32.35
The
Achaeans and the Aetolians were preparing to reply, but as it was almost
sunset the conference was adjourned to the morrow. Philip returned to his
anchorage and the Romans and allies to their camps. Nicaea had been fixed
upon for the next meeting and Quinctius arrived there punctually on the
following day, but there was no Philip anywhere, nor did any message arrive
from him for several hours. At last, when they had given up all hope of his
coming, his ships suddenly appeared. He explained that as such heavy and
humiliating demands were made upon him and he was at a loss how to act,
he had spent the day in deliberation. It was generally believed that he had
purposely delayed the proceedings till late in the day in order that no time
might be left for the Achaeans and Aetolians to make their reply. This
suspicion was confirmed when he requested that, in order to avoid waste of
time in recriminations and bring the matter to a final issue, the others might
be allowed to withdraw, and he and the Roman general left to confer
together. At first this was demurred to, as it would look as if the allies were
shut out from the conference, but as he persisted in his demand, it was
agreed to by all that the others should withdraw and the Roman commander
accompanied by a military tribune, Appius Claudius, should go forward to
the edge of the beach whilst the king attended by two of his suite came
ashore. There they conversed for some time in private. It is not known what
report of the interview Philip gave to his people, but the statement which
Quinctius made to the allies was to the effect that Philip was prepared to
cede to the Romans the whole of the Illyrian coast and deliver up the
refugees and any prisoners there might be; to return to Attalus his ships and
their captured crews; to restore to the Rhodians the district they call Peraea,
but he would not evacuate Iasos and Bargyliae; to the Aetolians he would
restore Pharsalus and Larisa but not Thebes; to the Achaeans he would cede
not only Argos but Corinth as well. Not one of the parties concerned was
satisfied with these proposals, for they said that they were losing more than
they were gaining, and unless Philip withdrew his garrisons from the whole
of Greece, grounds of quarrel would never be wanting.
