6.11

To be honest, the Cretan War only occurred to fulfill our desire to conquer the noble island. They appeared to favor Mithridates, so it was fitting to punish them with warfare. Marcus Antonius was the first to invade the island.  He had enormous confidence and hope for victory, so much so that he carried more chains than weapons on his ships. But he paid the penalty for his lack of preparedness. For the enemy intercepted many ships, and hanged the bodies of captured Romans from their sails and rigging as they rowed back triumphantly towards their Cretan ports. Then Metellus destroyed the island with sword and flame. He forced its inhabitants to take cover in fortresses and the walled cities Cnossos, Eleutherna, and Cydorea, the "mother of all cities," as the Greeks call it. He was so savage to his prisoners of war that many ended their lives with poisons, and others surrendered themselves to Pompey, who was not even present. And when Pompey was managing matters in Asia, he sent Antonius to Crete as prefect, despite Antonius' not having authority to be there. This made Metellus treat the enemy even more harshly, and after defeating the Cydonian leaders Lasthenes and Panares, he returned to Rome in victory (Epit. 42.1–5; Trans. K. Masters).