31.
The Aetolians were then summoned to appear; in which trial the inquiry was directed to discover, rather, which party had favoured the Romans, and which the king, than which had done, and which suffered injury; for the murderers were absolved from guilt, and likewise the banishment of the exiles confirmed, and the death of the citizens overlooked.
[2]
Aulus Baebius alone was condemned for having lent Roman soldiers as agents in the butchery.
[3]
This result in the case of the Aetolians puffed up the party which favoured the Romans to [p. 2153]an intolerable degree of arrogance, throughout all the states and nations of Greece; and subjected all those, on whom the slightest suspicion of being in the king's interest fell, to be trodden under their feet.
[4]
Of the leading men in the states, there were three parties; two of which paying servile court either to the Romans, or the kings, sought to aggrandize themselves by enslaving their countries; while one, adopting a middle course, and struggling against both, stood up in support of their laws and liberty.
[5]
Although the last had the greatest share of the affection of their countrymen, still they had the least interest among foreigners. The partisans of the Romans being elated by the success of their party, alone held the offices of magistracy, and alone were employed on embassies.
[6]
Great numbers of these, coming from the diets of Peloponnesus, Bœotia, and other parts of Greece, filled the ears of the ten commissioners with insinuations, that “those who, through folly, had openly boasted of being friends and intimates of Perseus, were not the only persons who had favoured his cause; much greater numbers had done so in secret.
[7]
That there was another party, who under pretence of supporting liberty, had, in the diets, advanced every measure contrary to the Romans;
[8]
and that those nations would not continue faithful, unless the spirit of these parties was broken, and the influence of those, who had no other object than the advancement of the Roman power, was augmented and strengthened.”
[9]
These persons, whose names were given in by this clique, were summoned by the general's letter out of Aetolia, Acarnania, Epirus, and Bœotia, to follow him to Rome, and plead their cause. Two of the ten commissioners, Caius Claudius and Cneius Domitius, went to Achaia, that they might, on the spot, summon by proclamation the persons implicated.
[10]
This was done for two reasons; one was because they believed that the Achaeans would have greater spirit and confidence than the rest, and might disobey, and perhaps even endanger Callicrates, and other authors of the charges, and informers.
[11]
The other reason for summoning them on the spot, was, that the commissioners had in their possession letters from the chief men of the other nations, which had been found among the king's papers; but with regard to the Achaeans the charges were not clear, because no letters of theirs had been discovered. When the Aetolians were dismiss- [p. 2154]ed, the Acarnanian nation was called in.
[12]
No alteration was made in their situation, only Leucas was disunited from their council.
[13]
Then making more extensive inquiries respecting those who had, publicly or privately, favoured the king, they extended their jurisdiction even into Asia, and sent Labeo to demolish Antissa, in the island of Lesbos, and to remove the inhabitants to Methymna;
[14]
because they had received within their port, and supplied with provisions, Antenor, the commander of the king's fleet, while cruising with his squadron on the coast of Lesbos.
[15]
Two distinguished men were beheaded, Andronicus, son of Andronicus, an Aetolian, because, imitating his father, he had borne arms against the Roman people; and Neo, a Theban, by whose advice his countrymen had formed an alliance with Perseus.
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