him unreasonable. The Etolians had sped ill that year; neither saw they any likely hopes for the years following. The army, that they had sent forth to waste Thessaly and Macedon, found such opposition on the way, that, not daring to proceed, it returned home without bringing any thing to effect. In the mean season they had been grievously afflicted, as before is shewed, by Philip in the centre of their own country. All Greece and Macedon was up in arms against them and their weak allies, the Eleans and Lacedæmonians. Neither was it certain, how long the one or other of these their Peloponnesian friends should be able to hold out; since they were not strong enough to keep the field, but had already suffered those miseries of war, which by a little continuance would make them glad each to seek their own peace, without regard of their confederates. Wherefore the Ætolians readily entertained this negotiation of peace; and, taking truce for thirty days with the king, dealt with him by intercession of the same ambassadors to entreat his presence at a diet of their nation, that should be held at Rhium; whither if he would vouchsafe to come, they promised that he should find them conformable to any good reason.

Whilst these things were in hand, Leontius and Megaleas thought to have terrified the king by raising sedition against him in the army. But this device sorted to no good effect. The soldiers were easily and quickly incensed against many of the king's friends; who were said to be the cause why they were not rewarded with so much of the booty, as they thought to belong of right unto them. But their anger spent itself in a noise, and breaking open of doors, without further harm done. This was enough to inform the king, (who easily pacified his men with gentle words,) that some about him were very false. Yea, the soldiers themselves, repenting of their insolence, desired to have the authors of the tumult sought out, and punished according to their deserts. The king made show as if he had not cared to make such inquisition; but Leontius and Megaleas were sore afraid, lest the matter would soon come

out of itself, to their extreme danger. Wherefore they sent unto Apelles, the head and architect of their treason; requesting him speedily to repair to Corinth, where he might stand between them and the king's displeasure. Apelles had not all this while been wanting to the business undertaken by him and his treacherous companions: he had taken upon him, as a man that had the king's heart in his own hand; and thereby was he grown into such credit, that all the king's officers in Macedon and Thessaly addressed themselves unto him, and received from him their despatch in every business. Likewise the Greeks, in all their flattering decrees, took occasion to magnify the virtue of Apelles, making slight mention (only for fashion sake) of the king; who seemed no better than the minister and executioner of Apelles's will and pleasure. Such was the arrogancy of this great man, in setting himself out unto the people; but in managing the king's affairs he made it his especial care, that money, and all things needful for the public service, should be wanting. Yea, he enforced the king, for very need, to sell his own plate and household vessels; thinking to resolve these and all other difficulties by only saying, "Sir, be "ruled wholly by me, and all shall be as you would wish:” hereto if the king would give assent, then had this politician obtained his heart's desire. Now taking his journey from Chalcis, in the isle of Euboea, to the city of Corinth, where Philip then lay, he was fetched in with great pomp and royalty, by a great number of the captains and soldiers, which Leontius and Megaleas drew forth to meet him on the way. So entering the city with a goodly train, he went directly to the court, and towards the king's chamber. But Philip was well aware of his pride, and had vehement suspicion of his falsehood; wherefore one was sent to tell him that he should wait a while, or come another time, for the king was not now at leisure to be spoken with. It was a pretty thing that such a check as this made all his attendants forsake him, as a man in disgrace; in such sort, that, going thence to his lodging, he had none to follow him, save his own pages. After this, the king vouchsafed him now

and then some slender graces; but in consultations, or other matters of privacy, he used him not at all. This taught Megaleas to look unto himself, and run away betimes. Hereupon the king sent forth Taurion, his lieutenant of Peloponnesus, with all the targetiers, as it were to do some piece of service; but indeed of purpose to apprehend Leontius in the absence of his followers. Leontius being taken, despatched away a messenger presently to his targetiers, to signify what was befallen him; and they forthwith sent unto the king in his behalf. They made request, that if any other thing were objected against him, he might not be called forth to trial before their return; as for the debt of Megaleas, if that were all the matter, they said that they were ready to make a purse for his discharge. This affection of the soldiers made Philip more hasty, than else he would have been, to take away the traitor's life. Neither was it long, ere letters of Megaleas were intercepted, which he wrote unto the Etolians; vilifying the king with opprobrious words, and bidding them not to hearken after peace, but to hold out a while, for that Philip was even ready to sink under the burden of his own poverty. By this the king understood more perfectly the falsehood, not only of Megaleas, but of Apelles; whose cunning head had laboured all this while to keep him so poor: wherefore he sent one to pursue Megaleas, that was fled to Thebes. As for Apelles, he committed both him, his son, and another that was inward with him, to prison; wherein all of them shortly ended their lives. Megaleas also, neither daring to stand to trial, nor knowing whither to fly, was weary of his own life, and slew himself about the same time.

The Ætolians, as they had begun this war upon hope of accomplishing what they listed in the nonage of Philip, so finding that the vigour of this young prince, tempered with the cold advice of Aratus, wrought very effectually toward their overthrow, they grew very desirous to make an end of it. Nevertheless, being a turbulent nation, and ready to lay hold upon all advantages, when they heard what was happened in the court, the death of Apelles, Leontius, and

Magaleus, together with some indignation thereupon conceived by the king's targetiers, they began to hope anew that these troubles would be long lasting, and thereupon brake the day appointed for the meeting at Rhium. Of this was Philip nothing sorry for being in good hope throughly to tame this unquiet nation, he thought it much to concern his own honour, that all the blame of the beginning and continuing the war should rest upon themselves. Wherefore he willed his confederates to lay aside all thought of peace, and to prepare for war against the year following; wherein he hoped to bring it to an end. Then gratified he his Macedonian soldiers, by yielding to let them winter in their own country. In his return homeward, he called into judgment one Ptolomy, a companion with Apelles and Leontius in their treasons; who was therefore condemned by the Macedonians, and suffered death. These were the same Macedonians that lately could not endure to hear of Leontius's imprisonment; yet now they think the man worthy to die, that was but his adherent: so vain is the confidence, on which rebels use to build, in their favour with the multitude!

During his abode in Macedon, Philip won some bordering towns; from which the Dardanians, Ætolians, and other his ill neighbours, were accustomed to make roads into his kingdom. When he had thus provided for safety of his own, the Ætolians might well know what they were to expect. But there came again ambassadors from the Rhodians and Chians, with others from Ptolomy king of Egypt, and from the city of Byzantium, recontinuing the former solicitation about the peace. This fashion had been taken up, in matters of Greece, ever since the kings that reigned after Alexander had taken upon them to set the whole country at liberty. No sooner was any province or city in danger to be oppressed, and subdued by force of war, but presently there were found intercessors, who, pitying the effusion of Greekish blood, would importune the stronger to relinquish his advantage. By doing such friendly offices in time of need, the princes and states abroad sought to

bind unto them those people that were, howsoever weak in numbers, yet very good soldiers. But hereby it came to pass, that the more froward sort, especially the Ætolians, whose whole nation was addicted to falsehood and robbery, durst enter boldly into quarrels with all their neighhours; being well assured, that if they had the worst, the love of Greece would be sufficient to redeem their quiet. They had, since the late treaty of peace, done what harm they could in Peloponnesus; but being beaten by the Achæans, and standing in fear to be more soundly beaten at home, they desired now, more earnestly than before, to make an end of the war as soon as they might. Philip made such answer to the ambassadors as he had done the former year; that he gave not occasion to the beginning of this war, nor was at the present either afraid to continue it, or unwilling to end it; but that the Ætolians, if they had a desire to live in rest, must first be dealt withal, to signify plainly their determination, whereto himself would return such answer as he should think fit.

Philip had at this time no great liking unto the peace, being a young prince, and in hope to increase the honour which he daily got by the war. But it happened, in the midst of this negotiation, that he was advertised by letters out of Macedon what a notable victory Hannibal had obtained against the Romans in the battle at Thrasymene. These letters he communicated unto Demetrius Pharius, who greatly encouraged him to take part with Hannibal; and not to sit still, as an idle beholder of the Italian war. Hereby he grew more inclinable than before unto peace with the Etolians; which was concluded shortly in a meeting at Naupactus. There did Agelaus, an Ætolian, make a great oration; telling how happy it was for the Greeks, that they might at their own pleasure dispute about finishing war between themselves, without being molested by the Barbarians. For when once either the Romans or the Carthaginians had subdued one the other, it was not to be doubted that they would forthwith look eastward, and seek by all means to set footing in Greece. For this cause he said