+22.+ But Philip, who had not expected, for reasons indicated above,
that a general engagement would take place on that day, happened to
have sent a considerable part of his troops out of camp foraging. But
when informed of what was taking place by these messengers, the mist at
the same time beginning to lift, he despatched, with due exhortation,
Heracleides of Gyrton, the commander of his Thessalian cavalry; Leon,
the general of his Macedonian horse; and Athenagoras, with all the
mercenaries except those from Thrace. The reserve being joined by these
troops, and the Macedonian force having thus become a formidable one,
they advanced against the enemy, and in their turn drove the Romans
back from the heights. But what prevented them, more than anything
else, from entirely routing the enemy was the gallantry of the Aetolian
cavalry, which fought with desperate fury and reckless valour. For the
Aetolians are as superior to the rest of the Greeks in cavalry for
fighting in skirmishing order, troop to troop, or man to man, as they
are inferior to them both in the arms and tactics of their infantry
for the purpose of a general engagement. The enemy being held in check
therefore by these troops, the Romans were not forced back again quite
on to the level ground, but, after retiring to a short distance, faced
round and halted. But when Flamininus saw that not only had the cavalry
and light infantry retired, but that, owing to them, his whole force
was rendered uneasy, he drew out his entire army and got them into
order of battle close to the hills. Meanwhile one man after another
of the Macedonian reserve ran towards Philip shouting out, “King, the
enemy are flying: do not let slip the opportunity. The barbarians
cannot stand before us: now is the day for you to strike: now is your
opportunity!” The result was that he was induced to fight in spite of
his dissatisfaction with the ground. For these hills, which are called
Cynoscephalae, are rough, precipitous, and of considerable height; and
it was because he foresaw the disadvantages of such a ground, that he
was originally disinclined to accept battle there; but, being excited
now by the extravagantly sanguine reports of these messengers, he gave
the order for his army to be drawn out of camp.
[Sidenote: Flamininus addresses his men, and advances to the attack.]
[Sidenote: The advanced guard are encouraged.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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