44.3
In the
meanwhile the consul had made up his mind to march through the pass near
Ottolobus, where as already stated the king's forces were; 4000 men were
nevertheless sent on in advance to occupy suitable positions. They were
under the command of M. Claudius and Q. Marcius, the consul's son. The
whole of the force followed very soon afterwards. The road, however, was
so steep and rough and stony that the light troops in advance had, with great
difficulty, covered only fifteen miles when they formed their camp and rested
at a place called Dierum. On the following day they advanced seven miles
and after seizing some rising ground not far from the enemy's camp, they
sent word to the consul that they had reached the enemy, and had established
themselves in a safe and extremely advantageous position, so that he might
follow at such speed as he could. The messenger found the consul at Lake
Ascuris in a state of anxiety about the difficulties of the route upon which he
had entered and also about the fate of those few troops whom he had sent in
advance to the positions occupied by the enemy. He was greatly relieved at
hearing the message sent him, and marching on with his main body reunited
the whole of his force and encamped in an admirable position on the slopes
of the hill already occupied. Its height was such that it commanded a view
not only of the enemy's camp, which was not more than a mile distant, but of
the whole of the country up to Dium and Phila and the far-extended line of
the sea coast. The soldiers' spirits rose when they saw the whole weight of
the war, the entire military strength of the king and the hostile country so
near them. They pressed the consul to lead them at once against the enemy,
but he allowed them one day's rest after the toils of the march. The next day,
leaving a detachment to guard the camp, he led them out to battle.