76. But now a difficulty arose which was created by Apelles. Apelles was one of those who had been left by Antigonus as guardians of his son, and had, as it happened, more influence than any one else with the king. He conceived the wish to bring the Achaeans into the same position as the Thessalians; and adopted for that purpose a very offensive line of conduct. The Thessalians were supposed to enjoy their own constitution, and to have quite a different status to the Macedonians; but in fact they had exactly the same, and obeyed every order of the royal ministers. It was with the purpose of bringing about the same state of things, that this officer now set himself to test the subservience of the Achaean contingent. At first he confined himself to giving the Macedonian soldiers leave to eject Achaeans from their quarters, who on any occasion had taken possession of them first, as well as to wrest from them any booty they might have taken; but he afterwards treated them with actual violence, through the agency of his subordinates, on any trifling pretext; while such as complained of this treatment, or took the part of those who were being beaten, he personally arrested and put into confinement: being convinced that by this method he would gradually and imperceptibly bring them into the habit of submitting, without remonstrance, to any thing which the king might choose to inflict. And this opinion he deduced from his previous experience in the army of Antigonus, when he had seen the Achaeans willing to endure any hardship, on the one condition of escaping from the yoke of Cleomenes. However, certain young Achaeans held a meeting, and going to Aratus explained to him the policy which was being pursued by Apelles: whereupon Aratus at once went to Philip, feeling that a stand must be made on this point at once and without delay. He made his statement to the king; who, being informed of the facts, first of all encouraged the young men by a promise that nothing of the sort should happen to them again; and then commanded Apelles not to impose any orders upon the Achaeans without consulting their own Strategus.
76. Ἀπελλῆς δʼ, ὃς ἦν μὲν εἷς τῶν ὑπʼ Ἀντιγόνου καταλειφθέντων ἐπιτρόπων τοῦ παιδός, πλεῖστον δʼ ἐτύγχανε τότε δυνάμενος παρὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ, βουληθεὶς τὸ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἔθνος ἀγαγεῖν εἰς παραπλησίαν διάθεσιν τῇ Θετταλῶν, ἐπεβάλετο πρᾶγμα ποιεῖν μοχθηρόν. Θετταλοὶ γὰρ ἐδόκουν μὲν κατὰ νόμους πολιτεύειν καὶ πολὺ διαφέρειν Μακεδόνων, διέφερον δʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ὁμοίως ἔπασχον Μακεδόσι καὶ πᾶν ἐποίουν τὸ προσταττόμενον τοῖς βασιλικοῖς. διὸ καὶ πρὸς ταύτην ἁρμοζόμενος τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ὁ προειρημένος ἐπεβάλετο καταπειράζειν τῶν συστρατευομένων. τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον ἐπέτρεψε τοῖς Μακεδόσιν ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ τῶν σταθμῶν ἀεὶ τοὺς προκατέχοντας τῶν Ἀχαιῶν καταλύσεις, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὴν λείαν ἀφαιρεῖσθαι· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὰς χεῖρας προσέφερε διὰ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς τυχούσαις αἰτίαις, τοὺς δὲ συναγανακτοῦντας ἢ προσβοηθοῦντας τοῖς μαστιγουμένοις παρὼν αὐτὸς εἰς τὴν ἅλυσιν ἀπῆγε, πεπεισμένος διὰ τοῦ τοιούτου τρόπου τὸ κατὰ βραχὺ λήσειν εἰς συνήθειαν ἀγαγὼν τοῦ μηδένα μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι δεινόν, ὅ ποτʼ ἂν πάσχῃ τις ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ταῦτα μικροῖς χρόνοις πρότερον μετʼ Ἀντιγόνου συνεστρατευμένος, καὶ τεθεαμένος τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς ὅτι παντὸς δεινοῦ λαβεῖν πεῖραν ὑπέμειναν, ἐφʼ ᾧ μὴ ποιεῖν Κλεομένει τὸ προσταττόμενον. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ συστραφέντων τινῶν Ἀχαϊκῶν νεανίσκων, καὶ προσελθόντων τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον καὶ διασαφούντων τὴν Ἀπελλοῦ βούλησιν, ἧκον ἐπὶ τὸν Φίλιππον οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον, κρίναντες ἐν ἀρχαῖς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων διίστασθαι καὶ μὴ καταμέλλειν. ἐντυχόντων δʼ αὐτῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τούτων, διακούσας ὁ Φίλιππος τὰ γεγονότα, τοὺς μὲν νεανίσκους παρεκάλει θαρρεῖν, ὡς οὐδενὸς αὐτοῖς ἔτι συμβησομένου τοιούτου, τῷ δʼ Ἀπελλῇ παρήγγειλε μηδὲν ἐπιτάττειν τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς χωρὶς τῆς τοῦ στρατηγοῦ γνώμης.
77. Philip, then, was acquiring a great reputation, not only among those actually in his army, but among the other Peloponnesians also, for his behaviour to the allies serving with him, as well as for his ability and courage in the field. Indeed it would not be easy to find a king endowed with more natural qualities requisite for the acquisition of power. He had in an eminent degree a quick understanding, a retentive memory, and a winning grace of manner, joined to a look of royal dignity and authority; and most important of all, ability and courage as a general. What neutralised all these excellent qualities, and made a cruel tyrant of a naturally well-disposed king, it is not easy to say in a few words: and therefore that inquiry must be reserved for a more suitable time than the present. Starting from Olympia by the road leading to Pharae, Philip came first to Telphusa, and thence to Heraea. There he had the booty sold by auction, and repaired the bridge over the Alpheus, with the view of passing over it to the invasion of Triphylia. Just at that time the Aetolian Strategus, Dorimachus, in answer to a request of the Eleans for protection against the devastation they were enduring, despatched six hundred Aetolians, under the command of Phillidas, to their aid. Having arrived in Elis, and taken over the Elean mercenaries, who were five hundred in number, as well as a thousand citizen soldiers and the Tarentine cavalry, he marched to the relief of Triphylia. This district is so called from Triphylus, one of the sons of Arcas, and lies on the coast of the Peloponnese between Elis and Messenia, facing the Libyan Sea, and touching the south-west frontier of Arcadia. It contains the following towns, Samicum, Lepreum, Hypana, Typaneae, Pyrgos, Aepium, Bolax, Stylangium, Phrixa; all of which, shortly before this, the Eleans had conquered and annexed, as well as the city of Alipheira, which had originally been subject to Arcadia and Megalopolis, but had been exchanged with the Eleans, for some private object of his own, by Lydiadas when tyrant of Megalopolis.
77. Φίλιππος μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν ὁμιλίαν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ὑπαίθροις συνδιατρίβοντας καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς πρᾶξιν καὶ τόλμαν οὐ μόνον παρὰ τοῖς στρατευομένοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσι Πελοποννησίοις εὐδοκίμει. βασιλέα γὰρ πλείοσιν ἀφορμαῖς ἐκ φύσεως κεχορηγημένον πρὸς πραγμάτων κατάκτησιν οὐκ εὐμαρὲς εὑρεῖν· καὶ γὰρ ἀγχίνοια καὶ μνήμη καὶ χάρις ἐπῆν αὐτῷ διαφέρουσα, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἐπίφασις βασιλικὴ καὶ δύναμις, τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, πρᾶξις καὶ τόλμα πολεμική. καὶ τί δή ποτʼ ἦν τὸ ταῦτα πάντα καταγωνισάμενον καὶ ποιῆσαν ἐκ βασιλέως εὐφυοῦς τύραννον ἄγριον οὐκ εὐχερὲς διὰ βραχέων δηλῶσαι. διὸ καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων σκέπτεσθαι καὶ διαπορεῖν ἄλλος ἁρμόσει καιρὸς μᾶλλον τοῦ νῦν ἐνεστῶτος· ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος ἐκ τῆς Ὀλυμπίας ἀναζεύξας τὴν ἐπὶ Φαραίαν παρῆν εἰς Τέλφουσαν κἀκεῖθεν εἰς Ἡραίαν. καὶ τὴν μὲν λείαν ἐλαφυροπώλει, τὴν δὲ γέφυραν ἐπεσκεύαζε τὴν κατὰ τὸν Ἀλφειόν, βουλόμενος ταύτῃ ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἰς τὴν Τριφυλίαν εἰσβολήν. κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς καιροὺς Δωρίμαχος ὁ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν στρατηγός, δεομένων τῶν Ἠλείων σφίσι βοηθεῖν πορθουμένοις, ἑξακοσίους Αἰτωλοὺς καὶ στρατηγὸν Φιλλίδαν αὐτοῖς ἐξέπεμψεν. ὃς παραγενόμενος εἰς τὴν Ἠλείαν, καὶ παραλαβὼν τοὺς μισθοφόρους τῶν Ἠλείων, ὄντας εἰς πεντακοσίους, καὶ πολιτικοὺς χιλίους, ἅμα δὲ τούτοις τοὺς Ταραντίνους, ἧκε βοηθῶν εἰς τὴν Τριφυλίαν, ἣ τῆς μὲν προσηγορίας τέτευχε ταύτης ἀπὸ Τριφύλου τῶν Ἀρκάδος παίδων ἑνός, κεῖται δὲ τῆς Πελοποννήσου παρὰ θάλατταν μεταξὺ τῆς Ἠλείων καὶ Μεσσηνίων χώρας, τέτραπται δʼ εἰς τὸ Λιβυκὸν πέλαγος, ἐσχατεύουσα τῆς Ἀρκαδίας ὡς πρὸς χειμερινὰς δύσεις, ἔχει δʼ ἐν αὑτῇ πόλεις ταύτας, Σαμικόν, Λέπρεον, Ὕπαναν, Τυπανέας, Πύργον, Αἴπιον, Βώλακα, Στυλάγγιον, Φρίξαν. ὧν ὀλίγοις χρόνοις πρότερον ἐπικρατήσαντες Ἠλεῖοι προσελάβοντο καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀλιφειρέων πόλιν, οὖσαν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπʼ Ἀρκαδίαν [καὶ Μεγαλόπολιν], Λυδιάδου τοῦ Μεγαλοπολίτου κατὰ τὴν τυραννίδα πρός τινας ἰδίας πράξεις ἀλλαγὴν δόντος τοῖς Ἠλείοις.
78. Phillidas, then, sent his Elean troops to Lepreum, and his mercenaries to Aliphera; while he himself went with the Aetolian troops to Typaneae, and waited to see what would happen. Meanwhile the king, having got rid of his heavy baggage, and crossed the bridge over the river Alpheus, which flows right under Heraea, came to Alipheira, which lies on a hill precipitous on every side, and the ascent of which is more than ten stades. The citadel is on the very summit of this hill, adorned with a colossal statue of Athene, of extraordinary size and beauty. The origin and purpose of this statue, and at whose expense it was set up, are doubtful questions even among the natives; for it has never been clearly discovered why or by whom it was dedicated: yet it is universally allowed that its skilful workmanship classes it among the most splendid and artistic productions of Hecatodorus and Sostratus. The next morning being fine and bright, the king made his dispositions at daybreak. He placed parties of men with scaling ladders at several points, and supported each of them with bodies of mercenaries, and detachments of Macedonian hoplites, on the rear of these several parties. His orders being fulfilled with enthusiasm and a formidable display of power, the garrison of Alipheira were kept continually rushing and rallying to the particular spots to which they saw the Macedonians approaching: and while this was going on, the king himself took some picked men, and mounted unobserved over some steep hills up to the suburb of the citadel; and then, at a given signal, all at once put the scaling ladders to the walls and began attempting the town. The king was the first to take the suburb of the acropolis, which had been abandoned by the garrison; and when this was set on fire, those who were defending the town walls, foreseeing what must happen, and afraid that by the fall of the citadel they would be deprived of their last hope, abandoned the town walls, and fled into it: whereupon the Macedonians at once took the walls and the town. Subsequently the garrison on the citadel sent an embassy to Philip, who granted them their lives, and received possession of it also by formal surrender.
78. πλὴν ὅ γε Φιλλίδας τοὺς μὲν Ἠλείους εἰς Λέπρεον, τοὺς δὲ μισθοφόρους εἰς Ἀλίφειραν ἀποστείλας, αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς Αἰτωλοὺς ἔχων ἐν Τυπανέαις ἐκαραδόκει τὸ συμβησόμενον. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀποθέμενος τὴν ἀποσκευὴν καὶ διαβὰς τῇ γεφύρᾳ τὸν Ἀλφειὸν ποταμόν, ὃς ῥεῖ παρʼ αὐτὴν τὴν τῶν Ἡραιέων πόλιν, ἧκε πρὸς τὴν Ἀλίφειραν, ἣ κεῖται μὲν ἐπὶ λόφου κρημνώδους πανταχόθεν, ἔχοντος πλεῖον ἢ δέκα σταδίων πρόσβασιν, ἔχει δʼ ἄκραν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ κορυφῇ τοῦ σύμπαντος λόφου καὶ χαλκοῦν Ἀθηνᾶς ἀνδριάντα, κάλλει καὶ μεγέθει διαφέροντα. οὗ τὴν μὲν αἰτίαν, ἀπὸ ποίας προθέσεως ἢ χορηγίας ἔλαβε τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς κατασκευῆς, ἀμφισβητεῖσθαι συμβαίνει καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις — οὔτε γὰρ πόθεν οὔτε τίς ἀνέθηκεν εὑρίσκεται τρανῶς — τὸ μέντοι γε τῆς τέχνης ἀποτέλεσμα συμφωνεῖται παρὰ πᾶσι, διότι τῶν μεγαλομερεστάτων καὶ τεχνικωτάτων ἔργων ἐστίν, Ὑπατοδώρου καὶ Σωστράτου κατεσκευακότων. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπιγενομένης ἡμέρας αἰθρίου καὶ λαμπρᾶς, διατάξας ὑπὸ τὴν ἑωθινὴν ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ πλείους τόπους τούς τε τὰς κλίμακας φέροντας καὶ τὰς τῶν μισθοφόρων ἐφεδρείας πρὸ τούτων, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς προειρημένοις τοὺς Μακεδόνας διῃρημένους κατόπιν ἑκάστοις ἐπιστήσας, ἅμα τῷ τὸν ἥλιον ἐπιβάλλειν πᾶσι προσέταξε προσβαίνειν πρὸς τὸν λόφον. ποιούντων δὲ τὸ παραγγελθὲν ἐκθύμως καὶ καταπληκτικῶς τῶν Μακεδόνων, συνέβαινε τοὺς Ἀλιφειρεῖς πρὸς τούτους ὁρμᾶν ἀεὶ καὶ συντρέχειν τοὺς τόπους, οἷς μάλιστα τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἑώρων προσπελάζοντας. κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔχων τοὺς ἐπιτηδειοτάτους διά τινων κρημνῶν ἔλαθε πρὸς τὸ τῆς ἄκρας προάστειον ἀναβάς. ἀποδοθέντος δὲ τοῦ συνθήματος, πάντες ἅμα προσερείσαντες τὰς κλίμακας κατεπείραζον τῆς πόλεως. πρῶτος μὲν οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς κατέσχε τὸ προάστειον τῆς ἄκρας, ἔρημον καταλαβών· τούτου δʼ ἐμπιπραμένου, προϊδόμενοι τὸ μέλλον οἱ τοῖς τείχεσιν ἐπαμύνοντες, καὶ περιδεεῖς γενόμενοι μὴ τῆς ἄκρας προκαταληφθείσης στερηθῶσι καὶ τῆς τελευταίας ἐλπίδος, ὥρμησαν ἀπολιπόντες τὰ τείχη φεύγειν πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν. οἱ δὲ Μακεδόνες, γενομένου τούτου, παραχρῆμα καὶ τῶν τειχῶν καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἐκυρίευσαν. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα διαπρεσβευσαμένων τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον, δοὺς τὴν ἀσφάλειαν παρέλαβε καὶ ταύτην καθʼ ὁμολογίαν.
79. These achievements of the king alarmed the whole people of Triphylia, and made them take counsel severally for the safety of themselves and their respective cities: while Phillidas left Typaneae, after plundering some of the houses there, and retired to Lepreum. This was the reward which the allies of the Aetolians at that time usually got: not only to be deserted at the hour of utmost need in the most barefaced way, but, by being plundered as well as betrayed, to suffer at the hands of their allies exactly what they had a right to expect from a victorous enemy. But the people of Typaneae surrendered their city to Philip; as also did the inhabitants of Hypana. And the people of Phigalia, hearing of what had taken place in Triphylia, and disliking the alliance with the Aetolians, rose in arms and seized the space round the Polemarchium. The Aetolian pirates who were residing in this city, for the purpose of plundering Messene, were able at first to keep down and overawe the people; but when they saw that the whole town was mustering to the rescue, they desisted from the attempt. Having made terms with them, they took their baggage and evacuated the town; whereupon the inhabitants sent an embassy to Philip, and delivered themselves and their town into his hands.
79. συντελεσθέντων δὲ τούτων, καταπλαγεῖς γεγονότες πάντες οἱ κατὰ τὴν Τριφυλίαν ἐβουλεύοντο περὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἰδίων πατρίδων. ὁ δὲ Φιλλίδας ἐκλιπὼν τὰς Τυπανέας, προσδιαρπάσας τινὰς τῶν οἰκιῶν, ἀπεχώρησεν εἰς τὸ Λέπρεον· ταῦτα γὰρ ἐπίχειρα τότε τοῖς Αἰτωλῶν ἐγίνετο συμμάχοις, τὸ μὴ μόνον ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις καιροῖς ἐγκαταλείπεσθαι προφανῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ διαρπαγέντας ἢ προδοθέντας τούτοις περιπίπτειν ὑπὸ τῶν συμμάχων, ἃ τοῖς κρατηθεῖσιν ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων ὀφείλεται πάσχειν. οἱ δὲ Τυπανεᾶται παρέδοσαν τῷ Φιλίππῳ τὴν πόλιν. τούτοις δὲ τὸ παραπλήσιον ἐποίησαν οἱ τὴν Ὕπαναν κατοικοῦντες. ἅμα δὲ τούτοις Φιαλεῖς, ἀκούοντες τὰ περὶ τὴν Τριφυλίαν καὶ δυσαρεστούμενοι τῇ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν συμμαχίᾳ, κατέλαβον μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων τὸν περὶ τὸ πολεμάρχιον τόπον. οἱ δὲ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν πειραταί, διατρίβοντες ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει διὰ τὰς ἐκ τῆς Μεσσηνίας ὠφελείας, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οἷοί τʼ ἦσαν ἐγχειρεῖν καὶ κατατολμᾶν τῶν Φιαλέων, ὁρῶντες δὲ τοὺς πολίτας ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἁθροιζομένους πρὸς τὴν βοήθειαν, ἀπέστησαν τῆς ἐπιβολῆς, σπεισάμενοι δὲ καὶ λαβόντες τὰς αὑτῶν ἀποσκευὰς ἀπῆλθον ἐκ τῆς πόλεως. οἱ δὲ Φιαλεῖς διαπρεσβευσάμενοι πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον ἐνεχείρισαν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν πόλιν.
80. While these things were going on, the people of Lepreum, having seized a certain quarter of their town, demanded that the Elean, Aetolian, and Lacedaemonian garrisons (for a reinforcement had come from Sparta also) should all alike evacuate the citadel and city. At first Phillidas refused, and stayed on, hoping to overawe the citizens; but when the king, despatching Taurion with a guard of soldiers to Phigalia, advanced in person towards Lepreum, and was now close to the town, Phillidas lowered his tone, and the Lepreates were encouraged in their determination. It was indeed a glorious act of gallantry on their part. Though there was a garrison within their walls of a thousand Eleans, a thousand Aetolians with the pirates, five hundred mercenaries, and two hundred Lacedaemonians, and though too their citadel was in the occupation of these troops, yet they ventured to make a stand for the freedom of their native city, and would not give up hope of deliverance. Phillidas therefore, seeing that the Lepreates were prepared to offer a stout resistance, and that the Macedonians were approaching, evacuated the town with the Eleans and Lacedaemonians. The Cretans, who had been sent by the Spartans, made their way home through Messenia; but Phillidas departed for Samicum. The people of Lepreum, having thus got control of their own town, sent ambassadors to place it in the power of Philip. Hearing the news, Philip sent all his army, except the peltasts and light-armed troops, to Lepreum; and taking the latter with him, he made all the haste he could to catch Phillidas. He succeeded so far as to capture all his baggage; but Phillidas himself managed to outstrip him and throw himself into Samicum. The king therefore sat down before this place: and having sent for the rest of his army from Lepreum, made the garrison believe that he meant to besiege the town. But the Aetolians and Eleans within it, having nothing ready for sustaining a siege beyond their bare hands, alarmed at their situation, held a parley with Philip to secure their lives; and having obtained leave from him to march out with their arms, they departed into Elis. Thus the king became master of Samicum on the spot: and this was followed by deputations from other towns to him, with entreaties for protection; in virtue of which he took over Phrixa, Stylangium, Aepium, Bolax, Pyrgos, and Epitalium. Having settled these things, and reduced all Triphylia into his power in six days, he returned to Lepreum; and having addressed the necessary warnings to the Lepreates, and put a garrison into the citadel, he departed with his army towards Heraea, leaving Ladicus of Acarnania in command of Triphylia. When he arrived at Heraea, he made a distribution of all the booty; and taking up again his baggage from Heraea, arrived about the middle of the winter at Megalopolis.
80. ἔτι δὴ τούτων πραττομένων οἱ Λεπρεᾶται καταλαβόμενοι τόπον τινὰ τῆς πόλεως ἠξίουν ἐκχωρεῖν τῆς ἄκρας καὶ τῆς πόλεως τοὺς Ἠλείους καὶ τοὺς Αἰτωλούς, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς παρὰ Λακεδαιμονίων· ἧκε γὰρ καὶ παρʼ ἐκείνων αὐτοῖς βοήθεια. τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον οἱ περὶ τὸν Φιλλίδαν οὐ προσεῖχον, ἀλλʼ ἔμενον, ὡς καταπληξόμενοι τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει· τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως εἰς μὲν τὴν Φιγάλειαν Ταυρίωνα μετὰ στρατιωτῶν ἐξαποστείλαντος, αὐτοῦ δὲ προάγοντος εἰς τὸ Λέπρεον καὶ συνεγγίζοντος ἤδη τῇ πόλει, συνέντες οἱ περὶ τὸν Φιλλίδαν ἐταπεινώθησαν, οἱ δὲ Λεπρεᾶται προσεπερρώσθησαν ταῖς ὁρμαῖς. καλὸν γὰρ δὴ τοῦτο Λεπρεάταις ἔργον πέπρακται, τὸ χιλίων μὲν ἔνδον ὄντων Ἠλείων, χιλίων δὲ σὺν τοῖς πειραταῖς Αἰτωλῶν, πεντακοσίων δὲ μισθοφόρων, διακοσίων δὲ Λακεδαιμονίων, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τῆς ἄκρας κατεχομένης, ὅμως ἀντιποιήσασθαι τῆς ἑαυτῶν πατρίδος καὶ μὴ προέσθαι τὰς σφετέρας ἐλπίδας. ὁ δὲ Φιλλίδας, ὁρῶν τοὺς Λεπρεάτας ἀνδρωδῶς ὑφισταμένους καὶ τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἐγγίζοντας, ἐξεχώρησε τῆς πόλεως ἅμα τοῖς Ἠλείοις καὶ τοῖς παρὰ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων. οἱ μὲν οὖν παρὰ τῶν Σπαρτιατῶν Κρῆτες διὰ τῆς Μεσσηνίας εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπανῆλθον, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Φιλλίδαν ἐποιοῦντο τὴν ἀπόλυσιν ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ Σαμικόν. τὸ δὲ τῶν Λεπρεατῶν πλῆθος, ἐγκρατὲς γεγονὸς τῆς πατρίδος, ἐξαπέστελλε πρεσβευτάς, ἐγχειρίζον τῷ Φιλίππῳ τὴν πόλιν. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας τὰ γεγονότα, τὴν μὲν λοιπὴν δύναμιν εἰς τὸ Λέπρεον ἀπέστειλε, τοὺς δὲ πελταστὰς καὶ τοὺς εὐζώνους ἀναλαβὼν ἡγεῖτο, συνάψαι σπεύδων τοῖς περὶ τὸν Φιλλίδαν. καταλαβὼν δὲ τῆς μὲν ἀποσκευῆς ἐγκρατὴς ἐγένετο πάσης, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Φιλλίδαν κατετάχησαν εἰς τὸ Σαμικὸν παραπεσόντες. προσστρατοπεδεύσας δὲ τῷ χωρίῳ, καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν ἐπισπασάμενος ἐκ τοῦ Λεπρέου δύναμιν, ἔμφασιν ἐποίει τοῖς ἔνδον ὡς πολιορκήσων τὸ χωρίον. οἱ δʼ Αἰτωλοὶ μετὰ τῶν Ἠλείων οὐδὲν ἔχοντες ἕτοιμον πρὸς πολιορκίαν πλὴν χερῶν, καταπλαγέντες τὴν περίστασιν ἐλάλουν περὶ ἀσφαλείας πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον. λαβόντες δὲ συγχώρημα μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἀπόλυσιν, οὗτοι μὲν ὥρμησαν εἰς τὴν Ἠλείαν· ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῦ μὲν Σαμικοῦ παραυτίκα κύριος ἐγένετο, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, παραγενομένων πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων μεθʼ ἱκετηρίας, παρέλαβε Φρίξαν, Στυλάγγιον, Αἴπιον, Βώλακα, Πύργον, Ἐπιτάλιον. ταῦτα δὲ διαπραξάμενος ἐπανῆλθε πάλιν εἰς τὸ Λέπρεον, πᾶσαν ὑφʼ ἑαυτὸν πεποιημένος τὴν Τριφυλίαν ἐν ἡμέραις ἕξ. παρακαλέσας δὲ τοὺς Λεπρεάτας τὰ πρέποντα τῷ καιρῷ, καὶ φυλακὴν εἰσαγαγὼν εἰς τὴν ἄκραν, ἀνέζευξε μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως ἐφʼ Ἡραίας, ἀπολιπὼν ἐπιμελητὴν τῆς Τριφυλίας Λάδικον τὸν Ἀκαρνᾶνα. παραγενόμενος δʼ εἰς τὴν προειρημένην πόλιν τὴν μὲν λείαν διένειμε πᾶσαν, τὴν δʼ ἀποσκευὴν ἀναλαβὼν ἐκ τῆς Ἡραίας ἦλθε μέσου χειμῶνος εἰς Μεγάλην πόλιν.
81. While Philip was thus engaged in Triphylia, Chilon the Lacedaemonian, holding that the kingship belonged to him in virtue of birth, and annoyed at the neglect of his claims by the Ephors in selecting Lycurgus, determined to stir up a revolution: and believing that if he took the same course as Cleomenes had done, and gave the common people hopes of land allotments and redivision of property, the masses would quickly follow him, he addressed himself to carrying out this policy. Having therefore agreed with his friends on this subject, and got as many as two hundred people to join his conspiracy, he entered upon the execution of his project. But perceiving that the chief obstacles in the way of the accomplishment of his design were Lycurgus, and those Ephors who had invested him with the crown, he directed his first efforts against them. The Ephors he seized while at dinner, and put them all to death on the spot,—chance thus inflicting upon them the punishment they deserved: for whether we regard the person at whose hands, or the person for whose sake they were thus destroyed, we cannot but say that they richly merited their fate. After the successful accomplishment of this deed, Chilon went to the-house of Lycurgus, whom he found at home, but failed to seize. Assisted by slaves and neighbours Lycurgus was smuggled out of the house, and effected a secret escape; and thence got away by a cross-country route to the town of Pellene in Tripolis. Thus baffled in the most important point of his enterprise, Chilon was greatly discouraged; but was forced all the same to go on with what he had begun. Accordingly he made a descent upon the market-place, and laid violent hands upon those opposed to him; tried to rouse his relations and friends; and declared to the rest of the people there what hopes of success he had. But when nobody seemed inclined to join him, but on the contrary a mob began to collect with threatening looks, he saw how it was, and found a secret way of leaving the town; and, making his way across Laconia, arrived in Achaia alone and an exile. But the Lacedaemonians who were in the territory of Megalopolis, terrified by the arrival of Philip, stowed away all the goods they had got from the country, and first demolished and then abandoned the Athenaeum. The fact is that the Lacedaemonians enjoyed a most excellent constitution, and had a most extensive power, from the time of the legislation of Lycurgus to that of the battle of Leuctra. But after that event their fortune took an unfavourable turn; and their political state continued ever growing worse and worse, until they finally suffered from a long succession of internal struggles and partisan warfare; were repeatedly agitated by schemes for the redivision of lands and the banishment of one party or another; and were subjected to the severest possible slavery, culminating in the tyrannical government of Nabis: though the word “tyrant” was one which they had in old times scarcely endured to hear mentioned. However, the ancient history of Sparta as well as the great part of it since, has been recorded by many in terms of eulogy or the reverse; but the part of that history which admits of the least controversy is that which followed the entire destruction of the ancient constitution by Cleomenes; and that shall be narrated by me in the order of events as they occur.
81. κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς καιροὺς Φίλιππος ἔπραττε τὰ κατὰ τὴν Τριφυλίαν, καὶ Χείλων ὁ Λακεδαιμόνιος, ὑπολαμβάνων αὑτῷ καθήκειν κατὰ γένος τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ βαρέως φέρων τὴν γεγενημένην ὑπεροψίαν περὶ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν ἐφόρων ἐν τῇ κατὰ τὸν Λυκοῦργον κρίσει περὶ τῆς βασιλείας, κινεῖν ἐπεβάλετο τὰ καθεστῶτα. νομίσας δʼ, εἰ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν αὐτὴν ἔλθοι Κλεομένει καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς ὑποδείξαι τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς κληρουχίας καὶ τῶν ἀναδασμῶν, ταχέως ἐπακολουθήσειν αὐτῷ τὸ πλῆθος, ὥρμησε πρὸς τὴν πρᾶξιν. συμφρονήσας δὲ περὶ τούτων πρὸς τοὺς φίλους, καὶ λαβὼν κοινωνοὺς τῆς τόλμης εἰς διακοσίους τὸ πλῆθος, ἐγίνετο πρὸς τῷ συντελεῖν τὴν ἐπίνοιαν. θεωρῶν δὲ μέγιστον ἐμπόδιον ὑπάρχον αὑτῷ πρὸς τὴν ἐπιβολὴν τὸν Λυκοῦργον καὶ τοὺς ἐφόρους τοὺς περιθέντας ἐκείνῳ τὴν βασιλείαν, ὥρμησε πρῶτον ἐπὶ τούτους. τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἐφόρους δειπνοῦντας καταλαβών, πάντας αὐτοῦ κατέσφαξε, τῆς τύχης τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν αὐτοῖς ἐπιθείσης δίκην· καὶ γὰρ ὑφʼ οὗ καὶ περὶ οὗ ταῦτʼ ἔπαθον, δικαίως αὐτοὺς ἄν τις φήσειε πεπονθέναι. ὁ δὲ Χείλων, τὰ κατὰ τούτους συντελεσάμενος, παρῆν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ Λυκούργου καὶ κατέλαβε μὲν ἔνδον, οὐ μὴν ἐδυνήθη γʼ ἐγκρατὴς αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι. διὰ γάρ τινων κατοικούντων ἐκ γειτόνων ἐκκλαπεὶς καὶ διαδρὰς ἔλαθεν αὐτόν. οὗτος μὲν οὖν ἀνεχώρησε ταῖς ἀνοδίαις εἰς τὴν ἐν τῇ Τριπόλει προσαγορευομένην Πελλήνην. ὁ δὲ Χείλων ἀπεσφαλμένος τοῦ κυριωτάτου πρὸς τὴν ἐπιβολὴν ἀθύμως διέκειτο, πράττειν δʼ ὅμως ἠναγκάζετο τὸ συνεχές. διόπερ εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν εἰσβαλὼν τοῖς μὲν ἐχθροῖς προσέφερε τὰς χεῖρας, τοὺς δʼ οἰκείους καὶ φίλους παρεκάλει, τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς ὑπεδείκνυε τὰς ἄρτι ῥηθείσας ἐλπίδας. οὐδενὸς δὲ προσέχοντος αὐτῷ, τἀναντία δὲ συστρεφομένων ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, συννοήσας τὸ γινόμενον, ἀπεχώρει λαθραίως, καὶ διελθὼν τὴν χώραν ἧκε μόνος εἰς τὴν Ἀχαΐαν ἐκπεπτωκώς. οἱ δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι, δείσαντες τὴν τοῦ Φιλίππου παρουσίαν, τἀπὸ τῆς χώρας ἀπεσκευάζοντο καὶ τὸ τῶν Μεγαλοπολιτῶν Ἀθήναιον κατασκάψαντες ἐξέλιπον. Λακεδαιμόνιοι μὲν οὖν, ἀπὸ τῆς Λυκούργου νομοθεσίας καλλίστῃ χρησάμενοι πολιτείᾳ καὶ μεγίστην ἔχοντες δύναμιν ἕως τῆς ἐν Λεύκτροις μάχης, αὖτις ἐπὶ τἀναντία τραπείσης αὐτοῖς τῆς τύχης, καὶ τοὔμπαλιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον τῆς πολιτείας αὐτῶν προβαινούσης, τέλος πλείστων μὲν πόνων καὶ στάσεων ἐμφυλίων πεῖραν εἶχον, πλείστοις δʼ ἐπάλαισαν ἀναδασμοῖς καὶ φυγαῖς, πικροτάτης δὲ δουλείας πεῖραν ἔλαβον ἕως τῆς Νάβιδος τυραννίδος, οἱ τὸ πρὶν οὐδὲ τοὔνομα δυνηθέντες ἀνασχέσθαι ῥᾳδίως αὐτῆς. τὰ μὲν οὖν πάλαι καὶ τὰ πλείω περὶ Λακεδαιμονίων εἰς ἑκάτερον μέρος ὑπὸ πολλῶν εἴρηται τάδε. ἐναργέστατα δʼ ἐστὶν ἀφʼ οὗ Κλεομένης ὁλοσχερῶς κατέλυσε τὸ πάτριον πολίτευμα. νῦν δʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν ῥηθήσεται κατὰ τοὺς ἁρμόζοντας ἀεὶ καιρούς.
82. Meanwhile Philip left Megalopolis, and marching by way of Tegea arrived at Argos, and there spent the rest of the winter, having gained in this campaign an admiration beyond his years for his general conduct and his brilliant achievements. But, in spite of all that had happened, Apelles was by no means inclined to desist from the policy on which he had entered; but was resolved little by little to bring the Achaeans under the yoke. He saw that the most determined opponents of his scheme were the elder and younger Aratus; and that Philip was inclined to listen to them, and especially to the elder, both on account of his former intimacy with Antigonus, and his pre-eminent influence in Achaia, and, most of all, because of his readiness of resource and practical ability: he therefore determined to devote his attention to them, and enter upon the intrigue against them which I shall proceed to describe. He sought out in the several cities all such as were opposed to Aratus, and invited them to visit him: and having got them into his hands he tried all he could to win their affections, encouraged them to look upon him as a friend, and introduced them to Philip. To the king he was always pointing out that, if he listened to Aratus, he would have to treat the Achaeans according to the letter of the treaty of alliance; but that, if he would listen to him, and take men like those which he had introduced to him into favour, he would have the whole of the Peloponnese at his own unfettered disposal. But what he was most anxious about was the election; being desirous to secure the office of Strategus for one of this party, and to oust Aratus in accordance with his settled plan. With this purpose, he persuaded Philip to be at Aegium at the time of the Achaean election, on the pretext of being on his way to Elis. The king’s consent to this enabled Apelles himself to be there at the right time; and though he found great difficulty, in spite of entreaties and threats, in carrying his point; yet he did eventually succeed in getting Eperatus of Pharae elected Strategus, and Timoxenus, the candidate proposed by Aratus, rejected.
82. ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος ἀναζεύξας ἐκ τῆς Μεγάλης πόλεως καὶ πορευθεὶς διὰ τῆς Τεγέας παρῆν εἰς Ἄργος, κἀκεῖ τὸ λοιπὸν μέρος τοῦ χειμῶνος διέτριβε, κατά τε τὴν λοιπὴν ἀναστροφὴν καὶ κατὰ τὰς πράξεις τεθαυμασμένος ὑπὲρ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἐν ταῖς προειρημέναις στρατείαις. ὁ δʼ Ἀπελλῆς οὐδʼ ὣς ἔληγε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς, ἀλλʼ οἷός τʼ ἦν ἄγειν ὑπὸ τὸν ζυγὸν τῷ κατὰ βραχὺ τοὺς Ἀχαιούς. ὁρῶν δὲ τῇ τοιαύτῃ προθέσει τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον ἐμποδὼν ἱσταμένους, καὶ τὸν Φίλιππον αὐτοῖς προσέχοντα, καὶ μᾶλλον τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ διά τε τὴν πρὸς Ἀντίγονον σύστασιν καὶ διὰ τὸ πλεῖστον ἐν τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς ἰσχύειν, καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὴν ἐπιδεξιότητα καὶ νουνέχειαν τἀνδρός, περὶ τούτους ἐπεβάλετο γίνεσθαι καὶ κακοπραγμονεῖν τοιῷδέ τινι τρόπῳ. ἐξετάζων τοὺς ἀντιπολιτευομένους τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον, τίνες εἰσίν, ἑκάστους ἐκ τῶν πόλεων ἐπεσπάσατο, καὶ λαμβάνων εἰς τὰς χεῖρας ἐψυχαγώγει καὶ παρεκάλει πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φιλίαν. συνίστανε δὲ καὶ τῷ Φιλίππῳ, προσεπιδεικνύων αὐτῷ παρʼ ἕκαστον ὡς ἐὰν μὲν Ἀράτῳ προσέχῃ, χρήσεται τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς κατὰ τὴν ἔγγραπτον συμμαχίαν, ἐὰν δʼ αὐτῷ πείθηται καὶ τοιούτους προσλαμβάνῃ φίλους, χρήσεται πᾶσι Πελοποννησίοις κατὰ τὴν αὑτοῦ βούλησιν. περί τε τῶν ἀρχαιρεσίων εὐθὺς ἐσπούδαζε, βουλόμενος τούτων τινὶ περιποιῆσαι τὴν στρατηγίαν, τοὺς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ τῆς ὑποθέσεως. διʼ ἃ δὴ καὶ πείθει Φίλιππον παραγενέσθαι πρὸς τὰς τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἀρχαιρεσίας εἰς Αἴγιον, ὡς εἰς τὴν Ἠλείαν ἅμα ποιούμενον τὴν πορείαν. πεισθέντος δʼ αὐτῷ τοῦ βασιλέως, παρὼν αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ καιροῦ, καὶ τοὺς μὲν παρακαλῶν, οἷς δʼ ἀνατεινόμενος, μόλις μὲν ἤνυσε, κατεκράτησε δʼ οὖν ὅμως τοῦ γενέσθαι στρατηγὸν Ἐπήρατον Φαραιέα, τὸν δὲ Τιμόξενον ἐκπεσεῖν, τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον εἰσαγόμενον.
83. This over, the king departed by way of Patrae and Dyme, and arrived with his army before the fortress called the Wall, which is situated on the frontier of the territory of Dyme, and had a short time before, as I mentioned above, been occupied by Euripidas. The king, being anxious at all hazards to recover this place for the Dymaeans, encamped under its walls with his full force: and thereupon the Elean garrison in alarm surrendered the place to Philip, which, though not large, had been fortified with extraordinary care. For though the circumference of its walls was not more than a stade and a half, its height was nowhere less than thirty cubits. Having handed the place over to the Dymaeans, Philip continued his advance, plundering the territory of Elis: and when he had thoroughly devastated it, and acquired a large booty, he returned with his army to Dyme.
83. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀναζεύξας ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ ποιησάμενος τὴν πορείαν διὰ Πατρῶν καὶ Δύμης, ἧκε πρὸς τὸ φρούριον, ὃ καλεῖται μὲν Τεῖχος, πρόκειται δὲ τῆς Δυμαίων χώρας· κατέσχον δʼ αὐτὸ μικροῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις, καθάπερ ἀνώτερον εἶπον, οἱ περὶ τὸν Εὐριπίδαν. σπεύδων δὴ τοῦτο κατὰ πάντα τρόπον ἀνακομίσασθαι τοῖς Δυμαίοις, προσεστρατοπέδευσε μετὰ πάσης δυνάμεως. καταπλαγέντες δʼ οἱ φυλάττοντες τῶν Ἠλείων παρέδοσαν τὸ φρούριον τῷ Φιλίππῳ, χωρίον οὐ μέγα μέν, ἠσφαλισμένον δὲ διαφερόντως· τὴν μὲν γὰρ περίμετρον εἶχεν οὐ πλείω τριῶν ἡμισταδίων, τὸ δʼ ὕψος τοῦ τείχους οὐδαμῇ τριάκοντα πήχεων ἔλαττον. παραδοὺς δὲ τοῦτο τοῖς Δυμαίοις ἐπῄει πορθῶν τὴν τῶν Ἠλείων χώραν· φθείρας δὲ ταύτην, καὶ πολλὴν περιβαλόμενος λείαν, ἐπανῆλθε μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν Δύμην.
84. Meanwhile Apelles, thinking that, by the election of the Achaean Strategus through his influence, he had partly succeeded in his policy, began once more attacking Aratus, with the view of entirely detaching Philip from his friendship: and he accordingly determined to make up an accusation against him grounded on the following circumstance: When Amphidamus, the Elean Strategus, had been, with the other refugees, made prisoner at Thalamae, and had been brought among other captives to Olympia, he made earnest efforts by the agency of certain individuals to be allowed an interview with the king. This favour having been accorded him, he made a statement to the effect that it was in his power to bring over the Eleans to the king’s side, and induce them to enter into alliance with him. Philip believed him; and accordingly dismissed Amphidamus without ransom, with instructions to promise the Eleans, that, if they would join the king, he would restore their captive citizens without ransom, and would himself secure their territory safely from all outside attacks: and besides this would maintain them in freedom, without impost or foreign garrison, and in enjoyment of their several constitutions. But the Eleans refused to listen to the proposal, although the offer was thought attractive and substantial. Apelles therefore used this circumstance to found the false accusation which he now brought before Philip, alleging that Aratus was not a loyal friend to the Macedonians, nor sincere in his feelings towards them: “He was responsible for this alienation of the Eleans; for when the king despatched Amphidamus from Olympia into Elis, Aratus took him aside and talked to him, asserting that it was by no means to the interest of the Peloponnesians that Philip should become supreme in Elis: and this was the reason of the Eleans despising the king’s offers, and clinging to the friendship of the Aetolians, and persisting in war against the Macedonians.”
84. ὁ δʼ Ἀπελλῆς, δοκῶν ἠνυκέναι τι τῆς προθέσεως τῷ διʼ αὐτοῦ καθεστάσθαι τὸν τῶν Ἀχαιῶν στρατηγόν, αὖθις ἐνεχείρει τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον, βουλόμενος εἰς τέλος ἀποσπάσαι τὸν Φίλιππον ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς φιλίας. ἐπεβάλετο δὲ τὴν διαβολὴν πλάττειν διὰ τοιαύτης τινὸς ἐπινοίας. Ἀμφίδαμος ὁ τῶν Ἠλείων στρατηγός, ἐν ταῖς Θαλάμαις ἁλοὺς ἅμα τοῖς συμπεφευγόσι, καθάπερ ἀνώτερον ἡμῖν ἐρρήθη περὶ τούτων, ὡς ἧκε μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων αἰχμαλώτων ἀγόμενος εἰς Ὀλυμπίαν, ἔσπευσε διά τινων εἰς λόγους ἐλθεῖν τῷ βασιλεῖ. τυχὼν δὲ τούτου διελέγετο, φάσκων εἶναι δυνατὸς ἐπαγαγέσθαι τοὺς Ἠλείους εἰς τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν. ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος πεισθεὶς ἐξαπέστειλε τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον χωρὶς λύτρων, κελεύσας ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι τοῖς Ἠλείοις, ἐὰν ἕλωνται τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίαν, ὅτι τὰ μὲν αἰχμάλωτα πάντα χωρὶς λύτρων ἀποδώσει, τῇ δὲ χώρᾳ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν αὐτὸς ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐκτὸς παρασκευάσει, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις αὐτοὺς ἐλευθέρους, ἀφρουρήτους, ἀφορολογήτους, χρωμένους τοῖς ἰδίοις πολιτεύμασι, διατηρήσει. οἱ μὲν οὖν Ἠλεῖοι διακούσαντες τούτων οὐδὲν προσέσχον, καίπερ ἐπισπαστικῶν καὶ μεγάλων εἶναι δοκούντων τῶν προτεινομένων· ὁ δʼ Ἀπελλῆς, ἐκ τούτου τοῦ πράγματος πλάσας τὴν διαβολήν, προσήνεγκε τῷ Φιλίππῳ, φάσκων τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον οὐκ εἰλικρινῆ τὴν φιλίαν ἄγειν πρὸς Μακεδόνας οὐδʼ ἀληθινῶς εὐνοεῖν αὐτῷ· καὶ γὰρ νῦν τῆς Ἠλείων ἀλλοτριότητος τούτους αἰτίους γεγονέναι. καθʼ ὃν γὰρ καιρὸν Ἀμφίδαμον ἐξ Ὀλυμπίας εἰς Ἦλιν ἀπέστειλε, τούτους ἔφη κατʼ ἰδίαν λαβόντας ἐπιτρῖψαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ λέγειν ὅτι κατʼ οὐδένα τρόπον συμφέρει τοῖς Πελοποννησίοις τὸ γενέσθαι Φίλιππον Ἠλείων κύριον, καὶ διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν πάνθʼ ὑπεριδόντας τὰ προτεινόμενα τοὺς Ἠλείους διατηρεῖν μὲν τὴν πρὸς Αἰτωλοὺς φιλίαν, ὑπομένειν δὲ τὸν πρὸς Μακεδόνας πόλεμον.
85. Regarding the matter as important, the first step the king took was to summon the elder and younger Aratus, and order Apelles to repeat these assertions in their presence: which he thereupon did in a bold and threatening tone. And upon the king still not saying a word, he added: “Since his Majesty finds you, Aratus, so ungrateful and so exceedingly adverse to his interests, he is determined to summon a meeting of the Achaeans, and, after making a statement of his reasons, forthwith to return to Macedonia.” Aratus the elder answered him with a general exhortation to Philip, never to give a hasty or inconsiderate credit to any thing which might be alleged before him against his friends and allies: but when any such allegation were made, to test its truth before accepting it; for that was the conduct which became a king, and was in every way to his interest. Wherefore he said, “I claim that you should, in the present instance of these accusations of Apelles, summon those who heard my words; and openly produce the man that informed Apelles of them, and omit no means of ascertaining the real truth, before making any statement in regard to these matters to the Achaeans.”
85. τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον Φίλιππος δεξάμενος τοὺς λόγους καλεῖν ἐκέλευε τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον καὶ λέγειν ἐναντίον ἐκείνων ταῦτα τὸν Ἀπελλῆν. τῶν δὲ παραγενομένων, ἔλεγε τὰ προειρημένα τολμηρῶς καὶ καταπληκτικῶς ὁ Ἀπελλῆς, καί τι προσεπεῖπε τοιοῦτον ἔτι σιωπῶντος τοῦ βασιλέως· " ἐπείπερ οὕτως ἀχαρίστους ὑμᾶς ὁ βασιλεύς, Ἄρατε, καὶ λίαν ἀγνώμονας εὑρίσκει, κρίνει συναγαγὼν τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς καὶ περὶ τούτων ἀπολογισμοὺς ποιησάμενος ἀπαλλάττεσθαι πάλιν εἰς Μακεδονίαν. " ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτερος Ἄρατος ὑπολαβὼν καθόλου μὲν ἠξίου τὸν Φίλιππον μηδενὶ τῶν λεγομένων ὀξέως μηδʼ ἀκρίτως μηδέποτε πιστεύειν, ὅταν δὲ κατά τινος τῶν φίλων καὶ συμμάχων προσπέσῃ τις αὐτῷ λόγος, τὸν ἀκριβέστερον ἔλεγχον ποιεῖσθαι πρὶν ἢ δέξασθαι τὴν διαβολήν· καὶ γὰρ βασιλικὸν εἶναι τὸ τοιοῦτο καὶ πρὸς πᾶν συμφέρον. διὸ καὶ νῦν ἠξίου περὶ τῶν ὑπʼ Ἀπελλοῦ λεγομένων καλεῖν τοὺς ἀκηκοότας, ἄγειν εἰς τὸ μέσον τὸν εἰρηκότα πρὸς αὐτόν, μηδὲν παραλιπεῖν τῶν δυνατῶν εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, πρὶν ἢ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς ἀνακαλύπτειν τι τούτων.
86. The king approved of this speech, and said that he would not neglect the matter, but would thoroughly investigate it. And so for the present the audience was dissolved. But during the following days, while Apelles failed to bring any proof of his allegations, Aratus was favoured by the following combination of circumstances. While Philip was laying waste their territory, the Eleans, suspecting Amphidamus of treachery, determined to arrest him and send him in chains to Aetolia. But getting intelligence of their purpose, he escaped first to Olympia; and there, hearing that Philip was at Dyme engaged in the division of his spoils, he followed him to that town in great haste. When Aratus heard that Amphidamus had been driven from Elis and was come to Dyme, he was delighted, because his conscience was quite clear in the matter; and going to the king demanded that he should summon Amphidamus to his presence; on the ground that the man to whom the words were alleged to have been spoken would best know about the accusations, and would declare the truth; for he had become an exile from his home from Philip’s sake, and had now no hope of safety except in him. These arguments satisfied the king, who thereupon sent for Amphidamus and ascertained that the accusation was false. The result was that from that day forward his liking and respect for Aratus continually increased, while he began to regard Apelles with suspicion; though being still under the influence of his old ascendency, he was compelled to connive at many of his actions.
86. τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως εὐαρεστήσαντος τοῖς λεγομένοις, καὶ φήσαντος οὐκ ὀλιγωρήσειν, ἀλλʼ ἐξετάσειν, τότε μὲν διελύθησαν. ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἑξῆς ἡμέραις ὁ μὲν Ἀπελλῆς οὐδεμίαν ἀπόδειξιν προσῆγε τοῖς εἰρημένοις· τοῖς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον ἐγένετό τι συγκύρημα τοιοῦτον. οἱ γὰρ Ἠλεῖοι, καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ὁ Φίλιππος αὐτῶν ἐπόρθει τὴν χώραν, ὑποπτεύσαντες τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον ἐπεβάλοντο συλλαβεῖν καὶ δήσαντες εἰς τὴν Αἰτωλίαν ἐκπέμπειν. ὁ δὲ προαισθόμενος αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ἀπεχώρησε τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς εἰς Ὀλυμπίαν, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πυνθανόμενος τὸν Φίλιππον ἐν τῇ Δύμῃ περὶ τὴν τῶν λαφύρων οἰκονομίαν διατρίβειν, ἔσπευσε πρὸς τοῦτον διαπεσεῖν. ὅθεν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον, ἀκούσαντες τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον ἐκ τῆς Ἤλιδος ἐκπεπτωκότα παρεῖναι, γενόμενοι περιχαρεῖς διὰ τὸ μηδὲν αὑτοῖς συνειδέναι, προσελθόντες ᾤοντο δεῖν τὸν βασιλέα καλεῖν τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον· καὶ γὰρ εἰδέναι περὶ τῶν κατηγορουμένων ἐκεῖνον βέλτιστα πρὸς ὃν ἐρρήθη, καὶ δηλώσειν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, πεφευγότα μὲν ἐξ οἴκου διὰ τὸν Φίλιππον, τὰς δʼ ἐλπίδας ἔχοντα τῆς σωτηρίας κατὰ τὸ παρὸν ἐν ἐκείνῳ. πεισθεὶς δὲ τοῖς λεγομένοις ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ μεταπεμψάμενος τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον, εὗρε τὴν διαβολὴν οὖσαν ψευδῆ. διὸ καὶ τὸν μὲν Ἄρατον ἀπὸ ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἀπεδέχετο καὶ κατηξίου, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Ἀπελλῆν λοξότερον εἶχε· τῇ γε μὴν ὁλοσχερεῖ προκατεχόμενος ἀποδοχῇ πολλὰ παρορᾶν ἠναγκάζετο τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γινομένων.
87. Apelles however by no means abandoned his policy. He began undermining the position of Taurion also, who had been placed in command of the Peloponnese by Antigonus, not indeed openly attacking him, but rather praising his character, and asserting that he was a proper person to be with the king on a campaign; his object being to get some one else appointed to conduct the government of the Peloponnese. This was indeed a novel method of defamation,—to damage one’s neighbours, not by attacking, but by praising their characters; and this method of wreaking one’s malice, envy, and treachery may be regarded as primarily and specially the invention of the jealousy and selfish ambition of courtiers. In the same spirit he began making covert attacks upon Alexander, the captain of the bodyguard, whenever he got an opportunity; being bent on reconstituting by his own authority even the personal attendants of the king, and on making a clean sweep of all arrangements left existing by Antigonus. For as in his life Antigonus had managed his kingdom and his son with wisdom, so at his death he made wise provisions for every department of the State. For in his will he explained to the Macedonians the nature of these arrangements; and also gave definite instructions for the future, how and by whom each of these arrangements was to be carried out: being desirous of leaving no vantage-ground to the courtiers for mutual rivalry and strife. Among these arrangements was one selecting Apelles from among his companions in arms to be one of the guardians of his son; Leontius to command the peltasts; Megaleas to be chief secretary; Taurion to be governor of the Peloponnese; and Alexander to be captain of the bodyguard. Apelles had already got Leontius and Megaleas completely under his influence: and he was now desirous to remove Alexander and Taurion from their offices, and so to control these, as well as all other departments of the government, by the agency of his own friends. And he would have easily succeeded in doing so, had he not raised up an opponent in the person of Aratus. As it was, he quickly reaped the fruits of his own blind selfishness and ambition; for that which he purposed inflicting on his neighbours he had to endure himself, and that within a very brief space. How and by what means this was brought about, I must forbear to tell for the present, and must bring this book to an end: but in subsequent parts of my work I will endeavour to make every detail of these transactions clear. For the present, after concluding the business which I have described, Philip returned to Argos, and there spent the rest of the winter season with his friends, while he sent back his forces to Macedonia.
87. ὁ δʼ Ἀπελλῆς οὐδαμῶς ἀφίστατο τῆς προθέσεως, ἀλλʼ ἅμα μὲν τὸν Ταυρίωνα τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ τεταγμένον διέβαλλεν, οὐ ψέγων, ἀλλʼ ἐπαινῶν καὶ φάσκων ἐπιτήδειον αὐτὸν εἶναι μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν τοῖς ὑπαίθροις συνδιατρίβειν, βουλόμενος ἕτερον ἐπισταθῆναι διʼ αὑτοῦ τοῖς ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ πράγμασι. καινὸς γὰρ δή τις οὗτος εὕρηται τρόπος διαβολῆς τὸ μὴ ψέγοντας, ἀλλʼ ἐπαινοῦντας λυμαίνεσθαι τοὺς πέλας· εὕρηται δὲ μάλιστα καὶ πρῶτον τοιαύτη κακεντρέχεια καὶ βασκανία καὶ δόλος ἐκ τῶν περὶ τὰς αὐλὰς διατριβόντων καὶ τῆς τούτων πρὸς ἀλλήλους ζηλοτυπίας καὶ πλεονεξίας. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θεραπείας τεταγμένον Ἀλέξανδρον, ὅτε λάβοι καιρόν, διέδακνε, βουλόμενος καὶ τὴν περὶ τὸ σῶμα φυλακὴν τοῦ βασιλέως διʼ αὑτοῦ γενέσθαι καὶ καθόλου κινῆσαι τὴν ὑπʼ Ἀντιγόνου καταλειφθεῖσαν διάταξιν. Ἀντίγονος γὰρ καλῶς μὲν ζῶν προέστη τῆς τε βασιλείας καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς αὑτοῦ, καλῶς δὲ τὸν βίον μεταλλάττων προενοήθη πρὸς τὸ μέλλον περὶ πάντων τῶν πραγμάτων. ἀπολιπὼν γὰρ διαθήκην ἔγραφε Μακεδόσιν ὑπὲρ τῶν διῳκημένων· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος διέταξε πῶς καὶ διὰ τίνων ἕκαστα δεήσει χειρίζεσθαι, βουλόμενος μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν καταλιπεῖν τοῖς περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλοτιμίας καὶ στάσεως. ἐν οἷς τῶν τότε συστρατευομένων αὐτὸς μὲν Ἀπελλῆς ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτρόποις ἀπελέλειπτο, Λεόντιος δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν πελταστῶν, Μεγαλέας δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ γραμματείου, Ταυρίων δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν κατὰ Πελοπόννησον, Ἀλέξανδρος δʼ ἐπὶ τῆς θεραπείας. τὸν μὲν οὖν Λεόντιον καὶ Μεγαλέαν ὑφʼ αὑτὸν εἶχεν ὁλοσχερῶς, τὸν δʼ Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ Ταυρίωνα μεταστησάμενος ἀπὸ τῆς χρείας ἔσπευδε καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τἄλλα πάντα διʼ αὑτοῦ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἰδίων φίλων χειρίζειν. ὃ δὴ καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἂν ἐπετέλεσε μὴ παρασκευάσας ἀνταγωνιστὴν Ἄρατον αὑτῷ· νῦν δὲ ταχέως πεῖραν ἔλαβε τῆς σφετέρας ἀφροσύνης καὶ πλεονεξίας. ὃ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐπεβάλετο πρᾶξαι κατὰ τῶν πέλας, τοῦτʼ ἔπαθε καὶ λίαν ἐν πάνυ βραχεῖ χρόνῳ. πῶς δὲ καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ τοῦτο συνέβη γενέσθαι κατὰ μὲν τὸ παρὸν ὑπερθησόμεθα καὶ καταστρέψομεν τὴν βύβλον ταύτην, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἑξῆς πειρασόμεθα σαφῶς ὑπὲρ ἑκάστων ἐξαγγέλλειν. Φίλιππος δὲ τὰ προειρημένα διαταξάμενος ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς Ἄργος, κἀνταῦθα τὴν παραχειμασίαν ἐποίει μετὰ τῶν φίλων, τὰς δὲ δυνάμεις ἀπέλυσεν εἰς Μακεδονίαν.