31.41
These
considerations brought Damocritus and the Aetolians back to the side of the
Romans, and in conjunction with Amynander king of the Athamanians they
proceeded to invest Cercinium. The townsmen had closed their gates,
whether spontaneously or under compulsion is not clear, as Philip's troops
were holding the place. However, in a few days Cercinium was taken and
burnt, and those who survived the wholesale slaughter, slaves and citizens
alike, were carried off with the rest of the booty. Dread of a similar fate
drove the inhabitants of all the cities round Lake Boebeis to abandon their
homes and take to the mountains. There being no further chance of plunder,
the Aetolians left that part of the country and proceeded to go into
Perrhaebia. Here they took Cyretiae by storm and ruthlessly sacked it. The
population of Maloea surrendered voluntarily and were admitted into the
Aetolian League. Leaving Perrhaebia, Amynander advised them to attack
Gomphi, as it was close to Athamania and there was every probability of its
being carried without much fighting. The Aetolians, however, wanted
plunder and made for the fertile plains of Thessaly. Amynander accompanied
them, though he did not approve of the disorderly way in which they carried
on their depredations nor of their careless method of pitching their camp on
any chance ground without taking the trouble to select a good position or
throw up proper intrenchments. He was afraid that their recklessness and
carelessness might bring disaster to him and his men, and when he saw them
fixing their camp on flat open ground below the hill on which the city of
Phaeca stood, he took possession of some rising ground little more than a
mile away which needed very slight fortifying to make it safe. Except that
they continued their depredations the Aetolians seemed to have almost
forgotten that they were in an enemy's country; some were roaming about
unarmed, others were turning day into night with wine and sleep, leaving the
camp altogether unguarded.
Suddenly, when no one expected him, Philip came on the scene.
Some who rushed back from the fields announced his appearance, and
Damocritus and the other generals were in dire consternation. It happened to
be midday, when most of the soldiers were asleep after their heavy meal.
Their officers roused them, ordered some to arm themselves and sent off
others to recall the plundering parties dispersed over the fields. So great was
the hurry and confusion that some of the cavalry went off without their
swords and most of them had not put on their body-armour. Sent out thus
hurriedly, barely amounting to 600 horse and foot they met the king's
cavalry, who were superior to them in numbers, equipment and moral. They
were naturally routed at the first shock, and after showing hardly any fight,
broke into a cowardly flight and made for their camp. Many whom the
cavalry cut off from the main body of the fugitives were either killed or
captured.
