In the mean time the forces of Philip laid Attica waste, the pretence of which invasion was as follows. Two young men of Acarnania being in Athens, at the time when the grand mysteries were solemnizing there, had crowded into the temple of Ceres, not knowing that it was forbid. Though their fault proceeded entirely from ignorance, they were immediately massacred, as guilty of impiety and sacrilege. The Acarnanians, justly exasperated at so cruel a treatment, had recourse to Philip, who gladly embraced this opportunity, and gave them a body of forces, with which they entered Attica, ravaged the whole country, and returned home laden with spoils, I The Athenians carried their complaints against this enterprise to Rome, and were joined on that occasion by the Rhodians and king Attalus. The Romans only sought for an opportunity to break with king Philip, at whom they were very much offended. "He had infringed the condition of the treaty of peace concluded with him three years before, in not ceasing to infest the allies who were included in it. He had just before sent troops and money to Hannibal in Africa; and a report was spread that he was at that time very busy in Asia. This made the Romans uneasy, who called to mind the trouble which Pyrrhus had brought upon them, with only a handful of Epirots, a people very much inferior to the Macedonians. Thus, having ended the war against Carthage, they imagined it adviseable 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 proprætor, 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. ture. In the mean time the Roman senate deliberated seriously on what was to be done in the present juncAt 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 proprætor, and from Aurelius his lieutenant, by which 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. 200. Upon this news, the Romans resolved to pro- A. M. claim war against Philip. Accordingly, P. Sulpi- 3804. tius the consul, to whom Macedonia had fallen by Ant. J. C. lot, put to sea with an army, and soon arrived there. Here he was soon informed 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 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. › Liv. 1. xxxi. n. 5, + Ibid. n. 14. A. M. 3804. 200. SECT. II. Expeditions of the consul Sulpitius in Macedonia. The Etolians wait for the event, in order to declare themselves. Philip loses a battle. Villius succeeds Sulpitius. No considerable transaction happens during his government. Flaminius succeeds him. Antiochus recovers Cælosyria, of which he had been dispossessed by Aristomenes, the prime minister of Egypt. Various expeditions of the consul into Phocis. The Achæans, after long debates, declare for the Romans. CLAUDIUS CENTO, whom the consul had Ant. J.C. sent to succour Athens, having entered the Piræus 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 Piræus. 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 half ruined. He would certainly have treated Athens in the same manner, if one of the couriers, called • Liv. 1. xxxi. n. 22-26; 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 day-break. 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 vigour, and having killed several of them with his own hand, repulsed them back into the city, whither he did not think it adviseable to pursue them. But he wreaked his vengeance on the country seats, on the places for the public exercises, at 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 Achæans held their assembly at Argos, he went thither. They were deliberating how to act in regard to Nabis, the tyrant of Sparta, 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 furnih him with as many troops as were necessary for garrisoning Cræa, 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 Achæan youth, in order to make him They were so called from running a great number of miles in one day, 374 self 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 Bocotia. 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 vigour. 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 Ætolians should observe strictly the treaties of peace which they had concluded 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, 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, 1 Liv. I. xxxi. n. 27-32. |