Passage 8.49.4
καταλαβόντος δὲ Κλεομένους Μεγάλην πόλιν, Φιλοποίμην οὔτε τῆς συμφορᾶς ἐξεπλάγη τὸ ἀπροσδόκητον καὶ τῶν ἐν ἡλικίᾳ τὰ δύο μάλιστα μέρη καὶ γυναῖκας καὶ παῖδας ἀπέσωσεν ἐς Μεσσήνην, συμμάχων σφίσιν ἐν τῷ τότε καὶ εὔνων τῶν Μεσσηνίων ὄντων· καὶ---ἦσαν γὰρ τῶν διαπεφευγότων οἷς ὁ Κλεομένης ἐπεκηρυκεύετο μεταγινώσκειν τε ἐπὶ τῷ τολμήματι καὶ πρὸς Μεγαλοπολίτας ἐθέλειν σπένδεσθαι κατιόντας ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ---ἔπεισεν ἐν κοινῷ τοὺς πολίτας ὁ Φιλοποίμην μεθʼ ὅπλων τὴν κάθοδον οἴκαδε εὑρίσκεσθαι μηδὲ ἐς ὁμολογίας τε καὶ σπονδὰς ἰέναι.
But when Cleomenes captured Megalopolis, Philopoemen was not dismayed by the unexpected calamity; instead, he rescued the two most vulnerable groups among the population, namely the women and children, bringing them safely into Messene, since at that time the Messenians were both allies and friendly to them. Now, among those who had escaped, there were some whom Cleomenes was trying to persuade to reconsider their daring stance and to come to terms and make peace agreements with the Megalopolitans, so that they might return to their own homes. But Philopoemen convinced the citizens collectively to return home only fully armed and to avoid entering into agreements or treaties altogether.