n by an
attack begun on that quarter, been utterly dismayed and confounded at
the unforeseen danger. Some betook themselves to a hasty flight: some,
keeping their stand, rather because they could find no way for flight
than that they possessed spirit to support the engagement, were cut
off by the Romans, who pressed them hard both on front and rear. Their
whole army might have been destroyed, had the victors continued their
pursuit of the fugitives; but the cavalry were obstructed by the
narrowness of the passes and the ruggedness of the ground; and the
infantry, by the weight of their armour. The king at first fled with
precipitation, and without looking behind him; but afterwards, when
he had proceeded as far as five miles, he began, from recollecting the
unevenness of the road, to suspect, (what was really the case,)
that the enemy could not follow him; and halting, he despatched his
attendants through all the hills and valleys to collect the stragglers
together. His loss was not more than two thousand men. The rest of his
army, coming to one spot, as if they had followed some signal, marched
off, in a compact body, towards Thessaly. The Romans, after having
pursued the enemy as far as they could with safety, killing such as
they overtook, and despoiling the slain, seized and plundered the
king's camp; which, even when it had no defenders, was difficult
of access. The following night they were lodged within their own
trenches.

13. Next day, the consul pursued the enemy through the same defiles
through which the river winds its way among the valleys. The king
came on the first day to the camp of Pyrrhus, a place so called in
Triphylia, a district of Melotis; and on the following day he reached
Mount Lingos, an immense march for his army, but his fear impelled
him. This ridge of mountains belongs to Epirus, and stretches along
between Macedonia and Thessaly; the side next to Thessaly faces the
east, that next to Macedonia the north. These hills are thickly
clad with woods, and on their summits have open plains and perennial
streams. Here Philip remained encamped for several days, being unable
to determine whether he should continue his retreat until he arrived
in his own dominions, or whether he might venture back into Thessaly.
At length, his decision leaned to leading down his army into Thessaly;
and, going by the shortest roads to Tricca, he made hasty excursions
from thence to all the cities within his reach. The