34.51
He
then proceeded to Chalcis and withdrew the forces in occupation not only
from that city, but from Oreus and Eretria as well. Here he summoned a
convention of all the cities in Euboea, and after reminding them of the
condition in which he found them and the condition in which he was leaving
them, sent them back to their homes. Going on to Demetrias, he withdrew
his troops from that place amidst the same enthusiasm on the part of the
citizens as at Corinth and Chalcis. He then resumed his progress into
Thessaly, where the cities had not only to be liberated but also brought back
from confusion and chaos into some tolerable form of government. This
state of confusion arose from the disorders of the time and the violence and
lawlessness introduced by Philip, but it was due quite as much to the
quarrelsome character of the people, who never conducted public
proceedings of any kind, whether elections or conventions or councils,
without tumult and riot. Quinctius selected the senate and the judges mostly
from the propertied classes and placed power in the hands of those whose
interest it was to keep everything in peace and security.
