Aratus, being thus occupied and engaged in these preparations,
Lycurgus and Pyrrhias, after communicating with each other and arranging to start at the same time, advanced towards <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Messenia&groupId=760&placeId=1380">Messenia</a>.
The Achaean strategus, on getting word of their project, came to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> with the mercenaries and some of the picked Achaean force to help the Messenians.
Lycurgus, moving out of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Laconia&groupId=662&placeId=1211">Laconia</a>, took by treachery <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Calamae&groupId=417&placeId=772">Calamae</a>, a strong place in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Messenia&groupId=760&placeId=1380">Messenia</a>, and then advanced with the object of joining the Aetolians.
But Pyrrhias, who had left <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Elis&groupId=560&placeId=1048">Elis</a> with quite a slight force and who had at once met with a check at the hands of the people of Cyparissia as he was entering <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Messenia&groupId=760&placeId=1380">Messenia</a>, returned.
Lycurgus, therefore, as he neither could manage to join Pyrrhias nor was strong enough by himself, after delivering some feeble assaults on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Andania&groupId=329&placeId=639">Andania</a>, returned to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a> without having effected anything.
Aratus, after the failure of the enemy's project, took a very proper step in view of future contingencies by arranging with Taurion and the Messenians respectively to get ready and dispatch fifty horse and five hundred foot,
designing to use these troops for protecting <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Messenia&groupId=760&placeId=1380">Messenia</a> and the territories of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a>,
and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Argos&groupId=361&placeId=689">Argos</a> — these being the districts which border of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Laconia&groupId=662&placeId=1211">Laconia</a> and are more exposed than the rest of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> to an inroad from thence —
and to guard the parts of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a> turned towards Aetolia and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Elis&groupId=560&placeId=1048">Elis</a> with his picked Achaean force and his mercenaries.
Walbank Commentary