Pkilip's Activity in Greece. Commencement of the War一 After the recital of the customary prayers in the Capitol P. Sulpicius was invested妙his lictors with the 间udamentum u and left the City for Brundisium. Here he incorporated into his legions the veterans who had volunteered -out of the African army, and also selected the vessels out of the fleet under Cn. Cornelius, Then he set sail, and the next day he landed in Greece. Here he was met妙 an embassy from Athens who begged him to raise the siege which that city was undergoing. C. Claudius Cento was at once despatched面ther with 20 warships and z ooo men. The kin the siege, he was just then att tcking Abydos, after trying his strength in naval encounters with the Rhodians and with Attalus, and in neither battle had he been successful. But 址s was not a nature to accept d etly, and now that he had leagu ed himself with Antioch of Syria, he was more determined on war than ever. They had agreed to divide the rich kingdom of Egypt betwe en them, and on hearing of the death of Ptolemy they both. prepared to attack it. The Athenians, who retain nothing of their ancient greatness butthro躲瞬had become involvedunimportant incident.瓷绪tiesthe豁黑 of the Eleusuiian Mysteries two youngf Acarnanians who hadnot been initiated entered the temple of Ceres with the rest of 抚crowd, quite unawareon. They were betraye界儿sacrilegious nature ofe silly questions which.捻 asked, and were brought before the temple authorities. Though it was quite evident .that they had sinned in ignorance. they 门.Jl were put to death as though guilty of a horrible crime. The Acarnanians reported this hostile and barbarous act to Philip and obtained his consent to their making war on Athens supported by a Macedonian contingent. Their army began by laying the land of Attica waste with fire and sword, after which they returned to Acarnania with plunder of every description. So far there was only anger and exasperation on both sides, subsequently, by a decree of the citizens, Athens made a formal declaration of war. For when King Attalus and the Rhodians who were following up Philip in his retreat to Macedonia had reached Aegina, the king sailed across to the Piraeus for the purpose of renewing and confirm- alliance with the The whole body of the came out to meet him with their wives and children; the priests in their sacred robes received him as he entered the city even the gods themselves were almost summoned from their shrines to welcome him.