Marcius Declines Assistance from the Achaeans
Polybius and his colleagues found the Romans moved
from Thessaly, and encamped in Perrhaebia,
between Azorium and Doliche. They therefore
postponed communication with the Consul,
owing to the critical nature of the occasion, but shared in the
dangers of the invasion of Macedonia.
When the Roman army
at length reached the district of Heracleum, it
seemed the right moment for their interview
with Q. Marcius, because he considered that the
most serious part of his undertaking was accomplished. The
Achaean envoys therefore took the opportunity of presenting
the decree to Marcius, and declaring the intention of the
Achaeans, to the effect that they wished with their full force to
take part in his contests and dangers.
Q. Marcius declines the offered army of Achaeans. |
In addition to this they
demonstrated to him that every command of
the Romans, whether sent by letter or messenger,
had been during the present war accepted by
the Achaeans without dispute. Marcius acknowledged with
great warmth the good feeling of the Achaeans, but excused
them from taking part in his labours and expenses, as there
was no longer any need for the assistance of allies.
Appius Claudius Cento defeated at Hyscana in B. C. 170. Livy, 43, 10. |
The other
ambassadors accordingly returned home; but Polybius stayed
there and took part in the campaign, until
Marcius, hearing that Appius Cento asked for five
thousand Achaean soldiers to be sent to Epirus,
despatched Polybius with orders to prevent the
soldiers being granted, or such a heavy expense being causelessly imposed on the Achaeans; for Appius had no reason
whatever for asking for these soldiers. Whether he did this
from consideration for the Achaeans, or from a desire to prevent
Appius from obtaining any success, it is difficult to say. Polybius, however, returned to the Peloponnese and found that the
letter from Epirus had arrived, and that the Achaean congress
had been soon afterwards assembled at Sicyon. He was
therefore in a situation of great embarrassment. When Cento's
demand of soldiers was brought before the Congress he did
not think it by any means proper to reveal the charge which
Q. Marcius had given him privately: and on the other hand to
oppose the demand, without some clear pretext, was exceedingly
dangerous.
In this difficult and delicate position he called to
his aid the decree of the Roman Senate, forbidding compliance with the written demands of
commanders unless made in accordance with its
own decree, Now, no mention of such a decree occurred in the
despatch from Appius. By this argument he prevailed with the
people to refer the matter to the Consul, and by his means to
get the nation relieved of an expense which would amount to
over a hundred and twenty talents. Still he gave a great
handle to those who wished to denounce him to Appius, as
having thwarted his design of obtaining a reinforcement. . . .