A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PHILIPPUS. PHILIPPUS. 281
fluence which might have been anticipated. A made himself master of the strong fortress of Lissus,
more dangerous rival had already made his appear- the capture of which was followed by the submisance in Demetrins of Pharos, who, after his expul- sion of great part of Illyria (Polyb. viii. 15): but
sion from his own dominions by the Romans [DE- this decisive blow was not followed up; and the
WIETRIUS, p. 966, a.], had taken refiuge at the court apparent inaction of the king during the two folof Philip, and soon acquired unbounded influence lowing years is the more remarkable, because the
over the mind of the young king. It was the Pha- occupation of Tarentum by Hannibal would have
rian exile who first gave a new turn to the foreign seemed likely, at this juncture, to facilitate his
policy of Philip, by directing his attention to the communications with Italy.
state of affairs beyond the Ionian sea; and per- Meanwhile, the proceedings of Philip in Greece
suaded him to conclude peace with the Aetolians, were but too well calculated to alienate all the
in order to watch the contest which was going on favourable dispositions previously entertained toin Italy. (Polyb. iv. 66, v. 12, 101, 105; Justin. wards him. In B. c. 215, he had interposed in
xxix. 2, 3). The ambition of the young king was the affairs of Messenia, in a manner that led to a
flattered by the prospect thus held out to him, but fearful massacre of the oligarcllical party in that
he did not deem the time yet come openly to take state: the reproaches of Aratus on this occasion
part ill the contest, and in the meanwhile his at- were bitter and vehement, and from henceforth all
tention was turned to the side of Illyria. Scer- friendship was at an end between them. Philip
dilaidas, king of that country, had abandoned the was, however, still so far swayed by his influence
alliance of the Macedonian monarch, by whom he as to refrain at that time from the design of seizing
deemed himself aggrieved; and had taken advan- by treachery on the fortress of Ithome: but after
tage of Philip's absence in Greece to occupy some his return from his unsuccessful expedition to Iltowns and fortresses on the frontiers of the two lyria (B. c. 214) he returned to this project, and
countries. The recovery of these occupied Philip sent Demetrius of Pharos to carry it into execuduring the remainder of the summer of 217, and the tion. The latter was killed in the attempt; but
winter was spent principally in the preparation and his death produced no change in the counsels of
equipment of a fleet with which he designed to Philip, who now invaded Messenia himself. and
attack the coasts of llyria. But scarcely had he en- laid waste the open country with fire and sword.
tered the Adriatic in the following summer (B. c. Meanwhile, the breach between him and Aratus had
216), when the rumour that a Roman fleet was become daily more complete, and was still farther
coming to the assistance of Scerdilaidas inspired him widened by the discovery that the king was carwith such alarm that he made a hasty retreat to rying on a criminal intercourse with the wife of
Cephallenia, and afterwards withdrew to Macedonia, the younger Aratus. At length the king was
without attempting anything farther (Polyb. v. 108 induced to listen to the insidious proposal of Tau-110). But the news of the great disaster sus- rion, and to rid himself of his former friend and
tained by the Roman arms at Cannae soon after counsellor by means of a slow and secret poison,
decided Philip openly to espouse the cause of Car- B.c. 213. (Polyb. vii. 10-14, viii. 10, 14; Plut.
thage, and he despatched Xenophanes to Italy to As-at. 49-52.)
conclude a treaty of alliance with Hannibal. Unfor- The war between Philip and the Romans had
tunately the ambassador, after having successfully been carried on, for some time, with unaccountable
accomplished his mission, on his return fell into the slackness on both sides, when it all at once assumed
hands of the Romans, who thus became aware of the a new character in consequence of the alliance enprojects of Philip, and immediately stationed a fleet tered into by the latter with the Aetolians. In the
at Brundusium, to prevent him from crossing into treaty concluded by the Roman praetor, M.Valerius
Italy; while the king himself, on the contrary, re- Laevinus, with that people (before the end of
mained for a long time in ignorance of the result of B. c. 211), provision was also made for comprising
his negotiations, and it was not till late in the fol- in the alliance Scerdilaidas, king of illyria, and
lowing year (B. c. 215) that he sent a second Attalus, king of Pergamus, and the king of Maembassy, and a treaty of alliance was defini- cedonia thus found himself threatened on all sides
tively concluded between him and the Cartha- by a powerful confederacy. (Liv. xxvi. 24; Justin.
ginian general. (Liv. xxiii. 33, 34, 38, 39; xxix. 4.) This news at length roused him from
Polyb. iii. 2, vii. 9; Appian, Mac. 1; Justin, xxix. his apathy. Though it was then midwinter, he
4.) hastened to provide for the safety of his frontiers,
Whether Philip really meditated at this time both on the side of Illyria and that of Thrace, and
the invasion of Italy, or was merely desirous of then marched southwards, with an army, to the
establishing his power over all the countries east succour of the Acarnanians, whG were attacked by
of the Adriatic, it is certain that his proceedings the Aetolians, but the latter withdrew on learning
were marked by an unaccountable degree of hesita- the approach of Philip, and the king returned to
tion and delay. He suffered the remainder of the Macedonia. Hostilities were renewed in the
season of 215 to pass away without any active mea- spring (B. c. 210), and the Romans opened the
sures, and though in the following year (B. c. 214), campaign by the capture of Anticyra; but after
lhe at length appeared in the Adriatic with a fleet, this, instead of supporting their allies with vigour,
with which he took the town of Oricus, and laid they withdrew the greater part of their forces,
siege to the important city of Apollonia, his arms and P. Sulpicius Galba, who had succeeded Laewere soon paralysed by the arrival of a small Ro- vinus in the command, found himself unable to
man force under M. Laevinus, and he was not effect anything more than the conquest of Aegina,
only compelled to raise the siege of Apollonia, but while Philip succeeded in reducing the strong
destroyed his own ships to prevent their falling fortress of Echinus in Thessaly, notwithstandinto the hands of the enemy, and effected his retreat ing all the efforts of the Romans and Aetolians to
to Macedonia by land. (Liv. xxiv. 40.) The fol- relieve it. (Liv. xxvi. 25, 26, 28; Polyb. ix. 41,
lowing year (213), he was more successful, having 42.)