32.19
While
the consul was engaged in the siege of Elatea, the hope of achieving a
greater success brightened before him, namely, of inducing the Achaeans to
abandon their alliance with Philip and enter into friendly relations with
Rome. Cycliadas, the leader of the Macedonian party, had been expelled, and
Aristaenus, a favourer of the Roman alliance, was chief magistrate. The
Roman fleet in conjunction with those of Attalus and Rhodes were anchored
at Cenchreae, preparing to make a joint attack on Corinth. The consul
thought that, before commencing operations, it would be better to send an
embassy to the Achaeans and give an undertaking that if they would abandon
the king and go over to the Romans, Corinth should be incorporated in the
Achaean league. At the consul's suggestion, envoys were accordingly sent by
his brother Lucius, and by Attalus, the Rhodians and the Athenians. A
meeting of the council was convened at Sicyon. The Achaeans, however,
were far from clear as to what course they ought to pursue. They were in
fear of Nabis the Lacedaemonian, their dangerous and relentless enemy, they
dreaded the arms of Rome, and they were under many obligations to the
Macedonians for their kind services both in bygone years and recently. But
the king himself they viewed with suspicion on account of his faithlessness
and cruelty; his action at the time they attached no importance to, and saw
clearly that after the war he would be more of a tyrant than ever. They were
quite at a loss what view to express, either in the senates of their respective
States or in the general council of the League; even when thinking the matter
over by themselves, they could not make up their minds as to what it was
they really wanted or what was best for them. Whilst the councillors were in
this state of indecision the envoys were introduced and requested to state
their case. The Roman envoy, L. Calpurnius, was the first to speak. He was
followed by the representatives of King Attalus, and then came the delegates
from Rhodes. The emissaries of Philip were the next to speak, and the
Athenians came last of all, that they might reply to the Macedonians. These
last attacked the king with almost greater bitterness than any of the others,
for none had suffered more or undergone such harsh treatment. The whole
day was taken up with the continuous speeches of all these deputations, and
at sunset the council broke up.
