32.22
At the
close of the president's speech a hum of voices ran through the assembly,
some approving, others fiercely attacking those who approved. Soon not
only individual members but the collective representatives of each State were
engaged in mutual altercations, and at last the chief magistrates of the
League, the damiurgi as they are called, ten in number, were disputing with
quite as much heat as the rest of the assembly. Five of them declared that
they would submit a proposal for alliance with Rome and take the votes on
it; the other five protested that it was forbidden by law for the magistrates to
propose or for the council to adopt any resolution adverse to the existing
alliance with Philip. So the second day was wasted in wrangling. Only one
day now remained for the legal session of the council, for the law required its
decree to be made on the third day. As the time approached, party feeling
ran so high that fathers could hardly keep their hands off their children.
Risias, a delegate from Pallene, had a son called Memnon who was one of
the damiurgi who were opposed to the resolution being moved and voted
upon. For a long time he appealed to his son to permit the Achaeans to take
measures for their common safety and not by his obstinacy bring ruin on the
whole nation. When he found that his appeal had no effect he swore that he
would count him not as a son but as an enemy and would put him to death
with his own hand. The threat proved effectual and the next day Memnon
joined those who were in favour of the resolution. As they were now in a
majority they put the resolution amidst the unmistakable approval of almost
all the States, a clear indication of what the final decision would be. Before it
was actually carried, the representatives of Dymae and Megalopolis and
some of those from Argos rose and left the council. This did not occasion
surprise or disapproval considering the position in which they were placed.
The Megalopolitans after being expelled by the Lacedaemonians in the days
of their grandfathers had been reinstated by Antigonus. Dymae had been
taken and sacked by the Romans and the inhabitants sold into slavery, and
Philip had issued orders for them to be ransomed wherever they could be
found, and had restored them to liberty and to their city. The Argives, who
believed that the kings of Macedonia had sprung from them, had, most of
them, been long attached to Philip by ties of personal friendship. For these
reasons they withdrew from the council when it showed itself in favour of
making an alliance with Rome, and their secession was considered excusable
in view of the great obligations they were under for the kindness recently
shown to them.
