44.8
The
consul was highly delighted at receiving this information and marched from
Dium to Phila that he might strengthen the garrison there, and at the same
time distribute the corn to his men, as the supplies were being so slowly
brought up. This movement provoked comments that were anything but
favourable. Some said he retreated through fear of the enemy, because had
he remained in Pieria he would have had to give battle. Others held that
unaware of the perpetual changes of fortune, he had thrown away the
opportunities which presented themselves, and let slip through his fingers
what it would very soon be impossible to recover. For the evacuation of
Dium woke up his enemy, who then for the first time realised the necessity
of recovering what had been previously lost through his own fault. When he
heard of the consul's withdrawal he returned to Dium, repaired what had
been shattered and devastated by the Romans, replaced the battlements
which had been shaken down, strengthened the walls in all directions, and
finally fixed his camp on the other bank of the Elpeus. This river is an
extremely dangerous one to cross, and it served to protect his camp. It rises
on Mount Olympus; in summer it is a narrow brook, but when swollen by
winter storms it rushes over the boulders in enormous eddies and washing
out the earth at the bottom and carrying it down to the sea, it forms
whirlpools of great depth, and the continual hollowing out of the channel
leaves the banks precipitous on both sides. As Perseus believed that the
advance of the enemy would be arrested by this river, it was his intention to
spend the rest of the summer there. The consul meanwhile sent Popilius with
2000 men from Phila to Heracleum. This place is about five miles distant
from Phila, midway between Dium and Tempe, and is situated on a cliff
which overhangs the river.
