36.29
The
whole population of Aetolia was thus assembled, and when they heard the
report they were so exasperated by what they considered as the harshness
and insulting tone of the order that even had they been at peace the angry
outburst would have driven them into war. Besides the anger thus aroused,
there were difficulties in the way of carrying out the command. How, they
asked, could they possibly surrender Amynander? Their hopes, too, had been
raised by the presence of Nicander, who had just returned from his mission
to Antiochus and had filled the minds of the populace with the illusory
prospect of huge forces being massed both by land and sea. After a voyage
of twelve days from Ephesus he landed at Phalara on the Maliac Gulf, on his
way to Aetolia. From there he went to Lamia, where he left the money which
the king had given them, and then started early in the evening for Hypata,
with an escort of light troops, through by-paths with which he was familiar.
Whilst traversing the country between the Roman and Macedonian camps,
he came upon a Macedonian outpost and was taken to the king. Philip had
not finished dinner, and when he was informed of the arrest he treated him,
not as an enemy but as a guest, and bade him sit down and partake of the
banquet. Then after the other guests had left he detained him, telling him at
the same time that he had nothing to fear. He proceeded to blame the
Aetolians severely for their crooked policy, which had always recoiled on
their own heads, for it was they who first brought the Romans and
afterwards Antiochus into Greece. He went on to say that he should forget
the past, which it was easier to censure than to amend, and he would not do
anything to insult the Aetolians amidst their misfortunes; they in return ought
to put an end to their ill-will towards him, and Nicander in particular ought
never to forget that day in which he had saved his life. He then assigned him
an escort to conduct him to a place of safety, and Nicander arrived at Hypata
whilst the Aetolians were debating the question of making peace with Rome.
