39.26
Philip's
role was to appear as accuser rather than defendant. He began by charging
the Thessalians with seizing Menelais in Dolopia by force of arms, a place
which belonged to his dominions, and in conjunction with the Perrhaebians
capturing also Petra in Pieria. Even Xynias, beyond all doubt an Aetolian
town, had been forced to join their confederacy, and without a shadow of
right they had made themselves masters of Parachelois, which was under
Athamania. As to the charges brought against him of waylaying envoys, of
causing the fulness or emptiness of seaports, the latter was absurd; he was
not responsible for the preference which traders or skippers showed for
certain ports; and as to the former, it was quite alien from his character.
Through all these years, charges had been continually made against him
either to the Roman generals or to the Roman senate. Who had ever been
injured even by a word? 'They said that a plot was once formed against those
who were going to Quinctius, but they did not go on to say what happened
to them. These are the accusations of men who are hunting for false charges,
since they have nothing true to go upon. The Thessalians in their insolence
were shamelessly abusing the indulgence of the people of Rome; like men
who after a long thirst drank wine too eagerly, they were intoxicated with
liberty. Like slaves suddenly and unexpectedly manumitted, they show their
freedom by putting no constraint on their speech and language and
showering abuse on their late masters. Then in a towering rage he exclaimed:
"The evening of all days has not yet come!'' The Thessalians and even the
Romans took this as a threat against themselves. When the murmurs of
disapprobation at these words had died away, he replied to the Perrhaebian
and Athamanian envoys, and maintained that the cities which they
represented were in the same position as the others; Acilius and the Romans
had given them to him at a time when they belonged to the enemy. If the
donors wished to take away what they had given, he knew he must give
them up, but in that case they would be ingratiating themselves with fickle
and useless allies by doing an injustice to a more deserving and faithful
friend. Nothing evoked a more short-lived gratitude than the gift of liberty,
especially among those who were ready to abuse and corrupt it. After
hearing all sides the commissioners announced their decision. The king's
garrisons must be withdrawn from the cities in dispute, and his kingdom
limited to the ancient frontiers of Macedonia. As for the complaints which
each side made against the other, a court of arbitration must be formed to
settle the differences between these peoples and the Macedonians.
