During the same summer the people of Pednelissus, being besieged by those of Selge and in danger of capture, sent a message to Achaeus asking for help.
Upon his readily agreeing, the Pednelissians henceforth sustained the siege with constancy, buoyed up by their hopes of succour, and Achaeus, appointing Garsyeris to command the expedition, dispatched him with six thousand foot and five hundred horse to their assistance.
The Selgians, hearing of the approach of the force, occupied with the greater part of their own troops the pass at the place called the Ladder: holding the entrance to Saporda and destroying all the passages and approaches.
Garsyeris, when he heard that the pass had been occupied and that progress was therefore impossible, bethought himself of the following ruse.
He broke up his camp, and began to march back, as if he despaired of being able to relieve Pednelissus owing to the occupation of the pass;
upon which the Selgians, readily believing that Garsyeris had abandoned his attempt, retired some of them to their camp and others to their own city, as the harvest was near at hand.
Garsyeris now faced round again, and by a forced march reached the pass, which he found abandoned; and having placed a garrison at it under the command of Phayllus,
descended with his army to Perge, and thence sent embassies to the other Pisidian cities and to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pamphylia&groupId=833&placeId=1505">Pamphylia</a>,
calling attention to the growing power of Selge and inviting them all to ally themselves with Achaeus and assist Pednelissus.
Walbank Commentary