s of Epirus through which are the entrances to
Macedonia. Philip had extended a wall across the entire mountain
region in between and held a formidable position, [Sidenote: B.C. 198
(_a.u._ 556)] but the consul Titus Flamininus[38] at the conclusion
of winter got around the circumvallation with a few followers by a
narrow path. And appearing suddenly on higher ground he terrified
Philip, who thought that the whole army of Titus had come up through
the pass. Hence he fell back into Macedonia at once. The consul did
not pursue him, but assumed control of the cities in Epirus. He also
went into Thessaly and detached a good part of it from Philip and then
retired into Phocis and Boeotia. While he was besieging Elatea his
brother Lucius Flamininus in company with Attalus and the Rhodians was
subduing the islands. Finally, after the capture of Cenchrea, they
learned that envoys had been sent to the Achaeans to see about an
alliance and they despatched some themselves in turn, the Athenians
associating in the embassy. And at first the opinions of the Achaeans
were divided, some wanting to vote their alliance to Philip and some
to the Romans; eventually, however, they voted assistance to the
latter. And they joined in an expedition against Corinth, where they
succeeded in demolishing portions of the wall, but retired after
losses suffered through sallies of the citizens.

[Footnote 38: Zonaras consistently spells _Flaminius_.]

Then Philip, growing afraid that many cities might be taken, made
overtures to the consul regarding peace. The latter accepted his
representations and they and their allies met, but nothing was
accomplished except that permission was granted Philip to send envoys
to Rome. Nor was anything done there. For, when the Greeks insisted
that he depart from Corinth and Chalcis and from Demetrias in
Thessaly, the envoys of Philip said they had received no instructions
on this point and closed an ineffectual mission.

The people of Rome in voting to Flamininus the supreme direction in
Greece for another year also committed to his charge the case of
Philip as well. The Roman leader, since he was to remain at his post,
prepared for war, and the more so because the Lacedaemonian tyrant
Nabis, although a friend of Philip from whom he had received Argos,
had made a truce with him. The Macedonian monarch being unable to
administer many districts at once and fearing that the city might be
seized by the Romans had depo