[Footnote 1:  15th May.]

[Footnote 2:  3rd May.]

4.  A little before this time, ambassadors came to Rome from the two kings, Philip of Macedonia and Ptolemy of Egypt, offering aid of men, money, and corn towards the support of the war.  From Ptolemy was brought a thousand pounds’ weight of gold, and twenty thousand pounds’ weight of silver.  None of this was accepted.  Thanks were returned to the kings.  Both of them offered to come, with their whole force, into Aetolia.  Ptolemy was excused from that trouble; and Philip’s ambassadors were answered, that the senate and people of Rome would consider it as a kindness if he should lend his assistance to the consul, Manius Acilius.  Ambassadors came, likewise from the Carthaginians, and from king Masinissa.  The Carthaginians made an offer of sending a thousand pecks[1] of wheat, and five hundred thousand of barley to the army, and half that quantity to Rome; which they requested the Romans to accept from them as a present.  They also offered to fit out a fleet at their own expense, and to give in, immediately, the whole amount of the annual tribute-money which they were bound to pay for many years to come.  The ambassadors of Masinissa promised, that their king should send five hundred thousand pecks of wheat, and three hundred thousand of barley, to the army in Greece, and three hundred thousand of wheat, and two hundred and fifty thousand of barley, to Rome; also five hundred horse, and twenty elephants, to the consul Acilius.  The answer given to both, with regard to the corn, was, that the Roman people would make use of it, provided they would receive payment for the same.  With regard to the fleet offered by the Carthaginians, no more was accepted than such ships as they owed by treaty; and, as to the money, they were told, that none would be taken before the regular days of payment.

[Footnote 1:  Here is, doubtless, some word dropped in the original; so small a quantity could never have been deemed an object for one powerful state to offer to another.  Commentators suppose it to have been one hundred thousand.]

5.  While these things were occurring at Rome, Antiochus, during the winter season at Chalcis, endeavoured to bring over several of the states by ambassadors sent among them; while many of their own accord sent deputies to him; as the Epirots, by the general voice of the nation, and the Eleans from Peloponnesus.  The Eleans requested aid against the Achaeans; for they supposed, that, since the war had been declared against Antiochus contrary to their judgment, the Achaeans would first turn their arms against them.  One thousand foot were sent to them, under the command of Euphanes, a Cretan.  The embassy of the Epirots showed no mark whatever of a liberal or candid disposition.  They wished to ingratiate themselves with the king; but, at the same time, to avoid giving cause of displeasure to the Romans.  They requested him, “not