im, was,
that he had long solicited assistance from them, since, by their
advice, he had renewed the war. A thousand foot were put under the
command of Alexamenus, with thirty horsemen, chosen from among the
youth. These received a charge from Damocritus, the praetor, in the
select council of the nation, mentioned above, "not to suppose that
they were sent to a war with the Achaeans; or even on other business,
which any one might ascertain to himself from his own conjectures.
Whatever sudden enterprise circumstances might direct Alexamenus to
undertake, that (however unexpected, rash, or daring) they were to
hold themselves in readiness to execute with implicit obedience;
and should understand that to be the matter, for the sole purpose
of effecting which they had been sent abroad." With these men, thus
pre-instructed, Alexamenus came to the tyrant, and, immediately on
approaching him, filled him with hopes; telling him, that "Antiochus
had already come over into Europe; that he would shortly be in Greece,
and would cover the lands and seas with men and arms; that the Romans
would find that they had not Philip to deal with: that the numbers of
the horsemen, footmen, and ships, could not be reckoned; and that the
train of elephants, by their mere appearance, would effectually daunt
the enemy: that the Aetolians were prepared to come to Lacedaemon with
their entire force, whenever occasion required; but that they wished
to show the king, on his arrival, a numerous body of troops: that
Nabis himself, likewise, ought to take care not to suffer his soldiers
to be enervated by inaction, and dwelling in houses; but to lead them
out, and make them perform their evolutions under arms, which, while
it exercised their bodies, would also rouse their courage; that the
labour would become lighter by practice, and might even be rendered
not unpleasing by the affability and kindness of their commander."
Thenceforward, the troops used frequently to be drawn out under the
walls of the city, in a plain near the river Eurotas. The tyrant's
life-guards were generally posted in the centre. He himself, attended
by three horsemen at the most, of whom Alexamenus was commonly one,
rode about in front, and went to view both wings to their extremities.
On the right wing were the Aetolians; both those who had been before
in his army as auxiliaries, and the thousand who came with Alexamenus.
Alexamenus made it his custom to ride about with Nabis thro