The People of Lepreum Evict the Garrisons
While these things were going on, the people of
note
Lepreum, having seized a certain quarter of
their town, demanded that the Elean, Aetolian,
and Lacedaemonian garrisons (for a reinforcement had come
from Sparta also) should all alike evacuate the citadel and city.
At first Phillidas refused, and stayed on, hoping to overawe
the citizens; but when the king, despatching Taurion with
a guard of soldiers to Phigalia, advanced in person towards
Lepreum, and was now close to the town, Phillidas lowered
his tone, and the Lepreates were encouraged in their determination. It was indeed a glorious act of gallantry on their part.
Though there was a garrison within their walls of a thousand
Eleans, a thousand Aetolians with the pirates, five hundred
mercenaries, and two hundred Lacedaemonians, and though
too their citadel was in the occupation of these troops, yet
they ventured to make a stand for the freedom of their
native city, and would not give up hope of deliverance.
Phillidas therefore, seeing that the Lepreates were prepared to
offer a stout resistance, and that the Macedonians were
approaching, evacuated the town with the Eleans and Lacedaemonians. The Cretans, who had been sent by the Spartans,
made their way home through Messenia; but Phillidas departed for Samicum. The people of Lepreum, having thus got
control of their own town, sent ambassadors to place it in the
power of Philip. Hearing the news, Philip sent all his army,
except the peltasts and light-armed troops, to Lepreum; and
taking the latter with him, he made all the haste he could to
catch Phillidas. He succeeded so far as to capture all his
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baggage; but Phillidas himself managed to outstrip him and
throw himself into Samicum. note The king therefore sat down before this place: and having
sent for the rest of his army from Lepreum, made the garrison believe that he meant to besiege the town. But the
Aetolians and Eleans within it, having nothing ready for
sustaining a siege beyond their bare hands, alarmed at their
situation, held a parley with Philip to secure their lives;
and having obtained leave from him to march out with their
arms, they departed into Elis. Thus the king became master
of Samicum on the spot: and this was followed by deputations
from other towns to him, with entreaties for protection; in
virtue of which he took over Phrixa, Stylangium, Aepium, Bolax, Pyrgos, and Epitalium. note
Having settled these things, and reduced all Triphylia into
his power in six days, he returned to Lepreum; and having
addressed the necessary warnings to the Lepreates, and put a
garrison into the citadel, he departed with his army towards
Heraea, leaving Ladicus of Acarnania in command of Triphylia.
When he arrived at Heraea, he made a distribution of all the
booty; and taking up again his baggage from Heraea, arrived
about the middle of the winter at Megalopolis.
