PHILOPCEMEN. 373

stealing out of the furthest gate with his men, marched away with all the speed he could, thinking himself a happy man if he could get off with safety. And he did escape ; but Messene was rescued. All hitherto makes for the praise and honor of Philo- poemen. But when at the request of the Gortynians he went away into Crete to command for them, at a time when his own country was distressed by Nabis, he exposed himself to the charge of either cowardice, or unseasona- ble ambition of honor amoqgst foreigners. For the Meg- alopolitans were then so pressed, that, the enemy being loaster of the field and encamping almost at their gates, they were forced to keep themselves within their walls, and sow their very streets. And he in the mean time, across the seas, waging war and commanding in chief in a foreign nation, furnished his ill-wishers with matter enough for their reproaches. Some said he took the offer of the Gortynians, because the Achasans chose other generals, and left him but a private man. For he could not endure to sit still, but looking upon war and com- mand in it as his great business, always coveted to be employed. And this agrees with what he once aptly said of king Ptolemy. Somebody was praising him for keep- ing his army and himself in an admirable state of disci- pline and exercise : " And what praise," replied Philopoe- men, " for a king of his years, to be always preparing, and never performing ? " However, the Megalopolitans, thinking themselves betrayed, took it so ill, that they were about to banish him. But the Achajans put an end to that design, by sending their General, Arista^us, to Meg- alopolis, who, though he were at difference with Philopoe- men about affairs of the commonwealth, yet would not suffer him to be banished. Philopoemen finding himself upon this account out of favor with his citizens, induced divers of the little neighboring places to renounce obe-