the report of this senatus-consultum was spread in Greece, all except the Aetolians were of good heart and overjoyed. The latter alone, disappointed at not obtaining what they had hoped for, spoke ill of the decree, saying that it contained an arrangement of words and not an arrangement of things.
Even from the actual terms of the document they drew certain probable conclusions calculated to confuse the minds of those who listened to them.
For they said there were two decisions in it about the cities garrisoned by Philip, one ordering him to withdraw his garrisons and surrender the cities to the Romans and the other to withdraw his garrisons and set the cities free.
The towns to be set free were named and they were those in Asia, while evidently those to be surrendered to the Romans were those in Europe,
that is to say <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Oreum&groupId=816&placeId=1474">Oreum</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Eretria&groupId=576&placeId=1079">Eretria</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chalcis&groupId=457&placeId=853">Chalcis</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Demetrias&groupId=536&placeId=1006">Demetrias</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>.
From this anyone could easily see that the Romans were taking over from Philip the fetters of Greece, and that what was happening was a readjustment of masters and not the delivery of Greece out of gratitude.
Such things were being said by the Aetolians ad nauseam. But Flamininus, moving from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Elatea&groupId=558&placeId=1045">Elatea</a> with the ten commissioners, came down to Anticyra and at once sailed across to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>. On arriving there he sat in conference with the commissioners, deciding about the whole situation.
As the slanderous reflections of the Aetolians were becoming more current and were credited by some, he was obliged to address his colleagues at length and in somewhat elaborate terms,
pointing out to them that if they wished to gain universal renown in Greece and in general convince all that the Romans had originally crossed the sea not in their own interest but in that of the liberty of Greece, they must withdraw from every place and set free all the cities now garrisoned by Philip.
The hesitation felt in the conference was due to the fact that, while a decision had been reached in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> about all other questions, and the commissioners had definite instructions from the Senate on all other matters, the question of <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> had been left to their discretion owing to the fear of Antiochus, in order that with an eye to circumstances they should take any course on which they determined.
For it was evident that Antiochus had been for some time awaiting his opportunity to interfere in the affairs of Greece.
However, Flamininus persuaded his colleagues to set <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a> free at once, handing it over to the Achaeans, as had originally been agreed, while he remained in occupation of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acrocorinth&groupId=277&placeId=547">Acrocorinth</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Demetrias&groupId=536&placeId=1006">Demetrias</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chalcis&groupId=457&placeId=853">Chalcis</a>.
Walbank Commentary