+9.+ Theophiliscus survived for one day; and then having written a
despatch home with an account of the battle, and appointed Cleonaeus to
succeed him in his command, died from his wounds. He had shown great
valour in the engagement, and his far-sighted policy deserves to be
remembered. If it had not been for his boldness in attacking Philip in
time, all the allies would have let the opportunity pass, in terror
at Philip’s audacity. But by beginning the war as he did he forced
his countrymen to seize the opportunity, and compelled Attalus not
to lose time in mere preparatory measures for war, but to go to war
energetically and grapple with the danger. The Rhodians, therefore,
were quite right to pay him, even after his death, such honours as
were incentives, not only to men living at the time, but to future
generations also, to prompt service in their country’s cause....
THE INDECISIVE BATTLE OF CHIOS WAS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER OFF LADE, IN
WHICH PHILIP WAS PARTLY SUCCESSFUL[68]
+10.+ After the battle of Lade, the Rhodians being out of his way, and
Attalus not having yet appeared on the scene, it is clear that Philip
might have accomplished his voyage to Alexandria. And here we have
evidence stronger than any other of Philip’s infatuation in acting as
he did. What, then, prevented his design? Nothing in the world but what
always occurs in the natural course of affairs. For at a distance many
men at times desire the impossible from the extravagant prospects it
holds out, their ambition over-mastering their reason; but when they
approach the moment of action they quite as irrationally abandon their
purpose, because their calculations are obscured and confused by the
embarrassments and difficulties which meet them....
PHILIP’S OPERATIONS IN CARIA, B.C. 201
[Sidenote: The stratagem by which Philip took Prinassus.]
+11.+ Having made some assaults which proved abortive owing to the
strength of the place, Philip went away again, plundering the forts and
villages in the country. Thence he marched to Prinassus and pitched
his camp under its wall. Having promptly got ready his pent-houses and
other siege artillery, he began to attempt the town by mines. This
plan proving impracticable, owing to the rocky nature of the soil, he
contrived the following stratagem. During the day he caused a noise to
be made under ground, as though the mines were being worked at; while
during the night he caused earth to be brought and piled up at the
mouth of the mine, in order that the men in the city, by calculating
the quantity of earth thrown up, might become alarmed. At first the
Prinassians held out bravely: but when Philip sent them a message
informing them that he had underpinned two plethra of their walls, and
asking them whether they preferred to march out with their lives, or
one and all to perish with their town when he set fire to the props,
then at last, believing that what he said was true, they surrendered
the city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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