Leontius, Megaleas, and Ptolemy Rouse the Guard
Leontius, Megaleas, and Ptolemy, being still persuaded that they could frighten Philip, and thus neutralise
their former failures, took this opportunity of tampering
with the peltasts, and what the Macedonians call the
Agema,
1
by suggesting to them that they were risking their all,
and getting none of their just rights, nor receiving
the booty which, according to custom, properly
fell to their share.
Treason of Megaleas and Ptolemy. |
By these words they incited
the young men to collect together, and attempt to plunder the
tents of the most prominent of the king's friends, and to pull
down the doors, and break through the roof of the royal headquarters.
The whole city being thereby in a state of confusion
and uproar, the king heard of it and immediately came hastily
running to the town from Lechaeum; and having summoned
the Macedonians to the theatre he addressed them in terms of
mingled exhortation and rebuke for what had happened. A
scene of great uproar and confusion followed: and while some
advised him to arrest and call to account the guilty, others to
come to terms and declare an indemnity, for the moment the
king dissembled his feelings, and pretended to be satisfied; and
so with some words of exhortation addressed to all, retired:
and though he knew quite well who were the ringleaders
in the disturbance, he made a politic pretence of not doing so.