When Alexander had ended this harangue, Philip brought his ship nearer to the shore than it had been, and standing up on the deck, said that Alexander's speech had been truly Aetolian and theatrical.
Everyone, he said, was aware that no one ever of his own free will ruins his own allies, but that by changes of circumstance commanders are forced to do many things that they would have preferred not to do.
The king had not finished speaking when Phaeneas, whose sight was badly impaired, interrupted him rudely, saying that he was talking nonsense, he must either fight and conquer or do the bidding of his betters.
Philip, though in an evil case, could not refrain from his peculiar gift of raillery, but turning to him said, "Even a blind man, Phaeneas, can see that"; for he was ready and had a natural talent for scoffing at people.
Then, turning again to Alexander, "You ask me," he said, "Alexander, why I annexed <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lysimachia&groupId=719&placeId=1319">Lysimachia</a>.
It was in order that it should not, owing to your neglect, be depopulated by the Thracians, as has actually happened since I withdrew to serve in this war those of my troops who were acting not as you say as its garrison, but as it guardians.
As for the people of Cius, it was not I who made war on them, but when Prusias did so I helped him to exterminate them, and all through your fault.
For on many occasions when I and the other Greeks sent embassies to you begging you to remove from your statutes the law empowering you to get booty from booty, you replied that you would rather remove Aetolia from Aetolia than that law.
Walbank Commentary