Now the Romans crossed the Ionian Gulf and laid hands upon the Greek mainland.  They found an excuse for the voyage in the following circumstances. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 47^1] ISSA IS AN ISLAND SITUATED IN THE IONIAN GULF.  ITS DWELLERS, KNOWN AS ISSAEANS, HAD OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL SURRENDERED THEMSELVES TO THE ROMANS because they were angry with their ruler Agro, king of the Ardiaeans and of Illyrian stock. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 47^2] TO HIM THE CONSULS SENT ENVOYS.  But he had died, leaving a son as his successor who was still a mere child, [Sidenote:  FRAG. 47^2] AND HIS WIFE, THE BOY’S STEPMOTHER, WAS ADMINISTERING THE DOMAIN OF THE ARDIAEANS.  HER DEALINGS WITH THE AMBASSADORS WERE CHARACTERIZED BY A LACK OF MODERATION, AND WHEN THEY SPOKE FRANKLY SHE CAST SOME OF THEM INTO PRISON AND KILLED OTHERS.  IMMEDIATELY THE ROMANS VOTED FOR WAR AGAINST HER, HOWEVER, SHE WAS PANIC-STRICKEN, PROMISED TO RESTORE THE AMBASSADORS THAT WERE LEFT ALIVE, AND DECLARED THAT THE DEAD HAD BEEN SLAIN BY ROBBERS.  WHEN THE ROMANS DEMANDED THE SURRENDER OF THE MURDERERS, SHE DECLARED THAT SHE WOULD NOT GIVE THEM UP AND DESPATCHED AN ARMY AGAINST ISSA.  THEN SHE AGAIN GREW FEARFUL AND SENT A CERTAIN DEMETRIUS TO THE CONSULS, ASSURING THEM OF HER READINESS TO HEED THEM IN EVERY DETAIL.  A TRUCE WAS MADE WITH HER EMISSARY UPON THE LATTER’S AGREEING TO GIVE THEM CORCYRA.  YET WHEN THE CONSULS HAD CROSSED OVER TO THE ISLAND, SHE, POSSESSING WOMAN-LIKE A LIGHT AND FICKLE DISPOSITION, FELT IMBUED WITH NEW COURAGE, AND SENT OUT AN ARMY TO EPIDAMNUS AND APOLLONIA.  AT THE NEWS THAT THE ROMANS HAD RESCUED THE CITIES, THAT THEY HAD DETAINED SHIPS OF HERS LADEN WITH TREASURE WHICH WERE SAILING HOME FROM THE PELOPONNESUS, THAT THEY HAD DEVASTATED THE COAST REGIONS, THAT DEMETRIUS AS A RESULT OF HER CAPRICIOUSNESS HAD TRANSFERRED HIS ALLEGIANCE TO THE ROMANS BESIDES PERSUADING SOME OTHERS TO DESERT, SHE BECAME UTTERLY TERRIFIED AND WITHDREW FROM HER SOVEREIGNTY.  Demetrius as destined guardian of the child was given charge of the ex-queen also.  The Romans were thanked by the Corinthians for this action and took part in the Isthmian contest, Plautus winning the stadium race in it.  Moreover they formed a friendship with the Athenians and took part in their government and in the Mysteries.

The name Illyricum was anciently applied to various regions, but later it was transferred to the upper mainland, that above Macedonia and Thrace, located this side of Haemus and toward Rhodope:  it lies between these mountains and the Alps, also between the river AEnus and the Ister, extending as far as the Euxine Sea,—­indeed, its boundaries at some points extend beyond the Ister.

[Sidenote:  (FRAG. 48?)] AS AN ORACLE HAD ONCE COME TO THE ROMANS THAT GREEKS AND GAULS SHOULD OCCUPY THE CITY, TWO GAULS AND A COUPLE OF GREEKS, MALE AND FEMALE, WERE BURIED ALIVE IN THE FORUM, that in this way destiny might seem to have fulfilled itself and they be properly regarded, since buried alive, as possessing a part of the city.