The envoys arrived in that before the senate had decided whether the consuls of the year should be both sent to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaul&groupId=598&placeId=1108">Gaul</a> or one of them against Philip.
But when the friends of Flamininus were assured that both consuls were to remain in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> owing to the fear of the Celts, all the envoys entered the senate-house and roundly denounced Philip.
Their accusations were in general similar to those they had brought against the king in person, but the point which they all took pains to impress upon the senate was that as long as <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chalcis&groupId=457&placeId=853">Chalcis</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Demetrias&groupId=536&placeId=1006">Demetrias</a> remained in Macedonian hands it was impossible for the Greeks to have any thought of liberty.
Philip's own expression when he pronounced these places to be the fetters of Greece, was, they said, only too true,
since neither could the Peloponnesians breathe freely with a royal garrison established in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>, nor could the Locrians, Boeotians, and Phocians have any confidence while Philip occupied <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chalcis&groupId=457&placeId=853">Chalcis</a> and the rest of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Euboea&groupId=584&placeId=1091">Euboea</a>,
nor again could the Thessalians and Magnesians ever enjoy liberty while the Macedonians held <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Demetrias&groupId=536&placeId=1006">Demetrias</a>.
Therefore his withdrawal from the other places was a mere show of concession on the part of Philip in order to get out of his present difficulty, and if he commanded the above places he could easily bring the Greeks under subjection any day he wished.
They therefore demanded that the senate should either compel Philip to withdraw from these towns or abide by the agreement and fight against him with all their strength.
For the hardest task of the war had been accomplished, as the Macedonians had now been twice beaten and had expended most of their resources on land.
After speaking thus they entreated the senate neither to cheat the Greeks out of their hope of liberty nor to deprive themselves of the noblest title to fame.
Such or very nearly such were the words of the ambassadors. Philip's envoys had prepared a lengthy argument in reply, but were at once silenced;
for when asked if they would Greek up <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chalcis&groupId=457&placeId=853">Chalcis</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Demetrias&groupId=536&placeId=1006">Demetrias</a> they replied that they had no instructions on the subject.
Thus cut short they stopped speaking,
Walbank Commentary