minated unless
the Achaeans gave back Pylus to the Messenians, unless Atintania was
restored to the Romans, and Ardyaea to Scerdilaedus and Pleuratus.
But Philip, conceiving it an indignity that the vanquished should
presumptuously dictate terms to him the victor, said, "that he did not
before either listen to proposals for peace, or agree to a truce, from
any hope he entertained that the Aetolians would remain quiet, but
in order that he might have all the allies as witnesses that he was
desirous of peace, and that they were the occasion of this war." Thus,
without effecting a peace, he dismissed the council; and leaving four
thousand troops for the protection of the Achaeans, and receiving five
men of war, with which, if he could have joined them to the fleet of
the Carthaginians lately sent to him, and the ships which were coming
from Bithynia, from king Prusias, he had resolved to challenge the
Romans, who had long been masters of the sea in that quarter, to a
naval battle, the king himself went back from the congress to Argos;
for now the time for celebrating the Nemaean games was approaching,
which he wished to be celebrated in his presence.

31. While the king was occupied with the exhibition of the games, and
was indulging himself during the days devoted to festivity with more
freedom than in time of war, Publius Sulpicius, setting out from
Naupactus, brought his fleet to the shore, between Sicyon and Corinth,
and devastated without restraint a country of the most renowned
fertility. Intelligence of this proceeding called Philip away from the
games. He set out hastily with his cavalry, ordering his infantry to
follow him closely; and attacking the Romans as they were scattered
through the fields and loaded with booty, like men who feared nothing
of the kind, drove them to their ships. The Roman fleet returned to
Naupactus by no means pleased with their booty. The fame of a victory
gained by Philip over the Romans, of whatever magnitude, increased
the celebrity of the remaining part of the games. The festival was
celebrated with extraordinary mirth, the more so as the king, in order
to please the people, took the diadem off his head, and laid aside
his purple robe with the other royal apparel, and placed himself, with
regard to appearance, on an equality with the rest, than which nothing
is more gratifying to free states. By this conduct he would have
afforded the strongest hopes of the enjoyment of liberty, had