Agetas Leads the Aetolians Against Acarnania
About the same time Agetas, the Strategus of the
note
Aetolian league, proclaimed a general levy of
Aetolians, and went a foraging expedition into
the territory of the Acarnanians. He marched through all
Epirus, plundering as he went without let or hindrance;
after doing which he returned home, and dismissed the Aetolian
levy to their own cities. But the Acarnanians, upon making a
retaliatory invasion of the territory of Stratus, were seized with a
panic: and returned with disgrace, though without loss; because
the people of Stratus did not venture to pursue them, believing that their retreat was a ruse to cover an ambuscade.
An instance of counter treachery occurred also at Phanoteus. note
Alexander who had been appointed governor of
Phocis by Philip, entered into a plot against
the Aetolians, through the agency of a certain
Jason, who had been appointed by himself to command the
city of Phanoteus. This man sent a message to Agetas, the
Strategus of the Aetolian league, agreeing to hand over to him
the citadel of Phanoteus; and he confirmed his offer by a
regularly sworn treaty. On the appointed day Agetas came
with his Aetolian levy to Phanoteus under cover of night; and
concealing the rest at some little distance, he selected a hundred
of the most active men and sent them towards the citadel. Jason
had Alexander all ready with his soldiers, but duly received
the Aetolians as he had sworn into the citadel. Immediately
Alexander and his men threw themselves into the citadel also:
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the Aetolian hundred picked soldiers were made prisoners;
and when daylight showed Agetas what had taken place, he
drew off his troops,—baffled by a ruse very like what he had
on many occasions practised himself.
