PHILONIUM, in pharmacy, a kind of somniferous anodyne opiate, taking its name from Philo the inventor.
Antiqu. Univ. Hist. vol. vi. PHILOPÆMEN, a celebrated general of the Achaean league, was born in Megalopolis, a city of Arcadia, in Peloponnesus; and from his very infancy discovered a strong inclination to the profession of
arms. He was nobly educated by Cassander of Mantinea; a man of great probity, and uncommon abilities. He was no sooner able to bear arms than he entered among the troops which the city of Megalopolis sent to make incursions into Laconia, and in these incursions never failed to give some remarkable instance of his prudence and valour. When there were no troops in the field, he used to employ his leisure time in hunting and such other manly exercises. When Cleomenes king of Sparta attacked Megalopolis, Philopœmen displayed much courage and greatness of soul. He signalized himself no less some time after, in the battle of Sellasia, where Antigonus gained a complete victory over Cleomenes. Antigonus, who had been an eye-witness of his prudent and intrepid behaviour, made very advantageous offers to gain him over to his interest; but he rejected them, having an utter aversion to a court life, which he compared to that of a slave, saying, that a courtier was but a slave of a better condition. As he could not live idle and inactive, he went to the isle of Crete, which was then engaged in war, and served there as a volunteer till he acquired a complete knowledge of the military art; for the inhabitants of that island were in those days accounted excellent warriors, being scarce ever at peace among themselves. Philopœmen, having served some years among the troops of that island, returned home, and was upon his arrival appointed general of the horse; in which command he behaved so well, that the Achaean horse, heretofore of no reputation, became in a short time famous all over Greece. He was soon after appointed general of all the Achaean forces, when he applied himself to the re-establishing of military discipline among the troops of the republic, which he found in a very low condition, and universally despised by their neighbours. Aratus, indeed, was the first that raised the Achaean state to that pitch of power and glory to which it arrived; but the success of his enterprises was not so much owing to his courage and intrepidity as to his prudence and politics. As he depended on the friendship of foreign princes, and their powerful succours, he neglected the military discipline at home; but the infant Philopœmen was created prætor, or commander in chief, he roused the courage of his countrymen, in order to put them into a condition to defend themselves without the assistance of foreign allies. With this view he made great improvements in the Achaean discipline; changing the manner of their exercise and their arms, which were both very defective. He had thus, for the space of eight months, exercised his troops every day, making them perform all the motions and evolutions, and accustoming them to manage with dexterity their arms, when news was brought him that Machanidas was advancing, at the head of a numerous army, to invade Achaia. He was glad of this opportunity to try how the troops had profited by his discipline; and accordingly, taking the field, met the enemy in the territories of Mantinea, where a battle was fought. Philopœmen, having killed Machanidas with his own hand, struck off his head, and carried it from rank to rank, to encourage his victorious Achæans, who continued the pursuit, with great slaughter, and incredible ardour, to the city of Tegea, which they entered together with the fugitives. The Lacedæmonians lost
Philoso- on this occasion above 8000 men, of which 4000 were
men. killed on the spot, and as many taken prisoners. The
loss of the Achæans was very inconsiderable, and those
that fell were mostly mercenaries. This happened
about the year before Christ 204.
But what most of all raised the fame and reputation
of Philopœmen was his joining the powerful city of
Lacedæmon to the Achæan commonwealth; by which
means the Achæans came to eclipse all the other states
of Greece. This memorable event happened in the
year 191. In this transaction we cannot help taking
notice of one circumstance, which, in our opinion, re-
flects greater lustre on Philopœmen than all his warlike
exploits. The Lacedæmonians, overjoyed to see them-
selves delivered from the oppressions they had long
groaned under, ordered the palace and furniture of
Nabis to be sold; and the sum accruing from thence,
to the amount of 120 talents, to be presented to Phi-
lopœmen, as a token of their gratitude. Deputies
therefore were to be appointed, who should carry the
money, and desire Philopœmen, in the name of the fe-
mate, to accept of the present. On this occasion it was
that the virtue of the generous Achæan appeared in
its greatest lustre; for so great was the opinion which
the Spartans had of his probity and disinterestedness,
that no one could be found who would take upon him
to offer the present: struck with veneration, and fear
of displeasing him, they all begged to be excused. At
last they obliged, by a public decree, one Timolus,
who had formerly been his guest, to go to Megalopolis,
where Philopœmen lived, and offer him this testimony
of their regard. Timolus, with great reluctance, set
out for Megalopolis, where he was kindly received and
entertained by Philopœmen. Here he had an oppor-
tunity of observing the strictness of his whole conduct,
the greatness of his mind, the frugality of his life, and
the regularity of his manners; which struck him with
such awe, that he did not dare once to mention the
present he was come to offer; insomuch that, giving
some other pretence to his journey, he returned home
with the money. The Lacedæmonians sent him again;
but he could no more prevail upon himself now than
the first time to mention the true cause of his journey.
At last, going a third time, he ventured, with the ut-
most reluctance, to acquaint Philopœmen with the
offer he had to make in the name of the Lacedæmo-
nians. Philopœmen heard him with great calmness;
but the instant he had done speaking, he set out with
him for Sparta, where, after having acknowledged his
obligation to the Spartans, he advised them to lay out
their money in reforming or purchasing those miscreants
who divided the citizens, and set them at variance by
means of their seditious discourses; to the end that,
being paid for their silence, they might not occasion
so many distractions in the government: "for it is
much more advisable (said he) to stop an enemy's
mouth than a friend's; as for me, I shall always be
your friend, and you shall reap the benefit of my
friendship without expense." Such was the disinterested-
ness of this noble Achæan!
About two years after this the city of Messene
withdrew itself from the Achæan league. Philopœ-
men attacked them; but was wounded, taken prisoner,
and poisoned by the magistrates. Thus died one of
the greatest heroes that Greece or any other country
ever produced. He was no way inferior in valour,
military knowledge, and virtue, to any of the boasted
heroes of Rome. Had Achaia been nearer to an
equality with Rome, he would have preserved his
country from the yoke which the Roman republic
forced it to bear. Both the Greek and Roman wri-
ters put him upon the level with Hannibal and Scipio,
who were his contemporaries, and happened to die the
same year. They allow him to have been not only
one of the greatest commanders, but also one of the
greatest statesmen of his age. To his valour and pru-
dence Achaia owed her glory, which upon his death
began to decline, there being none after him in that
republic able to oppose her enemies with the like
steadiness and prudence: whence Philopœmen was
called the last of the Greeks, as Brutus was afterwards
styled the last of the Romans.