■ A browser interface for structured 2D mechanical design, where parts,
assemblies, views, and folders containing associated data are organized,
structured, and managed. Standard parts are automatically organized and
managed in the browser. All components are accessible through the browser
for many functions, and filters can be set to control the type and level of
detail of information displayed.
■ Folders in the browser are used for capturing elements of design for reuse.
These elements provide all of the associative instancing benefits of
components, but do not register as items in the live BOM database. They
can contain geometry.
■ All geometry remains selectable and editable at all times using familiar
commands in open workflows. Workflows for structure can be bottom-up
(recommended), middle-out (the most flexible and common workflow),
and top-down (not the primary workflow).
Associative Design and Detailing
The browser is used to manage and reuse data in both the design and detailing
drafting stages. Many functions can be performed in the browser, including
the following:
■ You can instance components and assemblies multiple times. The live
BOM database in AutoCAD Mechanical keeps track of the quantity of each
part or assembly used.
Design Features in AutoCAD Mechanical | 7
24. ■ Changes made to an associative instance of a part or assembly, associative
component, assembly detailing view, or a standard part or feature are
automatically reflected in the other instances.
■ Folders, components, and individual views of components can be reused
as needed. They maintain full associativity with each other.
■ Annotation views can be created for components and assemblies to fully
document the design. Changes made to geometry result in associative
dimensions being updated to reflect the change.
External References for Mechanical Structure
External References for mechanical structure provides for the components of
a drawing to be inserted as an external reference to multiple drawings.
Conversely, multiple drawings can be attached as external references to a
single drawing.
The following are the key benefits of external references for mechanical
structure:
■ Increased efficiency by allowing insertion of structure components from
many drawings as external reference associatively for concurrent design.
■ Reuse of parts from existing assembly drawings very quickly.
■ Those involved in multiple design projects that reference the same drawing
are able to obtain the most updated design from the externally reference
component.
■ Ability to set up design specific reference directories as libraries for different
applications.
Associative 2D Hide
The 2D hide situation tool in AutoCAD Mechanical automates the process to
accurately represent parts and features which are partially or completely hidden
in drawing views. The following are some of the 2D hide benefits:
■ Associative hide situations are managed in the browser.
■ The underlying geometry is not altered when you create an associative
hide situation.
8 | Chapter 1 About AutoCAD Mechanical
25. ■ When geometry is hidden, AutoCAD Mechanical knows it is a component
in the mechanical structure, and provides a tooltip with the name and
view of the component.
Autodesk Inventor Companion Support
Autodesk® Inventor™ companion support redefines the meaning of 3D to 2D
interoperability. Use the companion functionality to:
■ Access and associatively document native 3D part models without the
presence of Autodesk Inventor.
■ Visualize part models, examine and use part properties such as material,
name, and number.
■ Associatively document part models using precision hidden-line removed
projections, dimensions, and annotations.
■ Link to the native Autodesk Inventor part models automatically notifies
you of changes and enables updating of views and annotations to keep
your drawing up-to-date.
2D Design Productivity
These features increase productivity and reduce the number of steps needed
to complete mechanical designs:
■ AutoCAD Mechanical provides an intelligent, customizable layer
management system that puts objects on the appropriate layers
automatically.
■ Entities that are not on the current layer group, or entities that are on a
locked layer group can be displayed in a different color to reduce screen
clutter.
■ 2D hidden-line calculations are based on defined foreground and
background objects. You can choose hidden line representation types.
■ Auto detailing creates detailed drawings of individual components from
an assembly drawing.
■ One set of power commands is used to create, update, and edit objects.
Autodesk Inventor Companion Support | 9
26. ■ Mechanical line objects are available for creating centerlines and center
crosses, construction lines, symmetrical lines, section lines, break lines,
and others.
■ Linear/symmetric stretch is used to modify dimensioned geometry by
changing the dimension value.
■ Predefined hatch patterns are applicable in two picks from toolbars and
menus.
Engineering Calculations
The automatic engineering calculations available in AutoCAD Mechanical
ensure proper function in mechanical designs.
■ The 2D FEA feature determines the resistance capability of an object put
under a static load and analyzes design integrity under various loads.
■ A number of moment of inertia and beam deflection calculations are
available.
■ Engineering calculations are available for shafts, bearings, and screws.
Machinery Systems Generators
Machinery systems in AutoCAD Mechanical generate the design and
calculation of shafts, springs, belts and chains, and cams. These tools ensure
that you get the design right the first time:
■ With the shaft generator, you can create drawing views of solid and hollow
shafts. Common shaft features supported include center holes, chamfers,
cones, fillets, grooves, profiles, threads, undercuts, and wrench fittings.
Common standard parts supported include bearings, gears, retaining rings,
and seals.
■ With the spring generator, you select, calculate, and insert compression,
extension, and torsion springs, and Belleville spring washers in a design.
You control the representation type of the spring, and create a spec form
to incorporate in the drawing.
■ The belt and chain generator function provides features to create chain
and sprocket systems, belt and pulley systems, calculate optimal lengths
10 | Chapter 1 About AutoCAD Mechanical
27. for chains and belts, and insert these assemblies in your design. Chains
and belts can be selected from standard libraries.
■ The cam generator creates cam plates and cylindrical cams given input
border conditions. You can calculate and display velocity, acceleration,
and the cam curve path. You can couple driven elements to the cam and
create NC data through the curve on the path.
Intelligent Production Drawing and Detailing
A number of commands are available in AutoCAD Mechanical that automate
the process to create balloons and bills of material.
■ You can create formatted balloons and bills of material, as well as detailed
views of portions of designs.
■ Multiple parts lists per drawing are supported. Grouping of a parts list
provides lists of like items. Selected items can be combined to calculate
total length required for stock ordering. The parts lists recognize standard
parts. You can format item numbers on parts lists.
■ Standard-sized drawing borders and customizable title blocks are available.
■ Intelligent and associative hole tables show a total count of each type of
hole along with a description of them. A second chart lists the coordinates
for each of the holes selected. Any update to the holes is reflected in the
charts.
■ A language converter translates text on a drawing into one of seventeen
different languages.
■ Revision control tables in drawings track revisions and display comments.
■ Fits lists chart all fits used in a drawing.
Detailing Productivity
■ Smart dimensions automatically maintain the proper arrangement with
each other.
■ Power dimension commands provide a single command to create and edit
all dimensions, apply specified formats, and add fits or tolerances.
Intelligent Production Drawing and Detailing | 11
28. ■ Dimensions are automatic for 2D geometry with either ordinate or baseline
dimensions.
■ One command quickly cleans up and arranges dimensions in 2D drawings.
One system setting controls the scale for drawing symbols in all views.
■ Commands are available for align, break, insert, and join to easily
dimension a drawing.
Annotations
■ Hole notes can be inserted for standard holes.
■ Commands are available to create standards-based surface texture symbols,
geometric dimensioning and tolerances, targets, and weld symbols.
■ Fits description command creates fits descriptions for standard holes.
■ Leader command creates intelligent balloons and other leaders common
in mechanical drawings.
Standard Mechanical Content
Standard content includes parametrically generated, intelligent geometry that
you can use to generate an object from scratch. The following are available:
■ About 600,000 standard parts, including screws, nuts, washers, pins, rivets,
bushings, rings, seals, bearings, keys, and others, can be quickly
incorporated into any design.
■ About 8,000 standard features, including center holes, undercuts, keyways,
and thread ends can be quickly incorporated into any design.
■ More than 20,000 standard holes, including through, blind, counterbored,
countersunk, oblong, and others, can be quickly incorporated into any
design.
■ Thousands of structural steel shapes, including U-shape, I-shape, T-shape,
L-shape, Z-shape, rectangular tube, round tube, rectangular full beam,
rectangular round beam, and others, can be quickly incorporated into any
design.
12 | Chapter 1 About AutoCAD Mechanical
29. Standard PartsTools
Standard part tools provide for the elements that go with standard parts, such
as a hole to accompany a screw. These tools include:
■ Screw connection feature for selecting entire fastener assemblies at one
time.
■ Changeable representation of a standard part between a normal, simplified,
or symbolic representation.
■ Power view to automatically generate a different view of a standard part,
such as a top view from a front view.
Collaboration
Enjoy the benefits of design collaboration for your 2D output through Autodesk
Streamline® support. Autodesk Streamline is a hosted Web service for sharing
personalized design data across the entire extended manufacturing enterprise.
Autodesk Streamline functionality includes the following:
■ Members can view and interact with the 3D data set published on Autodesk
Streamline, without waiting for the data to download.
■ Using Streamline, many people can share design information and
collaborate online. Functionality includes instant messages, e-mail
notifications, polling/voting, discussion threads, database creation, and
more.
■ AutoCAD Mechanical data can be written to the AutoCAD DWF file format,
which is one of the file types that Autodesk Streamline leverages.
■ You can export 3D CAD data in ZGL format (a compressed form of a
standard Open GL file format called XGL). ZGL readily captures 3D data
that can be rendered by the Open GL library. ZGL files can then be
uploaded to Autodesk Streamline.
Standard Parts Tools | 13
31. Commands in AutoCAD
Mechanical
In this chapter
This chapter provides a list of the commands available in
AutoCAD®
Mechanical, along with a brief description of the
function of each command and the associated toolbutton.
■ Command Summary
2
15
32. Command Summary
The following is a list of the AutoCAD Mechanical commands, a brief
description of each, and the associated toolbutton.
Some commands do not have an associated toolbutton. This list does not
contain AutoCAD® commands.
In some cases where some of the task-specific toolbars are available in a more
comprehensive format from the Main toolbar at View ➤ Toolbars, it is noted
in the table.
Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Provides layer group support within the
AutoCAD Design Center.
ADCENTER
Hides invisible edges in unstructured situ-
ations.
AM2DHIDE
Edits existing unstructured hide situations.
AM2DHIDEDIT
Creates an adjusting ring on a shaft.
AMADJRINGS2D
Creates a file in which the current layer struc-
ture of the drawing is written.
AMANALYSEDWG
Creates, deletes, adds, and moves annotations
associated with drawing views.
AMANNOTE
Suits an existing hatch to a changed contour.
AMASSOHATCH
Displays or attaches non attached symbols.
AMATTACHSYM
16 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
33. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Automatically creates construction lines on
selected drawing elements.
AMAUTOCLINES
Creates an external detail drawing (xref) of
selected elements from an assembly drawing.
AMAUTODETAIL
Creates chain, baseline, ordinate in both axes,
shaft, or symmetric dimensions.
AMAUTODIM
Creates and places a balloon.
AMBALLOON
Performs calculation on bearings.
AMBEARCALC
Selects, calculates, and inserts Belleville spring
washers, and inserts spring specification tables
in drawings.
AMBELL2D
Creates a standard related blind hole.
AMBHOLE2D
Creates a formatted BOM database containing
a list of attributes, parts lists with item num-
bers, and lists of like items in a BOM.
AMBOM
Breaks a line, polyline, or a spline on a spe-
cified point.
AMBREAKATPT
Draws a special spline to show the breakout
borders.
AMBROUTLINE
Command Summary | 17
34. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Switches the mechanical browser on and off.
AMBROWSER
Switches the mechanical browser on.
AMBROWSEROPEN
Switches the mechanical browser off.
AMBROWSERCLOSE
Creates a blind slot.
AMBSLOT2D
Creates and calculates cam designs.
AMCAM
Draws a centerline cross with an angle.
AMCENCRANGLE
Draws a centerline cross in a corner.
AMCENCRCORNER
Draws a centerline cross on a circle.
AMCENCRFULLCIRCLE
Draws a centerline cross with a hole.
AMCENCRHOLE
Draws a centerline cross in a hole.
AMCENCRINHOLE
Draws a centerline cross.
AMCENCROSS
18 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
35. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Draws centerline cross on a plate.
AMCENCRPLATE
Draws a centerline in between two lines.
AMCENINBET
Creates a centerhole.
AMCENTERHOLE2D
Creates a centerline and center marks through
selected circles and arcs while in Drawing
mode.
AMCENLINE
Draws a centerline.
AMCENTLINE
Draws chain or belt links.
AMCHAINDRAW
Determines the tangent definition between
sprockets or pulleys.
AMCHAINLENGTHCAL
Bevels the edges of objects.
AMCHAM2D
Checks for, highlights, and edits dimensions
with overridden text.
AMCHECKDIM
Creates a clevis pin.
AMCLEVISPIN2D
Command Summary | 19
36. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Locks or unlocks the construction line layer.
AMCLINEL
Switches construction lines on or off.
AMCLINEO
Designs, calculates, and inserts compression
springs, and places spring specification tables
in drawings.
AMCOMP2D
Draws construction lines.Design Toolbar
Design Toolbar - Draw, Construction for more
construction line commands.
AMCONSTLINES
Switches construction lines between lines and
rays.
AMCONSTSWI
Displays the inner contour of an object.
AMCONTIN
Displays the outer contour of an object.
AMCONTOUT
Traces all points of a contour.
AMCONTRACE
Converts the current drawing.
AMCONVDWG
Copies a user specified layer group or selected
geometry into a new layer group.
AMCOPYLG
20 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
37. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Copies views to the same layout or to a differ-
ent layout.
AMCOPYVIEW
Creates a cotter pin.
AMCOTTERPIN2D
Creates a standard related counterbore.
AMCOUNTB2D
Creates a standard related countersink.
AMCOUNTS2D
Creates a countersunk rivet.
AMCRIVET2D
Creates a cylindrical pin.
AMCYLPIN2D
Creates datum identifier symbols.
AMDATUMID
Creates datum target symbols.
AMDATUMTGT
Calculates the deflection line or moment line
of an object that has various force elements
acting on it.
AMDEFLINE
Deletes views and its dependent views.
AMDELVIEW
Creates associative and scaled detail frames of
selected parts of a drawing.
AMDETAIL
Command Summary | 21
38. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Aligns linear, rotated, aligned, ordinate, or
angular dimensions that have a base dimen-
sion of the same type.
AMDIMALIGN
Rearranges individual dimensions that lie along
one axis, in respect to a reference point.
AMDIMARRANGE
Creates breaks in an existing dimension.
AMDIMBREAK
Modifies dimensions in drawing mode.
AMDIMFORMAT
Edits linear, aligned, rotated, and angular di-
mensions by inserting new dimensions of the
same type simultaneously.
AMDIMINSERT
Edits linear, aligned, and angular (3-point or
2-line) dimensions by joining similar dimen-
sions into a single dimension.
AMDIMJOIN
Edits multiple dimensions at the same time.
AMDIMMEDIT
Resizes objects by stretching/shrinking linear
and symmetric dimensions.
AMDIMSTRETCH
Creates a single drill bushing.
AMDRBUSH2D
Creates a drill bushing and the corresponding
hole.
AMDRBUSHHOLE2D
22 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
39. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates views of Autodesk Inventor® linked
models while in Drawing mode.
AMDWGVIEW
Creates edge symbols.
AMEDGESYM
Edits balloons, parts lists, and symbols.
AMEDIT
Displays or selects the paper space cutline for
breakout section views.
AMEDITPSCUTLINE
Edits views created in Drawing mode.
AMEDITVIEW
Generates and organizes equations.
AMEQUATEDIT
Erases all construction lines.
AMERASEALLCL
Erases selected construction lines.
AMERASECL
Breaks a compound object in the mechanical
structure environment into its component
objects.
AMEXPLODE
Designs, calculates, and inserts extension
springs, and inserts spring specification tables
in drawings.
AMEXT2D
Creates an external thread.
AMEXTHREAD2D
Command Summary | 23
40. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates feature control frame symbols.
AMFCFRAME
Calculates stress and deformation in a plane
for plates with a given thickness or in a cross
AMFEA2D
section with individual forces and stretching
loads.
Creates feature identifier symbols.
AMFEATID
Rounds and fillets the edges of objects.
AMFILLET2D
Puts existing fits and their respective dimen-
sion values into a list and inserts this fits list
into your drawing.
AMFITSLIST
Inserts a retaining ring/circlip with the appro-
priate groove in a shaft.
AMGROOVE2D
Creates a grooved drive stud.
AMGROOVESTUD2D
Creates a 135-degree and 11 mm/0.4 inch
hatch.
AMHATCH_135_11
Creates a 135-degree and 2.7 mm/0.11 inch
hatch.
AMHATCH_135_2
Creates a 135-degree and 4.7 mm/0.19 inch
hatch.
AMHATCH_135_4
24 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
41. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates a 45-degree and 13 mm/0.5 inch
hatch.
AMHATCH_45_13
Creates a 45-degree and 2.5 mm/0.1 inch
hatch.
AMHATCH_45_2
Creates a 45-degree and 5 mm/0.22 inch
hatch.
AMHATCH_45_5
Creates a double hatch of 45- and 135-degree
and 2.3 mm/0.09 inch.
AMHATCH_DBL
Displays the online Help.
AMHELP
Documents the holes in a design, including
coordinate dimensions.
AMHOLECHART
Calculates the following tasks: center of grav-
ity, directions of the main axes moment, mo-
AMINERTIA
ments of inertia, effective moment of inertia,
deflection angle.
Calculates the moment of inertia for cross
sections of cylinders, hollow cylinders, rectan-
gular prisms, or hollow rectangular prisms.
AMINERTIAPROF
Recreates the associative link between a .dwg
file and an Autodesk Inventor assembly (.iam)
or part (.ipt) document.
AMIVLINK
Selects an Autodesk Inventor Project (.ipj) file
to use as the active project file for opening
Autodesk Inventor assembly (.iam) files.
AMIVPROJECT
Command Summary | 25
42. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Rereads associated Autodesk Inventor part or
assembly file and updates the linked .dwg file.
AMIVUPDATE
Joins different entities.
AMJOIN
Translates text strings in your drawing into
another language.
AMLANGCONV
Displays and uses text from the Language
Converter.
AMLANGTEXT
Manages the layer system.
AMLAYER
Switches invisible lines on or off.
AMLAYINVO
Moves lines to another layer.
AMLAYMOVE
Moves lines to parts layers.
AMLAYMOVEPL
Moves lines to working layers.
AMLAYMOVEWL
Switches standard parts on or off.
AMLAYPARTO
26 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
43. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Switches part reference on or off.
AMLAYPARTREFO
Resets all layers.
AMLAYRESET
Switches the border and title block on or off.
AMLAYTIBLO
Specifies the layer group setting during a
working session.
AMLAYVISENH
Switches viewports on or off.
AMLAYVPO
Moves elements in a selection set to a specific
layer group.
AMLGMOVE
Displays the Library dialog box.
AMLIBRARY
Lists information about a selected view while
in Drawing mode.
AMLISTVIEW
Creates a lubricator.
AMLUBRI2D
Dynamically moves and rotates selected geo-
metry along/around the X, Y, Z axes.
AMMANIPULATE
Makes a contour visible.
AMMCONTV
Command Summary | 27
44. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Displays the browser in the mechanical struc-
ture environment.
AM_MECHANICAL_
BROWSER
Converts infopoints, position numbers, and
parts lists (on a drawing) from Genius
AMMIGRATEBB
13/Genius 14 to AutoCAD Mechanical 6
format.
Converts all symbols from Genius 13/14 to
AutoCAD Mechanical 6 format.
AMMIGRATESYM
Switches between model and drawing modes.
AMMODE
Moves dimensions on drawings while main-
taining their association to the drawing view
geometry.
AMMOVEDIM
Moves a drawing view to another location in
the drawing or to another layout while in
Drawing mode.
AMMOVEVIEW
Describes holes, fits, and standard parts, and
creates associative notes to the drawing with
a leader.
AMNOTE
Creates a nut.
AMNUT2D
Creates new objects at specified distances from
an existing object or through a specified point.
AMOFFSET
Sets configurations. Merged with AutoCAD
command OPTIONS.
AMOPTIONS
28 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
45. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates and places a parts list in a drawing.
AMPARTLIST
Creates part references.
AMPARTREF
Edits part reference data.
AMPARTREFEDIT
Creates cylindrical pins, cotter pins, taper pins,
and grooved drive studs.
AMPIN2D
Inserts a plain bearing on a shaft or in a
housing.
AMPLBEAR2D
Inserts the current date in the lower right
corner of the title block.
AMPLOTDATE
Creates a plain rivet.
AMPLRIVET2D
Creates a plug.
AMPLUG2D
Copies an object with its internal information
to another position in the drawing.
AMPOWERCOPY
Creates power dimensions, or assigns toler-
ances or fits to power dimensions.
AMPOWERDIM
Command Summary | 29
46. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates angular dimensions, or assigns toler-
ances or fits to dimension.
AMPOWERDIM_ANG
Starts the command with which the selected
object was created to edit the object.
AMPOWEREDIT
Deletes selected objects.
AMPOWERERASE
Starts the command with which the selected
object was created, to create a new object.
AMPOWERRECALL
Sets object snap modes, polar snap, and filters
for object snaps.
AMPOWERSNAP
Creates top or side views of standard parts.
AMPOWERVIEW
Creates a projection crosshairs used for creat-
ing orthographic views.
AMPROJO
Controls the scale of all drawing symbols.
AMPSCALE
Sets user-defined snap settings on tab 1.
AMPSNAP1
Sets user-defined snap settings on tab 2.
AMPSNAP2
Sets user-defined snap settings on tab 3.
AMPSNAP3
30 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
47. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Sets user-defined snap settings on tab 4.
AMPSNAP4
Snaps the rectangle center.
AMPSNAPCEN
Switches the entity filter on or off.
AMPSNAPFILTERO
Snaps to the middle of two points.
AMPSNAPMID
Snaps to a reference point.
AMPSNAPREF
Snaps to a relative point.
AMPSNAPREL
Snaps to a virtual intersection point of two
lines.
AMPSNAPVINT
Switches snapping of the Z coordinate on or
off.
AMPSNAPZO
Creates a rectangle by defining its starting and
endpoint. See Appendix A, Design Toolbar -
AMRECTANG
Draw - Rectangle for more rectangle com-
mands.
Saves REFEDIT working set changes.
AMREFCLOSE
Command Summary | 31
48. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Copies objects from other blocks to the
REFEDIT working set.
AMREFCOPY
Creates reference dimensions between the
part edges created in Model mode and lines,
arcs, circles, ellipses created in Drawing mode.
AMREFDIM
Rescales dimensions and symbols in model
and layout.
AMRESCALE
Switches revision lists on or off.
AMREV
Inserts a revision list into a drawing or adds
an additional revision line to an existing revi-
sion list.
AMREVLINE
Updates revision lists.
AMREVUPDATE
Creates plain and countersunk rivets.
AMRIVET2D
Inserts a radial or axial roller bearing on a shaft
or in a housing.
AMROLBEAR2D
Selects folder(s) or view folder(s) in mechanical
structure and sets them as the active edit tar-
get.
AMSACTIVATE
Specifies new base points for folders or views
that can be activated.
AMSBASE
Allows scaling for entities in X and Y direction.
AMSCALEXY
32 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
49. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates a scale area (an area that has a scale
that is different to model space scale) in
model space.
AMSCAREA
Opens the structure catalog dialog box, which
gives you the ability to insert structure com-
AMSCATALOG
ponents to the current drawing as external
references and manage them.
Opens the structure catalog dialog box
AMSCATALOGOPEN
Closes the structure catalog dialog box.
AMSCATALOGCLOSE
Views and edits the scale of scale areas or
viewports.
AMSCMONITOR
Copies the definitions of instanced folders,
components or views in the mechanical
structure environment.
AMSCOPYDEF
Creates components, component views,
folders, and annotation views in drawings in
the mechanical structure environment.
AMSCREATE
Creates a screw or bolt.
AMSCREW2D
Calculates factors of safety for parts of a screw
connection.
AMSCREWCALC
Opens the Screw Connection dialog box.
AMSCREWCON2D
Command Summary | 33
50. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Opens the Screw Assembly Templates dialog
box.
AMSCREWMACRO2D
Generates scripts.
AMSCRIPT
Creates a sealing ring for use under a plug.
AMSEALRING2D
Inserts a seal or O-ring with the appropriate
groove in a shaft.
AMSEALS2D
Creates cutting plane lines.
AMSECTIONLINE
Directly manipulates the contents of an active
folder or view in the mechanical structure en-
vironment.
AMSEDIT
Sets up a drawing.
AMSETUPDWG
Moves a structure component from the cur-
rent drawing to a new drawing file and con-
verts it to an external reference component.
AMSEXTERNALIZE
Creates rotationally symmetric shaft parts and
inner and outer shaft contours.
AMSHAFT2D
Calculates deflection line, bending moment,
torsion moment, supporting force, torque ro-
AMSHAFTCALC
tation angle, equivalent tension, and the safety
factor of shafts.
Creates a zigzag line, a free-hand line, or loop
to represent a shaft end.
AMSHAFTEND
34 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
51. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Inserts a parallel or woodruff key with the ap-
propriate keyseat in a shaft.
AMSHAFTKEY2D
Creates a shaft lock nut including the lock
washer and inserts both in a shaft.
AMSHAFTLNUT2D
Creates and edits hide situations in the
mechanical structure environment.
AMSHIDE
Edits hide situations created with AMSHIDE.
AMSHIDEEDIT
Creates a shim ring on a shaft.
AMSHIMRING2D
Creates seam and fillet simple welds.
AMSIMPLEWELD
Inserts a new instance of a component view,
folder or annotation view in model space, in
the mechanical structure environment.
AMSINSERT
Converts an external reference component to
a local component on the current drawing.
AMSLOCALIZE
Moves objects and their associated occur-
rences in one or more folders or views to an-
AMSMOVE
other folder or view in the mechanical struc-
ture environment.
Toggles the Design Navigation mode on and
off.
AMSNAVMODE
Command Summary | 35
52. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Creates and manages new folders, compon-
ents, and annotation views in the mechanical
structure environment.
AMSNEW
Draws sprockets or pulleys.
AMSPROCKET
Removes unused structure objects, including
folders, components, views, and annotation
AMSPURGE
views in the mechanical structure environ-
ment.
Replaces the definition of a folder or view with
another definition of objects in the mechanical
structure environment.
AMSREPLACEDEF
Opens the Standard Parts Database dialog box
for selection.
AMSTDPLIB
Opens the Standard Parts Database dialog box
for editing.
AMSTDPLIBEDIT
Changes the representation of a standard part.
AMSTDPREP
Creates a steel shape.
AMSTLSHAP2D
Changes the text style to italic.
AMSTYLEITAL
Changes the text style to simplex.
AMSTYLESIMP
36 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
53. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Changes the text style to standard.
AMSTYLESTAND
Changes the text style to TXT.
AMSTYLETXT
Creates surface texture symbols.
AMSURFSYM
Appends or removes a leader.
AMSYMLEADER
Draws symmetrical lines.
AMSYMLINE
Creates a standard related tapped blind hole.
AMTAPBHOLE2D
Creates a taper hole with an external thread.
AMTAPETHREAD2D
Creates a taper hole with an internal thread.
AMTAPITHREAD2D
Creates a taper pin.
AMTAPERPIN2D
Creates a standard related tapped through
hole.
AMTAPTHOLE2D
Creates a taper or slope symbol.
AMTAPERSYM
Command Summary | 37
54. Description
Command Name
Toolbut-
ton
Inserts mtext with 3.5 mm height.
AMTEXT3
Inserts mtext with 5 mm height. See Appendix
A, Assistance Toolbar - Text for more text
commands.
AMTEXT5
Inserts mtext with 7 mm height.
AMTEXT7
Centers text horizontally and vertically.
AMTEXTCENT
Centers text centered horizontally around the
selected point.
AMTEXTHORIZ
Aligns mtext to the right.
AMTEXTRIGHT
Sets text to its default size in model space and
layout, and defines a height for an inserted
text.
AMTEXTSIZE
Creates text with the text style to TXT.
AMTEXTTXT
Creates a standard related through hole.
AMTHOLE2D
Creates a thread end.
AMTHREADEND2D
38 | Chapter 2 Commands in AutoCAD Mechanical
56. satisfaction than even the success at sea; especially after they came
thither, and were hospitably received in the city, filled with provisions
of all sorts, as if provided for the arrival of the army; when, in
besieging the city, they had anticipated extreme want and hardship.
There they made a halt for a few days, that the baggage and sick
might overtake them, who, overcome by diseases, or the length of
the way, had been left behind in all the forts of Thrace. When all had
joined, they began again their march through the Chersonese, and
arrived at the Hellespont; where every thing requisite for their
passage having been previously got ready, by the care of king
Eumenes, they crossed over, without confusion, as if to friendly
shores, no one opposing, and the ships putting in at several different
places. This raised to a high degree the spirits of the Romans, who
saw the passage into Asia left open to them; which thing they
supposed would cost them a severe struggle. They afterwards
remained encamped a considerable time at the Hellespont, because
it happened to be a period too holy for marching, during which the
sacred shields are moved. The same festival had separated Publius
Scipio from the army, as the religious ceremony was more
incumbent on him, because he was one of the Salian priests; and he
himself was a source of delay, till he overtook the rest of the army.
34 In the mean time an ambassador came from Antiochus to the
camp,—Heraclides, a Byzantian, having mandates concerning peace.
The delay and tardiness of the Romans gave him great hope that
this might be attained; for he had imagined, that as soon as they set
foot in Asia, they would advance in a rapid march against the king.
He resolved, however, not to address himself to the consul until he
had first applied to Publius Scipio, and instructions to that effect
were given him by the king. In him he had the greatest hope,
besides that his greatness of soul, and the fulness of his glory,
tended very much to make him inclined to peace, and it was known
to all nations what sort of a conqueror he had been, both in Spain
and afterwards in Africa; and also because his son was then a
prisoner with Antiochus. Where, and when, and by what accident he
became a prisoner, is, like very many other things, not ascertained
57. among writers. Some say, that in the beginning of the war, as he
was going from Chalcis to Oreum, he was intercepted by some of
the king’s ships; others, that after the army came into Asia, he was
sent with a troop of Fregellans to Antiochus’s camp, to gain
intelligence; that on the cavalry sallying out against him, he
retreated, and having fallen from his horse in the confusion, he was
together with two horsemen, overpowered, and thus conducted to
the king. This however is fully ascertained, that if peace had still
subsisted with the Romans, and likewise a personal friendship
between the king and the Scipios, the young man could not have
been treated and courted with greater kindness than he was. When
the ambassador, for these reasons, had waited the arrival of Publius
Scipio, as soon as he came he applied to the consul, and requested
that he should hear his instructions.
35 A full council being assembled, audience was given to the
ambassador, who said, that, “though many embassies about peace
had already been sent backwards and forwards, without producing
any effect, yet he conceived strong hopes of obtaining it, because
the former ambassadors had obtained nothing. For the objects of
contention in those discussions were Smyrna and Lampsacus,
Alexandria in the Troad, and Lysimachia in Europe. Of these, the
king had already ceded Lysimachia, that they might not say that he
possessed any thing in Europe; and those cities which lay in Asia, he
was now ready to deliver up as well as any others, which the
Romans might wish to render independent of the king’s government,
because they belonged to their party. The king was also willing to
pay to the Roman people half the expense of the war.” These were
the conditions of peace. The rest of his discourse was, “that, mindful
of human affairs, they should use with moderation their own good
fortune, and not press too severely on the misfortune of others; that
they should limit their empire by Europe; that single acquisitions
could be made with more ease than that necessary for holding them
collectively. But if they would wish to take away some part of Asia,
provided that they would define it by indisputable limits, the king, for
the sake of peace and harmony, would willingly suffer his own
58. moderate temper to be overcome by the insatiableness of the
Romans.” These concessions, which appeared to the ambassador of
great moment towards obtaining a peace, the Romans deemed
trifling. They thought it just, that “the king should defray the whole
expense occasioned by the war, because it was through his fault that
it was begun. And that, not only Ionia and Æolia ought to be
evacuated by the king’s troops, but as all Greece had been set free,
so all the cities of that nation in Asia should also be free. That this
could be effected in no other way, than by Antiochus relinquishing
the possession of that part of Asia on the hither side of Mount
Taurus.”
36 The ambassador, after he came to the conclusion that he could
obtain no reasonable terms in the council, tried to influence the
mind of Publius Scipio in private (for such were his orders). First of
all he told him that the king would restore him his son without a
ransom; and then, as ignorant of the disposition of Scipio as he was
of the Roman manners, he promised an immense weight of gold,
and, excepting the title of king, an absolute partnership in the
sovereignty, if through his means he should obtain a peace. To which
Scipio answered, “I am the less surprised that you are ignorant of
the Romans in general, and of me, to whom you have been sent,
when I see that you are unacquainted with the situation even of the
person from whom you come. You ought to have kept Lysimachia to
prevent our entering the Chersonese, or to have opposed us at the
Hellespont to hinder our passing into Asia, if you meant to ask peace
from us as from people solicitous about the issue of war. But after
leaving the passage into Asia open, and receiving not only a bridle,
but also a yoke, what negotiation on an equality has been left you,
when you must submit to orders? I shall consider my son as a very
great gift from the munificence of the king; I pray to the gods that
my circumstances may never require others, my mind certainly never
will require any. For such an act of generosity to me he shall find me
grateful, if for a personal favour he will accept a personal return of
gratitude. In my public capacity, I will neither accept from him nor
give him any thing. All that I can give at present is sincere advice.
59. Go then, and desire him in my name, to cease hostilities, and to
refuse no terms of peace.” These words had no effect on the king,
who thought that the chance of war would be comparatively safe,
since terms were dictated to him already as if he were totally
vanquished. Laying aside, therefore, for the present, all farther
mention of peace, he turned his whole attention to the preparations
for war.
37 The consul having made every preparation for the execution of
his designs, when he had quitted the post where he lay, marched
first to Dardanus, and then to Rhœteum; from both states the
people came out in crowds to meet him. He then advanced to Troy,
and having pitched his camp in the plain which is under the walls,
when he had gone up to the city and into the citadel, he offered
sacrifices to Minerva, the guardian of the citadel; the Trojans, by
every act and expression of respect, showing themselves proud of
the Romans being descended from them, and the Romans
expressing their delight in their origin. The army marching thence,
arrived, on the sixth encampment, at the source of the Caicus. To
this place also king Eumenes came. He at first endeavoured to bring
back his fleet from the Hellespont to Elæa, for the winter;
subsequently, when by adverse winds he could not, for several days,
pass the promontory of Lectos, that he might not be absent at the
commencement of operations, he landed and came, with a small
body of men, by the shortest road to the Roman camp. From the
camp he was sent home to Pergamus, to hasten supplies of
provisions; and when the corn was delivered to the persons whom
the consul had ordered to receive it, he returned to the same camp.
The plan was, provisions for several days being prepared, to march
hence against the enemy, before the winter should prevent them.
The king’s camp was near Thyatira; and Antiochus, hearing there
that Publius Scipio had fallen sick and was conveyed to Elæa, sent
ambassadors to conduct his son to him. As this present was highly
grateful to the mind of the father, so was the satisfaction which it
gave no less salutary to his body. At length, being sated with the
embraces of his son, he said to the ambassadors, “Tell the king that
60. I return him thanks; that at present I can make him no other
requital than my advice; which is, not to come to an engagement,
until he shall have heard that I have rejoined the army.” Although
sixty-two thousand foot, and more than twelve thousand horse,
inspired the king at times with hopes in the result of a battle; yet,
moved by the advice of so great a man as Scipio, in whom, when he
considered the uncertainty of the events of war, he placed safety in
any reverse of fortune, he retired, and having crossed the Phrygian
river, pitched his camp near Magnesia, which is at Sipylus. And lest,
if he wished to prolong the time, the Romans might attack his
works, he drew round it a fosse six cubits deep and twelve broad,
and on the outside surrounded the fosse with a double rampart: on
the inside bank, he raised a wall flanked with towers at small
distances, by which the enemy could easily be prevented from
crossing the fosse.
38 The consul, thinking that the king was still in the neighbourhood
of Thyatira, came down by continued marches on the fifth day into
the Hyrcanian plains. Then when he heard that the other had
departed, he followed his track, and pitched his camp on the hither
side of the Phrygian river, at the distance of four miles from the
enemy. Here, a body of about one thousand horse, (the greatest
part of whom were Gallogræcians, the rest Dahans, and archers on
horseback, of other nations intermixed,) passing the river with great
tumult, made an attack on the advanced Roman guards. First of all
they threw into confusion those unprepared; then, when the contest
continued longer, and the number of the Romans increased, as
succours were easily sent from the neighbouring camp, the king’s
troops, becoming weary and unable to withstand superior numbers,
endeavoured to retreat; but, before they could reach the river, very
many were killed on the bank, by the enemy pressing on their rear.
For two days after there was quiet, neither party passing the river.
On the third, the Romans passed it with their whole force, and
encamped at the distance of about two miles and a half from the
enemy. While they were employed in measuring and fortifying the
camp, a body of the king’s troops, consisting of three thousand
61. chosen horse and foot, approached with great rapidity and violence.
The party on guard, though much inferior in number, (being only
two thousand,) without calling off any of the soldiers from the
fortifying of the camp, sustained the combat with equal success at
first, and, in the progress of the contest, repulsed the enemy, killing
a hundred, and taking about the same number. During the four
ensuing days, both armies stood in order of battle, before their
respective camps. On the fifth, the Romans advanced into the
middle of the plain, but Antiochus did not stir; so that his rear was
not so far as a thousand feet from his rampart.
39 The consul, after perceiving that he declined the contest, called a
council next day, and asked their opinion, “how he ought to act if
Antiochus would not give him an opportunity of engaging. For the
winter was at hand, and he must either keep the soldiers in camp;
or, if they chose to retire to winter quarters, defer the business of
the war until summer.” The Romans never despised any enemy so
much. The assembly on every side called on him to lead on
immediately, and make use of the present ardour of the troops;
who, as if the business were not to fight against so many thousands,
but to slaughter an equal number of cattle, were ready to force their
way, through trenches and ramparts, into the camp, if the enemy
would not come out to battle. Cneius Domitius was sent to discover
the nature of the ground, and on what side the enemies’ rampart
could be approached; after he returned with a full account of every
particular, it was resolved that the camp should next day be moved
nearer to the enemy. On the third day, the standards were carried
forward into the middle of the plain, and the soldiers began to form
line. Antiochus, thinking that he could hesitate no longer, lest, by
declining a battle, he should damp the courage of his men, and add
to the confidence of the enemy, drew out his forces in person,
advancing only so far from the enemy’s camp as to make it apparent
that he was willing to come to an engagement. The Roman line was
nearly uniform throughout with respect to both men and armour.
There were two Roman legions, and two brigades of allies and
Latins, each containing five thousand four hundred men. The
62. Romans formed the centre, the Latins the wings. The spearmen
composed the first line, the first-rank men the second, and the
veterans closed the rear. Beyond this, which formed as it were the
regular line of battle, the consul formed on the right of it, and in one
continued line, the auxiliary troops of Eumenes, intermixed with
Achæan targeteers, making about three thousand foot; beyond
these he posted somewhat less than three thousand horse, of which,
eight hundred belonged to Eumenes; all the rest of the cavalry were
Roman: and in the extremity of the line he placed bodies of Trallians
and Cretans, equal in number, who were composed of five hundred
men each. His left wing did not appear to require such supports,
because a river and steep banks flanked it. However, four troops of
horse were posted there. This was the whole amount of the Roman
force, besides two thousand Macedonians and Thracians, who had,
as volunteers, accompanied the army. These were left to guard the
camp. They placed sixteen elephants behind the veterans, in
reserve. For besides that they were not supposed capable of
withstanding the great number of the king’s elephants, which were
no less than fifty-four, the African elephants are not able to cope
with an equal number of Indians, either because they are inferior to
them in size, (in which the Indian have much the advantage,) or in
unyielding courage.
40 The king’s line was more chequered with troops of many nations,
dissimilar both in their persons and armour. There was a body of
sixteen thousand men armed after the manner of the Macedonians,
which were called a phalanx. This formed the centre, and was
divided in front into ten parts. These parts were separated by two
elephants placed between each two; the line of soldiers was thirty-
two ranks deep from point to rear. This was the main strength of the
king’s army, and it exhibited a formidable sight, both in the other
particulars of its appearance, and in the elephants towering so high
among the soldiers. They were of huge bulk, and the caparisons of
their foreheads and crests, and the towers fixed on their backs, with
four armed men standing on each tower, besides the managers of
the beasts, gave them a terrific appearance. On the right side of the
63. phalanx, he placed five hundred Gallogræcian horsemen. To these
he joined three thousand horsemen clad in complete armour, whom
they call Cataphracti, or mailed. To these were added a brigade of
near a thousand horse, which they called Agema. They were Medes,
all picked men, with a mixture of horsemen from many other nations
in that part of the world. Adjoining these, a body of sixteen
elephants was placed in reserve. On the same side, a little farther on
towards the wing, was the royal cohort; these were called
Argyraspides4], from the kind of armour which they wore. Next to
these stood one thousand two hundred Dahan bowmen on
horseback; then, three thousand light infantry, part Cretans and part
Trallians, the number of each being equal; adjoining these, were two
thousand five hundred Mysian archers. Four thousand Cyrtæan
slingers and Elymæan archers mixed together covered the flank of
the wing. Next to the left flank of the phalanx, stood one thousand
five hundred Gallogræcian horse, and two thousand Cappadocians,
(which were sent by king Ariarathes,) wearing the same kind of
armour; then, auxiliaries of all kinds mixed together, two thousand
seven hundred; then, three thousand mailed horsemen; then, one
thousand other horsemen, being a royal cohort, equipped with
lighter coverings for themselves and their horses, but, in other
respects, not unlike the rest; they were mostly Syrians, with a
mixture of Phrygians and Lydians. In the front of this body of cavalry
were the chariots armed with scythes, and a kind of camels called
dromedaries. These were ridden by Arabian archers, who carried
thin swords four cubits long, that they might be able to reach the
enemy from so great a height. Then followed another multitude, like
that in the right wing,—first, Tarentines; then, two thousand five
hundred Gallogræcian horsemen; then, one thousand new Cretans,
and one thousand five hundred Carians and Cilicians, armed in the
same manner; then, an equal number of Trallians, with three
thousand targeteers (these were Pisidians, Pamphylians, and
Lycians); then came brigades of Cyrtæans and Elymæans, equal to
the auxiliaries placed on the right wing, and sixteen elephants,
separated by a small interval. The king himself was in the right wing;
64. the command of the left he gave to his son Seleucus, and Antipater,
the son of his brother; the centre was intrusted to three, Minio,
Zeuxis, and Philip, the master of the elephants.
41 A morning mist, which as the day advanced rose up in clouds,
spread a general darkness; and the moisture issuing from it, and
coming from the southward, wetted every thing, This circumstance,
which was scarcely any inconvenience to the Romans, was very
disadvantageous to the king’s troops. For the indistinctness of the
light did not take away from the Romans the view of all parts of their
line, since it was of moderate length; and the moisture tended but
little to blunt their swords and javelins, as they were almost all
heavy-armed troops. The king’s soldiers, as the line was so
extensive, could not even see their wings from the centre, much less
could those at the extremities see one another; and then, the
moisture relaxed the strings of their bows, their slings, and the
thongs of their javelins. Besides, the armed chariots, by means of
which Antiochus had trusted utterly to disorder the enemy’s line,
turned the terror of their operations on their owners. The manner in
which they were armed was this: from the yoke, on both sides of the
pole, they had lances5 ten cubits long, projecting like horns, to
transfix any thing that came in their way. At each extremity of the
yoke, two scythe-blades projected, one on a line with the yoke, the
other on its lower side, pointing to the ground; the former to cut
through any thing that might come within its reach on the side, the
other to catch such as fell, or endeavoured to go under it. At each
extremity of the axle of the wheels, two scythe-blades were fastened
in the same manner. The king, as we mentioned before, had placed
the chariots so armed in the front, because if they were placed in
the rear, or between the ranks, they must be driven through their
own soldiers. Which when Eumenes saw, not being ignorant of the
method of opposing them, and knowing that aid of that sort might
be rendered as dangerous to one side as the other, if an opponent
should cast terror into the horses, rather than attack them in a
regular battle, ordered the Cretan bowmen, and slingers, and
javelin-bearers, with some troops of horse, not in a body, but
65. scattering themselves as widely as possible, to rush forwards, and
pour weapons on them from all sides at once. This storm, as it were,
partly by the wounds made by the missile weapons thrown from
every quarter, and partly by the discordant shouts raised, so terrified
the horses, that immediately, as if unbridled, they galloped about at
random. The light infantry, the lightly-accoutred slingers, and the
active Cretans, quickly evaded their encounter. The horsemen,
following them, increased the tumult and the terror of the horses
and camels, which were likewise affrighted, the clamour being
multiplied and increased by the rest of the crowd of bystanders. By
these means, the chariots were driven out of the ground between
the two lines. When this fruitless mimicry of war was over, both
parties gave the signal, and advanced to a regular engagement.
42 But that futile affair was soon the cause of real loss. For the
auxiliaries in reserve, which were posted next, being terrified at the
turn and disorder of the chariots, betook themselves to flight,
leaving all exposed as far as the post of the mailed horsemen; to
whom when the Roman cavalry, after dispersing the reserves,
approached, they did not sustain their first onset. Some fled, and
others, being delayed by the weight of their coverings and armour,
were put to the sword. The whole left wing then gave way, and the
auxiliaries, posted between the cavalry and the phalanx, being
thrown into confusion, the terror spread even to the centre. Here the
ranks were broken, and by the flying soldiers rushing in between
them, the use of their long spears, called by the Macedonians
sarissas, was hindered. The Roman legions advanced and discharged
their javelins among them in disorder. Even the elephants, standing
in the way, did not deter the Roman soldiers, who had learned by
experience in the African wars, both to evade the onset of the
animal, and, getting at one side of it, either to ply it with darts, or, if
they could come near enough, to wound its sinews with their
swords. The front of the centre was now almost crushed, and the
reserve, being surrounded, was attacked on the rear, when the
Romans perceived their troops in another quarter flying, and heard
shouts of dismay almost close to their camp. For Antiochus, who
66. commanded the right wing, having observed that the enemy,
through confidence in the river, had placed no reserve there, except
four troops of horse, and that these, keeping close to the infantry,
left an open space on the bank of the river, made a charge on them,
with a body of auxiliaries and mailed horsemen. He not only
attacked them in front, but having surrounded the wing in the
direction of the river, pressed them in flank also; until the routed
cavalry first, and then the infantry that were next them, fled with
precipitation to the camp.
43 Marcus Æmilius, a military tribune, son of Marcus Lepidus, who,
in a few years after, became chief pontiff, had the charge of the
camp. He, when he saw the troops flying, went out, with his whole
guard, to meet them. He ordered them, first, to halt, and then to
return to the fight; at the same time upbraiding them with cowardice
and disgraceful flight. He then proceeded to threats,—that if they did
not obey his orders, they would rush blindly on their own
destruction. At last he gave orders to his own men to kill the
foremost of the runaways, and with sword-wounds to drive the
crowd of fugitives back against the enemy. The greater fear now
overcame the less. Compelled by the danger on either side, they first
halted, and then returned to the encounter, and Æmilius, with his
guard, consisting of two thousand men of distinguished valour, gave
a vigorous check to the furious pursuit of Antiochus. At the same
time, Attalus, the brother of Eumenes, came up in good time with
two hundred horse from the right wing, by which the left of the
enemy had been routed, at the beginning of the engagement, as
soon as he observed the flight of his friends on the left, and the
tumult near the camp. When Antiochus saw those men renewing the
fight, whom, but just before, he had seen running away, and
another large body advancing from the camp, with a third from the
line, he turned his horse to flight. The Romans, thus victorious in
both wings, advanced over heaps of slain, (which had been raised
principally in the centre, where the strength of the bravest men and
the armour by its weight had prevented flight,) to plunder the camp.
The horsemen of Eumenes first, and then the rest of the cavalry,
67. pursued the enemy through all parts of the plain, and killed the
hindmost as they overtook them. But the fugitives suffered more
severe loss by the chariots, elephants, and camels intermixed, and
by their own disorderly crowd; for, after they once broke their ranks,
they rushed, as if blind, one upon another, and were trodden to
death by the trampling of the beasts. In the camp also there was
great slaughter committed, rather greater than even in the field; for
the flight of the first generally tended to the camp. The guard,
through confidence in the great number of these, defended their
works with the more obstinacy. The Romans having been stopped at
the gates and rampart, which they had expected to take at the first
rush, when they did at length break through, actuated by rage,
made the more dreadful carnage.
44 Up to fifty thousand foot and three thousand horse are said to
have been killed that day; one thousand four hundred taken, with
fifteen elephants and their drivers. Of the Romans, many were
wounded, but no more than three hundred foot and twenty-four
horsemen killed; and of the troops of Eumenes, twenty-five. That
day the victors, after plundering the enemy’s camp, returned with
great store of booty to their own. On the day following, they
stripped the bodies of the slain, and collected the prisoners.
Ambassadors came from Thyatira and Magnesia, near Sipylus, with a
surrender of those cities. Antiochus fled, with very few attendants;
but greater numbers collecting about him on the road, he arrived at
Sardis, with a tolerable body of soldiers, about the middle of the
night. Then when he heard that his son Seleucus and several of his
friends had gone on to Apamea, he likewise at the fourth watch set
out for Apamea with his wife and daughter, having committed to
Zeno the command of the city, and having placed Timon over Lydia;
which being disregarded, ambassadors are sent to the consul, by the
unanimous voice of the citizens and soldiers who were in the
garrison.
45 About this time deputies came from Tralles, from Magnesia on
the Masander, and from Ephesus, to surrender those cities.
68. Polyxenidas had quitted Ephesus, as soon as he heard or the battle;
and, sailing with the fleet as far as Patara, in Lycia, where, through
fear of the Rhodian fleet stationed at Megiste, he landed, and, with a
small retinue, pursued his journey, by land, into Syria. The several
states of Asia placed themselves under the protection of the consul
and the dominion of the Roman people. He was now at Sardis,
whither Publius Scipio came from Elæa, as soon as he was able to
endure the fatigue of travelling. Shortly after, a herald from
Antiochus solicited through Publius Scipio, and obtained from the
consul, permission for the king to send ambassadors. In a few days’
time, Zeuxis, who had been governor of Lydia, and Antipater, the
king’s nephew, arrived. These, having first had a meeting with
Eumenes, whom they expected to find most averse to peace, on
account of old disputes, and seeing him better disposed than they or
the king could have hoped, addressed themselves then to Publius
Scipio, and through him to the consul: and a numerously attended
council being granted to them at their request to declare their
commission, Zeuxis said, “we have not any thing to propose
ourselves, but rather to inquire from you, Romans, by what
atonements we can expiate the error of our king, and obtain pardon
and peace from our conquerors. You have ever pardoned, with the
greatest magnanimity, vanquished kings and nations. With how
much greater and more placable spirit ought you to act now, after
your late victory, which has made you masters of the whole world!
You ought now, like deities laying aside all disputes with mortal
beings, to protect and spare the human race.” It had been
determined, before the ambassadors came, what answer should be
given them; and it was agreed that Africanus should deliver it. He is
said to have spoken thus: “Of those things that are in the gift of the
immortal gods, we, Romans, possess as much as the gods have
been pleased to bestow. In every state of fortune we have had, and
have, the same spirit for this, under the sway of our reason:
prosperity has never elated, nor adversity depressed it. Of the truth
of this, (to omit other instances,) I might produce your friend
Hannibal as a convincing proof: but I can appeal to yourselves. We
now conquerors offer to you conquered the same conditions which
69. we offered to you when on an equal footing, at the time that you
made proposals of peace, after we crossed the Hellespont, before
we beheld the king’s camp or army, when the chance of war was
equal and the issue uncertain. Resign all pretensions in Europe, and
cede that part of Asia which lies on this side of Mount Taurus. Then,
towards the expenses of the war, ye shall pay fifteen thousand
talents of Eubœa;6 five hundred immediately, two thousand five
hundred when the senate and people of Rome shall have ratified the
peace, and one thousand annually for twelve years after. It likewise
pleases us, that four hundred talents be paid to Eumenes, and the
quantity of corn remaining unpaid, of what was due to his father.
When we shall have settled these articles, it will be a sort of pledge,
that we may consider it certain that you will perform them, if you
give twenty hostages such as we shall choose. But it never will be
clear to us that the Roman people will enjoy peace where Hannibal
shall be. Him, therefore, we demand, above all. Ye shall also deliver
up Thoas, the Ætolian, the fomenter of the Ætolian war, who armed
you against us by the assurances of their support, and them by
assurances of yours; and, together with him, Mnesilochus, the
Acarnanian, and Philo, and Eubulidas, of Chalcis. The king will now
make peace under worse circumstances on his side, because he
makes it later than he might have done. If he now causes any delay,
let him consider, that it is more difficult to pull down the majesty of
kings from the highest to the middle stage, than it is to precipitate it
from the middle to the lowest.” The ambassadors were sent by the
king with these instructions, that they should accede to any terms of
peace. It was resolved, therefore, that ambassadors should be sent
to Rome. The consul distributed his army in winter quarters at
Magnesia, on the Mæander, Tralles, and Ephesus. A few days after,
the king brought the hostages to Ephesus to the consul; the
ambassadors also, who were to go to Rome, arrived. Eumenes set
out for Rome at the same time with the king’s ambassadors, and
they were followed by embassies from all the states of Asia.
46 Whilst these things are being transacted in Asia, two proconsuls
arrived almost together at Rome, from their provinces, with hopes of
70. triumphing: Quintus Minucius, from Liguria, and Manius Acilius, from
Ætolia. After hearing their services, the senate refused a triumph to
Minucius, but, with great unanimity, decreed one to Acilius, and he
rode through the city in triumph over king Antiochus and the
Ætolians. In the procession were carried, two hundred and thirty
military ensigns; of unwrought silver, three thousand pounds’
weight; of coin, one hundred and thirteen thousand Attic
tetradrachms;7 and two hundred and forty-eight thousand8
cistophoruses;9 of chased silver vessels, a great number, and of
great weight. He bore, also, the king’s silver, furniture, and splendid
wardrobe; golden crowns, presents from the allied states, forty-five;
with spoils of all kinds. He led thirty-six prisoners of distinction,
generals of the Ætolian and royal armies. Damocritus, the Ætolian
general, a few days before, when he had escaped out of prison in
the night, being overtaken by the guards on the bank of the Tiber,
stabbed himself with a sword before he was seized. Nothing was
wanted but the soldiers, to follow the general’s chariot; in every
other respect the triumph was magnificent, both in the grandeur of
the procession and the fame of his achievements. Sad intelligence
from Spain diminished the joy of this triumph, viz. that in an
unsuccessful battle in the territory of the Bastitani, under the
command of Lucius Æmilius, the proconsul, at the town of Lycon,
there fell six thousand of the Roman army against the Lusitanians;
and that the rest, being driven in a panic within their rampart, found
it difficult to defend the camp, and had retreated, by forced
marches, as if flying, into a friendly country. Such were the accounts
from Spain. Lucius Aurunculeius, the prætor, introduced to the
senate the deputies of Placentia and Cremona, in Cisalpine Gaul.
When they complained of the want of colonists, some having been
carried off by the casualties of war, others by sickness, and several
having left the colonies, through disgust at the vicinity of the Gauls;
on this, the senate decreed, that “Caius Lælius, the consul, if he
thought proper, should enrol six thousand families, to be distributed
among these colonies, and that Lucius Aurunculeius, the prætor,
should appoint commissioners to conduct the colonists.” Accordingly,
71. Marcus Atilius Serranus, Lucius Valerius Flaccus, son of Publius, and
Lucius Valerius Tappo, son of Caius, were nominated to that office.
47 Not long after, as the time of the consular elections drew nigh,
the consul, Caius Lælius, came home to Rome from Gaul. He not
only enrolled the colonists, according to a decree of the senate,
passed in his absence, as a supplement to Cremona and Placentia,
but proposed,—and, on his recommendation, the senate voted,—
that two new colonies should be established in the lands which had
belonged to the Boians. At the same time arrived a letter from the
prætor, Lucius Æmilius, containing intelligence of the sea-fight that
took place at Myonesus, and of Lucius Scipio the consul having
transported his army into Asia. A supplication for one day was
decreed, on account of the naval victory, and another, for the second
day, in order that, as the Roman army had then for the first time
pitched a camp in Asia, this circumstance might turn out prosperous
and happy. The consul was ordered to sacrifice twenty of the greater
victims on occasion of each supplication. The election of consuls was
then held with a warm contest. Marcus Æmilius Lepidus sought the
office under general censure, for having, in order to sue for the
office, left his province of Sicily without having asked the senate for
permission to do so. Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, Cneius Manlius Vulso,
and Marcus Valerius Messala, were his competitors for the office.
Fulvius alone was elected consul, since the rest could not make up
the number of centuries; and the next day, rejecting Lepidus, (for
Messala had declined,) he declared Cneius Manlius his colleague.
Then were chosen prætors, two of the name of Quintus Fabius,
Labeo and Pictor, (the latter of whom had in that year been
inaugurated flamen quirinalis,) Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus,
Spurius Posthumius Albinus, Lucius Plautius Hypsæus, and Lucius
Bæbius Dives.
48 Valerius Antias says, that at the time when Marcus Fulvius
Nobilior and Cneius Manlius Vulso were consuls, a rumour prevailed
strongly at Rome, and was received as almost certain, that the
consul, Lucius Scipio, and with him Publius Africanus, had been
72. invited by the king to a conference, under pretence of restoring
young Scipio, and were both seized, and that when the leaders were
thus made prisoners, the enemy’s army was immediately led up to
the Roman camp, that this was stormed, and the forces entirely cut
off; that in consequence of this, the Ætolians had taken courage and
refused to obey orders; and that several of their principal men had
gone into Macedonia, Dardania, and Thrace, to hire auxiliaries; that
Aulus Tarentius Varro, and Marcus Claudius Lepidus, had been sent
by Aulus Cornelius, proprætor, from Ætolia, to carry this intelligence
to Rome. To this story Valerius annexed that the Ætolian
ambassadors were asked in the senate this question among others,
from whom they had heard that the Roman generals were made
prisoners by king Antiochus in Asia, and the army cut off; and that
the Ætolians answered, that they had been informed of it by their
own ambassadors, who were with the consul. As I have no other
authority for this report, it has neither been confirmed in my opinion,
nor has it been overlooked as groundless.
49 When the Ætolian ambassadors were brought to an audience of
the senate, although their cause and their circumstances required,
that they, by an ample confession, should suppliantly seek pardon
for what was either their misfortune or their fault, yet having begun
with enumerating their services to the Roman people, and talking
reproachfully of their own valour in the war with Philip, they
offended the ears of the senators by the insolence of their discourse.
By calling up old and forgotten matters, they brought the affair to
this, that the memory of many more injuries than services done by
that nation occurred to the minds of the senate; and that they, who
needed compassion, provoked anger and hatred. They were asked
by one senator whether they yielded the disposal of themselves to
the Roman people; then, by another, whether they would have the
same allies and enemies as the Roman people: when they gave no
answer, they were ordered to withdraw from the senate-house. The
whole senate then, almost with one voice, cried out, that “the
Ætolians were still entirely devoted to Antiochus; and that on that
solitary hope their spirits depended. Wherefore the war ought to be
73. carried on against such decided enemies, and their haughty spirits
tamed.” Another circumstance inflamed the resentment of the
senate, because that, in the very moment in which they were
soliciting peace from the Romans, they were making war on Dolopia
and Athamania. A decree of the senate was passed, on the motion
of Manius Acilius, who had defeated Antiochus and the Ætolians,
that “the Ætolian ambassadors should be ordered to leave the city
that day, and quit Italy within fifteen days.” Aulius Terentius Varro
was appointed to escort them on the road; and a threatening notice
was given to them, that, “if any embassy from the Ætolians should
thenceforth come to Rome, unless with the permission of the
general who might be in command of that province, and with a
Roman deputy, all such would be treated as enemies.”—In this
manner were the Ætolians dismissed.
50 The consuls then consulted the senate concerning the provinces;
and it was resolved that they should cast lots for Ætolia and Asia. To
him who should obtain by lot Asia, was assigned the army which
Lucius Scipio then had; and, as a reinforcement, four thousand
Roman foot and two hundred horse, and of the allies and Latins
eight thousand foot and four hundred horse: with which force he
was to carry on the war with Antiochus. To the other consul was
decreed the army in Ætolia; and he was allowed to raise, for a
reinforcement, the same number of natives and allies as his
colleague. The same consul was likewise ordered to equip and take
with him the ships that had been fitted out the year before; and not
only to wage war with the Ætolians, but also to pass over into the
island of Cephallenia. Instructions were given to the same consul,
that if he could do it to the advantage of the republic, he should
come home to Rome to hold the elections; for, besides that the
annual magistrates were to be replaced, it was resolved that censors
also should be created; and if any particular business should detain
him, he was then to acquaint the senate, that he could not attend at
the time of the elections. Ætolia fell by lot to Marcus Fulvius; Asia, to
Cneius Manlius. The prætors then cast lots, and Spurius Postumius
Albinus obtained the city and foreign jurisdiction; Marcus
74. Sempronius Tuditanus, Sicily; Quintus Fabius Pictor, the priest of
Romulus, Sardinia; Quintus Fabius Labeo, the fleet; Lucius Plautius
Hypsæus, Hither Spain; Lucius Bæbius Dives, Farther Spain. One
legion, and the squadron which was then in Sicily, were decreed for
that province; and it was ordered that the new prætor should levy
on the Sicilians two tenths of the corn; one of which he was to send
into Asia, the other into Ætolia. It was also ordered, that the same
impost should be collected in Sardinia, and the corn sent to the
same armies as the Sicilian corn. A reinforcement was given to
Lucius Bæbius, for Spain, one thousand Roman foot and fifty horse,
with six thousand Latin foot and two hundred horse. To Plautius
Hypsæus, for the Hither Spain, were assigned one thousand Roman
foot, and two thousand Latins, with two hundred horse; so that with
these supplies the two Spains should have each a legion. In the case
of the magistrates of the preceding year, the command was
prolonged to Caius Lælius for a year, with his present army, and to
Publius Junius, the proprætor in Etruria, with the army which, was
then in the province, and Marcus Tuccius, the proprætor in Bruttium
and Apulia.
51 Before the prætors went into their provinces, a dispute arose
between Publius Licinius, chief pontiff, and Quintus Fabius Pictor,
priest of Romulus; such as had happened in the recollection of their
fathers, between Lucius Metellus and Postumius Albinus. Metellus,
who was chief pontiff at the time, had detained, for the performance
of the business of religion, Albinus, the consul, who was setting out
with his colleague, Caius Lutatius, to the fleet at Sicily; and now
Publius Licinius detained the prætor Fabius from going to Sardinia.
The matter was agitated in stormy debates, both in the senate and
before the commons: authoritative commands were issued on both
sides, pledges were seized, fines imposed, the tribunes applied to,
and appeals made to the people. At last religion prevailed, so that
the flamen obeyed the order of the pontiff; and the fines were
remitted by order of the people. The senate by their authority
prevented the prætor when attempting to abdicate the magistracy
through anger at the loss of his province, and decreed that he
75. should dispense justice among foreigners. The levies being finished
in a few days, (for the soldiers to be enlisted were not many,) the
consuls and prætors repaired to their provinces. Then a report of the
transactions in Asia spread vaguely without an author; and in a few
days after, certain information, and a letter from the general, arrived
at Rome; which occasioned joy, not so much from recent fear, (for
they had ceased to fear him who was conquered in Ætolia,) as from
former fame; because by them commencing this war he was
considered as a very formidable enemy, both on account of his own
strength and because he had Hannibal to direct the business of the
war. The senate determined that no change should be made in their
sending the consul into Asia, and that no diminution of his forces
should take place through apprehension of a war with the Gauls.
52 In a short time after, Marcus Aurelius Cotta, deputy from Lucius
Scipio, with ambassadors from king Antiochus and king Eumenes,
and the Rhodian delegates, arrived at Rome. Cotta, first in the
senate, and then by their order in the assembly of the people, stated
the services which were performed in Asia. Then a supplication for
three days was decreed, and forty victims of the greater kinds
ordered to be sacrificed. Then audience was given first to Eumenes.
He, when he had briefly returned thanks to the senate, “because
they had relieved him and his brother from a siege, and protected
his kingdom from the unjust attacks of Antiochus” and had
congratulated them “because they had carried on affairs successfully
by sea and land, and because they had utterly routed, driven out of
his camp, and expelled king Antiochus, first from Europe, and then
from all Asia on this side of Mount Taurus;” then said “he preferred
that they should learn his own deserts from their generals and
deputies, rather than from his mouth.” All being pleased with his
discourse, and desiring him to tell frankly, bashfulness being for the
present laid aside, “what recompence he thought proper to be given
by the senate and people of Rome;” assuring him that “the senate
were inclined to act with greater zeal and more abundant liberality, if
possible, according to his deserts.” To this the king answered, “if the
choice of rewards were offered him by others, if only permission to
76. consult the Roman senate were given to him, he would have availed
himself of the advice of that most noble body, lest he might appear
to have been either immoderate in his desires or shameless in his
requests. But now, when they themselves were the donors, it was
much more proper that their munificence towards him and his
brothers should be regulated by their own judgment.” The senate
were not discouraged by this answer from desiring him to speak;
and when there had been a long contest of kindness on one side,
and reserve on the other, whilst they deferred to one another with a
politeness not more mutual than insuperable, Eumenes departed
from the senate-house. The senate persisted in their resolution so
far as to say, “that it was absurd that the king should not know with
what hopes or request he came. That he himself best knew what
would be suitable to his own dominions. He was much better
acquainted with Asia than were the senate. That he ought to be
called back and compelled to state what were his wishes and
sentiments.”
53 The king, being brought back by the prætor into the senate-
house, and desired to speak freely, began thus: “Conscript fathers. I
should have persevered in being silent, but that I knew you would
presently call in the Rhodian ambassadors, and that when they had
been heard, the necessity of speaking would be imposed on me. And
this my speech will be the more difficult on this account, because
their demands will be of such a nature, that they will appear not
only to make no demands which may be contrary to my interests,
but not even to request any thing which may be intimately
connected with themselves. For they will plead the cause of the
Grecian states, and allege that they ought to be set free; which point
being gained, to whom is it doubtful that they will alienate from us
not only those states which shall be liberated, but likewise our
ancient tributaries; and that after having bound them under so great
an obligation, they will keep them under the denomination of allies,
in reality subject to their government and entirely at their disposal?
And, if it pleases the gods, while they will aspire to this so great
power, they will pretend that this is no way connected with them;
77. they will only say, that it is becoming you and conformable to your
past conduct. You must be cautious, therefore, lest this speech
deceive you; and lest by an unfair distribution, you not only depress
some of your allies too much, while you exalt others beyond
measure, but also put those who bore arms against you in a better
state than your allies and friends. As to what regards myself in other
cases, I should prefer to appear to any one to have yielded within
the limit of my right, rather than to have struggled too obstinately in
maintaining it; but in a contest of friendship and good-will towards
you, and of the respect to be paid to you, I cannot with any patience
bear to be outdone. This was the principal inheritance that I
received from my father; who, of all the inhabitants of Asia and
Greece, was the first who embraced your friendship; and this he
maintained with constant and invariable fidelity to the last hour of
his life. Nor did he display merely a faithful and kind inclination
towards you, but was actively engaged in all the wars which you
waged in Greece, whether on land or sea; he aided you with all
kinds of provisions in such a manner, that not one of your allies
could vie with him in any respect; and finally, while he was exhorting
the Bœotians to an alliance with you, having fainted in the middle of
his discourse, he shortly expired. In his steps have I trodden; and
though I could not surpass the warmth of his wishes, and his zeal in
courting your friendship—for these could not be exceeded—yet
fortune, the times, Antiochus, and the war waged in Asia, afforded
me occasions of surpassing him in real acts and merits, and valuable
services. Antiochus, king of Asia, and of a part of Europe, offered me
his daughter in marriage; offered to restore immediately the states
that had revolted from us, and gave great hopes of enlarging my
dominions, if I would have carried on war in conjunction with him
against you. I will not boast on this account, because I was guilty of
no trespass against you; but I will rather mention those instances of
conduct which are worthy of the very early friendship between our
house and you. I assisted your commanders with forces by land and
sea, so that not one of your allies can stand in competition with me.
I supplied them with provisions by land and sea. I was present in all
the naval engagements which are fought in many places; and I
78. never was sparing of my labour and danger. I underwent a siege,
the most dreadful suffering that can occur in war, being shut up in
Pergamus, in the utmost danger both of my kingdom and of my life.
Afterwards when liberated from the siege, although in one part
Antiochus, in another Seleucus, were encamped about the citadel of
my kingdom, having deserted my own affairs, I went with my whole
fleet to the Hellespont, to meet your consul Lucius Scipio, to assist in
transporting his army. From the time that the army came over into
Asia, I never quitted the consul; no Roman soldier was more regular
in his attendance in your camp, than I and my brothers. No
expedition, no cavalry action, was undertaken without me. In the
field I took that post, and I maintained that ground, in which the
consul wished me to be. I do not intend, conscript fathers, to say
who in that war can be compared to me in services towards you. I
would not hesitate to compare myself to any of those nations or
kings whom you hold in great honour. Masinissa was your enemy
before he became your ally; nor did he repair to you with his
auxiliaries when his kingdom was safe; but dethroned, exiled, and
stripped of all his forces, he fled for refuge to your camp with one
troop of horse. Nevertheless, because he faithfully and diligently
adhered to your cause in Africa, against Syphax and the
Carthaginians, you not only restored him to the throne of his father,
but by adding to his domain the most opulent part of the kingdom of
Syphax, rendered him the most potent of all the kings in Africa.
What reward then, and what honour are we worthy of at your
hands, who have never been foes, but always allies? My father,
myself, my brothers, have carried arms in your cause by sea and
land, not only in Asia, but in countries remote from our home; in
Peloponnesus, in Bœotia, in Ætolia, during the wars with Philip, and
Antiochus, and the Ætolians. Some one may say, what therefore do
you demand? Conscript fathers, since I must obey you when you
desire me to explain my wishes: if you have removed Antiochus
beyond the mountains of Taurus with the intention of holding those
countries yourselves, I wish for no other people to settle near me,
no other neighbours than you; nor could I hope that my kingdom
would be rendered safer or firmer by any other event. But if your
79. purpose is to retire hence, and withdraw your armies, I may venture
to affirm, that not one of your allies is more deserving than I am of
possessing what you have acquired. But then it will be a glorious act
to liberate states that are in slavery. I agree that it will, provided
they have committed nothing hostile against you. But if they took
part with Antiochus, is it not much more becoming your wisdom and
equity, to consult the interest of your well-deserving friends than
that of your enemies?”
54 The king’s speech was pleasing to the senate, and it was very
evident that they would do all things liberally, and with a desire to
serve him. As one of the Rhodian ambassadors was absent, an
embassy from Smyrna was next introduced, which was briefly
disposed of. When the Smyrnæans were highly complimented
because they had resolved to endure the last extremities rather than
surrender to the king, the Rhodians were next introduced. The chief
of their embassy, after stating the commencement of their friendship
with the Roman people and merits of the Rhodians, first in the war
with Philip, and afterwards in that with Antiochus, said: “Conscript
fathers, there is nothing in the whole course of our affairs that gives
us more trouble and uneasiness than that we should have a debate
with Eumenes; with whom alone, of all the kings in the world, each
of us as individuals has a private tie of hospitality, and, what weighs
more with us, our state has a public one. But, conscript fathers, it is
not our own inclinations that disunite us, but the nature of
circumstances which exercise an all-powerful influence, so that we,
being free ourselves, plead the cause of other men’s freedom; while
kings wish to have all things subservient and subject to their
command. Yet, be that as it may, our respect towards the king is an
obstacle to us, rather than that the debate is intricate, or likely to
give you perplexity in your deliberations. For if no honour could be
otherwise paid to the king, your friend and ally, who has merited
highly in this very war, and concerning whose reward the
consideration is, unless you should deliver free states into his power,
the deliberation would be a difficult one, lest you should either send
away a king, your friend, without due honour, or depart from your
80. own institutions, and sully now, by the servitude of so many states,
the glory which you have acquired in the war with Philip. But from
this necessity of diminishing either your gratitude towards your
friend, or your own glory, fortune completely frees you. For, through
the bounty of the gods, your victory is not more glorious than it is
rich, so that it can easily acquit you of that just as a debt. Lycaonia,
both the Phrygias, with Pisidia, the Chersonese, and the adjoining
parts of Europe, are all in your power; and any one of these, given
to the king, can double his dominions; but if they were all conferred
upon him, they would set him on a level with the greatest of kings.
You have it, therefore, in your power to enrich your allies with the
prizes of the war; and, not to depart from your usual line of policy,
and to remember what motive you assigned as your cause of war,
formerly against Philip, latterly against Antiochus; what you
performed on the conquest of Philip; what is now desired and
expected from you, not so much because you have done it before,
as because it becomes you to do it. For different persons look on
different circumstances as specious and plausible motives for taking
up arms. Some go to war to get possession of land, some of villages,
some of towns, some of ports, and some of the sea-coast. Such
things you never coveted, when you had them not; and you cannot
covet them now, when the whole world is under your dominion. You
ever fought for your dignity and glory, in the sight of the whole
human race, which long since has learned to respect your name and
empire next to that of the immortal gods. And to procure and
acquire these was an arduous task. I know not whether it may be
more difficult to retain them. You have undertaken to defend from
the slavery of kings the liberty of a nation the most ancient and
most highly distinguished, both by the fame of its exploits, and by
universal praise for politeness and learning; it becomes you to make
this patronage of an entire nation, received under your care and
protection, perpetual. The cities standing on the original soil, are not
more Grecian than their colonies, which formerly migrated thence
into Asia; nor has change of country changed either their race or
manners. Every state among us has ventured to contend in a
respectful contest, in every good quality and virtue, with its parents
81. and founders. Most of you have visited the cities in Greece, and
those in Asia. We are surpassed in no other circumstance than that
we are too far distant from you. We hear that the inhabitants of
Marseilles (who, if nature, implanted, as it were, in their bosoms,
could be overcome by the genus of the soil, would ere this have
been rendered savage, by the many barbarous tribes surrounding
them) are deservedly held in as high honour and esteem by you as if
they were inhabitants of the very centre of Greece. For they have
preserved, not only the sound of the language, the mode of dress,
and the habit; but, above all, the manners, the laws, and a mind
pure and untainted by contagion from their neighbours. The
boundary of your empire, at present, is Mount Taurus. Nothing
within that line ought to be thought remote. To whatever extent
your arms have reached, let justice, emanating from Rome, spread.
Let barbarians, with whom the commands of masters have always
served instead of laws, have kings, in which government they
delight; the Greeks endure their own fortune; they have a spirit like
your own. They too, in former times, grasped at empire by their
internal strength. They now pray that empire may remain to eternity
where it is at present. They consider it sufficient that their liberty
should be defended by your arms, since they are unable to protect it
by their own. But it is objected, that some of their states sided with
Antiochus. So did others, before, with Philip; so did the Tarentines
with Pyrrhus. Not to enumerate other nations, Carthage enjoys
liberty and its own laws. Consider, conscript fathers, how much you
owe to this example, set by yourselves. You will surely make up your
mind to refuse to the ambition of Eumenes, what you refused to
your own most just resentment. With what brave and faithful
exertions we, Rhodians, have assisted you, both in this late war, and
in all the wars that you have waged in that part of the world, we
leave to your own judgment. We now, in peace, offer you such
advice, that if you conform to it, all the world will judge that you
used your victory with more honour to yourselves, than that with
which you gained it.” Their arguments seemed well adapted to the
Roman grandeur.
82. 55 After the Rhodians, the ambassadors of Antiochus were called.
These, after the common practice of petitioners for pardon,
acknowledged the king’s error, and besought the conscript fathers to
deliberate, mindful rather of their own mercy than of the misconduct
of the king, who had suffered enough and more than enough of
punishment; in fine, to ratify, by their authority, the peace granted
by their general, Lucius Scipio, with the conditions on which he had
given it. The senate voted, that the peace should be observed; and
the people, a few days after, ordered it. The treaty was concluded in
the Capitol with Antipater, chief of the embassy, and son of the
brother of king Antiochus. Then the other embassies from Asia were
heard, to all of whom was returned the same answer, that “the
senate, in conformity with the usage of their ancestors, would send
ten ambassadors to examine and adjust the affairs of Asia. That the
general plan was to be this: that the places on this side of Mount
Taurus, which had been within the limits of the realm of Antiochus,
should be assigned to Eumenes, excepting Lycia and Caria, as far as
the river Mæander; and that these last-mentioned should become
the property of the Rhodians. That the other states of Asia, which
had been tributary to Attalus, should likewise pay tribute to
Eumenes; and such as had been tributary to Antiochus, should be
free and independent.” They appointed ten ambassadors, Quintus
Minucius Rufus, Lucius Furius Purpureo, Quintus Minucius Thermus,
Appius Claudius Nero, Cneius Cornelius Merula, Marcus Junius
Brutus, Lucius Aurunculeius, Lucius Æmilius Paulus, Publius
Cornelius Lentulus, and Publius Ælius Tubero.
56 To these full instructions were given to decide whatever required
an examination of the place. Concerning the general plan the senate
voted: that “all Lycaonia, both the Phrygias, and Mysia, the royal
forests, and Lydia, and Ionia, excepting those towns which had been
free on the day whereon the battle was fought with Antiochus, and
excepting by name Magnesia at Sipylus; then the city of Caria, called
also Hydrela, and the territory of Hydrela, stretching towards
Phrygia, and the forts and villages on the river Mæander, and
likewise the towns, excepting such as had been free before the war,
83. and excepting by name, Telmissus, and the fort of Telmissium, and
the lands which had belonged to Ptolemy of Telmissus; all these
which are written above, were ordered to be given to king Eumenes.
Lycia was given to the Rhodians, excepting the same Telmissus, and
the fort of Telmissium, with the lands which had belonged to
Ptolemy of Telmissus; these were withheld both from Eumenes and
the Rhodians. To the latter was given also that part of Caria which
lies beyond the river Mæander nearest to the island of Rhodes, with
its towns, villages, forts, and lands, extending to Pisidia, excepting
those towns which had been in a state of freedom on the day before
that of the battle with Antiochus.” The Rhodians, after returning
thanks for these favours, mentioned the city of Soli in Cilicia, “the
inhabitants of which,” they said, “as well as themselves, derived their
origin from Argos; and, in consequence of this relation, a brotherly
affection subsisted between the two states. They, therefore,
requested the senate, as an extraordinary favour, to exempt that city
from subjection to the king.” The ambassadors of Antiochus were
called in, and the matter was proposed to them, but their consent
could not be obtained; Antipater appealing to the treaty, in
opposition to which, not only Soli, but Cilicia was sought by the
Rhodians, and they were passing the summits of Taurus. The
Rhodians being summoned again before the senate, the fathers,
after they had stated how earnestly the king’s ambassador opposed
the measure, added that “if the Rhodians were of opinion that the
affair particularly affected the dignity of their state, the senate would
try by all means to overcome the obstinacy of the ambassadors.”
Hereupon the Rhodians, with greater warmth than before, returned
thanks, and declared, that they would rather give way to the
arrogance of Antipater, than afford any reason for disturbing the
peace. So no change was made with respect to Soli.
57 During the time in which these things were transacted, deputies
from Marseilles announced that Lucius Bæbius, the prætor, on his
way into his province of Spain, had been surrounded by the
Ligurians; that a great part of his retinue being slain, he himself,
wounded, had made his escape, without his lictors, and with but few
84. attendants, to Marseilles, and in three days after expired. The
senate, on hearing of this misfortune, decreed, that Publius Junius
Brutus, who was the proprætor in Etruria, having delivered the
province and army to whichsoever of the lieutenants he should think
proper, should go himself into Farther Spain, which was to be his
province. This decree of the senate and a letter was sent by the
prætor, Spurius Posthumius, into Etruria; and Publius Junius, the
proprætor, set out for Spain, in which province, long before a
successor could arrive, Lucius Æmilius Paulus, who afterwards with
great glory conquered king Perseus, though he had carried on
matters unsuccessfully the year before, having raised an army by a
hasty levy, fought a pitched battle with the Lusitanians. The enemy
were routed, and put to flight; eighteen thousand were killed, three
thousand three hundred taken, and their camp stormed. The fame
of this victory made matters more tranquil in Spain. In the same
year, on the third day before the calends of January, Lucius Valerius
Flaccus, Marcus Atilius Serranus, and Lucius Valerius Tappo,
triumvirs, settled a Latin colony at Bononia, according to a decree of
the senate. Three thousand men were led to that place. Seventy
acres were given to each horseman, fifty to each of the other
colonists. The land had been taken from the Boian Gauls, who had
formerly expelled the Tuscans.
58 In the same year, many distinguished men strove for the
censorship; and this business, as if it furnished in itself insufficient
grounds for dispute, gave rise to another contest of a much more
violent nature. The candidates were, Titus Quintius Flamininus,
Publius Cornelius Scipio, son of Cneius, Lucius Valerius Flaccus,
Marcus Porcius Cato, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, and Manius Acilius
Glabrio, who had defeated Antiochus and the Ætolians at
Thermopylæ. The favour of the people inclined to the last in
particular, because he had given many largesses, by which he had
bound a great number of men to him. When so many nobles could ill
brook that a man of no family should be so much preferred to them,
Publius Sempronius Gracchus and Caius Sempronius Rutilus, tribunes
of the people, commenced a prosecution against him, on a charge,
85. that he had neither exhibited in his triumph, nor lodged in the
treasury, a large part of the royal treasure, and of the booty taken in
the camp of Antiochus. The depositions of the lieutenants-general
and military tribunes were at variance. Beyond all the other
witnesses, Marcus Cato was remarkable, whose authority, acquired
by the uniform tenor of his life, the fact of his being a candidate
diminished. He, when a witness, affirmed, that he had not observed,
in the triumph, the gold and silver vessels which, on the taking of
the camp, he had seen among the other spoils of the king. At last
Glabrio declared, that he declined the election, chiefly to throw
odium on Cato; since he, a candidate of an origin as humble as his
own, by an abominable perjury, attacked that which men of noble
birth bore with silent indignation. A fine of one hundred thousand
asses10 was proposed to the people against him. Twice there was a
contest on the subject. On the third hearing, as the accused had
declined the election, and the people were unwilling to vote about
the fine, the tribunes also dropped the business. The censors elected
were, Titus Quintius Flamininus and Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
59 At the same time, when an audience of the senate, in the temple
of Apollo outside the city, was granted to Lucius Æmilius Regillus,
who, with the fleet, had defeated the admiral of king Antiochus;
after hearing the recital of his services, with what great fleets of the
enemy he had engaged, how many of their ships he had sunk or
taken, a naval triumph was voted him by the unanimous consent of
the fathers. He triumphed on the calends of February. In this
procession were carried forty-nine golden crowns; the quantity of
money was by no means so great considering the appearance of the
triumph over the king, being only thirty-four thousand seven
hundred Attic tetradrachms,11 and one hundred and thirty-two
thousand three hundred cistophoruses.12 Supplications were then
performed, by order of the senate, in consideration of the successful
services to the state, achieved in Spain by Lucius Æmilius Paulus.
Not long after, Lucius Scipio arrived in the city; and, that he might
not be inferior to his brother in point of a surname, he chose to be
86. called Asiaticus. He spoke largely of his services both before the
senate and a general assembly. There were some who judged that
the war was greater by fame than by real difficulty; for it was
terminated entirely by one memorable engagement; and that the
glory of that victory had been stripped of its bloom at Thermopylæ.
But, to any person judging impartially, it must appear, that the light
at Thermopylæ was with the Ætolians, rather than with the king. For
with how small a portion of his own strength did Antiochus engage
in that battle! whereas, in the other, in Asia, the strength of the
whole Asiatic continent stood combined; for he had collected
auxiliaries of all nations from the most remote quarters of the east.
Justly, therefore, were the greatest possible honours paid to the
immortal gods, for having rendered a most important victory easy in
the acquisition; and a triumph was decreed to the commander. He
triumphed in the intercalary month, the day before the calends of
March; which triumph was greater in the display to the eye than that
of Africanus his brother, yet if we recall to our memory the
circumstances, and estimate the dangers and difficulty, it was no
more to be compared to it, than if you would contrast one general
with the other, Antiochus with Hannibal. He carried, in his triumph,
military standards, two hundred and thirty-four; models of towns,
one hundred and thirty-four; elephants’ teeth, one thousand two
hundred and thirty; crowns of gold, two hundred and twenty-four:
pounds-weight of silver, one hundred and thirty-seven thousand four
hundred and twenty; Attic tetradrachms, two hundred and twenty-
four thousand;13 cistophoruses, three hundred and thirty-one
thousand and seventy;14 gold pieces, called Philippians, one
hundred and forty thousand;15 silver vases, all engraved, to the
amount of one thousand four hundred and twenty-four pounds’
weight; of golden vases, one thousand and twenty-four pounds’
weight; and of the king’s generals, governors, and officers at court,
thirty-two were led before his chariot. Twenty-five denariuses16 were
given to each of his soldiers, double that sum to a centurion, triple it
to a horseman; and after the triumph, their pay and allowance of
corn were doubled. He had already doubled them after the battle in
87. Asia. He triumphed about a year after the expiration of his
consulship.
60 Cneius Manlius, the consul, arrived in Asia, and Quintus Fabius
Labeo, the prætor, reached the fleet, nearly at the same time. The
consul did not want reasons for war against the Gauls; the sea was
subjected to the Romans since the conquest of Antiochus. It
appeared best to Quintus Fabius, considering to what thing in
particular he should apply himself, lest he might seem to have had a
province in which there was no employment, to sail over to the
island of Crete. The Cydonians were engaged in war against the
Gortynians and Gnossians; and a great number of Roman and Italian
captives were said to be in slavery in different parts of the island.
Having sailed with the fleet from Ephesus, as soon as he touched
the shore of Crete, he despatched orders to all the states to cease
from hostilities, and to search each of them for the captives in its
own cities and territory, and bring them to him; also, to send
ambassadors to him, to treat of matters belonging alike to the
Romans and Cretans. These orders had little influence on the
Cretans. Excepting the Gortynians, none of them restored the
captives. Valerius Antias relates, that as many as four thousand
captives were restored out of the whole island, because the Cretans
feared his threats of war; and that this was deemed a sufficient
reason for Fabius obtaining from the senate a naval triumph,
although he performed no other exploit. From Crete Fabius returned
to Ephesus: having despatched three ships from the latter place to
the coast of Thrace, he ordered the garrisons of Antiochus to be
withdrawn from Ænos and Maronea, that these cities might be left at
liberty.
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