Flamininus   

rocks. Whilst they were struggling forward, the sun rose, and a thin
smoke, like a mist, hanging on the hills, was seen rising at a distance,
unperceived by the enemy, being behind them, as they stood on the
heights; and the Romans, also, as yet under suspense, in the toil
and difficulty they were in, could only doubtfully construe the sight
according to their desires. But as it grew thicker and thicker, blackening
the air, and mounting to a greater height, they no longer doubted
but it was the fire-signal of their companions; and, raising a triumphant
shout, forcing their way onwards, they drove the enemy back into the
roughest ground; while the other party echoed back their acclamations
from the top of the mountain.
The Macedonians fled with all the speed they could make; there fell,
indeed, not more than two thousand of them; for the difficulties of
the place rescued them from pursuit. But the Romans pillaged their
camp, seized upon their money and slaves, and, becoming absolute masters
of the pass, traversed all Epirus; but with such order and discipline,
with such temperance and moderation, that, though they were far from
the sea, at a great distance from their vessels, and stinted of their
monthly allowance of corn, and though they had much difficulty in
buying, they nevertheless abstained altogether from plundering the
country, which had provisions enough of all sorts in it. For intelligence
being received that Philip, making a flight, rather than a march,
through Thessaly, forced the inhabitants from the towns to take shelter
in the mountains, burnt down the towns themselves, and gave up as
spoil to his soldiers all the property which it had been found impossible
to remove, abandoning, as it would seem, the whole country to the
Romans, Titus was, therefore, very desirous, and entreated his soldiers
that they would pass through it as if it were their own, or as if
a place trusted into their hands; and, indeed, they quickly perceived,
by the event, what benefit they derived from this moderate and orderly
conduct. For they no sooner set foot in Thessaly, but the cities opened
their gates, and the Greeks, within Thermopylae, were all eagerness
and excitement to ally themselves with them. The Achaeans abandoned
their alliance with Philip, and voted to join with the Romans in actual
arms against him; and the Opuntians, though the Aetolians, who were
zealous allies of the Romans, were willing and desirous to undertake
the protection of the city, would not listen to proposals from them;
but sending for Titus, intrusted and committed themselves to his charge.
It is told of Pyrrhus, that when first, from an adjacent hill or watchtower
which gave him a prospect of the Roman army, he descried them drawn
up in order, he observed, that he saw nothing barbarian-like in this
barbarian line of battle, And all who came near Titus could not choose
but say as much of him, at their first view. For they who had been
told by the Macedonians of an invader, at the head of a barbarian
army, carrying everywhere slavery and destruction on his sword's point;
when, in lieu of such an one, they met a man, in the flower of his
age, of a gentle and humane aspect, a Greek in his voice and language,
and a lover of honour, were wonderfully pleased and attracted; and
when they left him, they filled the cities, wherever they went, with
favourable feelings for him, and with the belief that in him they
might find the protector and assertor of their liberties. And when
afterwards, on Philip's professing a desire for peace, Titus made
a tender to him of peace and friendship, upon the condition that the
Greeks he left to their own laws, and that he should withdraw his
garrisons, which he refused to comply with, now after these proposals
the universal belief even of the favourers and partisans of Philip
was, that the Romans came not to fight against the Greeks, but for
the Greeks against the Macedonians.
Accordingly, all the rest of Greece came to peaceable terms with him.
But as he marched into Boeotia, without committing the least act of
hostility, the nobility and chief men of Thebes came out of their
city to meet him, devoted under the influence of Brachylles to the
Macedonian alliance, but desirous at the same time to show honour
and deference to Titus; as they were, they conceived, in amity with