Induced by these considerations the consul advanced through Epirus, bs Ue: t.n 、O ，侧U ，nls en he came to Ambracia he saw that siege would be a undertaking. Ambracia lies at the foot of a rugged eminence which the natives call Perranthes. The city on the side where the wall skirts the river .and the plain looks to the the citadel built on the hill lies to the east. The Aretho h rises in Athamania, falls into the gulf named after the city-the Ambracian Gulf. In addition to the protection afforded by the river on the one side and the hill on the other, the city was enclosed by a strong wall more than four miles .m circumference. Fulvius constructed two entrenched camps a a short distance from each other in the direction of the plain and one fort on a height over against the citadel, and made preparations for connecting the whole by a rampart and fosse, so that those shut up in the city would not be able to leave it, nor would it be possible to introduce succours from outside. When the news of the siege of Ambracia reached them, the Aetolian national council assembled at Stratus, on the summons of Nicander, their captain-general. Their first intention was to march thither with all their forces and raise the siege, but when they found that a great part of the city was already invested an只that the Epirot camp was fixed on the level ground the other sine the river, they dividedoher sicie the river, they divided their forces. Eupolemus with iooo light infantry succeeded in entering the city at a point where the lines were not yet closed. Nicander intended to make a night attack with the rest of the troops upon the EDirot camp, as the Romans wo would find it difficult to come to 一1二1 , their assistance with the river between them. On second thoughts, however, the risk seemed too great in case the Romans took the alarm and enaangerea nls retreat, so he marched away and ravaged Acarnania.