That indeed was plain.

They had employed exactly the same policy against Carthage; they allowed the victim to be set upon by the Roman hounds and forbade its defending itself against them.

Mithradates reckoned himself lost, just as the Carthaginians had done; but, while the Phoenicians yielded from despair, the king of Sinope did the very opposite and assembled his troops and ships.

"Does not even he who must succumb," he is reported to have said, "defend himself against the robber ?" His son Ariobarzanes received orders to advance into Cappadocia; a message was sent once more to the Roman envoys to inform them of the step to which necessity had driven the king, and to demand their ultimatum.

It was to the effect which was to be anticipated.
Although neither the Roman senate nor king Mithradates nor king Nicomedes had desired the rupture, Aquillius desired it and war ensued (end of 665).
Preparations of Mithradates Mithradates prosecuted the political and military preparations for the passage of arms thus forced upon him with all his characteristic energy.