Armistice and Aetolian mission to Rome.一While Philip was thus engaged T. Quinctius, after taking over Zacynthus from the Achaean council, sailed to Naupactus, which had been standing a siege for two months, but was now nearing its fall. Its forcible capture would probably have brought ruin on the Aetolians as a nation. Quinctius had every reason for being embittered against them;he had not forgotten that they were the only people that had spoken slightingly of him when he was winning the glory of liberating. Greece and had refused to be guided by him when he sought to dissuade them from their mad project by forewarning them as to what would happen to them, a forewarning which events had just now proved to be true. As, however, he looked upon himself as especially bound to see that no State in the Greece which he had freed was utterly destroved. he decided to walk uD to the walls so that the Aetobans could easily see who he was. He was吐once recognised by the advanced posts, and the news rapidly spread throughout the city and troops that Quinctius was there. There was a general rush to the walls:the DeODle all held out their hands in suDDlica- ，，_JL、， tion. ana witn one voice aDDeaiea to MM w name ana lMDiorea ，几二r‘ him to come to their succour and save them. He was deeply moved by this appeal, but at the same time he made signs to them that it was not in his power to help them. When he saw the consul he said to him.“ M。 Acilius, do you fail to see what is going on, or if you are qu Lite aware of it do you consider that it in no way touches the supreme interest of the Republic?”The consul's attention was aroused and he replied,“Why are you not explicit? What do you mean?” Quinctius continued,“ Do you not see now that Antiochus is crushed, how you are wasting time in laying siege to a couple of cities when your year of office has almost expired, while Philip, who has never seen the standards or the battle-line of the enemy, has been annexing not cities only, but all those States, Athamania, Perrhaebia, Ap erantia, Dolopia?And ye t it is not so im portant to us that the strength and resources of the Aetolians should be weakened as it is that Philip should not be allowed to extend his dominions indefinitely and hold all those States as the prize of victory while you and your soldiers cannot pride yourselves on the conquest of two cities.”