Foolish Policy In Achaia
But the finishing stroke to this ruinous policy was given
Conference at Tegea. Critolaus |
in the following manner. When Sextus and
his colleagues arrived at Tegea, and invited the
attendance of the Lacedaemonians, in order to
arrange terms between them and the Achaeans,
both as to the satisfaction to be given for previous complaints
and for putting a stop to the war, until the Romans should send
commissioners to review the whole question, Critolaus and his
party, having held a conference, decided that all the rest should
avoid the meeting, and that Critolaus should go alone to Tegea.
contrives to avoid a settlement |
When Sextus and his fellow-commissioners therefore had
almost given them up, Critolaus arrived; and when the meeting with the Lacedaemonians took place, he would settle
nothing,—alleging that he had no authority to make any arrangement without the consent of the people at large; but that he
would bring the matter before the Achaeans at their next congress, which must be held six months from that time. Sextus
and his fellow-commissioners, therefore, convinced of the ill
disposition of Critolaus, and much annoyed at his conduct,
dismissed the Lacedaemonians to their own country, and
themselves returned to Italy with strong views as to the folly
and infatuation of Critolaus.
After their departure Critolaus spent the winter in visiting
Winter of B. C. 147-146. Critolaus propagates his anti-Roman views.; |
the cities and holding assemblies in them, on
the pretext that he wished to inform them
what he had said to the Lacedaemonians at
Tegea, but in reality to denounce the Romans
and to put an evil interpretation on everything they said; by
which means he inspired the common people in the various
cities with feelings of hostility and hatred for them.
and suspends cash payments. |
At
the same time he sent round orders to the magistrates not to exact money from debtors, nor to
receive prisoners arrested for debt, and to cause
loans on pledge to be held over until the war was decided.
By this kind of appeal to the interests of the vulgar everything
he said was received with confidence; and the common people
were ready to obey any order he gave, being incapable of
taking thought for the future, but caught by the bait of immediate indulgence and relief.