§4.61.1τὰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ Πελοπόννησον ἐν τούτοις ἦν.
Such then was the state of affairs in the Peloponnese.
ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Φίλιππος διελθὼν τὴν Θετταλίαν παρῆν εἰς Ἤπειρον.
Meanwhile King Philip, having passed through Thessaly, arrived in Epirus.
§4.61.2ἀναλαβὼν δὲ τοὺς Ἠπειρώτας ἅμα τοῖς Μακεδόσι πανδημεὶ καὶ τοὺς ἐξ Ἀχαΐας αὐτῷ συνηντηκότας σφενδονήτας τριακοσίους, ἔτι δὲ τοὺς παρὰ Πολυρρηνίων ἀπεσταλμένους Κρῆτας πεντακοσίους, προῆγε, καὶ διελθὼν τὴν Ἤπειρον παρῆν εἰς τὴν τῶν Ἀμβρακιωτῶν χώραν.
Taking with him the entire force of the Epirots together with the Macedonians, as well as three hundred slingers from Achaea who had met him, and also five hundred Cretans sent by the Polyrrhenians, he advanced, and having traversed Epirus, arrived in the territory of the Ambraciots.
§4.61.3εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐξ ἐφόδου κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὴν μεσόγαιαν τὴν Αἰτωλίας, ἄφνω καὶ παραδόξως ἐπιπεσὼν δυνάμει βαρείᾳ τοῖς ὅλοις πράγμασιν ἐπιτεθείκει τέλος·
If, therefore, he had immediately and without interruption invaded the interior of Aetolia, falling upon them suddenly and unexpectedly with his heavy force, he would have put an end to the whole war.
§4.61.4νῦν δὲ πεισθεὶς τοῖς Ἠπειρώταις πρῶτον ἐκπολιορκῆσαι τὸν Ἄμβρακον, ἔδωκε τοῖς Αἰτωλοῖς ἀναστροφὴν εἰς τὸ καὶ στῆναι καὶ προνοηθῆναί τι καὶ παρασκευάσασθαι πρὸς τὸ μέλλον.
But as it was, having been persuaded by the Epirots first to reduce Ambracus by siege, he gave the Aetolians a breathing space to rally, to take thought, and to make preparations for the future.
§4.61.5οἱ γὰρ Ἠπειρῶται, τὸ σφέτερον ἀναγκαιότερον τιθέμενοι τοῦ κοινοῦ τῶν συμμάχων, καὶ μεγάλως σπουδάζοντες ὑφʼ αὑτοὺς ποιήσασθαι τὸν Ἄμβρακον, ἐδέοντο τοῦ Φιλίππου ποιήσασθαι πολιορκίαν περὶ τὸ χωρίον καὶ τοῦτο πρότερον ἐξελεῖν, §4.61.6περὶ πλείστου ποιούμενοι τὸ κομίσασθαι τὴν Ἀμβρακίαν παρὰ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν, τοῦτο δὲ γενέσθαι μόνως ἂν ἐλπίζοντες, εἰ τοῦ προειρημένου τόπου κυριεύσαντες ἐπικαθίσαιεν τῇ πόλει.
For the Epirots, considering their own interest more urgent than the common interest of the allies, and being highly anxious to bring Ambracus under their own subjection, begged Philip to lay siege to the place and to capture it first, making it their highest object to recover Ambracia from the Aetolians, and hoping that this could only be achieved if they made themselves masters of the aforementioned stronghold and established a blockading force over the city.
§4.61.7ὁ γὰρ Ἄμβρακος ἔστι μὲν χωρίον εὖ κατεσκευασμένον καὶ προτειχίσμασι καὶ τείχει, κεῖται δʼ ἐν λίμναις, μίαν ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας στενὴν καὶ χωστὴν ἔχον πρόσοδον, ἐπίκειται δʼ εὐκαίρως τῇ τε χώρᾳ τῶν Ἀμβρακιωτῶν καὶ τῇ πόλει.
For Ambracus is a place well fortified both with outworks and a wall; it lies in the midst of marshes, having only one narrow approach constructed by a causeway from the mainland, and commandingly situated for action against both the territory of the Ambraciots and their city.
§4.61.8Φίλιππος μὲν οὖν πεισθεὶς Ἠπειρώταις καὶ καταστρατοπεδεύσας περὶ τὸν Ἄμβρακον, ἐγίνετο περὶ
Philip, then, having been persuaded by the Epirots and having encamped around Ambracus, occupied himself with...