31.33
Philip
was making vigorous preparations both by land and sea. He concentrated his
naval strength at Demetrias in Thessaly, as he expected that Attalus and the
Roman fleet would move from Aegina at the beginning of the spring.
Heraclides was continued in command of the fleet and coast-line. The
gathering of his land forces he conducted in person, encouraged by the belief
that he had deprived the Romans of two important auxiliaries, the Aetolians
on the one side and the Dardanians on the other, as the pass at Pelagonia
was closed by his son Perseus. By this time the consul was not preparing for
war but actually engaged in it. He led his army through the country of the
Dessaretii, and the corn which they had brought from their winter quarters
they were carrying with them untouched, as the fields through which they
marched supplied all that they wanted. Some of the towns and villages on his
route surrendered voluntarily, others through fear, some were taken by
storm, others were found to be abandoned, the inhabitants having fled to the
neighbouring mountains. He formed a standing camp at Lyncus near the
river Bevus, and from there he sent parties to collect corn from the granaries
of the Dessaretii.
Philip saw that there was consternation everywhere and that the
population were in a state of panic, but he did not know what part the consul
was making for, and accordingly he sent a cavalry detachment to reconnoitre
and find out in what direction the enemy were marching. The consul was
equally in the dark, he knew that the king had moved out of his winter
quarters, but was ignorant of his whereabouts, so he too sent out cavalry to
reconnoitre. After each party had wandered for a considerable time along
unknown roads amongst the Dassaretii, they at last took the same road.
When the noise of men and horses was heard in the distance, they both
became aware that an enemy was approaching. So before they came in sight
of one another they put their horses and weapons in readiness, and as soon
as they saw their enemy they charged. They were not unfairly matched in
numbers and courage, for each corps consisted of picked men, and for some
hours they kept up an even fight, until the exhaustion of men and horses put
a stop to the battle without either side gaining the victory. Forty of the
Macedonians fell and thirty-five of the Romans. Neither side gained any
information as to the whereabouts of their opponents' camp, which they
could carry back either to the consul or to the king. This information was
ultimately conveyed by deserters, a class of persons whom want of principle
renders useful in all wars for finding out things about the enemy.
