372 PHILOPCEMEN.

The whole theatre at once turned to look at Philopoemen, and clapped with delight; their hopes venturing once more to return to their country's former reputation ; and their feelings almost rising to the height of their ancient spirit. It was with the Achaeans as with young horses, which go quietly with their usual riders, but grow unruly and res- tive imder strangers. The soldiers, when any service was in hand, and Philopoemen not at their head, grew dejected and looked about for him ; but if he once appeared, came presently to themselves, and recovered their confidence and courage, being sensible that this was the only one of their commanders whom the enemy could not endure to face ; but, as appeared in several occasions, were frighted with his very name. Thus we find that Philip, king of Macedon, thinking to terrify the Achteans into subjection again, if he could rid his hands of Philopoemen, emplo3"ed some persons privately to assassinate him. But the treachery coming to light, he became infamous, and lost his character throu2;h Greece. The Boeotians besieginsc Megara, and ready to carry the town by storm, upon a groundless rvmior, that Philopoemen was at hand with suc- cor, ran away, and left their scaling ladders at the wall behind them. Nabis, (who was tyrant of Lacedsemon after Machanidas,) had surprised Messene at a time when Philopoemen was out of command. He tried to persuade Lysippus, then General of the Achteans, to succor Mes- sene : but not prevailing with him, because, he said, the enemy being now within it, the place was irrecoverably lost, he resolved to go himself, without order or commis- sion, followed merely by his own immediate fellow-citizens who went with him as their general by commission from nature, which had made him fittest to command. Nabis, hearing of his coming, though his army quartered with- in the town, thought it not convenient to stay; but