§32.16.1sub idem fere tempus, quo consul adversus Philippum primum in Epiri faucibus posuit castra, §32.16.2et L. Quinctius frater consulis, cui classis cura maritimaeque orae imperium mandatum ab senatu erat, cum duabus quinqueremibus Corcyram travectus, §32.16.3postquam profectam inde classem audivit, nihil morandum ratus, cum ad Samen insulam adsecutus esset, §32.16.4dimisso Livio, cui successerat, tarde inde ad Maleum trahendis plerumque remulco navibus, quae cum commeatu sequebantur, pervenit. §32.16.5a Maleo, iussis ceteris, quantum maxime possent maturare, sequi, ipse tribus quinqueremibus expeditis Piraeum praecedit accepitque naves relictas ibi ab L. Apustio legato ad praesidium Athenarum. §32.16.6eodem tempore duae ex Asia classes profectae, una cum Attalo rege — eae quattuor et viginti quinqueremes erant —, Rhodia altera viginti navium tectarum; §32.16.7Agesimbrotus praeerat.
About the same time that the consul first pitched his camp against Philip in the pass of Epirus, Lucius Quinctius, the brother of the consul, to whom the care of the fleet and the command of the seacoast had been entrusted by the senate, having crossed over to Corcyra with two quinqueremes, when he heard that the fleet had set out from there, thinking that he should not delay, overtook it at the island of Same, and having dismissed Livius, whom he had succeeded, he arrived from there at Cape Malea, moving slowly because the ships that followed with provisions were mostly towed. From Malea, having ordered the others to follow as quickly as they possibly could, he himself with three light quinqueremes went ahead to Piraeus and received the ships left there by the lieutenant Lucius Apustius for the protection of Athens. At the same time, two fleets set out from Asia: one with King Attalus—these were twenty-four quinqueremes—and the other, of Rhodes, of twenty decked ships; Agesimbrotus commanded it.
hae circa Andrum insulam classes coniunctae Euboeam inde exiguo distantem freto traiecerunt. §32.16.8Carystiorum primum agros vastarunt; deinde, ubi Carystus praesidio a Chalcide raptim misso firma visa est, ad Eretriam accesserunt. §32.16.9eodem et L. Quinctius cum iis navibus, quae Piraei fuerant, Attali regis adventu audito venit iussis, ut quaeque ex sua classe venissent naves, Euboeam petere. §32.16.10Eretria summa vi oppugnabatur; nam et trium iunctarum classium naves omnis generis tormenta machinasque ad urbium excidia secum portabant, et agri adfatim materiae praebebant ad nova molienda opera. §32.16.11oppidani primo impigre tuebantur moenia, dein fessi vulneratique aliquot, cum et muri partem eversam operibus hostium cernerent, §32.16.12ad deditionem inclinarunt.
These fleets, having united around the island of Andros, crossed from there to Euboea, which was separated by a narrow strait. First they ravaged the lands of the Carystians; then, when Carystus appeared secure because of a garrison hastily sent from Chalcis, they approached Eretria. To the same place also came Lucius Quinctius with those ships which had been at Piraeus, having heard of the arrival of King Attalus, after ordering that whatever ships should come from his own fleet should head for Euboea. Eretria was attacked with the utmost force; for the ships of the three joined fleets carried with them all kinds of artillery and engines for the destruction of cities, and the territory supplied timber in abundance for constructing new works. The townspeople at first vigorously defended the walls, then, being fatigued and several of them wounded, when they saw a part of the wall demolished by the enemy's works, they inclined toward surrender.
sed praesidium erat Macedonum, quos non minus quam Romanos metuebant, et Philocles regius praefectus a Chalcide nuntios mittebat se in tempore adfuturum, si sustinerent obsidionem. §32.16.13haec mixta metu spes ultra, quam vellent aut quam possent, trahere eos tempus cogebat; §32.16.14deinde, postquam Philoclen repulsum trepidantemque refugisse Chalcidem acceperunt, oratores extemplo ad Attalum veniam fidemque eius petentis miserunt. §32.16.15dum in spem pacis intenti segnius munera belli obeunt et ea modo parte, qua murus dirutus erat, ceteris neglectis stationes armatas opponunt, Quinctius noctu ab ea parte, quae minime suspecta erat, impetu facto scalis urbem cepit. §32.16.16oppidanorum omnis multitudo cum coniugibus ac liberis in arcem confugit, deinde in deditionem venit.
But there was a garrison of Macedonians, whom they feared no less than the Romans, and Philocles, the king's prefect, sent messengers from Chalcis saying that he would be there in time if they would hold out against the siege. This hope, mixed with fear, forced them to drag out the time beyond what they wished or what they were able; then, after they heard that Philocles had been repulsed and had fled back to Chalcis in panic, they immediately sent envoys to Attalus, asking for his pardon and protection. While they, intent on the hope of peace, were performing their military duties more sluggishly, and were opposing armed guards only at that part where the wall had been demolished, neglecting the other parts, Quinctius, making an attack by night from the side which was least suspected, took the city by ladders. The entire multitude of the townspeople, with their wives and children, fled into the citadel, and then surrendered.
pecuniae aurique et argenti haud sane multum fuit; §32.16.17signa et tabulae priscae artis ornamentaque eius generis plura quam pro urbis magnitudine aut opibus ceteris inventa.
There was indeed not much money, gold, or silver; but statues, paintings of ancient art, and ornaments of that kind were found in greater numbers than in proportion to the size of the city or its other resources.