After this, when the Nemean festival was at its height, Quintus Caecilius Metellus came from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> on his way back from his mission to Philip.
Aristaenus, the strategus, having assembled the Achaean magistrates in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Argos&groupId=361&placeId=689">Argos</a>, Caecilius came in and found fault with them for having treated the Lacedaemonians with undue cruelty and severity; and, addressing them at some length, exhorted them to correct their past errors.
Aristaenus, for his part, remained silent, thus indicating his tacit disapproval of the management of matters there and his agreement with the remarks of Caecilius.
Diophanes of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, who was more of a soldier than a politician, now got up, and not only did not offer any defence of the Achaeans, but, owing to his strained relations with Philopoemen, suggested to Caecilius another charge he might bring against the League.
For he said that not only had matters been mismanaged at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>, but also at Messene,
alluding to certain disputes among the Messenians themselves on the subject of the edict of Flamininus and Philopoemen's interference with it.
So that Caecilius, thinking that he had some of the Achaeans themselves in agreement with him, became still more vexed because the meeting of magistrates did not readily accede to his requests.
After Philopoemen, Lycortas, and Archon had spoken at some length and employed various arguments to show that the management of affairs at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a> had been good and particularly advantageous to the Spartans themselves, and that it was impossible to change anything in the established order of things there without violating the obligations of justice to men and piety to the gods,
the meeting decided to make no change, and to convey this resolution to the legate.
Caecilius, seeing how this meeting was disposed, demanded that the popular assembly should be summoned to meet him;
but the magistrates asked him to show them the instructions he had from senate on the subject; and, when he made no reply, refused to summon the assembly;
for their laws did not allow it unless a written request was presented from the senate stating what matters it desired to submit to the assembly.
Caecilius was so indignant at none of his requests having been granted that he did not even consent to receive the answer of the magistrates, but went away without any.
The Achaeans attributed but the former visit of Marcus Fulvius and the present one of Caecilius to Aristaenus and Diophanes, alleging that these two politicians had induced be to side with them owing to their political differences with Philopoemen,
and they were viewed by the people with a certain suspicion. Such was the state of affairs in the Peloponnesus.
Walbank Commentary