44.26
This
was not the only chance which Perseus threw away in his avarice. Had he
paid the money, it is possible that he might have had peace through
Eumenes's instrumentality, and this was worth purchasing even at the cost of
a part of his kingdom, or if Eumenes had played him false he could have held
him up as his enemy loaded with his gold, and made the Romans regard him
justly as their enemy. But the alliance with Gentius which had been already
mooted and the invaluable support now offered of the Gauls who were
pouring through Illyria, were both lost to him through his avarice. A body of
1000 cavalry came to offer their services, and with them the same number of
foot soldiers. These latter used to run alongside the horses and when the
trooper fell they seized the riderless horses and rode on them into the battle.
These men had agreed to serve for ten gold pieces for each horseman and
five for each footman; their leaders were to receive a thousand. Perseus went
with half his whole force from his camp at the Elpeus and began to give
notice through all the villages and cities adjoining their route that they were
to prepare ample supplies of corn, wine and cattle. He took with him some
horses with their trappings and some military cloaks as presents to their
officers, and a small quantity of gold to be distributed amongst a few of the
troops, trusting that the mass of the soldiery would be attracted by the hope
of more. He went as far as the city of Almana and fixed his camp by the
River Axius. The Gaulish army was lying in the neighbourhood of Desudaba
in Maedica waiting for the stipulated pay. Perseus sent Antigonus, one of the
nobles of his Court, to order the soldiers to shift their camp to Bylazora, a
place in Paeonia, and their officers to go in a body to him. They were
seventy-five miles distant from the king's camp on the Axius. After
Antigonus had given them these orders and told them what an abundance of
everything the king's care had provided for them on their line of march, and
what presents of clothing and silver and horses the king had ready for the
officers when they arrived, they replied that they would find out all about
this on the spot. They then enquired whether they had brought the gold to be
distributed according to the agreement amongst the horse and foot. To this
there was no reply. Then their chief Claudicus said, "Go back! Tell the king
the Gauls will not move a step further unless they receive the gold and the
hostages." On this being reported to the king he held a council of war. When
it became obvious what the unanimous decision would be, the king began to
descant on the perfidy and savagery of the Gauls, vices which many had
already experienced to their ruin. It was a dangerous thing to admit so vast a
multitude into Macedonia; they might find them more troublesome as allies
than the Romans as enemies; 5000 cavalry were quite enough to make use of
in the war, and not too many to be dangerous.