aker, and a
man of great acquirements, who enjoyed so high a degree of favour with
Mithridates that he got the name of the king's father. Metrodorus, as
it seems, had once been sent on an embassy from Mithridates to
Tigranes, to pray for aid against the Romans, on which occasion
Tigranes asked him, "But you, Metrodorus, what do you advise me in
this matter?" Metrodorus, either consulting the interests of Tigranes,
or not wishing Mithridates to be maintained in his kingdom, replied,
that, as ambassador, he requested him to send aid, but, in the
capacity of adviser, he told him not to send any. Tigranes reported
this to Mithridates, to whom he gave the information, not expecting
that he would inflict any extreme punishment on Metrodorus. But
Metrodorus was forthwith put to death, and Tigranes was sorry for what
he had done, though he was not altogether the cause of the misfortune
of Metrodorus: indeed what he had said merely served to turn the
balance in the dislike of Mithridates towards Metrodorus; for
Mithridates had for a long time disliked Metrodorus, and this was
discovered from his private papers, that fell into the hands of the
Romans, in which there were orders to put Metrodorus to death. Now,
Tigranes interred the body with great pomp, sparing no expense on the
man, when dead, whom he had betrayed when living. Amphikrates the
rhetorician also lost his life at the court of Tigranes, if he too
deserves mention for the sake of Athens. It is said that he fled to
Seleukeia,[390] on the Tigris, and that when the citizens there asked
him to give lectures on his art, he treated them with contempt,
saying, in an arrogant way, that a dish would not hold a dolphin.
Removing himself from Seleukeia, he betook himself to Kleopatra, who
was the daughter of Mithridates, and the wife of Tigranes; but he soon
fell under suspicion, and, being excluded from all communion with the
Greeks, he starved himself to death. Amphikrates also received an
honourable interment from Kleopatra, and his body lies at Sapha, a
place in those parts so called.

XXIII. After conferring on Asia, the fulness of good administration
and of peace, Lucullus did not neglect such things as would gratify
the people and gain their favour; but during his stay at Ephesus he
gained popularity in the Asiatic cities by processions and public
festivals in commemoration of his victories, and by contests of
athletes and gladiators. The cities on their side made a retu