Execution of Leontius
The expedition to Phocis proving a failure, the king
-- 383 --
was retiring from Elatea; and while this was going on,
Megaleas removed to Athens, leaving Leontius behind him
as his security for his twenty talents fine. note The
Athenian Strategi however refused to admit him,
and he therefore resumed his journey and went
to Thebes. Meanwhile the king put to sea from the coast
of Cirrha and sailed with his guards note to the harbour of
Sicyon, whence he went up to the city and, excusing himself to
the magistrates, took up his quarters with Aratus, and spent
the whole of his time with him, ordering Apelles to sail back
to Corinth. note But upon news being brought him
of the proceedings of Megaleas, he despatched
the peltasts, whose regular commander was
Leontius, in the charge of Taurion to Triphylia, on the pretext
of some service of pressing need; and, when they had departed,
he gave orders to arrest Leontius to answer his bail. When
the peltasts heard what had happened from a messenger sent
to them by Leontius, they despatched ambassadors to the king,
begging him that, "if he had arrested Leontius on any other
score, not to have him tried on the charges alleged against him
without their presence: for otherwise they should consider
themselves treated with signal contempt, and to be one and all
involved in the condemnation." Such was the freedom of speech
towards their king which the Macedonians always enjoyed.
They added, that "if the arrest was on account of his bail for
Megaleas, they would themselves pay the money by a common
subscription." The king however was so enraged, that he put
Leontius to death sooner than he had intended, owing to the
zeal displayed by the peltasts.
