But while the king was still thus engaged, a post arrived from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> informing him that the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Dardani&groupId=528&placeId=996">Dardani</a>, understanding that he contemplated a campaign in the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a>, were collecting forces and making great preparations with the intention of invading <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>.
On hearing this, he thought it necessary to hasten back to the help of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>, and now dismissing the Achaean envoys with the reply that when he had done what was called for by the intelligence he had received he would make it his first object to assist them as far as was within his power,
he broke up his camp and returned home with all speed by the same route as that by which he had come.
As he was about to cross the Gulf of Ambracia from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acarnania&groupId=270&placeId=527">Acarnania</a> to Epirus, Demetrius of Pharus appeared in a single frigate, having been driven by the Romans from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Illyria&groupId=647&placeId=1186">Illyria</a>, as I narrated in a previous Book.
Philip received him kindly and bade him sail for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a> and from thence make his way to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> through <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a>, while he himself crossed to Epirus and continued his advance.
When he reached <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pella in Macedonia&groupId=858&placeId=1544">Pella in Macedonia</a>, the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Dardani&groupId=528&placeId=996">Dardani</a>, hearing of his arrival from some Thracian deserters, took fright and at once dismissed their army, although they were now close to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>.
Philip, on learning that the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Dardani&groupId=528&placeId=996">Dardani</a> had abandoned their project, sent home all his Macedonians to gather in the harvest and returning to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a> spent the rest of the summer at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Larisa&groupId=669&placeId=1225">Larisa</a>.
It was at this time that Aemilius, on his return from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Illyria&groupId=647&placeId=1186">Illyria</a>, celebrated a splendid triumph in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, that Hannibal after taking <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a> by assault dismissed his army to winter quarters, that the Romans on hearing of the fall of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a> sent ambassadors to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> demanding that Hannibal should be given up to them, and at the same time began to prepare for war after electing as Consuls Publius Cornelius Scipio and Tiberius Sempronius Longus.
All these matters I have dealt with in detail in my previous Book, and now merely recall them to my readers in pursuance of my original plan that they may know what events were contemporary.
And so the first year of this Olympiad was drawing to its close.
Walbank Commentary