55.
About the same time the Roman consul, marching towards Thessaly, at first found the roads of Epirus clear and open;
[2]
but afterwards, when he proceeded into Athamania, where the country is rugged, and almost impassable, with great labour and by short marches he with difficulty reached Gomphi.
[3]
If, while he was leading his raw troops through such a territory, and while both his men and horses were debilitated by constant toil, the king had attacked him with his army in proper order, and at an advantageous place and time, the Romans themselves do not deny that they must have suffered very great loss in an engagement.
[4]
When they arrived at Gomphi, without opposition, great contempt of the enemy was added to their joy at having effected their passage through such a dangerous road, since they showed such utter ignorance [p. 2014]of their own advantages.
[5]
The consul, after duly offering sacrifice, and distributing corn to the troops, halted a few days, to give rest to the men and horses; and then, hearing that the Macedonians were over-running Thessaly, and wasting the country of the allies, he led on to Larissa his troops, now sufficiently refreshed.
[6]
Proceeding thence, when he came within about three miles of Tripolis, (they call the place Scaea,) he encamped on the river Peneus.
[7]
In the mean time, Eumenes arrived by sea at Chalcis, accompanied by his brothers Attalus and Athenaeus, (bringing with him two thousand foot, the command of whom he gave to the latter,) having left his other brother, Philetaerus, at Pergamus to manage the business of his kingdom.
[8]
From thence, with Attalus and four thousand foot and one thousand horse, he came and joined the consul: two thousand foot were left at Chalcis, of which Athenaeus had the command: whither also arrived parties of auxiliaries from every one of the states of Greece; but most of them so small, that their numbers have not been transmitted to us.
[9]
The Apollonians sent three hundred horse and one hundred foot. Of the Aetolians came a number equal to one cohort, being the entire cavalry of the nation; and of the Thessalians (all their cavalry acted separately) not more than three hundred horsemen were in the Roman camp.
[10]
The Achaeans furnished one thousand young men, armed mostly in the Cretan manner.
Livy. History of Rome by Titus Livius, books thirty-seven to the end, with the epitomes and fragments of the lost books. literally translated, with notes and illustrations, by. William A. McDevitte. York Street, Covent Garden, London. Henry G. Bohn. John Child and son, printers, Bungay. 1850. 4.
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