imagined it advisable to prevent the enterprises of this new enemy, who might become formidable, in case they should give him time to increase his strength. The senate, after making such an answer as pleased all the ambassadors, ordered M. Valerius Levinus, the propretor, to advance towards Macedonia with a fleet, in order to examine matters nearer at hand, and be in a condition to give immediate aid to the allies.

In the mean time, the Roman senate deliberated seriously on what was to be done in the present juncture. At the very time it assembled to consider that important affair, a second embassy arrived from the Athenians, which brought advice, that Philip was upon the point of invading Attica in person; and that, in case they were not immediately succoured, he would infallibly make himself master of Athens. They also received letters from Levinus, the propretor, and from Aurelius, his lieutenant, by whom they were informed, that they had the strongest reasons to believe that Philip had some design against them; and that, the danger being imminent, they had no time to lose.

Upon this news, the Romans resolved to proclaim war against Philip. Accordingly, P. Sulpitius, the consul, to whom Macedonia had fallen by lot, put to sea with an army, and soon arrived there. Here he was soon informed by an embassy, that Athens was besieged, and implored his assistance. He detached a squadron of twenty gallies, commanded by Claudius Cento, who set sail that instant. Philip had not laid

O Liv. 1. xxxi. n. 5.

PA, M. 3804. Ant. J. C. 200. Liv. 1. xxxi. n. 14.

siege to Athens in person, but deputed one of his lieutenants for that purpose; having taken the field in person against Attalus and the Rhodians.

SECTION II.

EXPEDITIONS OF SULPITIUS. PHILIP LOSES A BATTLE.

ACHEANS DECLARE FOR THE ROMANS.

THE

CLAUDIUS CENTO, whom the consul had sent to succour Athens, having entered the Pireus with his gallies, revived the drooping courage of the inhabitants. He was not satisfied with securing the city and the country round it; but, having advice that the garrison of Chalcis did not observe the least order or discipline, as remote from danger, he sailed out with his fleet, arrived near the city, before day, and finding the sentinels asleep, entered it without molestation; set fire to the public magazines, which were full of corn, and to the arsenal, that was well provided with machines of war; cut the whole garrison to pieces; and, after carrying on board his ships the immense booty he had amassed, he returned to the Pireus.

Philip, who was then at Demetrias, the instant he heard of the disaster which had befallen that confederate city, flew thither, in hopes of surprising the Romans. However, they were gone; so that he seemed to have come for no other purpose, but to be spectator of that city, still burning, and haif ruined. He would certainly have treated Athens in the same manner,

↑ A. M. 5894. Ant. J. C. 200. Liv. Į. xxxi, q, 22—26:

if one of the couriers, called Hemerodromi, who perceived the king's troops from the eminence, where he was posted, had not carried the news of it immediately to Athens, where the inhabitants were all asleep. Philip arrived a few hours after, but before daybreak. Perceiving that his stratagem had not taken effect, he resolved to attack the city. The Athenians had drawn up their soldiers in battle, without the walls, at the gate Dipylos; Philip, marching at the head of his army, attacked them with vigor; and having killed several of them with his own hand, repulsed them back into the city, whither he did not think it advisable to pursue them. But he wreaked his vengeance on the country seats, on the places for the public exercises, as the Lyceum, and especially on such temples as stood without the city; setting fire to every thing, and ruining whatever came in his way, not sparing either the tombs or the most sacred places. He marched from hence, with a view of surprising Eleusis, where his project also proved abortive. He then proceeded towards Corinth, when hearing that the Acheans held their assembly at Argos, he went thither.

7

They were deliberating how to act in regard to Nabis, the tyrant of Sparra, who had succeeded Machanidas, and infested the whole country with his incursions. Philip offered to charge himself entirely with that war, and his proposal was received with universal joy. However, he added a condition which abated it very much; that they should furnish him with as many troops as were necessary for garrisoning

They were so called from running a great number of miles in one day.

Crea, Chalcis, and Corinth; and that they should not leave the places behind him without defence, whilst he was fighting for them. They perceived that his design was, to draw out of Peloponnesus all the Achean youth, in order to make himself master of it, and engage it in the war against the Romans. Cycliadus, who presided in the assembly, eluded the proposal, by observing, that it was not allowed by their laws, to debate on any subject, but that for which the assembly had been summoned. They therefore broke up, after having resolved upon the war against Nabis; and the hopes of Philip were again defeated.

He made a second attempt upon Athens, which succeeded no better than the former, except that he completed the demolition of such temples, statues, and valuable works, as remained in that country. After this expedition he retired into Beotia.

The consul, who was encamped between Apollonia and Dyrrachium, sent to Macedonia a considerable detachment, under the command of Apustius the lieutenant, who laid waste the plains, and took several small cities. Philip, who was returned into Macedonia, carried on his military preparations with prodigious vigor.

The great object which both parties had in view, was to engage the Etolians to their side. They were now going to hold their general assembly, to which Philip, the Romans, and Athenians, sent their ambassadors. He who was deputed by Philip spoke first. All he required was, that the Etolians should observe strictly the conditions of peace which they had concluded

• Liv. 1. xxxi. n. 27-32.

three years before with Philip; having then experienced how useless their alliance with the Romans was to them. He instanced several cities, of which that people had possessed themselves, upon pretence of succouring them, as Syracuse, Tarentum, and Capua; the last city especially, which was no longer Capua, but the grave of the Campanians, and the skeleton, as it were, of a city, having neither senate, inhabitants, or magistrates; more barbarously used by those who had left it to be inhabited in this condition, than if they had entirely destroyed it. "If foreigners," says he, "who differ from us more by their language, their manners, and their laws, than by the wide distance of land and sea which separate us from them, should dispossess us of this country; it would be ridiculous in us to expect more humane treatment from them than their neighbours have met with. Among us, who are of the same country, whether Etolians, Acarnanians, or Macedonians, and who speak the same language, slight disputes may arise, with little or no consequence or duration; but with foreigners, with barbarians, we, whilst we are Greeks, are, and shall for ever be, at war. This time three years you concluded a peace with Philip, in this very place; now the same causes still subsist; and we hope that you will act in the same manner."

The Athenian ambassadors, by the consent of the Romans, spoke next. They began by displaying, in an affecting manner, the impious and sacrilegious fury, which Philip had exercised on the most sacred monuments of Attica, on the most august temples, and the most awful tombs; as if he had declared war, not only