44.2
After
kindling the spirits of his men by speeches of this kind, he consulted his staff
on the strategy of the war. C. Marius, the praetor, who had taken over the
command of the fleet, was also present. They decided not to waste any more
time in Thessaly, but to go forward at once into Macedonia, and the praetor
was to make a naval attack on the enemy's coast at the same time. The
consul issued orders for the soldiers to take a month's supply of corn. Ten
days after taking over the command of the army he broke up the camp, and
at the end of the first day's march he called the guides together and told them
to explain to the council what route each of them would choose. After they
had withdrawn he asked the council to say which they thought best. Some
preferred the route through the Pythian Pass; others were in favour of the
road over the Cambunian Range which the consul Hostilius had taken the
previous year; others again chose the road by Lake Ascuris. All these routes
had a considerable section in common; the further discussion was therefore
adjourned until they reached the point where they began to diverge. From
there he marched into Perrhaebia and went into camp between Azorus and
Doliche, to hold a second consultation as to the best route to take. During
this time Perseus had heard that the enemy were approaching, but did not
know which route they were taking. He decided to occupy all the passes,
and sent 10,000 light infantry under Asclepiodotus to hold a peak in the
Cambunian Range -its local name is Volustana. At a fortified place above
Lake Ascuris, called Lapathus, Hippias with 12,000 Macedonians was
posted to defend the pass. Perseus himself with the rest of his force formed
an entrenched camp at Dium. And here it would almost seem as if his
reasoning faculties were benumbed and he was destitute of all resource, for
he used to start from his camp at Dium with an escort of light cavalry, and
gallop to Heraclea or to Phila, returning at the same speed to Dium.
