ited. [-30-] Dolabella, accordingly,
after becoming in this way master of Asia came into Cilicia while Cassius
was in Palestine, took over the people of Tarsus with their consent,
conquered a few of Cassius's guards who were at Aegeae, and invaded Syria.

From Antioch he was repulsed by the contingent guarding the place, but
gained Laodicea without a struggle on account of the friendship which its
inhabitants felt for the former Caesar. Upon this he spent some days in
acquiring new strength,--the fleet among other reinforcements came to
him speedily from Asia,--and crossed over into Aradus with the object
of getting both money and ships from the people also. There he was
intercepted with but few followers and ran into danger. He had escaped
from this when he encountered Cassius marching toward him, and gave
battle, which resulted in his own defeat. He was then shut up and
besieged in Laodicea, where he was entirely cut off from the land, to
be sure (Cassius being assisted by some Parthians among others), but
retained some power through the Asiatic ships and the Egyptian ones which
Cleopatra had sent him, and furthermore by means of the money which came
to him from her. So he carried on marauding expeditions until Staius got
together a fleet, and sailing into the harbor of Laodicea vanquished the
ships that moved out to meet him, and barred Dolabella from the sea also.
Then, prevented on both sides from bringing up supplies, he was led by
lack of necessaries to make a sortie. However, he was quickly hurled back
within the fortress, and seeing that it was being betrayed he feared
that he might be taken alive, and so despatched himself. His example was
followed by Marcus Octavius, his lieutenant. These were deemed worthy of
burial by Cassius, although they had cast out Trebonius unburied. The men
who had participated in the campaign with them and survived obtained both
safety and amnesty, in spite of having been regarded as enemies by the
Romans at home. Nor yet did the Laodiceans suffer any harm beyond being
obliged to contribute money. But for that matter no one else, though many
subsequently plotted against Cassius, was chastised.

[B.C. 42 (_a. u._ 712)]

[-31-] While this was going on the people of Tarsus had attempted to keep
from the passage through the Taurus Tillius Cimber, an assassin of Caesar
who was then governing Bithynia and was hurrying forward to help Cassius.
Out of fear, however, they abandoned the spot