So that every one of them was not only at a loss what opinion he should support in the senate of his own particular state, or in the general diets of the nation; but, even when they deliberated within themselves, they could not, with any certainty, determine what they ought to wish, or what to prefer.

Such was the unsettled state of mind of the members of the assembly, when the ambassadors were introduced and liberty of speaking afforded them.

The Roman ambassador, Lucius Calpurnius, spoke first; next the ambassadors of king Attalus; after them those of the Rhodians; and then Philip's.
The Athenians were heard the last, that they might refute the discourses of the Macedonians.

These inveighed against the king with the greatest acrimony of any, for no others had suffered from him so many and so severe hardships.

So great a number of speeches of the ambassadors succeeding each other took up the whole of the day; and about sun-set the council was adjourned.
20.