nce. The royal troops laid siege to the city in due
form; they surrounded it with mounds and ditches; they dammed up the
bed of the river on each side of it, and, being helped by a rise in the
Nile, which was that year greater than usual, they forced the rebels to
surrender, on the king's promise that they should be spared. But Ptolemy
was not bound by promises; he was as false and cruel as he was weak; the
rebels were punished; and many of the troubles in his reign arose from
his discontented subjects not being able to rely upon his word.

The rich island of Cyprus also, which had been left by Philopator under
the command of Polyerates, showed some signs of wishing to throw off
the Egyptian yoke. But Polyerates was true to his trust; and, though
the king's ministers were almost too weak either to help the faithful or
punish the treacherous, he not only saved the island for the minor, but,
when he gave up his government to Ptolemy of Megalopolis, he brought to
the royal treasury at Alexandria a large sum from the revenues of
his province. By this faithful conduct he gained great weight in the
Alexandrian councils, till, corrupted by the poisonous habits of the
place, he gave way to luxury and vice.

About the same time Scopas, who had lately led back to Alexandria his
AEtolian mercenaries, so far showed signs of discontent and disobedience
that the minister, Aristomenes, began to suspect him of planning
resistance to the government. Scopas was greedy of money; nothing would
satisfy his avarice.

[Illustration: 201.jpg THE ROSETTA STONE (BRITISH MUSEUM)]

The other Greek generals of his rank received while in the Egyptian
service a mina, or ten dollars a day, under the name of mess-money,
beyond the usual military pay; and Scopas claimed and received for his
services the large sum of ten minas, or one hundred and twenty-five
dollars, a day for mess-money. But even this did not content him.
Aristomenes observed that he was collecting his friends for some secret
purpose, and in frequent consultation with them. He therefore summoned
him to the king's presence, and, being prepared for his refusal, he sent
a large force to fetch him. Fearing that the mercenaries might support
their general, Aristomenes had even ordered out the elephants and
prepared for battle. But, as the blow came upon Scopas unexpectedly,
no resistance was made, and he was brought prisoner to the palace.
Aristomenes, however, did not immediately venture