368 PHILOPCEMEN.

consent and by naturalization, designed at last to bring all Peloponnesus into one community. Yet whUe Aratus lived, they depended much on the Macedonians, courting first Ptolemy, then Antigonus and Philip, who all took part continually in whatever concerned the affairs of Greece. But when Philopoemen came to command, the Achteans, feeling themselves a match for the most power- ful of their enemies, declined foreign support. The truth is, Ai'atus, as we have written in his hfe, was not of so warlike a temper, but did most by policy and gentleness, and friendships with foreign princes; but Philopoemen being a man both of execution and command, a great soldier, and fortunate in his first attempts, wonderfully heightened both the power and courage of the Achseans, accustomed to victory under his conduct. But first he altered what he found amiss in their arms, and form of battle. Hitherto they had used light, thin bucklers, too narrow to cover the body, and javelins much shorter than pikes. By which means they were skilful in skirmishing at a distance, but in a close fight had much the disadvantage. Then in drawing their forces up for battle, the}' were never accustomed to form in i-egular di- visions; and their line being unprotected either by the thick array of projecting spears or by their shields, as in the Macedonian phalanx, where the soldiers shoulder close and their shields touch, they wei'e easily opened, and broken. Philopoemen reformed all this, persuading them to change the narrow target and short javehn, into a large shield and long pike ; to arm their heads, bodies, thighs, and legs; and instead of loose skirmishing, fight firmly and foot to foot. After he had brought them all to wear fuU armor, and by that means into the confidence of thinking themselves now invincible, he turned what be- fore had been idle profusion and luxury into an honorable expense. For being long used to vie with each other in