If Pothinus and Achillas had really consented to receive the Magnus, flight was indeed necessary.

Agias, however, had grounds, he thought, for hesitancy.

He knew that Achillas, the head of the army, bitterly opposed the idea of letting Pompeius land; he knew, what was almost as much to the point, that Pratinas did not care to renew certain acquaintanceships contracted at Rome.

Therefore the young Hellene calmed Cornelia's fears, and waited as best he might.
The council had convened early in the day; the herald went through the squares of Pelusium announcing that Ptolemaeus, "Son of Ra," would receive as his guest the Roman suppliant.

The shore fronting the anchorage was covered with the files of the royal army in full array.
Several Egyptian men-of-war had been drawn down into the water and their crews were hastening on board.