Aratus

Demetrius, with a laugh, replied: If thou hast the spirit of a seer, thou wilt give up the place; but if that of a king, thou wilt hold the ox by both its horns, speaking darkly of Peloponnesus, which, if Philip added the Ithomatas to Acrocorinthus, would be altogether subject and submissive to him.

Aratus held his peace for a long time, but upon Philip’s asking him to express his opinion, said: There are many lofty hills in Crete, O Philip, and many towering citadels in Boeotia and Phocis; in Acarnania, too, I suppose, as well inland as on its shores, there are many places which show an amazing strength; but not one of these dost thou occupy, and yet all these peoples gladly do thy bidding.

For it is robbers that cling to cliffs and crags, but for a king there is no stronger or more secure defence than trust and gratitude. These open up for thee the Cretan sea, these the Peloponnesus. Relying upon these, young as thou art, thou hast already made thyself leader here, and master there. While he was yet speaking, Philip handed the entrails to the seer, and drawing Aratus to him by the hand, said: Come hither, then, and let us take the same road, implying that he had been constrained by him and made to give up the city.