is legions, at the distance of a
small tract of sea, overrunning Phocis and Locris. You were surprised
at Philip's ambassador, Cleomedon, showing such diffidence yesterday
in his application to us to take arms on the side of the king against
the Romans. But if we, in pursuance of the same treaty and oath, the
sacredness of which he inculcated on us, were to ask of him, that
Philip should protect us, both from Nabis and his Lacedaemonians, and
also from the Romans, he would be utterly unable to find, not only a
force with which to protect us, but even an answer to return. As much
so in truth as was Philip himself, who endeavoured, by promises of
waging war against Nabis, to draw away our youth into Euboea; but
finding that we would neither decree such assistance to him, nor
choose to be embroiled in a war with Rome, forgot that alliance
on which he now lays such stress, and left us to Nabis and the
Lacedaemonians to be spoiled and plundered. Besides, to me the
arguments of Cleomedon appeared utterly inconsistent. He made light of
the war with the Romans; and asserted, that the issue of it would be
similar to that of the former, which they waged against Philip. If
such the case, why does he, at a distance, solicit our assistance;
rather than come hither in person, and defend us, his old allies, both
from Nabis and from the Romans? Us, do I say? Why, on this showing,
has he suffered Eretria and Carystus to be taken? Why so many cities
of Thessaly? Why Locris and Phocis? Why does he at present suffer
Elatia to be besieged? Did he, either through compulsion, or fear, or
choice, quit the straits of Epirus, and those impregnable fastnesses
on the river Aous; and why, abandoning the pass which he was
occupying, did he retire altogether into his own kingdom? If of his
own will he gave up so many allies to the ravages of the enemy, what
objection can he make to these allies consulting for their own safety?
If through fear, he ought to pardon the like fear in us. If he retired
defeated by force of arms, let me ask you, Cleomedon, shall we,
Achaeans, be able to withstand the Roman arms, which you, Macedonians,
have not withstood? Are we to give credit to your assertion, that the
Romans do not employ, in the present war, greater forces or greater
strength than they did in the former, rather than regard the facts
themselves? In the first instance, they aided the Aetolians with a
fleet; they sent not to the war either a consul as comma