31.40
Thus
the pass was surmounted with less trouble than they had anticipated, and
they entered the district of Eordaea. After ravaging the fields in all
directions, the consul moved into Elimia. Here he made an attack on Orestis
and approached the town of Celetrum. This was situated on a peninsula, the
walls were surrounded by a lake and there was only one road to the adjacent
country over a narrow neck of land. At first the townsmen, relying upon
their position, closed their gates and rejected the summons to surrender.
When, however, they saw the standards advancing and the legions marching
under their shield-roof up to the gate and the narrow neck of land covered
by the hostile column, their hearts failed them and they surrendered without
risking a battle. From Celetrum he advanced into Dassaretia and took the
city of Pelion by assault. The slaves and the rest of the booty he carried off,
but the free citizens he set at liberty without ransom, and he restored their
town to them after placing a strong garrison in it. It was well adapted from
its position to serve as a base for his operations against Macedonia. After
thus scouring the enemy's country, the consul returned to friendly territories
and led his force back to Apollonia, which had been his starting-point for the
campaign. Philip had been called away by the Aetolians, the Athamanians,
the Dardanians and the numerous wars which had broken out in various
quarters. The Dardanians were already retiring from Macedonia when he
sent Athenagoras with the light infantry and the greater part of the cavalry to
attack them from the rear as they retreated, and by harassing their rear make
them less eager to send their armies away from home. As to the Aetolians,
Damocritus their supreme magistrate, who had advised them at Naupactus to
delay resolving upon war, had at their next meeting urged them strongly to
take up arms after all that had happened -the cavalry action at Ottolabrum,
the invasion of Macedonia by the Dardanians and Pleuratus in conjunction
with the Illyrians, and especially the arrival of the Roman fleet at Oreum and
the certainty of Macedonia, beset by all those States, being blockaded at sea.