any further about Mithridates, but to assume the kingly title himself and to become an ally of Rome, and to give up the ships of Mithridates.  As Archelaus professed his detestation of such treachery, Sulla said, “You then, Archelaus, who are a Cappadocian, and the slave of a barbarian king, or, if you please, his friend—­you refuse to do a base deed for so splendid a reward, and yet venture to talk about treachery to me who am a Roman general, and am Sulla, as if you were not that Archelaus who fled from Chaeroneia with a few men out of your one hundred and twenty thousand, and were hid for two days in the marshes[253] of Orchomenus, and left Boeotia with all the roads made impassable by the heaps of dead?” Upon this Archelaus changed his tone, and humbling himself, entreated Sulla to give up the war and to come to terms with Mithridates.  Sulla accepted the proposal, and peace was made on the following terms:—­Mithridates was to give up Asia[254] and Paphlagonia, and to surrender Bithynia to Nikomedes, and Cappadocia to Ariobarzanes, to pay down to the Romans two thousand talents, and to give them seventy ships fitted with brass and completely equipped; Sulla was to confirm Mithridates in the rest of his possessions and to recognise him as an ally of the Romans.

XXIII.  These terms being settled, Sulla retraced his steps and marched through Thessaly and Macedonia to the Hellespont in company with Archelaus, whom he treated with great respect.  Archelaus fell dangerously ill at Larissa, on which Sulla stopped his march and paid as much attention to him as if he had been one of his own officers and fellow-generals.  This gave rise to some suspicion that the battle of Chaeroneia was not fairly fought, which was strengthened by the fact that Sulla restored all the friends of Mithridates whom he had taken prisoners, except Aristion[255] the tyrant, who was an enemy of Archelaus, and whom he caused to be poisoned:  but the most convincing proof of all was Sulla’s giving the Cappadocian ten thousand plethra of land in Euboea, and the title of friend and ally of the Romans.  However, Sulla makes his apology about these matters in his Memoirs.  Ambassadors from Mithridates now arrived, and were ready to accede to all the terms agreed on, except that the king would not consent to give up Paphlagonia, and as to the ships he dissented altogether; on which Sulla in a passion exclaimed, “What say ye?  Mithridates claims to keep Paphlagonia, and refuses to abide by the agreement about the ships; I thought he would have been thankful if I left him his right hand, which has destroyed so many Romans.  However, he will soon speak another language when I have crossed over to Asia.  At present let him stay in Pergamum and there direct the conduct of a campaign which he has not seen.”  The ambassadors were so much alarmed that they said nothing, but Archelaus implored Sulla and tried to soften his anger, clinging to his hands with tears in his eyes.  At last he prevailed