Naval action off Mvonnesus.-Now that he had lost all hove of securing Prusias as an allv. Antiochus left 6ardis for Ephesus in order to inspect the fleet which had been fitted out and in readiness for several months. It was the impossibility of offering an effective resistance to the Roman army with the two Scipios in command rather than any naval successes in the past or any well-grounded confidence he felt at the time which made him interest himself in his fleet. For the moment, however, there were some things to encourage him. He had learned that a large part of the Rhodian fleet was at Patara and that Eumenes had gone with all his ships to the Hellespont to meet the consul. The destruction of the Rhodian fleet at Samos, as the result of treachery, also did something to raise his spirits. These considerations led him to send Polyxenidas with his fleet to try the chances of battle at all hazards, whilst he himself led his forces to Notium. This place belongs to Colophon and is about two miles distant from it and overlooks the sea. He wanted to get Colophon itself into his power, for it was so near Ephesus that he could take no action by sea or land which was not visible to the people of Colophon who at once informed the Romans. When once the Romans heard that Notium was besieged he felt sure that they would bring up their fleet from Samos to help their ally, and this would give Polyxenidas his ovvortunitv. Accordingly he commenced the siege of the city in regular form;his lines were extended equally in two directions down to the sea;on both sides he carried the agger and the vineae up to the walls and the battering-rams with their shelters were placed in position. _仲palled at华ese dangers， the11，people of Colophon sent to L. Aemilius at namos to implore him for Ws own honour and the honour of Rome to come to their assistance. Aemilius was chafing under his protracted inactivity at Samos, the last thing he was expecting was that Polvxenidas.after being twice chal- by him in vain, would give him an opportunity of fighting.’ o felt it a humiliation to be tied and bound to the assistance of besieged Colophon whilst the fleet of Eumenes was helping the consul to transport his legions to Asia. Eudamus, who had kept him at Samos, now with all the other officers urged him to go to Colophon. They pointed out how much more satisfactory it would be to relieve their friends or inflict a second defeat upon a fleet which had been worsted once, and so wrest command of the sea from the enemv. than it would be if were to abandon his allies, desert his proper sphere of action 奋‘.卜引tL，才 加eV‘J sailing to the Hellespont and so leave Asia at the mercy of tiochus both by sea and land.