FLAMININUS
  230？…174　B。C。
  by　Plutarch
  translated　by　John　Dryden
  WHAT　Titus　Quintius　＇Flamininus＇；　whom　we　select　as　a　parallel　to
  Philopoemen；　was　in　personal　appearance；　those　who　are　curious　may　see
  by　the　brazen　statue　of　him；　which　stands　in　Rome　near　that　of　the
  great　Apollo；　brought　from　Carthage；　opposite　to　the　Circus　Maximus；
  with　a　Greek　inscription　upon　it。　The　temper　of　his　mind　is　said　to
  have　been　of　the　warmest　both　in　anger　and　in　kindness；　not　indeed
  equally　so　in　both　respects；　as　in　punishing　he　was　ever　moderate；
  never　inflexible；　but　whatever　courtesy　or　good　turn　he　set　about；
  he　went　through　with　it；　and　was　as　perpetually　kind　and　obliging　to
  those　on　whom　he　had　poured　his　favours；　as　if　they；　not　he；　had
  been　the　benefactors；　exerting　himself　for　the　security　and
  preservation　of　what　he　seemed　to　consider　his　noblest　possessions；
  those　to　whom　he　had　done　good。　But　being　ever　thirsty　after　honour；
  and　passionate　for　glory；　if　anything　of　a　greater　and　more
  extraordinary　nature　were　to　be　done；　he　was　eager　to　be　the　doer　of
  it　himself；　and　took　more　pleasure　in　those　that　needed；　than　in　those
  that　were　capable　of　conferring　favours；　looking　on　the　former　as
  objects　for　his　virtue；　and　on　the　latter　as　competitors　in　glory。
  ＇The　manuscripts　generally　write　the　name　incorrectly…
  Flaminius。　Titus　was　the　name　by　which　he　was　commonly　known　to　the
  Greeks＇。
  Rome　had　then　many　sharp　contests　going　on；　and　her　youth　betaking
  themselves　early　to　the　wars；　learned　betimes　the　art　of　commanding；
  and　Flamininus；　having　passed　through　the　rudiments　of　soldiery；
  received　his　first　charge　in　the　war　against　Hannibal；　as　tribune
  under　Marcellus；　then　consul。　Marcellus；　indeed；　falling　into　an
  ambuscade；　was　cut　off。　But　Titus；　receiving　the　appointment　of
  governor；　as　well　of　Tarentum；　then　retaken；　as　of　the　country　about
  it；　grew　no　less　famous　for　his　administration　of　justice；　than　for
  his　military　skill。　This　obtained　him　the　office　of　leader　and　founder
  of　two　colonies　which　were　sent　into　the　cities　of　Narnia　and　Cossa；
  which　filled　him　with　loftier　hopes；　and　made　him　aspire　to　step
  over　those　previous　honours　which　it　was　usual　first　to　pass
  through；　the　offices　of　tribune　of　the　people；　praetor　and　aedile；　and
  to　level　his　aim　immediately　at　the　consulship。　Having　these　colonies；
  and　all　their　interest　ready　at　his　service；　he　offered　himself　as
  candidate；　but　the　tribunes　of　the　people；　Fulvius　and　＇Manius＇　and
  their　party；　strongly　opposed　him；　alleging　how　unbecoming　a　thing
  it　was　that　a　man　of　such　raw　years；　one　who　was　yet；　as　it　were；
  untrained；　uninitiated　in　the　first　sacred　rites　and　mysteries　of
  government；　should；　in　contempt　of　the　laws；　intrude　and　force　himself
  into　the　sovereignty。
  ＇Manius　Curius　is　meant＇。
  However；　the　senate　remitted　it　to　the　people's　choice　and　suffrage；
  who　elected　him　（though　not　then　arrived　at　his　thirtieth　year）　consul
  with　Sextus　Aelius。　The　war　against　Philip　and　the　Macedonians　fell　to
  Titus　by　lot；　and　some　kind　fortune；　propitious　at　that　time　to　the
  Romans；　seems　to　have　so　determined　it；　as　neither　the　people　nor
  the　state　of　things　which　were　now　to　be　dealt　with　were　such　as　to
  require　a　general　who　would　always　be　upon　the　point　of　force　and　mere
  blows；　but　rather　were　accessible　to　persuasion　and　gentle　usage。　It
  is　true　that　the　kingdom　of　Macedon　furnished　supplies　enough　to
  Philip　for　actual　battle　with　the　Romans；　but　to　maintain　a　long　and
  lingering　war　he　must　call　in　aid　from　Greece；　must　thence　procure　his
  supplies；　there　find　his　means　of　retreat；　Greece；　in　a　word；　would　be
  his　resource　for　all　the　requisites　of　his　army。　Unless；　therefore；
  the　Greeks　could　be　withdrawn　from　siding　with　Philip；　this　war　with
  him　must　not　expect　its　decision　from　a　single　battle。　Now　Greece
  （which　had　not　hitherto　held　much　correspondence　with　the　Romans；
  but　first　began　an　intercourse　on　this　occasion）　would　not　so　soon
  have　embraced　a　foreign　authority；　instead　of　the　commanders　she　had
  been　inured　to；　had　not　the　general　of　these　strangers　been　of　a　kind；
  gentle　nature；　one　who　worked　rather　by　fair　means　than　force；　of　a
  persuasive　address　in　all　applications　to　others；　and　no　less
  courteous　and　open　to　all　addresses　of　others　to　him；　and　above　all
  bent　and　determined　on　justice。　But　the　story　of　his　actions　will　best
  illustrate　these　particulars。
  Titus　observed　that　both　Sulpicius　and　Publius；　who　had　been　his
  predecessors　in　that　command；　had　not　taken　the　field　against　the
  Macedonians　till　late　in　the　year；　and　then；　too；　had　not　set　their
  hands　properly　to　the　war；　but　had　kept　skirmishing　and　scouting
  here　and　there　for　passes　and　provisions；　and　never　came　to　close
  fighting　with　Philip。　He　resolved　not　to　trifle　away　a　year；　as　they
  had　done；　at　home　in　ostentation　of　the　honour；　and　in　domestic
  administration；　and　only　then　to　join　the　army；　with　the　pitiful
  hope　of　protracting　the　term　of　office　through　a　second　year；　acting
  as　consul　in　the　first；　and　as　general　in　the　latter。　He　was；
  moreover；　infinitely　desirous　to　employ　his　authority　with　effect　upon
  the　war；　which　made　him　slight　those　home　honours　and　prerogatives。
  Requesting；　therefore；　of　the　senate；　that　his　brother　Lucius　might
  act　with　him　as　admiral　of　the　navy；　and　taking　with　him　to　be　the
  edge；　as　it　were；　of　the　expedition　three　thousand　still　young　and
  vigorous　soldiers；　of　those　who；　under　Scipio；　had　defeated　Asdrubal
  in　Spain；　and　Hannibal　in　Africa；　he　got　safe　into　Epirus；　and　found
  Publius　encamped　with　his　army；　over　against　Philip；　who　had　long　made
  good　the　pass　over　the　river　Apsus；　and　the　straits　there；　Publius　not
  having　been　able；　for　the　natural　strength　of　the　place；　to　effect
  anything　against　him。　Titus　therefore　took　upon　himself　the　conduct　of
  the　army；　and；　having　dismissed　Publius；　examined　the　ground。　The
  place　is　in　strength　not　inferior　to　Tempe；　though　it　lacks　the
  trees　and　green　woods；　and　the　pleasant　meadows　and　walks　that　adorn
  Tempe。　The　Apsus；　making　its　way　between　vast　and　lofty　mountains
  which　all　but　meet　above　a　single　deep　ravine　in　the　midst；　is　not
  unlike　the　river　Peneus　in　the　rapidity　of　its　current　and　in　its
  general　appearance。　It　covers　the　foot　of　those　hills；　and　leaves　only
  a　craggy；　narrow　path　cut　out　beside　the　stream；　not　easily　passable
  at　any　time　for　an　army；　but　not　at　all　when　guarded　by　an　enemy。
  There　were　some；　therefore；　who　would　have　had　Titus　make　a
  circuit　through　Dassaretis；　and　take　an　easy　and　safe　road　by　the
  district　of　Lyncus。　But　he；　fearing　that　if　he　should　engage　himself
  too　far　from　the　sea　in　barren　and　untilled　countries；　and　Philip
  should　decline　fighting；　he　might；　through　want　of　provisions；　be
  constrained　to　march　back　again　to　the　seaside　without　effecting
  anything；　as　his　predecessor　had　done　before　him；　embraced　the
  resolution　of　forcing　his　way　over　the　mountains。　But　Philip；　having
  possessed　himself　of　them　with　his　army；　showered　down　his　darts　and
  arrows　from　all　parts　upon　the　Romans。　Sharp　encounters　took　place；
  and　many　fell　wounded　and　slain　on　both　sides；　and　there　seemed　but
  little　likelihood　of　thus　ending　the　war；　when　some　of　the　men；　who
  fed　their　cattle　thereabouts；　came　to　Titus　with　a　discovery；　that
  there　was　a　roundabout　way　which　the　enemy　neglected　to　guard：　through
  which　they　undertook　to　conduct　his　army；　and　to　bring　it；　within
  three　days　at　furthest；　to　the　top　of　the　hills。　To　gain　the　surer
  credit　with　him；　they　said　that　Charops；　son　of　Machatas；　a　leading
  man　in　Epirus；　who　was　friendly　to　the　Romans；　and　aided　them　（though；
  for　fear　of　Philip；　secretly）；　was　privy　to　the　design。　Titus　gave
  their　information　belief；　and　sent　a　captain　with　four　thousand　foot
  and　three　hundred　horse；　these　herdsmen　being　their　guides；　but　kept
  in　bonds。　In　the　daytime　they　lay　still　under　the　covert　of　the　hollow
  and　woody　places；　but　in　the　night　they　marched　by　moonlight；　the　moon
  being　then　at　the　full。　Titus；　having　detached　this　party；　lay　quiet
  with　his　main　body；　merely　keeping　up　the　attention　of　the　enemy　by
  some　slight　skirmishing。　But　when　the　day　arrived　that　those　who　stole
  round　were　expected　upon　the　top　of　the　hill；　he　drew　up　his　forces
  early　in　the　morning；　as　well　the　light…armed　as　the　heavy；　and；
  dividing　them　into　three　parts；　himself　led　the　van；　marching　his
  men　up　the　narrow　passage　along　the　bank；　darted　at　by　the　Macedonians
  and　engaging；　in　this　difficult　ground；　hand　to　hand　with　his
  assailants；　whilst　the　other　two　divisions　on　either　side　of　him　threw
  themselves　with　great　alacrity　among　the　rocks。　Whilst　they　were
  struggling　forward；　the　sun　rose；　and　a　thin　smoke；　like　a　mist；
  hanging　on　the　hills；　was　seen　rising　at　a　distance；　unperceived　by
  the　enemy；　being　behind　them；　as　they　stood　on　the　heights；　and　the
  Romans；　also；　as　yet　under　suspense；　in　the　toil　and　difficulty　they
  were　in；　could　only　doubtfully　construe　the　sight　according　to　their
  desires。　But　as　it　g