Aratus is Cleared
The king approved of this speech, and said that he
would not neglect the matter, but would thoroughly investigate
it. And so for the present the audience was dissolved. But
during the following days, while Apelles failed to bring any
proof of his allegations, Aratus was favoured
by the following combination of circumstances.
While Philip was laying waste their territory,
the Eleans, suspecting Amphidamus of treachery, determined
to arrest him and send him in chains to Aetolia. But getting intelligence of their purpose, he escaped first to Olympia;
and there, hearing that Philip was at Dyme engaged in the
division of his spoils, he followed him to that town in great
haste. When Aratus heard that Amphidamus had been driven
from Elis and was come to Dyme, he was delighted, because
his conscience was quite clear in the matter; and going to the
king demanded that he should summon Amphidamus to his
presence; on the ground that the man to whom the words
were alleged to have been spoken would best know about
the accusations, and would declare the truth; for he had become an exile from his home from Philip's sake, and had now
no hope of safety except in him. These arguments satisfied
the king, who thereupon sent for Amphidamus and ascertained
that the accusation was false. The result was that from that day
forward his liking and respect for Aratus continually increased,
while he began to regard Apelles with suspicion; though being
still under the influence of his old ascendency, he was compelled to connive at many of his actions.
