Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 28
Frank Gardener Moore, Professor Emeritus in Columbia University, Ed.

7. Philip had been warned also by fire-signals from Oreum, but through the treachery of Plator they were set too late on the watch-tower. Also, since he was no match in naval strength, approach to the island by a fleet was not easy. [2] He let slip that project by delaying, and, on receiving the signal accordingly, set out with spirit to bring aid to Chalcis. For although Chalcis is likewise a city of the same island, still it is separated by a strait so narrow that the city is linked to the mainland by a bridge, and approach by land is easier than by sea. [3] Accordingly Philip [p. 27]hastened from Demetrias to Scotussa, whence he set¹ out in the third watch, dislodged the garrison and routed the Aetolians occupying the pass of Thermopylae. Then after driving the enemy in alarm into Heraclēa, he himself in a single day covered a distance of more than sixty miles to Elatīa² in Phocis. [4] On about the same day the captured city of Opus was being sacked by King Attalus. [5] Its booty had been given up to the king by Sulpicius because Oreum³ had been sacked by Roman soldiers a few days before, while the king's troops had no share in it. [6] When the Roman fleet had returned to Oreum, Attalus, unaware of the coming of Philip, was spending his time in exacting money from leading citizens. [7] And so unexpected was the attack that if some of the Cretans, who happened to have gone a long distance from the city to forage, had not caught sight of the enemy's column in the distance, the king could have been overpowered. [8] Attalus' men, being unarmed and in disorder, rushed pellmell to the sea and their ships; and as they were struggling to cast off, Philip came upon them and from the shore caused further confusion among the sailors. [9] Then he returned to Opus, accusing gods and men because he had lost so great an opportunity, snatched away almost before his eyes. The men of Opus also were no less angrily upbraided because, although they could have dragged out the siege until his coming, at the first sight of the enemy they had almost willingly surrendered.

[10] [p. 29] Having settled matters in the neighbourhood of⁴ Opus, he went to Thronium.⁵ [11] Attalus also retired at first to Oreum; and then, when the report reached him that Prusias, King of Bithynia, had crossed into territory belonging to his kingdom, he sailed over to Asia, forsaking the Roman cause and the Aetolian war. [12] And Sulpicius withdrew with his fleet to Aegina, from which he had set out at the beginning of the spring. Philip captured Thronium with no greater struggle than Attalus had in capturing Opus. The inhabitants of the former were refugees from Thebes⁶ in Phthiotis. [13] When their city was taken by Philip they had sought refuge in the protection of the Aetolians, whereupon the Aetolians had given them an abiding-place in that city, desolated and abandoned in a previous war with the same Philip. [14] Then setting out from Thronium, which he had recovered, as has just been said, he captured Tithronion and Drumiae, small and unimportant towns in Doris. Then he came to Elatīa, having bidden the envoys of Ptolemy and of the Rhodians⁷ to wait for him there. [15] While they were there discussing how to end the Aetolian war —for [16] the envoys had recently been present at the council of the Romans and Aetolians at Heraclēa⁸ —came the news that Machanidas had decided to attack the Eleans, who were making ready to celebrate the Olympic Games.⁹ [17] Thinking he must make that his first task, the king [p. 31]sent away the envoys with a friendly answer: that¹⁰ he had not been the cause of this war, and would not delay making peace, provided it was possible to do so on fair and honourable terms. [18] Setting out with a light column he came down through Boeotia to Megara and then to Corinth, from which he took on supplies and marched to Phlīus and Phenĕus.¹¹ And when he had already reached Heraea,¹²