Comparison Between Philopoemen and Aristaenus
Philopoemen and Aristaenus, the Achaeans, were unlike both in character and policy. Philopoemen
note
was formed by nature in body and mind for the
life of a soldier, Aristaenus for a statesman and
debater. In polities they differed in this, that
whereas during the periods of the wars with
Philip and Antiochus, Roman influence had become supreme
in Greece, Aristaenus directed his policy with the idea of
carrying out with alacrity every order from Rome, and sometimes even of anticipating it. Still he endeavoured to keep
up the appearance of abiding by the laws, and did, in fact,
maintain the reputation of doing so, only giving way when any
one of them proved to plainly militate against the rescripts
from Rome. But Philopoemen accepted, and loyally performed, all Roman orders which were in harmony with the
laws and the terms of their alliance; but when such orders
exceeded these limits, he could not make up his mind to yield
a willing obedience, but was wont first to demand an arbitration, and to repeat the demand a second time; and if this
proved unavailing, to give in at length under protest, and so
finally carry out the order. . . .
