Philip Captures Psophis
The sight of these things caused Philip much anxious
thought. Sometimes he was for giving up his plan of
attacking and besieging the place: at others the excellence of
its situation made him eager to accomplish this. For just as
it was then a source of danger to the Achaeans and Arcadians,
and a safe place of arms for the Eleans; so
would it on the other hand, if captured,
become a source of safety to the Arcadians,
and a most convenient base of operations for the allies
against the Eleans.
These considerations finally decided
him to make the attempt: and he therefore issued orders to
the Macedonians to get their breakfasts at daybreak, and be
ready for service with all preparations completed. Everything
being done as he ordered, the king led his army over the bridge
across the Erymanthus; and no one having offered him resistance,
owing to the unexpectedness of the movement, he arrived
under the walls of the town in gallant style and with formidable
show. Euripidas and the garrison were overpowered with
astonishment; because they had felt certain that the enemy
would not venture on an assault, or try to carry a town of such
strength; and that a siege could not last long either, owing to
the severity of the season. This calculation of chances made
them begin to entertain suspicions of each other, from a misgiving that Philip must have established a secret intrigue with
some persons in the town against it. But finding that nothing
of the sort existed among themselves, the greater number
hurried to the walls to defend them, while the mercenary
Elean soldiers sallied out of a gate in the upper part of the
town to attack the enemy. The king stationed his men who
had ladders at three different spots, and divided the other
Macedonians among these three parties; this being arranged,
he gave the signal by the sound of trumpet, and began the
assault on the walls at once. At first the garrison offered a
spirited resistance and hurled many of the enemy from their
ladders; but when the supply of weapons inside the town, as
well as other necessary materials, began to run short,—as was to
be expected from the hasty nature of the preparations for
defence,—and the Macedonians showed no sign of terror, the
next man filling up the place of each who was hurled from the
scaling-ladder, the garrison at length turned to flight, and made
their escape one and all into the citadel. In the king's army
the Macedonians then made good their footing on the wall,
while the Cretans went against the party of mercenaries who
had sallied from the upper gate, and forced them to throw away
their shields and fly in disorder. Following the fugitives with
slaughter, they forced their way along with them through the
gate: so that the town was captured at all points at once.
The Psophidians with their wives and children retreated into
the citadel, and Euripidas with them, as well as all the soldiers
who had escaped destruction.
