out-out-wing them that the Lacedemonians confronted six of the Athenian Regiments and the Tegeans four Now both Armies being less than a Furlong distant from each other the Lacedemonians according to custom sacrificed a Goat to Minerva Agrotera and advanced toward the Enemy wheeling about to surround them with the part of their Wing that out-reached theirs When the Battels were joyned all the Lacedemonian Confederates were foyled by the Enemy except the Pellenians that fought the Thespieans who behaved themselves so well that several were slain on both sides The Lacedemonians beat as many of the Athenians as fell to their share and surrounded them with their extended Wing cutting off a great many and marched on in good order as if they had suffered nothing and passed by four of the Athenian Regiments before they gave over the pursuit Nor did they lose any men except those in the Charge against the Tegeans but in their return they fell upon the Argives and as the foremost Colonel was going to attack them one they say cried out to let the foremost of the Enemy pass which being done accordingly they galled their Flank and killed a great many men that fled by them After that they received the Corinthians coming back from pursuing and cut in pieces abundance of them Upon this the routed fled first to the Garisons but afterwards by the Example of the Corinthians betook themselves to their former Camp thereupon the Lacedemonians returned to the Place where the Battel begun and erected a Trophy This is the account of that Fight In the mean while Agesilaus hastned with Succours out of Asia and whilst he was at Amphipolis Dercyllidas brought him the News of a Victory the Lacedemonians had obtained with the loss of considerable numbers on the Enemies side and but eight Lacedemonians though several of their Confederates were killed Then Agesilaus said to him Dercyllidas would it not be convenient that the Cities which have sent their Forces to joyn ours should have Intelligence of it with all speed Dercyllidas made answer that they would be the more encouraged if they heard on 't Therefore since you are here said Agesilaus you might make a fit Messenger Dercyllidas hearkned willingly to this for he loved travelling and said to Agesilaus I 'll go if you 'll command me Then I command you replied he and moreover I would have you tell them that if things succeed well here I 'll be with them again according to my Promise Dercyllidas was now departed from the Hellespont and Agesilaus marched through Macedon and came into Thessaly where the Larisseans Cranonians Scotusaeans and Pharsalians being in League with the Boeotians together with all the Thessalians except the Exiles pursued him and cut off some of his Rear He marched with his Army in a Square placing one half of his Cavalry in the Front and the other in the Rear but the Thessalians attacking his Rear and hindering his March he sent all the Horse to the Front except his own Guards As soon as they confronted each other the Thessalians not thinking fit with their Horse to engage the Heavy-armed men faced about and retreated gently Agesilaus's Horse pursued them unadvisedly and he finding both them and the Enemy in disorder sent his own Guards being very stout men and ordered them to command the rest to pursue with all speed imaginable and not give them opportunity of facing about The Thessalians seeing the Lacedemonians coming upon them contrary to their expectation some of them fled some turned upon the Enemy and others that attempted the like were flanked by the Horse and taken Polymachus the Pharsalian that commanded the Horse faced about and fighting with those he had with him was slain Thereupon the Thessalians falling into a confused Flight some were killed and others taken nor did they make an halt till they had recovered the Mountain Narthacium Then Agesilaus erected a Trophy between Pras and Narthacium and rested there being much pleased with the Action in that he had beat those Cavalry that gloried in their Horsemanship with such Horse as he himself had raised Next day passing the Achaean Mountains of Pthia he marched through a Friends Countrey till he came to the frontiers of Boeotia and as he was entring the Enemies Countrey the Sun appeared like a Crescent News came too that the Lacedemonians were beaten at Sea and that their Admiral Pisander was killed There was a Relation of the Engagement how it was that both the Fleets engaged about Cnidus that Pharnabazus the Admiral was there with the Phaenicians and Conon with the Grecian Navy lay in the Front and that when Pisander had drawn up against Conon it appeared he had fewer Ships in his whole Navy than he only in the Grecian Fleet. The Confederates that were in the Rear ran immediately but Pisander engaging the Enemy with a stemmed Gally was forced aground and the rest that were driven ashore left their Ships getting as well as they could into Cnidus only Pisander fought on board his own Ship till he was slain Agesilaus was exceedingly troubled at first when he heard it yet recollecting that as the News of good Success is a marvellous encouragement to an Army so if things fall out ill it is not necessary to let them know it he soon after changed his Mind and reported to the Soldiers how Pisander was killed but had got the Victory and after he had related it he offered some Bullocks for the good News and sent part of the Sacrifice to several Persons So that a light skirmish happening Agesilaus's men beat the Enemy upon the Fame of this Sea-Victory that he gave out the Lacedemonians had won There were opposed to Agesilaus the Boeotians Athenians Argives Corinthians Aenians Euboeans and both the Locri Agesilaus had with him a Regiment of Lacedemonians that came from Corinth and half of another from Orchomenus having beside these the Half Slaves from Lacedemon and the Mercenaries that Herippidas commanded as also those that he joyned in his march from the Greek Cities in Asia and Europe there he was joyned by the Orchomenians and Phocean Heavy-armed men Agesilaus was stronger in Targetiers but the Horse were equal and these were the Forces of both Armies I will give a Relation of the Fight being such an one as has not happened in our time The Battel at Cheronea The Armies met on the Plains near Coronea Agesilaus's Forces marching from the Cephisus and the Thebans from Helicon Agesilaus led the Van himself the Orchomenians being in the Rear of all the Thebans had the Van of their Army and the Argives the Rear Just as they engaged there was a profound Silence in both Armies and when they were within a Furlongs distance the Thebans set up a shout and gave a furious charge afterwards at the distance of three hundred feet the Mercenaries of Agesilaus's Battalion that Herippidas commanded ran upon the Enemy and together with them the Ionians Aeolians and Hellespontians these
they were not very numerous because though but Four hundred Spartans out of Seven hundred and a thousand Lacedemonians were slain yet this Loss was so great that they were forc'd to take in all under seventy years of age to recruit their Army and their Men were so exhausted that they had scarce enough wherewith to supply the necessary Offices of Government The Spartans and Lacedemonians were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Regiments being opposed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Allies In each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were Four 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sixteen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which last contained two and thirty men according to the Scholiast of Thucydides so that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisted of Five hundred and twelve Xenophon and the Scholiast of Thucydides differ in their Computations for in these things no certain Number can be assign'd and so the Roman Legion as our Regiment was more or less having no determinate Number Each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Colonel under whom was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lieutenant Colonel The Phalanx at this time was not taken for any certain Number but sometimes for a Battalion or sometimes for the whole body of Foot. The eldest Polemarch was Lieutenant General of the Army and after Cleombrotus was slain in the Battel of Leuctra Dino the Polemarch commanded in Chief Besides these there were three hundred Horse and six hundred Sciritae which were a a chosen Band that were placed in the left Wing The whole Army was Conducted by one of their Kings who had an absolute and uncontrollable Power till Agis was so unfortunate as to make an hasty Treaty and then they assign'd him a Council of War without whose joynt Consent he could not act Or else by a General who had the Title of Harmostes which was given also to the Governour of a Town If the King was a Minor then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Protector commanded for him Before an Expedition was undertaken the King performed some preparatory Sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and took the Field near Harvest that being the most likely-time to draw the Enemy out of their Fortresses to a Battel because they would come forth to defend their Corn If they did not the Lacedemonians did not sit down before their Garisons it being forbidden them by their Laws to besiege Towns because any kind of men by the benefit of a Wall might resist the most couragious and a valiant Man might be destroyed by an impotent Woman The Lacedemonians therefore being less expert in Seiges than any other of the Greeks they would not suffer any of their Neighbours to Fortifie but either pull'd down their Walls by force or oblig'd them thereto by Treaty Though they had a fair pretence that no strong Holds should be built lest the Persian if he Invaded Greece any more should possess himself thereof and gain firm footing in their Country I don't find that the Ancient Greeks had any formal ways of besieging Towns further than the raising a Wall about the Place they beleagur'd whereby they cut off Provisions and Succors from the Besieged Their Engines were but ordinary and rather invented occasionally than used commonly By the account we have of the famous Siege of Plataeae we may Collect what their Methods were in others It was at first Invested by the Peloponesians and Thebans but the former marched home and left the Siege to the management of the Thebans who built two Walls of Brick sixteen Foot wide like the Lines of Contravallation and Circumvallation between which they posted themselves After that they raised a Cavallier or high Mount to over-look the Town On the contrary the Besiged erected a wooden Wall upon the other of Stone to intercept the Enemies Prospect into the City and ran up another of Brick for a Retrenchment if the outermost should be taken Whilst the Thebans raised their Cavallier the Besieged carried a Mine to it and took away the Earth as fast as the Besiegers brought it and thereby hindred the advance of the Work. They had also another Device in the Attacking of Towns which was to carry a great deal of Combustible matter near the Walls that they set on fire and forcing the Enemy from their Posts with the Flames they entred by the benefit thereof and so carried it on to the Houses The Besieged did not make frequent Sallies for if they had four hundred and eighty Men could not have defended Plataeoe the space of two years Towns were taken three ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Assault by Surrender when the Garrison and Inhabitants deliver'd up the Place before the Enemy sat down before it to this latter is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Enemy made Works and took the Place by Siege When the Armies were in the Field they threw up a Trench and planted Pallizado's upon it to secure themselves from the Surprize of an Enemy The Generals drew up their Battel in the form of a Wedge and in an Oblong Figure which sometimes was with the longest side to the Front and other-whiles the longest side in depth they drew up sometimes in one and sometimes in another according as they thought it most for their advantage When the Battalions were made deep or form'd into a Wedge the Design was to break through the Enemies Battel and to rout them Though these Forms had their Inconveniences the first especially because they being many in File and few in Front the Enemies that Out-winged them might Flank them and fall in at those Intervals which were made by the eager and unequal pressing forward of the foremost Ranks and ruine their Body Neither would it hold in parity of Reason that because a Wedge of Iron would rive a Block that therefore one of men should pierce a Battalion The Thebans at the Battel of Leuctra were few in Front and fifty deep supposing if they made so strong an Impression on those about the Lacedemonian King as to Rout them that they should Defeat the rest with ease and accordingly it hapned The Heavy-arm'd men were Marshalled so as to receive the Light-arm'd men and Targetiers within them the ancients Heavy-arm'd men being like our Pike-men whereby they who had the rising-ground obtain'd a considerable advantage over those that were drawn up in a Plain Which Thrasybulus took notice of to his Souldiers when he encouraged them to fight against the Thirty Tyrants telling them that the Enemy stood on a Level and none but those who were in the Front could make use of their Darts and Lances whilst they standing on an Hill could employ all hands and bring every one to fight Before the Battel began an Hymn was sung to animate the Souldiers and the like after by those who had obtained the Victory Most of the
them Magistrates there were Divisions among the people they bearing one another a mutual hatred and being the leading men of their Factions Ismenias out of spight to the Lacedemonians would not go near Phaebidas on the other hand Leontiades caressed him and becoming familiar discourst him thus This very day Phoebidas it lies in your power to do your Country a signal piece of Service for if you will follow me with your Heavy-armed men I will bring you into the Citadel and when this is done assure your self Thebes will be wholly at the Devotion of the Lacedemonians and us your Friends You see it has been decreed that no Theban should follow you to the Olynthian Wars but if you will joyn with us in this Design we will send a strong Supply of Heavy-armed men and Horse that you may hereby re-inforce your Brother with a very considerable body of men and whilst he is reducing Olynthus you way possess your selves of Thebes which is far the greater City When Phaebidas heard this he was hugely transported for he loved the performance of a noble Enterprize more than life it self though he never had the Reputation of a prudent and thinking man. After it was concluded on Leontiades bid him march forward as though he was preparing for his Voyage and when it is time said he I will come and Conduct you my self The Senate was sitting at that time in the Porch of the Market-place because the Women kept the Feast of Ceres in the Citadel and the Streets were thin it being Summer-time and the heat of the day when Leontiades rode after Phaebidas and calling him back led him directly to the Citadel where having posted Phaebidas and his men he delivered him the Keys of the Gates advising him to let none enter without his Order From thence he went strait to the Senate and being come thither spake thus My Lords Be not disheartned though the Lacedemonians are possest of the Citadel for they declare they come not to any in an hostile manner but such as love hostility I seize this Ismenias for levying of War pursuant to the Law which authorizes the chief Magistrate to apprehend any person suspected of Treason Ye Captains and those under your Command rise take him and commit him to safe Custody They that were privy to the Design drawing near obey'd and laid hold on Ismenias the others that knew nothing of the matter and were Enemies to Leontiades's Faction immediately left the Town fearing they should be put to death the rest having retired home before After they understood that Ismenias was committed to the Tower those that were of his and Androclides's Faction being about four hundred fled to Athens Upon this they chose another chief Magistrate instead of Ismenias Leontiades went immediately to Lacedemon where he found the Ephori and people much offended at Phaebidas for having acted without Orders In whose defence Agesilaus pleaded that if he had done any thing in prejudice of the State he ought to be punished but if good Service he by their ancient Laws might do such things without Commission You ought therefore said he to consider whether what he has done be for your Interest or not When Leontiades came to the General Assembly he made this Speech My Lords of Lacedemon Leontides's Speech You your selves confess that the Thebans were disposed to a War before these Transactions you perceivod too that they always favoured your Enemies and hated your Friends They would not assist you against the people in the Piraeus that made so fierce opposition against you yet they made War upon the Phoceans only because they were well affected towards you Nay when they understood that you employed your Arms against the Olynthians they made an Alliance with them and you continually expected to hear that they had reduced Boeotia Now since Affairs stand thus you need not have any apprehensions of the Thebans one short private Letter will be sufficient to render every thing there agreeable to your desires Provided you will as cordially espouse our Interest as we do yours When the Lacedemonians heard this they decreed that as the Citadel had been surprized so it should be kept and that Ismenias should be brought to his Tryal Soon after they sent three Judges of the Lacedemonians and of the Confederates one from each City both small and great The Judges being sat Ismenias was indicted for holding Correspondence with the Barbarians and for contracting a Friendship with the Persian which was out of no good design to Greece and for sharing of the Money sent by the King and for being together with Androclides the chief Fomenter of all the Troubles in Greece To all this he pleaded yet could not clear himself from being thought an Enterprizer of great Designs and those not very good ones so he was condemned and executed Hereupon Leontiades's Party being possessed of the City were more observant of the Lacedemonians than was expected from them After this the Lacedemonians pursued the War against the Olynthians more vigorously and sent Teleutias General issuing out Orders for the raising an Army of ten thousand men and directed their Letters to the Confederate Towns commanding them to follow Teleutias in the Expedition pursuant to the Decree of the Allies Wherefore amongst others that freely offered their Service to him being a person no ways ungrateful to those that serv'd under him the City of Thebes sent him being the Brother of Agesilaus both Heavy-arm'd men and Horse He made no extraordinary hast but took all possible care that the Army might do their Friends no harm in their march and to raise as great Forces as he possibly could he also dispatched a Message before to Amyntas requiring him to hire some Mercenaries and distribute money amongst the Kings his Neighbours if so be he had any thoughts of recovering his Kingdom Besides he sent to Derdas Prince of Elimea to let him know that the Olynthians had already subdued the greater Monarchy which was that of Macedone nor would they forbear a lesser unless their Insolence were checkt When he had dispatcht these Affairs and drawn a very powerful Army together he marched to the Frontiers of the Consederates and arriving at Potidaea made a general Muster and entred the Enemies Country But when he advanced towards Olynthus he neither burned nor destroyed any thing supposing if he took any such course it would hinder him both in his March and Retreat yet it would do well to cut down the Trees when he retired from the Walls of the City and thereby divert the Enemy from falling on his Rear As soon as he came within less than ten Furlongs of the City he halted leading the left Wing himself the other Body of the Confederates being placed in the right For so it hapned that he marched towards the Gate at which the Enemy went out The Lacedemonian and Theban Horse together with the Macedonians he placed in the right keeping Derdas with his
the Athenians and the Tribunes amongst the Romans For what greater Power can there be than to inflict Punishment of Death without Form of Justice Estate follows Life and what can't they do in Religion who are absolute Masters of the other two Liberty is desired by all of which we by our wise Constitution have a greater share than any Nation either has or we could expect from a Change. And because our own Examples affect us most we may look back to the late Civil Wars which were begun and fomented for the Cause of Religion and Liberty yet both destroyed the unhappy Nation suffering well nigh as many Alterations of Government as it did Years of War and Confusion The Troubles also drew along with them Rebellion Schism Faction Atheism and a Train of Vices whose dire effects we still see in the General Corruption of Manners and Tendency of the Factious to the Old Game Nor could our Differences be composed till the Rightful Heir was recalled and the Ancient Government together with our Liberty restored which we enjoy under our Gracious Prince rather unthankfully repining than justly prizing it A brief Account of the Land and Naval Forces of the Ancient Greeks I Thought it might be necessary for the better understanding of this History to give some Account of the Land and Naval Forces of the Greeks yet not to make a set Discourse about it but only to speak of the Militia as it was in the time of the Peloponnesian War this Art continually altering and improving as well in former Times as in this present Age. It will be necessary also to Treat separately of the Lacedemonian Discipline because it was distinct from that of the rest of the Greeks and then speak of those Particulars wherein the Athenians and others varied from it The Lacedemonians were the most valiant People of all the Greeks and tho' their Numbers were but small yet they were so well experienced that they very rarely mist of Success fighting with an assurance of Victory Their Life was continually employ'd in Action and such Provision was made by the Laws of their Country that not only the Men but the Women also were used to Robust Exercises and the Parents inured to hardship that the Children might be rendred strong and able to undergo the Fatigue of War. The Youth were divided into two Parties and exercifed Mock-battels encountring wheresoever they met yet were they under such exact Discipline that if any came by and offered to part them and they refused to obey they were immediately carried before the Paedonomus a Magistrate that took cognizance of those Crimes and severely punish'd them for being so far transported with Passion as not to pay due Obedience to the Laws By this their Discipline they became hardy and resolute fighting with that obstinacy that they would rather die than yield But farther to habituate them to this Virtue of Martial Patience they were once a year cruelly whipt at the Altar of Diana Orthia which though it were rather a Punishment than an Exercise yet they bore it with an Invincible Courage In this manner they were Train'd up till they came to thirty years of age for before none were suffered to go into the Campagn unless it were upon a very great necessity Thus having spent so many years in the Speculation of War they became so strong and vigorous in the practice thereof that they lasted forty years fit for Service none having a Mission till he was seventy years of age Their Infantry consisted of Targetiers Light-arm'd and Heavy-arm'd men the Light-arm'd men were placed in the Wings being commanded out in the Forelone-hope and used in Skirmishes because they were not loaden with Armour Their Arms were Arrows Darts Staves and Stones which they threw or slung taking any extemporary Weapon that came in their way The Scholiast of Thucydides says they did not close but fought at some distance advancing and retiring as they saw occasion for either The Targetiers were a middle sort between the Light and Heavy-arm'd men having a Target or lesser Shield and a Sword They were nimble and expeditious and very useful for pursuing the Lacedemonian Regiment near Corinth being cut off by Iphicrates's Targetiers The Heavy-arm'd men were raised out of the beter sort the other two being for the most part Mercenaries and Half-slaves Their Arms were a Shield of Brass a Pike and a Scymitar their business was to repulse the Enemy and to maintain their ground because the Fortune of the Day depended on them for if they were Defeated the Army was totally Routed And in these indeed did the chief Strength of the Lacedemonians consist When they put the Enemy to flight the Horse light-arm'd men and Targetiers pursued though it was a Maxime amongst them Not to be too eager but to make their Enemies a Bridge of Gold lest Desperation should make them fight and vanquish their Pursuers Our Author also blames Agesilaus for meeting the Enemy in their flight whereas he ought to have rather given them way and followed the Pursuit As for their Horse the Lacedemonians had a Body of three hundred that fought near the King like the Roman Celeres But they were very deficient in this part of their Militia those they had were arm'd with Spears and Charged full Cariere some of them carried Bows and were called Hippotoxotae They were furnished with the main Body of their Horse from the Thebans and being at War with them they were deprived of those Auxiliaries So that Epaminondas the Theban General knowing the Lacedemonians were weak in Cavalry charged them at the Battels of Leuctra and Mantinea with his own and the Thessalian Troops whereby he gave them those two memorable Overthrows The Lacedemonian Forces consisted both of their own Subjects called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Allies Of the first there were four sorts The Spartans which were the Inhabitants of the City and enjoyed more Priviledges than the rest the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Lacedemonians which dwelt in the Country the Half-slaves who had merited Freedom by their Valour The Lacedemonians thinking it of dangerous Consequence to cut them absolutely off of all hopes lest the desperateness of their Fortune might provoke them to rise up in Arms against the Government and subvert it the last were the Slaves the Candidates for Liberty whom they trained because the Wars made such a consumption of People and raised Emulation in them that they might advance themselves thereby to their Freedom The Confederates made up the Gross of their Army for their own Numbers were but small which they concealed either out of a Maxime of their own or that the Enemies by knowing how few they were might not despise them Yet this inconsiderable Number were men of such extraordinary Valour that Agis being askt How many strong the Lacedemonians were made answer Enough to fight any Army whatsoever However one may conclude from the Forces they had at Leuctra that
Greeks when they engaged set up a shout and ran with a full Cry upon the Enemy but the Lacedemonians differ'd from them in this for they had Pipers disposed up and down in convenient Stations who were to play when the Army moved that the Souldiers might pace according to the Modulation of the Pipes And whereas the fury and noise affected by others was to beget Courage in them and hurry them on against the Enemy the Lacedemonians advanced and struck a terrour into their Antagonists with their Resolution and Gravity The greatest disgrace amongst them was to lose their Shields such being branded with the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor was it less reproachful to fly as may be gathered from the Epigram about an Heroick Woman who meeting her Son running out of the Field killed him with this Elogy that she could forget the Affection of a Mother whilst he forgot the Duty of a Lacedemonian Their Education and Discipline made them so terrible that none cared to engage with them they being Men positively resolv'd to Conquer or to die When a Victory was obtain'd the Conquerors went to the place where the Battel began sang an Hymn and erected a Trophy as a Monument of their Success and delivered the Slain upon Truce for the Greeks were very careful to bestow burial upon their Dead not only out of Decency but a superstitious Conceit that the Souls of the Dead were not at rest till the Bodies were interr'd In order to the making of Peace there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cessation of Arms till such time as they treated of a Truce or Peace though generally a Truce or temporary Peace was made as that of Euboea for thirty years a second between the Peloponnesians and Athenians for fifty years and another for an hundred The Forms of their Peace were engraven on Pillars as the Roman Treaties were in the Capitol and if any Party violated them the breach hereof was under-written The Athenian Militia differed from the Spartan The Athenians being Lords of the Sea and possest of many Islands were able to bring a far more numerous Army into the Field than the Lacedemonians or any one Estate of Greece Pericles exciting his Country-men to pursue the War vigorously against the Peloponnesians tells them that they had thirteen thousand Heavy-arm'd men besides sixteen thousand more disperst up and down in the Garisons and Frontiers to which if we add the proportion of Light-arm'd men and Targetiers they will make up a very powerful Army The Forces of the Athenians were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those of the Spartans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opposed to the Auxiliaries They were raised according to the Tribes which were ten in number for amongst the Hebrews and Romans the Division by Tribes was accommodated to the Military as well as Civil Government The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently mentioned in this History were the Captains of the Heavy-arm'd men They had also a standing Body of Horse not exceeding a thousand to which were assigned forty Talents or seven thousand five hundred pound Sterling for their-yearly maintenance The Cavalry were commanded by two Hipparchs or Colonels who had ten Phylarchs or Captains subordinate to them because these were raised by the Tribes as the Heavy-arm'd men As for the Naval Forces the Athenians excell'd at Sea as the Lacedemonians did at Land for Themistocles having overthrown the Persian Fleet in the great Sea-fight at Salamis encouraged his Country-men to apply themselves to Naval Affairs They followed his Counsels and in the space of fifty years partly by their own Industry and partly by the natural advantage of their Situation obtain'd the Sovereignty of the Sea. During the time of this War the Greeks made use of Gallies which were Ships of considerable Force The first Gally was built at Corinth the Greeks having small Vessels before called from the number of their Oars as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from thirty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from fifty Oars The Gallies now used in the Mediterranean are vastly different from those of the Ancients and several Learned Men who have written on this Subject as Bayfius Jos Scaliger in his Animadversions on Eusebius Stewechius in his Notes on Vegetius Schefferus and Palmerius have varied very much in their Opinions Palmerius brings the Authority of an ancient Author Printed with Aelian to prove that Ships terminated in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are denominated from the number of their Oars and those that end in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gally from the several Banks and Distinctions of Rowers setting one above another in height Yet we must not understand it so as that the Rowers sat in distinct Decks because Ptolemy Philopator's Ship that had forty Banks of Oars had but forty eight Cubits or seventy two Feet in height from the water so that if these had sat in distinct Decks the men must have been Pygmies each Deck not having two feet in height Neither were the Rowers placed above one another in a Perpendicular for then as great difficulty will remain still If therefore we suppose the Banks to have been placed obliquely and to have rose gradually like Stairs and allow each Bank one Foot and ¼ Ptolemie's Ship of forty Banks and seventy two Feet will require but fifty Feet and there will remain twenty two for other uses The Rowers in a Gally were distinguished by three Names the Lowermost were called Thalamaces and had the shortest Oars the middle-most Zygitae and the uppermost Thranitae who had larger Oars than the other two and received more pay as the Scholiast of Thucydides to the sixth Book observes The Lacedemonians wholly neglected the Sea being prohibited by their Laws to learn the Customs and Manners of other Nations lest Foreigners by their Commerce should Import as well their Vices as Merchandizes Nor did they set out a Fleet till they were made sensible of the advantage the Enemies had and the Damage they themselves sustained for the want of one The Sea-service amongst the Greeks was esteem'd of lesser Dignity than the Land and the Sea-men were lookt upon as a contemptible sort of men Nay the Athenians themselves gave the Command of Ships to land Captains only taking care to procure them Masters which were expert Sea-men The Ships were mann'd with several sorts of men as Rowers Sea-men who Navigated the Ships and handed the Sails Epibatae or Souldiers for Sea-service and Heavy-arm'd men which last were employ'd at Sea because they seldom fighting at a distance grapled and made a standing Fight of it as at Land. I have not met any where with the number of Men their Ships carried though I suppose if we except the Rowers they had fewer in proportion than those in our time because their Men did not fight between the Decks The Sea-men's Pay varied according to the Times and Exigencies of State Thucydides
accepted it out of hatred to the Corcyreans who were a Corinthian Colony but had cast off their Founders and in the publick Solemnities did not according to the Custom of Colonies make use of a Corinthian Arch-Priest but becoming by their Wealth and Naval Forces equal to the most powerful States of Greece despised them Thereupon the Corcyreans going with a Fleet against Epidamnus blockt it up and beat the Corinthians that came to the relief of the place and took it the same day The Summer following the Corinthians resolving to revenge their former disgrace made very great Preparations obliging the Corcyreans to enter into a League defensive with the Athenians that the latter might not break theirs with the Peloponnesians Yet the Athenians foresaw that they should be engag'd in a War with the Lacedemonians because the former would not let such an important place as Corcyra that had so considerable a Naval Force and lay so convenient for Transporting an Army into Italy and Sicily be an Accession to the Corinthians Therefore the Corinthians put to Sea with a Fleet of 150 Sail and overthrew the Corcyreans in an Engagement soon after breaking with the Athenians for assisting the Corcyreans The Athenians suspecting there would be a Rupture that they might be before-hand with them Commanded the Potideans their Tributaries and a Colony of the Corinthians to demolish their Walls towards Pallene to give Hostages to expel their Magistrates sent by the Corinthians and not to receive them for the Future When the Potideans could get no abatement of these Terms propos'd by the Athenians they went with the Corinthian Ambassadors to Lacedemon and obtain'd an assurance that in Case the Athenians made War upon the Potideans the Lacedemonians would enter Attica with an Army The Potideans having strengthned themselves with the Alliances of their Neighbours revolted whereupon the Athenians went with an Army and besieged them The noise of this Siege brought the Corinthian Ambassadors and several others to Lacedemon with Complaints against the Athenians After a full hearing of the Case the Lacedemonians induced by the apprehensions they had of the Athenians Power who had already subdued a great part of Greece declared that the Athenians were the Aggressors The Lacedemonians also to make the War appear more specious on their side sent Ambassadors to expostulate with the Athenians to require them to raise the Siege of Potidea and permit Aegina to be governed by its own Laws Especially to revoke the Decree prohibiting the Megareans the Freedom of the Athenian Ports and Markets Whilst these things were debating in the Council Pericles an eloquent Person and the greatest Man in Athens of his time opposed their Demands Shewing that these were no sufficient grounds for a War and that if they yeilded in this the Lacedemonians would impose more upon them That the Confederates had many different Interests that their Counsels were divided and came not to any sudden resolve On the contrary that the Athenians had a considerable Fleet wherewith they could make frequent Descents and give the Enemy a powerful Diversion And because their Strength consisted chiefly in Islands having only Attica that lay open to the Depredations of the Enemy they could not sustain so great losses by Land as the Confederates Therefore this Answer should be return'd them That they would permit the Megareans the Freedom of their Ports and Markets Provided the Lacedemonians would grant the Athenians and their Allys who were Aliens in Sparta the Priviledges of their own Subjects That they would restore the Cities to their Liberty if they did enjoy the said Liberty before the League was made Provided also that the Lacedemonians would do the like to the Cities under their Jurisdiction and not oblige them to conform to the Model of their Government And that they desired to adjust these Differences by Treaty as being unwilling to begin a War but ready to defend themselves against one LIB II. The Peloponnesian War began the fifteenth of the thirty year Truce made after the taking of Euboea The Peloponnesian War began the Lxxxvii Olymp. when Pythodorus was Archon who continued only for two Months in his Office and then about the 11 of June Euthydemus succeeded him occasioned by the Thebans who were let into Plataea by some Conspirators But the Townsmen being more inclined to the Interest of the Athenians and coming to themselves set upon the Thebans who being not able to defend what they had taken were overpowred and put to the Sword. The Athenians placed a Garrison in the Town and thus the League being broken both sides made Alliances and Preparations to carry on the War. Afterwards when the Peloponnesians sent an Army into Attica under the leading of Archidamus with whom Pericles had contracted by hospitality a Friendship lest the other might spare his Lands either out of respect or to render him suspected he assembled the People and acquainted them that if the Enemy forbore his Estate be would bestow it on the Publick He also commanded the People to abandon the Country and retire into the Garrisons and places of Security There being no Preparation made against the Lacedemonians it caused great discontent for that they being used to the fresh Air were now forced to crowd up in Towns whilst the Lacedemonians invaded Attica the Athenians having a Fleet of an 150 Sail and considering the Island Aegina lay convenient for them drove out the Inhabitants thereof and made several Descents on Peloponnesus and other places This Winter were solemnized the Funerals of the first slain in the War and Pericles made the Oration in praise of them This year a terrible Plague having travelled over most part of the World arriv'd at Athens Second year and third of the Olymp-Apollodorus Archon which seized the Athenians both at home and abroad but did not enter Peloponnesus Tho the apprehensions thereof made the Army return sooner out of the Athenian Territories than otherwise they had intended The People being consumed with Sword Depredations and Pestilence clamored against Pericles as being the only cause of their Calamities Thereupon he assembling them together heartned them up to prosecute the War vigorously and not be discouraged advising them to apply themselves wholly to their Sea-Affairs and not to despond Pericles at length died two years and six Months after the first breaking out of the War. In the latter end of Summer Aristaeus the Corinthian and some Lacedemonians intending a Voyage into Persia to procure Money from the King thereof towards carrying on of the War went by the way to Sitalces King of Thrace solliciting him to break with the Athenians and march with his Army to the relief of Potidea But the Athenian Ambassadors prevailing with the King to deliver them up they sent them from thence to Athens and there threw them into deep Pits without any form of Justice In return to the Lacedemonians that had given the like Treatment to some Athenian Merchants taken off
of Peloponnesus This Winter Potidea was surrendred upon good Conditions after the Siege of it had stood the Athenians in 2000. Talents 375000 l. The Peloponnesians invested Plataea III. Year of the War Epaminondas Archon which made a brave defence Whereupon the Lacedemomans leaving the Boeotians to maintain the Works and carry on the Siege finished their Campagne During this Siege the Athenians made War with the Chalcideans and Bottiaeans But they being relieved from Olynthus and other places fought the Athenians and over-came them compelling them to retire with their broken Forces to Potidea and from thence home to Athens Before the Fleets were laid up Brasidas and the other Peloponnesian Admirals resolved to make an Attempt upon the Piraeus which was not well Guarded because the Athenians were Lords of the Sea and apprehended no Danger on that side In order to their Design they went over Land to Megara and launch'd some Ships at Nisaea the Port Town thereof yet ventured not on the Piraeus because they thought that too desperate a Design but fell upon the three Guardships that lay at Budorum in Salamis over against Megara and burning them plundred Salamis and put the People of Athens into a great Consternation Who discovered the Beacons on fire In the beginning of this Winter Sitalces King of Thrace made War against Perdiccas King of Macedon with an Army of 150000 men wasting his Country and caused the People to fly into the Mountains striking a Terror into all the neighbouring Nations Which occasioned the Enemies of the Athenians to say That they had called in such a Confederate as was likely to become their Master Phormio the Athenian Admiral returned Victorious with his spoils to Athens LIB III. About Harvest time the Peloponnesians invaded Attica IV. Year Olymp. Lxxxviii Diotimus Archon and having destroyed the Corn returned home again Soon after this Incursion Lesbos revolted and the Athenians being informed that the People would be assembled at a Feast kept by the Lesbians in Honour of Apollo Malois where they easily might be surprised fitted out 40 Sail of Ships But the Lesbians having Intelligence thereof prepared to receive them and sent to Lacedemon for speedy relief The Lacedemonians directed them to Olympia where the People of Greece were met to celebrate the Games and there to desire their Assistance against the Athenians The Allies admitted the Lesbians into the League This Summer the Athenians set out the greatest Fleet they ever had at Sea consisting of 250 Sail. The Souldiers and Seaman's pay was a Drachma a day 7 d. ob which great expence exhausted the publick Treasure The Plataeans having been besieged all this while and in extreme want above 200 of them prepared Ladders proportioning their length by the number and breadth of the Bricks in the Enemies wall and passing their Works by favour of a stormy Night escaped to Athens Early in the Spring the Peloponnesians fell into Attica V. Year Euclides Archon and destroyed every thing that had escaped them in former Incursions At the same time Alcidas went with a Fleet to relieve Mitylene in Lesbos which was distressed for want of Provisions but did not arrive time enough At last the Lesbians desponding of Succours Salaethus who had hitherto kept the People disarmed now gave them Arms with an intent to Sally out upon the Enemy but the People turned Tail threatning that unless they who had Corn would bring it out and divide it they would make their Composition and deliver up the place to the Enemy The chief Men seeing they could not resist the Will of the Rabble and fearing that they themselves should be excluded Did by an universal Consent treat with Paches the Athenian General and surrendred upon Discretion The Authors of the revolt expecting a rude Treatment from the Athenians fled to the Altars from whence they were taken by force and sent to Tenedos where they were kept till they could be conveyed to Athens Afterwards when they were arrived there Salaethus the Lacedemonian Governor and the rest were put to death A Decree was also made and sent to Mitylene to do Justice on the rest of the Conspirators and to make Slaves of the Women and Children Which Cruelty after the Orders were gone the Athenians repented of and prevented the Execution of it by sending thither a Countermand Yet they put above 1000 to Death that were the Heads of the Conspiracy and demolished the Walls of Mitylene About this time the Plataeans wanting Provisions and worn out with a long Siege were forced to surrender to the Lacedemonians Who instigated by the Thebans cruelly put them to Death and razed the City The Peloponnesian Fleet going to relieve Lesbos arrived too late and in their return hearing of a Sedition betwixt the chief Men and Commons at Corcyra sailed thither hoping to make themselves Masters of it But tho they beat the Corcyrean and Athenian Navy yet they durst not attempt the City because the People had the better who committed horrible Outrages and encouraged several other places in Greece by their Example to be Seditious whilst the Peoples Patriots called in the Athenians and the chief Men the Lacedemonians In the beginning of Winter the Athenians sent a Fleet to Sicily under Charoeades to assist the Leontini against the Syracusians and the Doric Towns in League with the Lacedemonians At this time the Plague broke out again at Athens and consumed such multitudes of People and Soldiers that nothing throughout the War was so grievous Demosthenes invaded the Aetolians at first with good Success VII Euthydemus Archon but afterwards was vanquisht and lost the Flower of the Athenian Army The Athenians expiated Delos by Command of the Oracle and carried all the Tombs out of the Island ordering that for the Future none should dye nor any Women be brought to Bed there but be transported into the Isle Rhenea Demosthenes joyning the Acarnanians had better Success against the Ambraciots and overthrew them near Olpae This Victory brought him again into Favour having lost himself before Vpon which there followed a Peace betwixt the Acarnanians and Ambraciots LIB IV. The Athenian Fleet going to Sicily VII Stratocles Archon were ordered in their way to observe how Affairs stood at Corcyra and by the advice of Demosthenes surprised Pylus in Messene The Lacedemonians came to recover the place and Landed in Sphacteria an Island that lay before Pylus Intending to block up the Channels so that no Ships could enter to the relief of those in Pylus The Athenians at first repulsed them and after the arrival of their Fleet from Zacynthus beat them Obliging the Lacedemonians to deliver sixty Ships till the return of their Ambassadors from Athens who went thither to treat of a Peace and then to be re-delivered But Cleon a Popular man made such exhorbitant Demands that the Lacedemonians rejected them and returned This Cleon Fool-hardily engaged to take Sphacteria and had the good Fortune
Walls from their City to the Sea that they might receive the Assistance of the Athenians on that side But whilst they were building the Lacedemonians came with an Army and razed them The Athenians resolving the Melians should acknowledge their Sovereignty as the rest of the Islanders did XVII Olymp. XCI Aristomnestus Archon Went with a Fleet against Melos At the coming of a second Army they took the place put all the men to the Sword and carried the Women and Children Captives LIB VI. The Athenians sent a Fleet to Sicily invited thither by the Egestaeans that made War upon the Selinuntians which latter were aided by the Syracusians engaging in this Enterprise with so much Precipitation and hast that they ne'r examined how great an Island it was not imagining that it required as great Forces to subdue it as Peloponnesus This year the Athenians Equipped a Fleet of sixty Sail for Sicily under the Admirals Alcibiades Nicias XVII Chabrias Archon and Lamachus whilst these Preparations were making the Images of Mercury were defaced and a Reward proposed to any that would discover the Authors At length some informed that Alcibiades had spoiled several Statues Thereupon his Enemies concluded he must needs have done the other inferring it from his free and loose way of Living Alcibiades profered to take his Tryal upon it but it was thought fit to let him go the Sicilian Voyage and if there appeared any Matters against him to call him to an account afterwards The whole Fleet met at Corcyra and thence parted for Sicily where some time after their arrival they surprised Catana The Athenians called Alcibiades home to Answer his Charge for Prophaning the Mysteries and defacing the Images whereupon he took Shipping pretending to Sail for Athens but going ashore at Thurij he gave them the slip and went to Peloponnesus The Athenians and Syracusians engaged but the latter are overcome and the Athenians wintered at Naxus Alcibiades coming to Lacedemon in Company of the Sicilian Ambassadors animated the Lacedemonians against the Athenians Who thereupon resolve to assist the Syracusians and send them Supplies under the Command of Gylippus The Athenians besiege Syracuse XVIII Pisander Archon Lamachus is slain and the sole Command of the Army devolved to Nicias Gylippus hastens to the relief of Syracuse but by reason of the small Force he had is contemned by Nicias who took no Care to secure himself against the Attempts of an Enemy The Athenians by aiding the Argives openly break their League with the Lacedemonians LIB VII Gylippus arrives at Himera first and there having made Alliances with several Communities of the Sicilians went from thence to Syracuse and coming thither before the Athenians had finished their double Wall about the Town Lands and Encamps with his Army The Syracusians cut off part of the Athenian's Works with a Counter-Wall By the advice of Alcibiades XIX Cleocritus Archon the Lacedemonians entred Attica this Campagne and fortified Decelea Which was a place of great importance being distant from Athens about 120 Furlongs and not much more from Boeotia It could be seen to Athens and lay very conveniently for making Incursions The Syracusians and Athenians had an Engagement within their great Haven wherein the former were beaten but in a second Engagement the Athenians were overcome After the Plemmyrium was taken which Commanded the Port no Provisions could be carried in thither without fighting Demosthenes and Eurymedon being sent with a new Army resolved forthwith upon their arrival to attack Syracuse which Nicias neglecting to attempt at his first coming witnered at Naxus and so came afterwards to be despised The Athenians by Night Attack'd a part of the City called Epipolae And after a confused and dubious Shirmish were repulsed by the Syracusians In this Fight many of the same side through mistake because it was in the Night became so earnestly engaged that they could hardly be parted After the Fight Demosthenes advised to march away But Nicias fearing the Athenians at home would not rise up from before the place without their Order Supposing his own Army was in a better Condition than the Syracusian this being now exhausted by the War and depending chiefly on Mercenaries who would desert when pay failed At last he decamped when the Moon was Eclipsed and by the Priest's directions superstitiously staid twenty seven days In the mean time Gylippus coming with Recruits from most Parts of Sicily strangely raised the Expectations of the Syracusians who thereupon engaging the Athenians in the great Haven beat them and blockt up the mouth of the Port which was eight forlongs over with their Ships a-stern one another The Athenians tried their Fortune again to see if they could break through the Syracusian Fleet but were beaten a second time after a very terrible and desperate Fight which dejected the Seamen so much that they could not be perswaded to go on board again though the Athenians had more Ships fit for Service than the Enemy but resolved to march away by Land. Hermocrates suspecting the Enemie's Design proposed the sending of Forces to take all the difficult Passes and cut off their Retreat But the Soldiers for joy of the Victory and because Hercules his Feast was kept at that time were so taken up with drinking and other Diversions that they could by no means be prevailed with to persue the Victory Thereupon Hermocrates sent some to the Athenian Camp who pretended to be their Friends and that they came out of kindness to inform them that the Syracusians had possessed themselves of the Passes and intended to cut off their retreat The Athenians giving credit to them did not Decamp till three days after When Gylippus had really done so In the Retreat Demosthenes with his part of the Army surrendred upon conditions but Nicias yielded himself a Prisoner to Gylippus who had a desire to have saved him yet being overcome by the importunity of the Army was forced to kill him The Athenians were put into the Quarries being miserably treated and those that survived their hard usage were sold for Slaves Thus ended the Sicilian War. LIB VIII The Athenians were unwilling at first to give credit to this great Defeat but at last being convinced of the truth became enraged at their Prophets and Priests who by a Religious Pretext had betrayed them into a vain hope of conquering Sicily Hereupon the Lacedemonians and the Confederates exerted their utmost power in carrying on the War. And on the contrary the Athenians would not submit to their misfortune but resolved to support their Allies and equip a Fleet. Yet many of the Athenians Confederates revolted from them and the other Greeks that had hitherto stood Neuter now longed to come into the War thinking to make a short cut of it A League was concluded between the King of Persia and the Lacedemonians XX. year of the War Olymp. Xcii Callias Archon The Athenians chased twenty Peloponnesian Ships into the
Ships After this Tissaphernes arrived at the Hellespont whither Alcibiades came with one Gally to bring him Gifts and Presents but Tissaphernes seized him and clapt him up at Sardes telling him that he had Orders from the King to make War upon the Athenians The Greeks called the Persian Monarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Excellence Thirty days after he and Mantitheus that had been taken Prisoner in Caria having procured themselves good Horses made their escape by Night to Clazomenae In the mean while the Athenians having intelligence at Sestos that Mindarus was coming to fall upon them with sixty Sail fled to Cardia At the same time also Alcibiades went thither with five Gallies and a Brigandine from Clazomenae and hearing that the Peloponnesian Fleet was sailed from Abydus to Cyzicus he ordered his Ships to sail about to Sestos and went thither himself by Land. After the Fleet arrived when he was just going out to engage Theramenes came in with twenty Sail from Macedone and at the same time Thrasybulus with twenty more from Thasus both having been collecting tribute The Ancients being they used to Stem one anothers Ships had no occasion for their Main-sails in time of Fight But made use of their Oars only So that they left these Sails ashore when they went to engage keeping only the lesser Sails for any extraordinary occasion Schefferus de Mil. Nav. Lib. 3. Cap. 5. Alcibiades commanded them to take off their Main-sails and follow him going himself to Parium where the whole Fleet being joyned consisted of eighty six Ships and setting sail the Night following he arrived the day after about Noon at Proeconnesus There they heard that Mindarus and Pharnabazus with his Land-forces were at Cyzicus whereupon they staid a day in that place The day following Alcibiades called a Council of War and encouraged his men telling them that an absolute necessity obliged them to fight the Enemies Fleet by Sea their Army by Land and to attack their fortified Places For says he we have no mony with which the Enemy is plentifully supplied from the King of Persia The day before when the Ships were brought into Harbour and he had gotten all the small Vessels about him he made Proclamation lest the Enemy should be informed what number of Ships he had that whoever was taken crossing to the other side should be put to death After the Council of War he prepared for an Engagement and set sail to Cyzicus in foul weather As he approacht near the place it cleared up and the Sun breaking out he discovered sixty of Mindarus his Ships exercising at a great distance from the Port to which he had now cut off their Retreat The Peloponnesians seeing the Athenian Gallies were far more numerous than before and near the Port made to Land and having run their Ships in fought the Enemy as they came to attack them In the mean while Alcibiades sailing about with twenty Ships landed which Mindarus seeing landed too and fought till he was slain Upon this his men fled and the Athenians carried off all the Enemy's Ships to Proeconnesus except those of Syracuse which the Syracusians themselves had burnt The day after the Athenians sailed from thence to Cyzicus which being deserted by the Peloponnesians and Pharnabazus the People of Cyzicus received the Athenians into their City Here Alcibiades staid twenty days and having procured a good Sum from the Cyzicenians without farther harm done to the City sailed to Praeconnesus thence to Perinthus and Selymbria The Perinthians received his Army into the City but the Selymbrians gave money and kept them out From thence he went to Chrysopolis in the Neighbourhood of Chalcedon and fortified it erecting a Toll-house there to take Tenths of the Ships that came from Pontus Here he left a Guard of thirty Ships under two Admirals Theramenes and Eubulus who were to secure the Town and Ships that came from Pontus and to do the Enemy what mischief they could The other Admirals went for the Hellespont Hippocrates Mindarus his Vice-Admiral sent Letters to Lacedemon which were intercepted and carried to Athens The Contents were All is Gone Mindarus is lost Our Men want Provisions What to do we cannot tell Pharnabazus cheared up the Army of the Lacedemonians and Syracusians giving every one a Coat and two Months pay and telling them that since the men were safe they should not be disheartned for the loss of a little Wood which the King His Master's Country had good store of Besides he armed the Sea-men and set them to guard the Coast of his Province then calling the Governours of the Cities and Sea-Captains together he gave them money and ordered them to build as many Gallies at Antandrus as they had lost and bid them fetch Timber from Mount Ida. Whilst the Ships were building the Syracusians helpt the Antandrians to finish part of their Wall behaving themselves better therein than any of the Garison for which reason the Syracusians have Priviledges and Fredom at Antandrus Pharnabasus having setled his Affairs in this manner went immediately with Succours to Chalcedon About this time News came to the Syracusian Admirals XXII Year of the 〈…〉 that they were banisht by the Populacy Upon which they eaâ—â—ed their Soldiers together and Hermâ—crates made a Speech in the Name of the rest deploring their hard Fortune and protesting they were banisht contrary to all Law and Justice Advising them that as they had heretofore so they would for the future upon all occasions obey their Commanders and that they would chuse new Officers till the arrival of those that were nominated in their stead The Souldiers especially the Captains of Gallies Masters and Sea-men cried out that they should continue in their Commands On the other hand the Admirals told them they ought not to mutiny against the Government But if any impeacht the said Admirals then ye may said they recount and reckon up the Sea-fights ye have won the Ships ye have taken your selves and how often with others under our Conduct ye have been victorious we having had for our own Conduct and your Courage the most honourable place in Battel both at Sea and Land. No body laid any thing to their charge and they at the entreaty of the Soldiers continued in their Command till the arrival of those that were chosen in their stead who were Demarchus the Son of Pidocus Mysco the Son of Menecrates and Potamis the Son of Gnosias When most of the Captains of the Gallies had sworn to repeal their Banishment as soon as they themselves returned to Syracuse they commended and dismissed them giving them leave to go whither they would Yet they had a private Conference with Hermocrates whom they highly admired for his Diligence Courage and Affability For every Morning and Evening he assembled in his Cabin such as he knew to be the ablest men amongst the Captains of Gallies Masters and Sea-men and there communicated to them whatsoever
stole privately away in the Crowd that was going ashore at the Piraeus and got safe to Decelea In the mean while Pharnabazus XXV Year Antigenes Archon and the Ambassadors that wintered at Gordium in Phrygia heard what had past at Byzantium and as they were going to the King of Persia in the beginning of Spring they met Boeotius and his Colleagues the Lacedemonian Ambassadors in company of some other Envoys on their way from Asia These reported that the Lacedemonians had obtained all their Demands of the King that Cyrus had Orders to assist them and was to be Governor of all the Maritine Provinces and that he had brought Letters under the Broad Seal to the People of Asia Minor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this Effect I send Cyrus to be Caranus of those Forces that Rendevous at Castolus Caranus is Generalissimo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Athenian Ambassadors when they heard this and had seen Cyrus were very earnest to go to the King or else return home But Cyrns commanded Pharnabazus to deliver them up to him at least not to let them go home being unwilling the Athenians should understand what had passed Pharnabazus detained the Ambassadors and that he might not be blamed he sometimes gave out that he would conduct them to the King and other whiles that he would send them home At three years end he entreated Cyrus to permit them to depart telling him he had obliged himself by Oath to convoy them as far as the Sea if he could not bring them to the King. At last they sent them to Ariobarzanes and commanded him to conduct them who convoyed them as far as Cius in Misia from whence they sailed to the Athenian Fleet. Alcibiades having a desire to return home went immediately with the Army to Samos and taking twenty Ships from thence set sail for the Golf of Ceramicus in Caria 18750 l. where he raised an hundred Talents and returned to Samos again Thrasybulus went with thirty Sail to Thrace and amongst other Places that had revolted from the Athenians took in Thasus which was reduced to a miserable condition by War Sedition and Famine Thrasylus set sail with the rest of the Fleet for Athens before whose Arrival they had nominated for Admirals Alcibiades that was in Exile Thrasybulus who was abroad and for a third Conon Alcibiades returns from Banishment one of those that were at home In the mean while Alcibiades went from Samos with the money and twenty Sail of Ships to Parus From whence he stood directly to Gytheum to make discovery of the thirty Gallies which he heard the Lacedemonians were fitting out there and to learn whether he should be recalled home and how the Government stood affected towards him When he understood they were well inclined having chosen him General and sent for his Friends in private he returned up the Piraeus the day the Plynteria were kept A Feast in honour of Minerva wherein the Ornaments were taken off the Image and the Image covered esteemed an unfortunate day Plut. in Alcib the like Feast was at Argos Callim and Minerva's Image covered which some presaged would prove unfortunate both to his Country and himself For no Athenian dares undertake any thing of moment that day When he arrived all the People flock'd out of the Piraeus and City to the Ships admiring and longing to see Alcibiades crying He was the bravest man of their Country that he only was declared to have been unjustly banished being circumvented by those that were of less Abilities and Eloquence than himself and that served themselves of the Government That he always promoted the good of the Commonwealth not only with the Publick Stock but his private Fortune That having been impeached for prophaning the Holy Mysteries he desired to come immediately to his Trial yet his Enemies though his Request seemed just put it off till another time and when he was absent banished him In the mean while he being compelled to a servile compliance and forced to caress his greatest Enemies was continually in danger of his Life and though he saw the miscarriages of State yet was rendred uncapable by his Exile of serving his dearest Friends and Countrymen Such a man as he said they needed no Innovations nor change of Government but that he could prefer himself by the favour of the People before any of his years and not come short of those that were older and appear the same man to his Enemies that he was before These when they had gotten any power ruined the best of men and though none but themselves were left in the Government yet they were respected by the People for no other reason but because they wanted better to employ On the contrary others said that he was the sole cause of their former evils and that none but he durst attempt such things as could endanger the Government Alcibiades did not land immediately upon his Arrival for fear of his Enemies but getting upon Deck looked if any of his Friends were there and when he saw Euryptolemus the Son of Pisianax his Cousin with divers of his Relations and Friends he landed and went up into the City accompanied with those that were ready to have prevented any Affront that might be offered He made his Defence before the Senate and Assembly that he had not profaned the Holy Mysteries but was tradured with more to the same purpose The Assembly suffering none to contradict him declared him Generalissimo of all their Forces as one that could maintain the former Grandeur of his Countrey Then he drew out the whole Army and celebrated the Eleusinian Mysteries upon the account of the War at Land which the Athenians for fear of the Enemy performed at Sea. After this he made a levy of fifteen hundred Heavy-armed men an hundred and fifty Horse and equip't an hundred Sail of Ships The third Month after his return he went against Andros which had revolted from the Athenians There were joyned with him Adimantus Son of Leucorophides and Aristocrates Generals at Land. Alcibiades putting his men ashore at Gaurium a place in Andros routed the Andrians when they came with their Succors and shut the besieged up in the Town having slain others besides the Lacedemonians that were there Whereupon he erected a Trophy and staying several days in that place he went to Samos and made that the Seat of the War. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lacedemonians Cratesippidas his Commission being expired sent Lysander Admiral who arriving at Rhodes and taking with him the Fleet from thence sailed to Cos and Miletus and next to Ephesus where he lay with seventy Sail till Cyrus came to Sardes Upon his arrival he went with the Lacedemonian Ambassadors to Cyrus and complained of Tissaphernes desiring him that he would apply himself vigorously to the War. Cyrus told them he had received such Orders from his Father and that he was fully resolved to execute them
to meet the Enemy In the mean while Lysander sailed from Rhodes along the Coast of Ionia to the Hellespont to observe what Ships came that way and to go against those Cities that had revolted The Athenians stood more out to Sea towards Chius because Asia was an Enemies Countrey Lysander parted from Abydus to Lampsacus which was in league with the Athenians When the Abydenians and some other Forces under the Command of Thorax the Lacedemonian came to him by Land they attackt the Town and took it by Storm and the Soldiers had the plunder of it being very rich and well stored with Corn and other Provisions but Lysander dismist all the Freemen The Athenians followed him directly and put into Harbour at Eleus in the Chersonese with an hundred and eighty Sail of Ships whilst they were at Dinner News was brought them of the loss of Lampsacus Upon which they parted immediately for Sestos where they took in some Provisions and went from thence to Aegospotamos over against Lampsacus which is about fifteen Furlongs from the hellespont and there they Supped The same Night towards Morning Lysander made a Sign to the Soldiers to refresh themselves and come on board Then having made all necessary preparations for an Engagement and causing the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are made of old Cables we use them in our men of War to shelter the men from the Shot Barricadoes to be set up he commanded them to observe their posture and that none should move out of their Line As soon as the Sun was up the Athenians ranged their Fleet in order before the Port and faced the Enemy with a resolution to engage But when Lysander came not out to them and the day was far spent they sailed back again to Aegospotamos Upon which Lysander ordered out the nimblest Ships to follow the Athenians to observe how they behaved themselves when they went ashore and then to come back and give him an Account nor did he permit any of his men to go ashore till these Ships returned This he did for four days together during which time the Athenians continually bore up to him Alcibiades when he viewed from his Castle the Athenians lying by the Shore near no Town fetching their Provisions from Sestos that was fifteen Furlongs from the Fleet but the Enemy in Port and near a Town from whence they were furnisht with all necessaries went and informed them that they had but bad riding and advised them to go to Sestos where they might have the accommodation both of an Harbour and a Town When you are there said he you may fight the Enemy when you think fit your selves The Admirals especially Tydeus and Menander bid him go about his business for now they commanded and not he so he went his way On the fifth day that the Athenians had thus constantly bore up with Lysander he commanded those he had ordered to observe their Fleet that when they discovered the Enemy gone ashore and stragled on the Chersonese which they contemning Lysander for not coming out to engage them did every day more and more fetching their Provisions a great way off they should return back to him and hale up a Shield when they were half Seas over They obeyed his Command Then Lysander having taken Thorax with the land-Land-Army on board made a Sign to set Sail with all expedition As soon as Conon saw the Enemy bearing up with him he made a Sign for his men to come on board and succour him with all possible diligence but the men were so stragled that some Ships had not above two Rowers some one some none at all Only Conon's with seven more and the Paralus being manned stood out to Sea Lysander surprises the Athenian Fleet. but all the rest Lysander took on ground The Athenians ashore got together in a Body and threw themselves into the Garrisons Conon seeing the Athenians totally defeated fled with nine Sail and stood for Abarnis a Cape of Lampsacus and taking from thence the Main-sails of Lysander's Ships he went himself with eight Sail to Evagoras in Cyprus but the Paralus parted for Athens with the News of what had passed Lysander carried to Lampsacus the Ships Prisoners and the rest of the Spoil together with Philocles and Adimantus two Admirals that were his Prisoners The day that the Action hapned he dispatcht Theopompus the Meletian a Pirate to Lacedemon with an account of the Fight who arrived there in three days After this Lysander called the Confederates together and bid them Consult what was to be done with the Prisoners There were a great many Accusations brought against the Athenians for their former villainous Actions for having determined to cut off every Prisoner's right hand if they had gotten the Victory at Sea and for throwing down a Precipice the men they had taken on board two Gallies the one a Corinthian the other an Andrian being set on by the cruel advice of Philocles Several other things also were alleged and 't was resolved that all the Prisoners who were Athenians should be put to death except Adimantus because he only at the Council of War opposed the cutting off of hands which was the reason that some accused him for betraying their Fleet. Lysander asking Philocles that threw the Andrians and Corinthians down the Precipice what he deserved for being the Inventor of such inhumanity against the Greeks hackt him in pieces When he had setled Affairs at Lampsacus he went to Byzantium and Chalcedon where being received by the Townsmen within their Walls he sent away the Athenian Garrison with Passes At that time those that betrayed Byzantium to Alcibiades fled to Pontus and from thence to Athens where they were naturalized Lysander when he saw any Soldiers of the Athenian Garrisons or any Athenian besides sent them all to Athens giving Passes to those that sailed thither and to no place else concluding that the greater the Multitudes were that flockt to the City and Piraeus the sooner they would want Provisions Therefore leaving Sthenelaus the Lacedemonian to be Governour of Byzantium and Chalcedon he went to Lampsacus and refitted his Fleet. When the * A Ship for Sacred and Publick uses there were four others viz. Antigonis Ptolemais Ammonis and Delias or Salaminia Castel Syntag Paralus arrived at Athens in the Night upon the first report of the Calamity the sad News was conveyed by a continual Lamentation from the Piraeus up the Long Walls on to the City one informing another So that Nobody slept that Night not only bewailing those that were slain but their own condition a great deal more reflecting how they had treated the Melians a Colony of the Lacedemonians after they had besieged and taken them as also the Histiaeans * Scioneans Toroneans Aegineans and several other Greeks The day following they called a Council and decreed That all the Ports except one should be choaked up the Walls cleared Guards set and all things
and rout them But Dear Countreymen and Fellow-Soldiers every man of you must acquit himself as if he were sensible that he alone should be the cause of the Victory A Victory that by the favour of Heaven shall restore our Countrey Habitations Liberty Preferments Wives and Children to those that have them Happy are those amongst us that shall live to see this Victory to behold the most joyful day that ever was Happy the man that falls for none how wealthy soever can obtain so glorious a Monument As soon as it is time I 'll begin the Paean and when we invoke Mars let us go with a joynt Resolution to revenge on our Enemies the Insolencies we have suffered from them Having ended his Speech he faced about to the Enemy but moved not forward because the Priest had charged them not to fall on before one of their men were either killed or wounded When this happens I 'll lead you on said the Priest and you shall obtain the Victory though perhaps I shall be slain Nor was he mistaken for as soon as the Army had taken up their Shields he as it were hurried on by a certain fatality flew out one of the formost where charging the Enemy he was killed and afterwards buried by the Ferry over the Cephissus The rest got the Victory and pursued the Enemy down the Hill to the plain Ground There were slain of the Thirty Critias and Hippomachus of the Ten Commanders in the Piraeus Charmides the Son of Glauco and about seventy others They stirpped none of their Countreymen but took away their Arms only and aftewards restored their Bodies upon truce Then several drawing near together began a Parly and Silence being made Cleocritus Cryer of the Mystae Mystae those that were Initiated the first year they afterwards being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas Cleocritus's Speech having a strong voice made this Speech to them Why Dear Countreymen do you banish us Why do you thirst after our Blood we never did injure you we have all frequented the same Magnificent Temples the Sumptuous Feasts and Splendid Sacrifices We have performed the same Exercises we have had our Education together we have served under the same Generals and we have exposed our selves to many dangers with you both by Sea and Land for our common Preservation and Liberty We beseech you by the Gods of your Fathers and Mothers by your Friends Kindred and Relations by some of which we are all allied to one another to revere Heaven and have regard to man. Forbear any longer to persecute your Countreymen and don 't submit to those Villains the Thirty Tyrants who for their private gain have murdered almost more in eight Months time than the Peloponnesian War has consumed in ten Years space When we might have lived peaceably together they raised amongst us a most shameful cruel and detestable War hateful both to Gods and men And assure your selves not only you but we also shall lament those we have lately slain After he had ended his Speech the Magistrates having heard what he said retired with their men into the City Next Day the Thirty appeared much dejected and sat alone in Council the three thousand also wheresoever they were posted fell at variance Those that had been the most violent men and apprehended they should be brought into trouble declared they ought to persist and not comply with those in the Piraeus But as many as knew themselves to be Innocent became more considerative shewing that their troubles might be composed that they were not obliged to obey the Thirty nor suffer their Countrey to be ruined In conclusion it was decreed that the Thirty should be removed from the Government and others chosen Accordingly there were Ten Elected one out of each Tribe Upon this the Thirty retired to Eleusis The Ten with the Colonels of Horse had care of the City which was in great disorder every one being jealous one of another The Cavalry lay all Night with their Horses and Shields in the Odeum and in the Evening having a suspicion of all they went the Rounds with their Bucklers In the Morning they mounted expecting to be attackt by those in the Piraeus where there was abundance of men of all sorts making themselves Arms of Wood and Osiers and whiting them over Before ten days were at an end they of the Piraeus gave their Faith to all that would joyn them as also equal Privileges to Aliens whereupon several Heavy and Light armed men with about seventy Horse came over to them from the Piraeus they made Excursions to get Wood and Fruit but quartered every Night there Of those in the City none went out armed except the Horse who sometimes meeting with the Forragers of the Piraeus did their Battalion some mischief Another time they met with some Young men who did not belong to the City but were going to fetch some Necessaries from their Estates these Lysimachus Colonel of the Horse put to the Sword though they begged hard for their lives which some of his Cavalry resented very ill In return the Horse of the Piraeus took Callistratus one of the Tribe of Leontis in the Country and killed him being so much animated that they made their Excursions up to the very Walls of the City There was at that time an Ingenier in Athens if this be worth relating who apprehending that the Enemy were bringing their Engines to the Course by the way that leads from the Lyceum ordered huge Stones of a Load weight to be carried in Draughts and thrown down in several places in the Course Where they run races which was accordingly done and each Stone created the Enemy a great deal of Trouble Then the Thirty and those of the Catalogue in the City sent Ambassadors from Eleusis to Lacedemon desiring Succors because the People had revolted from the Lacedemonians Lysander supposing it would be no great difficulty to reduce those in the Piraeus if they were blockt up by Sea and Land and their Provisions cut off procured an hundred Talents to be lent them himself to go General 18750 l. Sterling and his Brother Libys Admiral Then setting forward towards Eleusis he raised a strong Body of Peloponnesian Heavy-armed men whilst the Admiral took care that no Provisions could be carried in by Sea whereby those in the Piraeus were soon distressed On the contrary those in the City were much animated at the presence of Lysander Whilst Affairs stood thus Pausanias the King envying Lysander for that he by those Exploits would both become famous and render himself Lord of Athens perswaded three of the Ephori to draw out the Garrison All the Confederates except the Boeotians and Corinthians concurred with him which last declared that they could not salve their Oath by making War against the Athenians who had acted nothing contrary to the League Which they did out of a Belief that the Lacedemonians would reduce the Athenians Countrey into
latter was chosen Generalissimo and partly to assure him of his readiness to make a joint War with him as also to assist him in driving the Greeks out of the King's Territories Otherwise he envied Tissaphernes his Command of General and resented it very ill for that he had been deprived of the Province of Aeolis After he had heard his Proposals Tissaphernes-said to him First pass with me into Caria and then we will advise about these things when they arrived there it was thought convenient to place strong Garisons in the walled Towns and then to return into Ionia As soon as Dercyllidas heard they had repassed the Maeander he informed Pharax that he feared Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus would over-run and ravage the Countrey which was defenseless whereupon he passed the Maeander too The Greeks marched with their Troops in no good Order because the Enemy had entred the Countrey about Ephesus before them where on a suddain they discovered the Lacedemonians from the opposite Watch-Towers on the Monuments On the other hand the Greeks sent some up into the Monuments and Towers which they were possessed of and espyed the Enemy drawn up in Battalia in the way they were to march being the Carians with their white Bucklers and the Persians that were there together with all the Greek Troops that both of them had and a vast Body of Horse Tissaphernes having the right Wing and Pharnabazus the left When Dercyllidas perceived this he ordered the Commanders of the Heavy-armed men and Captains instantly to draw up eight deep and place the Targetiers and Horse in both Wings whilst he in the mean time sacrificed The Peloponnesians made a stand and prepared for a Charge but the Prienians Achilleans Islanders and those of the Ionian Towns threw down their Arms in the Corn which was thick in the Vale of Maeander and those that stood their Ground made shew as if they would not long maintain it The report was that Pharnabazus advised to come to a Battel but Tissaphernes recollecting after what manner Cyrus his Army had received him and imagining all Greeks were like those refused to engage and sent to Dercyllidas acquainting him that he would come and have a Conference with him Dercyllidas taking the goodliest Persons both of his Horse and Foot went forth to the Deputies and thus accosted them I had indeed prepared for Battel as you see yet since Tissaphernes desires a Parly I won't oppose it though if there be a Conference there must be Pledges and Hostages exchanged on both sides When this was agreed upon the Armies marcht off the Barbarians to Tralles in Phrygia and the Greeks to Leucophrys where there is a Temple of Diana held in great Veneration and a Pool above a Furlong in Circumference somewhat Sandy being fed with a Spring whose Water is both potable and warm And this was that days Transaction The day following they came to the Place appointed and there determined to understand from each other upon what Terms they should make a Peace Dercyllidas proposed that the King of Persia should restore the Greek Towns to their Liberty On the contrary Tissaphernes insisted to have the Greek Army drawn out of the King's Territories and the Lacedemoian Governours out of the Greek Towns. At this Conference they made a Truce till such time as Dercyllidas had sent the Proposals to Lacedemon and Tissaphernes to the King. Whilst Dercyllidas was setling Affairs in Asia the Lacedemonians being formerly prvooked by the Eleans the Ephori and whole Assembly resolved to humble them because they had made an Alliance with the Athenians Argives and Mantineans and drove them from the Horse-races and * They were five leaping running Quoits fighting at Whorle-bats and Wrestling P. Fab. Agon Gymnick Games pretending the Lacedemonians were condemned in a Fine to them nor yet being satisfied with this had whipt †Thucyd. lib. 5. Lichas an ancient man and thrown him out of the Foot-race because he had delivered the Chariot to the Thebans and attempted to crown them with Garlands after they had been declared Victors by the Cryers and because they had opposed Agis in making of Vows for the Success of the War though he went by the direction of the Oracle to sacrifice to Jupiter and obliged him to depart without sacrificing affirming it was against an ancient Custom for Greeks to consult Oracles when they made War against Greeks Thereupon they sent Ambassadors to Elis and declared that the Lacedemonian Magistrates thought it equitable that they should restore the adjacent Cities to their Liberty The Eleans made Answer War with the Eleans That they should not comply with them herein for that they had acquired those Towns by the Sword upon that the Ephori ordered an Army to be raised which Agis commanded and fell with it into the Eleans Territory by the way of Achaia near Larissa When the Army had newly entred the Enemie's Countrey and were destroying it there hapned an Earthquake which Agis imagining to be from Heaven marched out of their Territories and disbanded his Army Hereby the Eleans were animated and sent Ambassadors to those Cities they understood were disaffected to the Lacedemonians When this Year was elaps'd Ithycles Archon the Ephori ordered Agis to be sent with another Army against Elis the Athenians too with the rest of the Confederates except the Baeotians and Corinthians joyned him After Agis had entred the Elean's Countrey through Aulon the Lepreans forthwith revolted from them and joyned him and a while after the Macistians as also their Neighbours the Epitalians When he had passed the River Alpheus the Letrians Amphidolians and Marganeans came over to him then he went to Olympia and sacrificed to Jupiter Olympius nor did any presume to hinder him After he had sacrificed he marched to the City Olympia destroying and burning the Countrey and carried off abundance of Cattel and Prisoners Insomuch that several of the Arcadians and Achaeans hearing of it went voluntarily into the Army and partook of the Spoil this Campagne being like an Harvest to Peloponesus When he came to the City he destroyed the Suburbs and the School which was a fair Structure As for the City it being unwalled 't was thought he rather would not than that he could not take it The Countrey being thus laid wast and the Army in the Neighbourhood of Cyllene Xenias his Complices according to the Proverb Spoken Hyperbolically of those that expect more than ordinary advantage Erasm Adag Chil. 2. Cent. 10. measuring their Father's Money by the Bushel intended by their own Power to deliver up their Countrey to the Lacedemonians and rushing out of an House with their Swords made a Slaughter killing one amongst the rest that was like Thrasydaeus the Peoples Patron and thought they had killed Thrasidaeus indeed so that the People being in a great Consternation remained quiet The Murderers imagining they had done their Business went with their Complices to the Market-place with
understood not how to honour them that augment my Glory Lysander replied Perhaps your Majesty is in the right and has discharged your part better than I Yet my request is that I mayn't be disgraced by the loss of my Interest with you and being I am so unpleasing an Object in your sight that you would send me some whither where I may be serviceable to you Upon this Agesilaus was pleased to hearken to him and sent him to the Hellespont where finding that Spithridates a Persian was in disgrace with Pharnabazus he discoursed and perswaded him with his Children and the Estate he had together with two hundred Horse to come over to the Lacedemonians So leaving the rest behind at Cyzicus he brought Spithridates and his Son to Agesilaus who when he understood it was well pleased therewith and presently inquired of him about Pharnabazus his Province and Government After that Tissaphernes elated with the Opinion of the Army that was coming down to him from the King threatned Agesilaus to declare War against him unless he withdrew his Forces out of Asia The Lacedemonians and Confederates who were there present appeared very much concerned at it imagining the Forces Agesilaus had then with him were much inferiour to the preparations of the King of Persia but Agesilaus with a pleasant Countenance bid the Ambassadors tell Tissaphernes that he was very much obliged to him because by his Perjury he had made the Gods Enemies to himself and Friends to the Greeks Immediately he commanded his men to prepare for an Expedition ordering the Towns that he was obliged to pass through in his march to Caria to lay in Provisions and sent Orders to the Ionians Aeolians and those who lived upon the Hellespont to send their Forces to the Rendevous at Ephesus Tissaphernes partly because Agesilaus wanted Cavalry and partly because Caria was impassable for Horse supposing also he was provoked by his Fraud concluded for certain he would fall into Caria the Place of his Residence Whereupon he drew all his Foot thither and marcht about with his Horse into the Plains of Maeander imagining he could trample the Greeks under foot with his Cavalry before they reached those Countries that were impassable for Horse But Agesilaus instead of going into Caria turned a clear contrary way marching into Phrygia and falling unexpectedly upon them took the Towns which were in his way together with a very great Spoyl All this while his march was without any opposition but when he came near Dascyllium the Vant-Curriers ascended up an Hill to see if they could discover any thing before them when by chance a like number of Pharnabazus his Horse sent by him under the Command of Rathines and Bancaeus his Bastard Brother marcht up the same Hill and discovering one another at four hundred foot distance from each other Plethrum is the sixth part of a Furlong Herod or an hundred foot Suid. at first they halted The Greeks were drawn up four deep like a Phalanx the Barbarians not above twelve in Front though a great many deep These gave the Onset and when they came to handy-blows as many of them as hit the Enemy broke their Lances but the Persians having theirs made of Cornel Tree killed instantly twelve men and two Horses So the Greeks were routed though when Agesilaus came to relieve them with his Heavy-armed men the Barbarians lost one man and retreated The next day after the Fight between the Horse Agesilaus sacrificed to see whether he might advance farther up into their Countrey The Liver is dumpt together and all of a mass in diseased Cattle which was an ill Omen in sacrificing but the Liver wanted Lobes upon sight of which he turned back and marched down to the Sea-coast and finding he could not maintain his Ground in the Champion Countrey without he had a sufficient Body of Horse he resolved to make such Provision that he might not be obliged to he always upon the defensive side Therefore he ordered that the wealthiest men in all the adjacent Cities should keep Horses and declared whoever furnisht out Horse and Arms with an approved man should be excused from serving himself which was effected with that Expedition as if one willingly went to search out another to be knockt on the head for him In the beginning of Spring 96 Olymp. Phormio Archon he assembled all his Forces at Ephesus intending to exercise them and proposed Rewards to those Ranks of the Heavy-armed men that had the ablest Bodies and to the Cavalry that rode the great Horse best proposing also Rewards to those Targetiers and Archers that performed their Duty exceeding well Upon this one might see all the Schools full of men exercising the Tilt-yards of Horse-men running the Darters and Archers training which made Ephesus where those things were done a Place worth the seeing the Market was full of Horses and Arms exposed to sale the Brasiers Carpenters Smiths Shomakers and Painters were all employed about making of Arms so that the City seemed to be the Shop of War. This added courage to every one when they saw Agesilaus and the Soldiers return from the Schools with their Garlands and dedicate them to Minerva For why may not there be entertained great Hopes of good Success were men are Religious Martial and Loyal Agesilaus thinking the Contempt of an Enemy would beget a resolution to fight commanded the Cryers to bring out those Barbarians naked to sale that were taken by the Foragers the Soldiers seeing them have white skins because they seldom exposed their Bodies naked being effeminate and tender and always coacht about thought a War with such People would be no more than if they were to fight with a Company of Women At this time a year being almost elapsed since Agesilaus first began his expedition The XXX Commissioners whereof Lysander was one sailed home again and Herippidas with the rest of the Successors arrived Agesilaus appointed Xenocles and another of their Body to be Generals of Horse giving Scythes the Command of the Heavy-armed Half-Slaves Herippidas he made General of those Soldiers that served under Cyrus and Mygdo of the Troops furnisht out by the Cities declaring to them that he would march directly and take his shortest cut into the heart of the Enemies Countrey That therefore they should prepare their Bodies and resolve to fight Tissaphernes thinking he spread this report designing to deceive him again and that now he would in good earnest fall into Caria passed with his Foot thither as he had done before and posted his Horse in the Plains of Meander Agesilaus did not deceive him and according as he had given out he fell into the Neighbourhood of Sardes and marching three day through the deserted Countrey of the Enemies got store of Provisions for his Army The fourth day the Enemies Horse appearing Agesilaus commanded the Camp-Master General to pass the Pactolus and mark out a Camp. Then the Persians observing some of
the Greeks that followed the Camp to stragle for pillage killed several of them Which Agesilaus perceiving commanded the Horse to go and relieve them but the Persians seeing Succours come drew up in a close Body and faced them with all their Troops Agesilaus understanding that the Enemies Foot were not yet come up thought it was a fit opportunity to fight if he could thereupon he sacrificed and forthwith leading his Phalanx against the Enemies Horse that confronted him he commanded out all those that were ten years past man's Estate to charge with full speed the Targetiers to follow on running after which he commanded the Horse to fall on making as if he would second them with the whole Army The Persians received the Horse but afterwards a terrible face of things appearing they gave Ground and immediately some of them fell into the River others fled and the Greeks pressing them hard took their Camp the Targetiers as it is usual falling to the Spoil Agesilaus encompast as well those things that belonged to Friends as Enemies with his Army and took abundance of Riches which amounted to above seventy Talents 13125 l. besides some Camels which he afterwards sent into Greece At the time of this fight Tissaphernes hapned to be at Sardes which occasioned the Persians to say that they were betrayed by him and the King supposing Tissaphernes was the cause of these miscarriages sent Tithraustes to take off his Head which he executed and dispatcht Ambassadors to Agesilaus with these Instructions Agesilaus the Authour of all your Troubles and ours too is brought to Justice the King of Persia requires you to march home with your Army and the Asiatick Cities shall be restored to their Liberty they paying him the accustomed Tribute Agesilaus made answer That he could act nothing without Orders from the Magistrates at home Then said Tithraustes seeing I have taken off your Enemy do you retreat into Pharnabazus his Government till you hear farther from home Agesilaus replied give me then Provisions for my Army till I arrive thither So Tithraustes gave him thirty Talents 5625 l. which he took and marcht with his Army into Phrygia the Government of Pharnabazus and being in the Plain beyond Cyma there came to him a Messenger from the Magistrates at home with a Commission to be Generalissimo both at Sea and Land as also to nominate whom he would for Admiral which the Lacedemonians did for this reason because if one commanded all the Forces would be united whereby both the Land Army and the Fleet would be strengthened by their mutual Assistance wherever there was occasion As soon as Agesilaus received this Commission he in the first place ordered the Islands and Maritine Towns to Equip as many Gallies as they thought fit There were an hundred and twenty sail of Ships new built part of which the Towns had promised and the rest some private Persons out of respect to him had furnished He appointed Admiral Pisander his Wive's Brother an ambitious and daring man yet unfit to discharge so weighty an Employment who parting from the Camp went to take care of the Naval Affairs and Agesilaus accordingly as he had designed passed into Phrygia Tithraustes seeming to apprehend that Agesilaus contemned the Forces of the King of Persia and had no thoughts in the least of drawing his Troops out of Asia but rather entertained great hopes of ruining the King and not knowing what measures to take sent Timocrates the Rhodian into Greece giving him as much Gold as amounted to about fifty Talents of Silver 9375 l. instructing him to use his endeavours and taking good security to distribute it amongst the leading men of the Cities on Condition that they would make War upon the Lacedemonians He went into Greece and at Thebes gave some of the Money to Androclides Ismenias and Galaxidorus at Corinth to Timolaus and Polyanthes at Argos to Cyclo and his Party the Athenians though they had no share of the Gold yet were eager for War thinking the Command in Chief belonged to them They that received the Money talkt against the Lacedemonians in their respective Cities and rendring them odious to the People stirred up the most considerable Commonwealths to consederate against them But the Chief of the Thebans knowing the Lacedemonians would not break the League made with the Allies War between the Lacedemonians and Thebans unless some others were the Aggressors perswaded the Locri Opuntii to pay Tribute out of a Country that was in dispute betwixt the Thebans and Phocaeans imagining if such a thing were done the Phocaeans would fall into Locris Nor were they mistaken for the Phocaeans made an inroad into Locris and took a great Spoyl thereupon Androclides and his Party prevailed with the Thebans to assist the Locrians as though the Enemy had not invaded a Countrey which was in Controversie but confessed on all Hands to be in Amity with them On the other hand the Thebans fell into Phocis and destroyed it upon which the Phocaeans sent Ambassadors to Lacedaemon desiring Assistance from them making it appear that they did not begin the War but only revenged their Injuries The Lacedemonians willingly embraced this opportunity of employing their Arms against the Thebans provoked by them before for siezing Apollo's Tenths at Decelea and for not seconding the Lacedemonians in their attempt upon the Piraeus complaining of them also for disswading the Corinthians from joyning with them calling also to mind their denying Agesilaus to sacrifice at Aulis and their throwing his Sacrifice off the Altar And for that they did not assist Agesilaus in his Expedition into Asia Thereupon they thought they had a fair opportunity to undertake a War against them and repress their insolency For their Affairs succeeded well in Asia Agesilaus having carried all before him nor was there any War in Greece that could give them a diversion on that side This being the sence of the Lacedemonian Republick the Ephori ordered a Levy to be made and sent Lysander to the Phocaeans with Orders to bring their Forces as also for the rest to assemble at Haliartus Oeteans Heracleans Melians and Aenians where Pausanias who was to Command in Chief had appointed the Troops of the Lacedemonians and other Peloponesians to Rendevous at a set day Lysander not only observed his Orders but brought over the Orchomenians also from the Thebans Pausanias after he had obtained a successful Sacrifice for his Voyage remained at Tegea and sent the Officers of the Mercenaries before being in expectation of the Troops from the Adjacent Places When the Thebans received Intelligence that the Lacedemonians were entred their Countrey they sent Ambassadors to Athens with this Message The Oration of the Theban Ambassadoes at Athens Ye complained of us My Lords of Athens for passing a severe Sentence against you towards the end of the Peloponesian War but this your Complaint was groundless For it was not the Decree of our Government but
one Particular man who hapned to be in the Assembly of the Confederates that made mention of it When the Lacedemonians invited us to joyn with them in the attempt against the Pireus the whole Community ordered that no assistance should be given them And since we have highly provoked the Lacedemonians hereby we think it reasonable that you should succour our City especially as many of you as were then in Athens ought in Equity to serve against them for they changed your Government into an Oligarchy and when they came with considerable Forces under a pretence to assist they brought an Odium upon you and then delivered you up to the People So that you had been ruined for all them had not the Populacy saved you We are all sensible that you would resume your former Sovereignty and what way can this in probability better be effected than by assisting them whom they have oppressed Ben't concerned at the Multitudes of their People but rather be the more couragious considering that when you your selves had a larger Dominion your Enemies were the most numerous who concealed their Hatred as long as they wanted an opportunity to revolt But when the Lacedemonians got the upper hand they declared their Sentiments concerning you and now if both of us bend our Forces against them you may be assured that several other States will discover themselves And you will find my Words to be true if you please to consider well on 't For who is there left that favors them not the Argives for they have always been their Adversaries The Eleans also whom they have lately deprived of several Cities and a large Territory are become their Enemies What shall I say of the Corinthians the Arcadians and Achaeans who though they were courted into the War against you by the Lacedemonians yet bore their share in the Toiles Dangers and Expences of it And when they had accomplisht their Designs what Power what Honors or what Riches did they impart to them Nay they thought their Slaves though there were Freemen enough amongst the Allies fit Persons to be preferred to Governments and when they became successful they declared themselves Lords of their Confederates Those they brought off from your side they have plainly cullied and have returned them instead of Liberty a double Servitude For the Governours and the Decemvirates Lysander constituted exercise in every Place a Tyranny The King of Persia who contributed so much to their Conquest of us fares no better than if he had assisted us against them If you therefore will head those that have been manifestly oppressed you will in probability become more powerful than ever When ye commanded ye were only Generals at Sea but now ye are Leaders of us and the Peloponesians with those you had formerly as also the King himself that has so mighty a Power You your selves are sensible that we did the Lacedemonians good Service and we in probability shall now follow you more vigorously than we did them formerly For we come not to serve the Islanders Syracusians or others as we did before but to revenge our own Injuries Neither are you ignorant that this their exorbitant Power can be with less difficulty ruined than that Dominion of yours You with your Fleet forced Obedience from your Subjects but they though few domineer over those that are Superiour to them in number and as well appointed as themselves This My Lords of Athens we have to add that you are sensible we invite you to Advantages of greater Concern to your Country than to our own When the Oration was ended several of the Athenians approved of it and 't was resolved by all that the Thebans should be succoured Thrasybulus therefore put it to the Vote and declared That though the Piroeus was unwalled yet they would at their own peril make them a return greater than the kindness they had received We therefore said he will assist you against them in case they attack you because ye did not joyn with them against us The Thebans returned home and prepared to put themselves in a Posture of Defence and the Athenians made preparations to succor them Nor were the Lacedemonians behind-hand with them for Pausanias their King came down upon Boeotia with an Army of Lacedemonians and Peloponesians but the Corinthians did not joyn them Lysander having the Command of the Forces from Phocis Orchomenus and the Adjacent Places arrived at Haliartus before Pausanias where as soon as he came he lay not still in expectation of the Army from Lacedemon but advanced with those Troops he had to the Walls of Haliartus perswading them first to relinquish the Interest of the Thebans and to resume their Liberty But the Thebans that were in the Garison opposed his Designs whereupon he attacked the Town which the other Thebans came full speed with their Horse and Heavy-armed men to relieve But whether they surprized Lysander or whether he had Intelligence of their march and expected them in hopes of a Victory is uncertain though this is certain that the fight was under the Walls of Haliartus and he erected a Trophy before the Gates thereof Lysander slain Afterwards Lysander being killed some of his men fled to an Hill whom the Thebans eagerly pursued and ascended up to the top of it where being drawn into a narrow and difficult pass the Heavy-amed men faced about when two or three of the formost fell the Lacedemonians rouled Stones down the Precipice upon the rest pressing them with so great courage that the Thebans were beat from the Ascent and above two hundred of them slain This Day the Thebans were dejected supposing their own loss to be as great as that the Enemy had received But the day after finding that the Phocaeans and the rest of the Confederates had retreated homewards in the Night they valued themselves the more upon this Action Yet when Pausanias apppeared with his Army from Lacedemon they thought themselves in great danger again and the report went that there was a profound Silence and Consternation in their Camp. Next day when the Athenians came and joyned them Pausanias could neither move with his Troops nor fight at which the Thebans were the more animated Then Pausanias calling his Colonels and Captains together consulted whether he should fight or make truce to fetch off Lysander with the others that were killed At length Pausanias and the Commanders considering that Lysander was slain his Army beaten and routed that the Corinthians had not joyned them and that the Allies did them no Service besides that the Enemy was strong in Horse and they but weak the Bodies lay under the Walls so that if they had been stronger yet by reason of those from the Turrets it would be no easie matter to bring off the slain they thought it best upon all these Reasons to make a Truce and fetch them off But the Thebans refused to deliver them on any Condition whatsoever except it were that the
Lacedemonians should march out of their Countrey who gladly accepted it and taking their dead retired out of Boeotia After this Action the Lacedemonians went away much dejected but the Thebans insulting fell upon those that stragled in the Villages and pursued them to the Roads Thus ended the Expedition of the Lacedemonians and Pausanias when he came home was tried for his Life being accused for coming later to Lysander at Haliartus than he ought to have done having agreed to meet him by a certain day and for that he had made Truce to fetch off the killed and had not attempted it by fighting as also for that he dismissed the Athenians taken in the Piraeus besides all this he did not make his Appearance and therefore was condemned to lose his Life But he made his Escape to Tegea where he sickned and died of a Distemper And this was the State of Affairs in Greece at that time XENOPHON'S History OF THE Affairs of Greece LIB IV. THE CONTENTS The Marriage Treaty between Cotys King of Paphlagonia and Spithridates's Daughter The Thebans are vanquisht by the Lacedemonians The Athenians beat the Lacedemonians in a Sea-fight at Cnidus The Battel at Chaeronea The Massacre at Corinth Corinth surprized by the Argives and recovered by Praxitas The Walls of Athens rebuilt by Conon Antalcidas is sent to Teribazus the Persian to negotiate a Peace The Lacedemonians defeated by Iphicrates and Anaxibius their General slain AFterwards early in the Autumn Agesilaus entring Phrygia the Government of Pharnabazus burned and destroyed the Countrey taking in some Cities by Force and others by Surrender But Spithridates telling him That if he would go with him into Paphlagonia he would bring him to an interview with the King thereof and make him an Ally Agesilaus was very forward to go having a great desire a long time before to bring over this Nation from the Obedience of the King of Persia After Agesilaus arrived in Paphlagonia Cotys came to him and made an Alliance for though he was sent for by the King of Persia he went not too him but by the perswasion of Spithridates left a thousand Horse and two thousand Targetiers with Agesilaus who returning his thanks to Spithridates for them said Tell me Spithridates won't you bestow your Daughter on Cotys That I would replied he more willingly a great deal than Cotys King of so large a Countrey and so mighty a People would marry a poor Exiles Daughter Thus much only was mentioned at that time about a Match but afterwards Cotys being upon his departure came to take his leave of Agesilaus who ordering Spithridates to withdraw said to Cotys in the presence of the XXX Commissioners Pray tell me Cotys of what kind of Family is Spithridates descended Of one replied he that is no ways inferiour to any in Persia Have you seen said Agesilaus what an handsome Son he has What then says Cotys Yes I have for last Night I supped with him They say replies Agesilaus that he has a Daughter more beautiful than he Before God says Cotys she is a Beauty Then replied Agesilaus Since you are become one of our Friends by my consent you shall marry her for first she is extraordinary handsome the most welcome Quality in a Wife and then descended of a most Illustrious Father and one of so considerable Power that being affronted by Pharnabazus he has revenged himself in the manner you see and chased him out of his Province You may be assured therefore said he that as he is able to revenge himself on an Enemy so he can oblige a Friend and consider with your self that if such a thing should be you will not only contract an Affinity with him but with me also and the rest of the Lacedemonians and we as you well know are the leading People of all Greece What Nuptial Solemnity therefore can be more Pompous than yours What Bride was ever attended by so many Horse Targetiers and Heavy-armed men as shall conduct yours to your Court Then Cotys asking him said Agesilaus Does Spithridates approve of what you say By Heaven replied he Cotys I speak not by his Order for though the pleasure of revenging my self on an Enemy be very sweet yet I am much more pleased when I can find out any thing that can be serviceable to a Friend Then said Cotys why don't you ask his Consent Go you therefore Herippidas and the rest says Agesilaus and inform him of these Proposals and use all the best Arguments you can to perswade him so they went and acquainted him And whilst they staid Agesilaus said Shall we Cotys send for Spithridates hither for I believe he will be sooner prevailed upon by you than by all together Soon after Agesilaus sent for Spithridates and the rest and when they drew near Herippidas said Agesilaus Not to trouble you with the whole Relation of the Matter Spithridates says he will submit wholly to your pleasure Then 't is my pleasure says Agesilaus that you Spithridates bestow your Daughter on Cotys and that you Cotys accept her and I wish you much joy Yet we cannot send you her by Land before the Spring Faith saith Cotys but you may presently have her conveyed if you please by Sea. In Conclusion the Marriage-Treaty being ratified Cotys was dismissed Immediately Agesilaus knowing him to be in hast fitted out a Gally giving Orders to Callias the Lacedemonian to convey the Lady and went himself to Dascyllium the Court of Pharnabazus which had a great many and large Villages about it furnished with all necessaries for life as also Wild Beasts some in Parks and others in Forrests exceeding delightful being encompassed by a River stored with all sorts of Fish and abundance of Fowls for those that loved the Game There he took up his Winter Quarters and partly in that Place and partly by Depredations in the Countrey got Provisions for his Army but as the Soldiers never having been foyled before contemned the Enemy and were not upon their Guard when they foraged Pharnabazus with two Scythed Chariots and four hundred Horse met them stragling in the Plains As soon as the Greeks discovered him advancing towards them about seven hundred of them drew up in a Body Pharnabazus without any more ado placed the Chariots in the Front and following himself with the Horse in the Rear commanded them to drive upon the Enemy The Chariots falling in and breaking their Body the Horse forthwith killed and took Prisoners an hundred men and the rest fled to Agesilaus who was not far off with the Heavy-armed men Three or four days after Spithridates discovered Pharnabazus's Camp at Caue a large Village about an hundred and sixty Furlongs from thence and immediately informed Herippidas of it who ever longing to perform some brave Exploit desired of Agesilaus two thousand Heavy-armed men as many Targetiers Spithridates's Horse the Paphlagonians and what Greek Horse he could prevail with besides When he had obtained a Promise of
was possible supposing that he should dispossess the King of Persia of all the Provinces he left behind him As Agesilaus designed thus with himself Diophantus Archon the Lacedemonians discovering that for certain Money had been sent into Greece and that the most considerable Cities had confederated to make War upon them and apprehending their Republick was in danger and that they were obliged to provide for a New War they accordingly did and sent Epicydidas to Agesilaus who after he arrived related how Affairs stood and that the State had sent Orders for him to come to the assistance of his Countrey Agesilaus hearing this was extraordinarily concerned considering what Honours and Hopes he should thereby be deprived of However he called the Confederates together and communicated to them the State 's Orders declaring that he was necessitated to go to the assistance of his Countrey If things succeed well with us assure your selves said he that I will not forget you but return and do whatever you shall require When they heard this they shed abundance of Tears and resolved with an Universal Consent to accompany Agesilaus and succour Lacedemon and if they met with Success to bring him back again into Asia Whilst they were preparing for the Expedition Agesilaus left Euxenus General with an Army of 400 men to preserve the Towns they were possest of and intended to carry with him a considerable Body of the stoutest men finding that several of the Soldiers were more inclined to stay there than to go and fight against the Greeks He proposed Prizes to those Cities that furnished the best Soldiers and to those Captains of the Mercenaries who came into the Service with a Company of the best appointed either of Heavy-armed men Archers or Targetiers To the Captains of Horse he declared that whosoever brought a Troop the best horsed and armed should have also a Reward telling them he would determine this matter in the Chersonese after he was passed out of Asia into Europe and that they should be sure to chuse select men for this Expedition The Prizes were generally Arms for the Heavy-armed men and Horse neatly made and some Crowns of Gold so that all of them amounted to no less than the value of four Talents 750 l. and though he had been at such Expences yet he provided Arms for his Soldiers Afterwards when he had passed the Hellespont there were chosen Umpires of the Lacedemonians Menascus Herippidas and Orsippus of the Confederates one out of every City As soon as this Arbitration was over Agesilaus marched with his Army the same Way that Xerxes did when he invaded Greece About this time the Ephori raised Forces and the States because Agesipolis was a Minor gave the Command of the Army to Aristodemus the Protector and one of the Royal Family After the Lacedemonians had taken the Field the Enemy assembled together and consulted how they might manage the War to the best advantage Timolaus his Speech Then said Timolaus the Corinthian Gentlemen Methinks the Affairs of the Lacedemonians are like Rivers which being not large near their Springs may be easily forded over but while they continue their course farther the accession of other Waters makes their Stream more rapid Just so are the Lacedemonians for at the Place they set forth they are only themselves but in their Progress they having joyned other Cities become more numerous and are hardly to be grapled with I find too says he that those who would destroy Wasps if they hunt them after they get out of their holes are stung by Swarms of them but if they set fire to them in their Nests then they destroy them and suffer no harm at all themselves Therefore upon these considerations I think it best to give them battel at Lacedemon or if that cannot be yet as near to the Place as is possible This Proposal seeming reasonable they made a Decree accordingly and whilst they debated about the Command in Chief they agreed how many they should draw up in Front lest they should make their Battalions too deep and thereby let the Enemy encompass them The Lacedemonians together with the Tegeans and Mantineans marched out by the Sea side and arrived about the same time at Sicyon that the Corinthians and their Confederates did at Nemea Hereupon the latter made an Impression upon the Lacedemonians near Epiecaea and at first the Enemies Light-armed men darting and throwing from an Eminence did great Execution upon them but the Lacedemonians marching down by the Sea side and taking the way through the Plain destroyed and burnt the Countrey The Enemy went out and encamped by a Brook that ran before their Camp the Lacedemonians advancing within less than ten furlongs off them encamped also and lay still I will now give an Account how strong both Armies were there were drawn together about six thousand of the Lacedemonian Heavy-armed men of the Eleans Triphylians Acrorians and Lasioneans near 3000 of Sicyonians 1500 of Epidaurians Traezenians Hermioneans and Halieans no less than 3000 besides these there were six hundred Lacedemonian Horse supported by three hundred Cretan Archers Of the Marganean Ledrinian Amphidolian Slingers no less than four hundred The Phliasians were not in the Army but pretended there was a Truce These were the Forces of the Lacedemonians The Enemies Army consisted in six thousand Athenian Heavy-armed men and as the report went seven thousand Argives The Boeotians the Orchomenians being not there were but about 5000. the Corinthians three thousand and out of all Euboea three thousand more These were their Heavy-armed men The Boeotian Horse the Orchomenians being not there were about eight hundred the Athenian near six hundred of the Chalcideans that came out of Euboea an hundred of the Locri Opuntij fifty The Light-armed men together with the Corinthians exceeded this number being joyned by the Locri Ozolae the Melieans and Acarnanians These were the Forces on both sides The Boeotians whilst they had the left Wing were not urgent for a Battel but when the Athenians were drawn up against the Lacedemonians and they opposed to the Achaeans in the right they immediately cried out the Sacrifice was auspicious and ordered to make ready for a Battle Here at first they took no care to draw up sixteen in Front but made their Battalion altogether deep nor did they move to the right that they might thereby outwing the Enemy The Athenians followed that they might not be disordered although they understood that they were in danger of being surrounded Hitherto the Lacedemonians did not discover that the Enemy advanced because the Place thereabouts was woody but after they had begun to sing the Paean they then perceived them instantly and commanded all to prepare for fighting and being drawn up in the order the Officers of the Mercenaries had marshalled each Battalion they were commanded to follow their Leader The Lacedemonians advanced towards the right of the Enemy and did so far
several of the Acarnanian Targetiers came up and made use of their Javelins and Slings but Agesilaus being encamped on an Hill sustained no dammage only the Soldiers as they were providing Supper were forced to march down into the Plain At Night when the Acarnanians drew off and set their Centinels the Army reposed themselves Next day Agesilaus decamped but the Pass out of the Meadows and Plain being strait by reason of the Mountains which surrounded the Lake the Acarnanians possessed themselves of the Hills and put the Enemy to a great deal of trouble with their Lances and Javelins from the Eminencies and descending from thence gave them such a diversion that they were not able to march any farther Nor did the Heavy-armed men and Horse which were drawn out of the Body of the Army with design to pursue do them any harm because they retired to their fastnesses Agesilaus considering it would be a difficult matter for his men who had been in such hard Service to force this Pass resolved to pursue those that charged in the left being a strong Party that had pressed hard upon them because this Hill was easier for the Heavy-armed men and Horse to pass Whilst he was sacrificing the Acarnanians put them hard to 't with their Lances and Javelins and advancing very near wounded several of them But when he commanded his men to pursue the heavy-armed men who were fifteen years past man's estate ran upon them the Horse moved and he himself followed with the rest Immediately the Acarnanians who came down the hill and made some light Skirmishes with the Enemy soon turned their backs and were cut in pieces in their retreat to the ascent thereof The Acarnanian Heavy-armed men were posted on the top of the Hill and continued there with a strong Party of Targetiers who amongst others threw their Lances wherewith they galled the Cavalry and killed some of their Horses Yet when they were just going to close with the Lacedemonian Heavy-armed men they fell to flight and about three hundred of them were killed for which Action Agesilaus erected a Trophy and after that went ravaging and destroying the Countrey The Acarnanians thinking he had done them no Service at all because he had not taken in any place either by Surrender or Siege intreated him that if he would condescend to nothing else yet that he would stay only so long as to hinder the Enemie's Seed time He told them they made a very unreasonable demand For said he I shall march hither again the next Summer and the more they sow the more desirous will they be of Peace This he said and made such a march by Land through Aetolia as neither a small nor a great Army could have done without the leave of the Aetolians but they let him pass at that time hoping to recover Naupactus by his Assistance At last he took his way by Rhium and returned home because the Athenians had put to Sea with their Fleet from Oeniadae and stopt his passage from Calydon into Peloponnesus Demostratus Archon After Winter was past Agesilaus according to his Promise got an Army together early in the Spring to make an expedition against the Acarnanians but they having intelligence hereof and supposing that they being Inhabitants of an Inland Countrey should be blockt up by those that destroyed their Corn in the same manner as if they were besieged in Towns sent Ambassadors to Lacedemon to make Peace with the Achaeans and an Alliance with the Lacedemonians And this is the Account of the Acarnanian Affairs About this time the Lacedemonians designing to make an Expedition against the Athenians and Boeotians resolved to send an Army against Argos not thinking it safe to leave behind them so potent a City as that in their Neighbourhood and at War with them Agesipolis understanding he was to command the Forces procured an auspicious Sacrifice for his Voyage and went to Jupiter's Oracleat Olympia to enquire whether he might in Justice refuse the Peace offered by the Argives or not being they made no Proposals at any seasonable time but devised shifts to divert the War just when the Lacedemonians were ready to enter their Territories The Oracle answered He might lawfully refuse a Peace which was not offered at a fit time From thence he went to Apollo at Delphos to know whether he was of the same Opinion with his Father concerning the Peace 't was answered he was Whereupon Agesipolis drew his Army out of Phlius for there the Forces were assembled till he went to both Oracles and entred the Enemie's Countrey by the way of Nemea When the Argives found they could not prevent the War they as their way was sent two Heralds crowned with Garlands to make overtures of Peace Agesipolis answered them that the Gods did not think the Peace was fairly offered nor did he accept it but fell on which caused a terrour and put those of the City and Countrey into a Consternation The first day he dined in the Countrey of Argos and when the usual Sacrifices were offered after Supper there happ'ned an Earthquake The Lacedemonians having began their March from home sung all of them an Hymn to Neptune supposing they should return back again because Agis when formerly there hap'ned one in Elis had done the like To which Agesipolis replied that if the Earthquake had hap'ned before he had entred the Countrey he should have apprehended as if the God had opposed his Design but since it was after he thought he gave him encouragement to proceed So the next day he sacrificed to Neptune and marched a little way into the Enemies Countrey And because Agesilaus had lately made an Expedition against Argos Agesipolis inquired of the Soldiers how near he advanced to the Walls of the City and how far into the Countrey striving Champion like to outdo him in every thing For one time when he was shot at from the Turrets he repassed the Ditch that encompassed the Walls at another when most of the Argives were gone to make an Inroad into Laconia he advanced so near the Gates that those who guarded them shut out the Baeotian Horse that would have put themselves in fearing the Lacedemonians would have entred at the same time with them So that the Horse were forced to lie as close under the Walls and the Works as Bats and if some Cretans had not made an Excursion towards Nauplia several of the men and Horses had been destroyed by the Arrows Soon after when he encamped at Erctae there fell a Thunderbolt into the Camp which struck some and astonisht others so that they died And when he was designing to fortifie a small Castle at the Pass over Coelossa the Sacrifice wanted Lobes upon which he marched away with his Army and disbanded it having very much incommoded the Argives by so surprising an Invasion After this manner was the War managed by Land I will now relate what passed about the same time at Sea and
Communities and at length all obliged themselves by Oath to confirm the Peace Only the Thebans would ratifie it in the Name of the rest of the Baeotians but Agesilaus refused to accept their Oath unless they would swear according to the Tenour of the Kings Letters which was that the lesser as well as greater Cities should be set free The Theban Ambassadors replyed The Letters were not directed to them Go then said Agesilaus and consult your Masters about it and tell them moreover that if they will not accept these Proposals they shall be excluded the League After their departure Agesilaus out of hatred to the Thebans lost no time but moved the Ephori against them and immediately Sacrificed when having signs of a prosperous Expedition he marcht to Tegea and from thence sent the Horse to the neighbouring places as also the Commanders of the Mercenaries to hasten their Conjunction of the Army But before he moved from Tegea the Thebans arrived and signified that they would restore the Cities to their Liberties Whereupon the Lacedemonians returned home and the Thebans were obliged to make Peace allowing the Baeotian Towns their own Laws Nevertheless the Corinthians did not dismiss their Garison of Argives upon which Agesilaus threatned the one that if they did not discharge the Argives and the others that if they did not quit Corinth he would treat them as Enemies Both being frighted herewith the Armies departed the Town and the City of Corinth was restored to its liberty The Murderers and those that were conscious to themselves that they were concerned in the Massacre departed and the rest of the Citizens very willingly received those formerly banished Hereupon the respective Communities swore to observe the Articles of Peace sent by the King and the Land together with the Naval Forces were disbanded This was the first Peace that was made between the Lacedemonians Athenians and their Allies since the Walls of Athens were demolished And though the Lacedemonians did in a manner ballance the power of the Enemies during the War yet they gained themselves a great deal of Reputation from that called the Antalcidean Peace which the King of Persia Proposed For they being Guarrantees of it restored the Cities to their Liberty made Corinth their Ally and as they formerly desired freed the Boeotian Towns from the Jurisdiction of the Thebans Besides they obliged the Argives to quit their Pretensions to Corinth and decreed to send an Army against them unless they abandoned the Place When Affairs succeeded thus according to their desires Mystichides Archon they resolved to revenge themselves on those Allies who during the War had inclined more to the Interest of the Enemy than theirs and for the future to make such Provision as that it should not lie in their power to prove false First therefore they sent to the Mantineans commanding them to demolish their Walls and telling them that unless they did they could not believe but that they favoured their Enemies adding they had Intelligence that they sent the Argives Provisions who were at War with them and that at other times they would not joyn them but pretended a Truce and when they did they did them but ill Service Moreover they perceived that they envied their Success and were much pleased at any misfortune that befel them Besides the * This Truce was made the XIV year of the Pelopon War Thucyd. Lib. V. Dexitheus Archon XXX years Truce made after the Battel of Mantinea expired this Year The Argives refused to demolish their Walls and thereupon an Army was sent against them Agesilaus requested the States to excuse him this Expedition affirming that the Mantineans had done his Father very good Service in the Messenian War. Hereupon Agesipolis led the Army though his Father Pausanias had a good understanding with the Chief men of Mantinea He entred the Countrey and burnt it but yet when the Mantineans did not demolish their Walls for all this he drew a Line of Circumvallation about the Town carrying on the Works with one half of the Army and defending those that were employed about them with the other After the Lines were finished he encompassed the Town about with a Wall without any loss but when he understood that it was well stored with Provisions the former having been a plentiful Year thinking 't would be an hard case to wear out the Army and Allies with a long Expedition he dammed up a large River that ran through the Town and stopping its course raised it above the Foundations of the Walls and Houses Whereupon the lowermost Bricks being moistned yielded under the uppermost and the Wall cracking leaned upon that the Mantineans propped it up with Wood and made a Work to prevent the Tower from falling But when they saw they were overpowred by the Water fearing the Wall would drop down quite round whereby they should easily fall into the Enemie's hands they consented to demolish it But the Lacedemonians would hearken to no Terms unless they would consent to live in Villages The Mantineans seeing themselves necessitated yielded to their Conditions They that favoured the Argives and Chief men apprehended they should suffer death but Pausanias prevailed with his Son Agesipolis for sixty of them to depart the Town with safe Conduct The Lacedemonians stood on both sides from the Gates with their Pikes to view them as they marcht out and though they hated the Mantineans yet the Private Soldiers forbore them with much more moderation than the Officers of the Mantineans would have done which I have mentioned as a testimony of great Obedience to their Commanders From this time the Walls were pulled down and Mantinea divided into four Parts being inhabited as in former times The People were troubled at first because they were obliged to pull down their Houses and build others anew Yet they became well satisfied with the change being nearer their Estates which lay just by the Villages being governed by an Aristocracy and delivered from the oppressing Demagogues so that when the Lacedemonians sent an Officer to each Village to raise men they came into the Service with more readiness than when they were governed by a Democracy These were the Transactions at Mantinea By which others may learn not to draw Rivers through the Walls of their Cities The Phliasian Exiles observing that the Lacedemonians took an Account of all the Allies bevaviour towards them in the War Olymp. 99. Diotrephes Archon and supposing they had now a fair opportunity in their hands went to Lacedemon and represented that whilst they enjoyed their Countrey their City both received the Lacedemonians and followed them in all their Expeditions But after they were expulst the rest would serve the Lacedemonians in no capacity they of all men being excluded their City When the Ephori heard this they thought it a matter worthy their consideration and sent a Message to the Community of the Phliasians to let them know that the Exiles were well
four hundred Horse near him partly because he admired these Troops and partly to shew respect to Derdas thereby to oblige him the more to the Service Afterwards the Enemy sallying out of the Town drew up under the Walls and marshalling their Horse in a close Body charged the Lacedemonians and Baeotians and beating Polycharmus General of the Lacedemonian Cavalry of his Horse gave him a great many wounds as he lay on the ground and killed some others At last the Horse in the right were routed and they flying the Foot that were next them gave ground so that the whole Army was in danger of being defeated had not Derdas advanced with his Horse to the Gates of the City and Teleutias seconded him with his Troops in good order which when the Olynthian Cavalry perceived they faced about and retreated with great diligence searing they should be cut off from the Gates Derdas killed a great many of their Horse as they passed by him but the Infantry being near the Walls retired back into the Town without much loss Teleutias having obtained this Advantage erected a Trophy cut down the Trees and retreated disbanding the Macedonian Troops and those of Derdas at the end of the Campagn Nevertheless the Olynthians making several Incursions into the Territories of the Lacedemonian Confederates ravaged the Country and killed the Inhabitants Early in the Spring near six hundred of the Olynthian Horse over-ran the Country about Apollonia at Mid-day Menaâ—der Archon and foraged in small Parties The same day Derdas arrived with his Cavalry and Dined there When he saw the Inroad he lay still having the Horses in readiness and their Riders armed But the Olynthians advancing to the Suburbs and Gates of the Town in contempt of him he went out against them with a body of men As soon as they discovered him they sell to flight and he having put them once to the rout gave not over pursuing and slaying for ninety Furlongs together and followed them up to the Walls of Olynthus 'T was reported that Derdas killed eighty of their Cavalry in this Action and from this time the Enemy kept themselves within their Walls tilling but little ground Some time after Teleutias moved to the Walls of Olynthus destroying every Tree and all the ground that was tilled On the contrary the Olynthian Horse going out and marching gently passed the River that ran by the Town and advanced slowly towards the Enemy Teleutias seeing them was provoked by their boldness and ordered Tlemonidas who commanded the Targetiers instantly to charge them with sull speed When the Olynthians discovered them running before the rest of the Army they faced about and making a gentle Retreat repassed the River The Lacedemonians followed them very boldly and as they retreated the others pursued and passed the River after them The Olynthian Horse thinking they could master those that were already come over saced about and charged them killing Tlemonides with above a hundred more When Teleutias saw it he was enraged and taking up his Arms again he instantly drew out the Heavy-arm'd men and commanded the Targetiers and Horse to pursue without any intermission Hereby it hapned that as several indiscreetly followed the Enemy too near the Wall they came short home for they being shot at from the Turrets were forced to retire in disorder and defend themselves from the Arrows The Olynthians being supported with a body of Targetiers charged with their Horse and at length the Heavy-arm'd men run out and attacked the disordered Troops of the Enemy In this Skirmish Teleutias died fighting which when those near him saw they gave ground nor did the rest stand any longer but were totally routed some flying to Spartolus others to Acanthus some to Apollonia and most of them to Potidaea Thus as they fled several ways dispersedly so the Enemy pursuing them in small bodies killed abundance and those too the slower of that great Army From these Accidents men may learn this general Instruction Not to correct Servants in their passion for sometimes they have suffered more themselves in their Commotions than what they have inflicted upon others And to attack an Enemy rather in a rage than upon mature deliberation is the most unpardonable fault in the World. Passion is inconsiderate but Reason is no less circumspect to secure it self than to annoy an Enemy When the Lacedemonians received News of this Disaster Demophilus Archon they resolved to send a considerable Force to take down the Pride of the Victors and not to make a fruitless Expedition as the former was They made a Decree and sent King Agesipolis to be their General with thirty Commissioners as they had done before to Agesilaus when he marcht into Asia Many of the Neighbouring people who were valiant men went Voluntiers and several of the Mercenaries that were bred in the Service as also the Natural Sons of the Spartans that were comely men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for studious men è Proem ad Ex. de leg Hist Byz and had been educated in the Spartan Discipline several Voluntiers too went out of the Confederate Towns amongst which were some Thessalian Horse who had a desire to signalize themselves before Agesipolis Amyntas and Derdas likewise pursued the War now more vigorously than formerly At that time Agesipolis having got his Army together marched to Olynthus In the mean while the Phliasian Republick having been commended by Agesipolis for contributing so largely and readily to the carrying on of the War and supposing that whilst he was abroad Agesilaus would not come against them nor that both Kings would leave Sparta at the same time treated the recalled Exiles very rudely and contrary to all justice For the banished men prayed that their Cases might be heard at an indifferent Tribunal but they compelled the Exiles to try them in their own City and though they pleaded that no justice could be expected there where the same were Judges and Parties too yet for all this they had no hearing After that the recalled Exiles being accompanied with several others from home went to Lacedemon and accused their Republick alledging that many of their Citizens had not justice done them The Phliasian Government provoked by this fined all those that went thither without a Deputation from the City and they who were fined remained there fearing to return home and declared that things were arbitrarily carried on by those who banished them and expulsed the Lacedemonians that they had bought up the Exiles Goods and forcibly detain'd them having procured that they should be fined for coming to Lacedemon that so none for the future should dare to go thither and discover what was done in the City The Ephori plainly apprehending by this that the Phliasians would grow insolent Olymp. 100. Pytheus Archon decreed to send an Army against them and Agesilaus was glad of this opportunity For Podanemus and his relatious the guests of his Father
unless he was first possest of Cithaeron and being advertised that the Cletorians were at War with the Orchomenians and had entertained Mercenary Troops in their Service he treated with them to lend him those Forces in case he had occasion for them After he had obtained an auspicious Sacrifice for his Expedition he sent before he arrived with his Army at Tegea to the General of the Mercenaries that served under the Cletorians and gave them a Months pay commanding them to go and possess themselves of Cithaeron and ordered the Orchomenians to forbear Hostilities threatning also that if any City should make War during the time of this Expedition he would persuant to the Decree of the Confederates fall immediately upon them After he had passed Cithaeron he arrived at Thespiae and parting from thence with his Army he marched into the Thebans Countrey and finding the Plain and best Parts of it entrenched and fortified with Palisadoes he encamped in several Places and after Dinner sent out Parties to burn and destroy the Countrey that lay before his Works For wheresoever Agesilaus marched the Enemy appeared upon the Defensive Part within their Trenches But when he returned to his Camp the Theban Horse lying under a Covert sallied out of the Avenews about the time the Targetiers were getting their Supper ready and preparing for it the Horse being partly mounted and dismounted They charged and killed Cleo and Epilytidas two Spartan Horsemen as also Eudicus one of the Neighbourhood of Sparta with some of the Athenian Exiles that had not yet mounted But when Agesilaus faced about and came to their Assistance with the Heavy-armed men and Horse supported by those that were ten years above man's estate and charged them full speed The Theban Horse shew themselves to be meer Slugs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T was a note of Luxury and Sottishness to sleep after Dinner Athen. standing their Ground only till the Cavalry advanced and threw their Lances but reached them not for as soon as they did they gave back and lost twelve of their men Agesilaus understanding that the Enemy used to appear in the Field after it was Noon sacrificed by break of Day and marching with diligence entred their Trenches through a Place that was not well guarded wasting and destroying all to the Gates of Thebes After this Action he retired to Thespiae and walled the Town appointing Phoebidas Governour of the Place and marching back again to Megara disbanded the Auxiliaries and returned home with his Spartans From that time Phoebidas sent out Foragers to ruin and destroy the Countrey about Thebes who wasted it with their continual Depredations On the contrary the Thebans to be even with them fell with all their Forces into the Thespians Countrey but whilst they were there Phoebidas observed them and obliged them to keep together in a close Body So that the Thebans being weary of their invasion hastened their Retreat out of the Countrey the Muletiers also threw away the Corn they carried and drave their Mules home so great a Consternation was the Army in Then Phoebidas taking the Targetiers along with him commanded the Heavy-armed men to follow and pressed the Enemy very hard hoping to give them a total Defeat For he led on very boldly encouraging his men to set seriously to their Work and the Thespian Heavy-armed men to follow The Theban Cavalry getting together in a Body retired to a Forest that could not be passed through and there they turned upon the Enemy because there was no way to retreat Whereupon the formost of the Lacedemonian Targetiers being few in number and struck with a terror fell to flight Which the Theban Horse seeing they were encouraged to fall upon those that fled and soon after Phoebidas with two or three more that fought by him were slain Whereupon all the Mercenaries fled When they came in their pursuit to the Heavy-armed men of the Thespians these who before disdained to yield to the Thebans turned their backs though pursued by none because it was late in the Evening and though but few of them were slain yet they stopped not till they had a Wall between them and their Enemy By this Action the Theban Affairs recovered new Life again so that they made War upon the Thespians and other Neighbouring Cities causing the People to remove from these Places to Thebes there being in those Towns the same Government as in that City by which the Friends of the Lacedemonians were weakned there After Phaebidas was slain the Lacedemonians sent a Colonel with a Regiment by Sea to put into the Garison at Thespiae In the Spring the Lacedemonians sent an Army against Thebes Olymp. 101. Chariander Archon and intreated Agesilaus to command it He took the same Measures in this Expedition as in the other sending before he had an auspicious Sacrifice to the Colonel at Thespiae to possess himself of the Pass over Cithaeron and keep it till he himself arrived thither When Agesilaus passed this Hill and came to Plataeae he made as if he would first march to Thespiae sending thither and ordering Provisions to be got ready and the Deputies to expect him there The Day following Agesilaus sacrificed by break of Day and reaching Erythroe performed two days march in one and passed the Trench at Scolum before the Thebans came from the Guard of that Post where he entred at first Having performed this he destroyed the Thebans Countrey as far as that of Tanagra which hitherto was defended by Hypatadorus and his men the Lacedemonian Allies and retreated to the left of the Town The Thebans coming upon him drew up in Batallia at a Place called the Old Woman's Breast having secured their Rear with a Ditch and Palisado supposing they might easily hazard a Battle there because the Place was very narrow and not easily accessible Agesilaus seeing this did not attack them but marched a contrary way towards Thebes the Thebans being in pain for their City because it was naked left the place where they were drawn up and hastned thither with diligence by the way that leads to Potniae that being the securest This was esteemed a neat Stratagem for Agesilaus by retiring a good distance from the Enemy obliged them also to retreat full speed besides the Colonels flanked them with some Regiments as they passed by On the other hand the Thebans darted their Javelins from the Hill so that Alipetus one of the Colonels was killed therewith Yet the Thebans were beaten from this Hill and the Sciritae ascending with a Party of Horse cut off some of their Rear as they passed by towards Thebes When the Thebans were advanced near the Walls they faced about which the Sciritae seeing retired with diligence and though not one of them was lost yet the Thebans erected a Trophy because the Enemy retreated from the Place to which they had first ascended The Season being advanced Agesilaus parted thence and encamped in a Place where he discovered the
would be destroyed by the Enemie's Darts faced about and charged their Pursuers In this Skirmish Polytropus was slain and many more had been killed in the flight if the Phliasian Horse had not wheeled about and stopt their further pursuit by attacking the Mantineans Rear After this Exploit the Mantineans returned home Agesilaus hearing of it and concluding that the Orchomenian Mercenaries would not joyn them advanced in this manner The first day he supped in the Territory of Tegea and the day after passing into that of Mantinea he encamped under the Hills that are to the Westward of the City There he burnt the Countrey and destroyed the Fields The Arcadians that were assembled at Asea got into Tegea by Night and next Day Agesilaus encamped within twenty Furlongs of Mantinea The Arcadians coming with a strong Body of Heavy-armed men from Tegea and having reached the Hills betwixt Mantinea and that Place they were very earnest to joyn the Mantineans because the Argives had not sent all their Forces thither Some there were who perswaded Agesilaus to fall upon them separately but he fearing that whilst he attacked them the Mantineans out of the Town would fall upon his Flank and Rear concluded it would be best to let them joyn and then if they would fight they should have a fair and open Field By this time the Arcadians were united and Agesilaus as he was sacrificing before the Camp by day-break discovered the Targetiers from Orchomenus together with the Phliasian Horse who marched in the Night by Mantinea whereupon Agesilaus was obliged to return to his Arms and the rest to run to their Ranks In the Evening he encamped undiscovered in a Vally surrounded by the Mountains on the back of the Mantinean Territory Next day as he was sacrificing at the Head of the Army he discovered the Mantineans assembled on the top of those Hills that overlookt his Rear upon which he resolved to draw his men out of the Valley but fearing if he marcht from thence that the Enemy would fall upon his Rear he lay still and commanded those in the Rear to face about to direct their Arms towards the Enemy and to move to the right towards their Leader By this means he both drew his Troops out of the strait Pass and re-inforc'd his Battalion which when he had doubled he marcht into the Plain in that Order and there extended it nine or ten deep The Mantineans came out no more because the Eleans their Confederates had perswaded them not to fight till the Thebans had joyned them 187. l. being assured of their coming for that they had borrowed ten Talents of them for this expedition The Arcadians when they heard this kept themselves within the Walls of Mantinea Agesilaus though he had a great desire to march away with the Army it being in the midst of Winter yet he stay'd three days in the Neighbourhood of Mantinea that he might not be thought to hasten his departure for fear of the Enemy On the fourth day he refreshed his Army early and began his march making shew as if he would encamp in the Place where he did when he first set out from Eutaea But when none of the Arcadians appeared he though very much belated marched with diligence to Eutaea intending to depart with the Heavy-armed men before the Enemies fires were discovered that none might say he fled whereby he seemed to have allayed the consternation his Countreymen were in before because though he had entered Arcadia and burned it yet none would undertake to fight him As soon as he arrived in Laconia he sent home his Spartans and dismissed the Neighbouring Troops to go to their respective Cities The Arcadians receiving Intelligence that Agesilaus was marcht out of their Countrey and had disbanded his Army got together in a strong Body fell upon the Heraeans for refusing to incorporate with them for invading Arcadia with the Lacedemonians for firing their Houses and cutting down the Trees in their Incursions But when there came News that the Thebans were coming to relieve Mantinea they left Heraea and joyned them after the Armies were united the Thebans thinking all was well because they had succoured their Allies and no Enemy appeared in the Countrey prepared for their departure The Arcadians Argives and Eleans persuaded the Thebans to march directly into Laconia making ostentation of their Numbers and magnifying their Army for all the Boeotians were very well disciplined and elated with their Victory at Leuctra There followed them in this Expedition their Subjects the Phoceans Acarnanians Heracleans and Melieans and Forces out of all the Cities of Euboea both the Locri and Horse and Targetiers out of Thessaly They therefore well informing the Thebans of the Desolation which was in Laconia entreated them that they would not by any means march away before they had made an Incursion into that Countrey The Thebans indeed gave them the hearing but considered on the other hand that Laconia was very difficult to be invaded thinking there might be Guards set to defend those Places which were most easie to be passed For Ischolaus was at Ius in the Territory of Sciris with a Garrison of four hundred stout men consisting partly of half Slaves and partly of the Exiles of Tegea There was another Garrison too near Leuctra beyond Maleatis Moreover the Thebans considered that the Lacedemonians would soon unite and that they would fight no where better than upon their own Ground Upon all these Confiderations they were not very forward to march to Lacedemon but afterwards when some came from Caryae and reported the Countrey was in no posture of Defence proffering to guide the Army and offering themselves to be cut in pieces if they imposed upon them There came also several of the Nighbourhood to invite and to inform them that if they did but appear in the Countrey they would revolt and added that the Neighbours were lately summoned by the Spartans but would not assist them The Thebans hearing all these Reports and from several hands were over-perswaded and fell into Laconia about Caryae as did the Arcadians near Ius in the Territory of Sciris Though if Ischolaus had but gone before and secured the difficult Passes 't was said none could have entered on that side but he designing to joyn those of Ius tarried for them at that Village where the Arcadians came upon them in great Numbers and here Ischolaus's men facing about and charging the Enemy got the better But at last when those on the Houses threw their Lances and darted their Javelins both at the Rear and Flank Ischolaus and all the rest fell except any might escape undistinguished The Arcadians having performed this Exploit marcht towards Caryoe to the Thebans who having heard of their Success came down into the Enemies Countrey the more boldly and immediately destroyed and burnt Sellasia When they came into the Champion Countrey they encamped in a Grove of Apollo's but made no attempt
hereof the Gods themselves who have in prospect all things past present and to come shall be Spectators of it from Heaven Nothing of this shall be forgotten for if the Lacedemonians prove ungrateful to you who will assist them at any time hereafter though in Charity we ought to hope the best of them and that they won't be disingenuous For there is no People have had greater Principles of Honour than they nor more carefully shun'd the appearance of baseness Besides consider if ever any danger from the Barbarian shall threaten our Countrey whom can you confide in more or would rather chuse for your Seconds than those who being posted at the Thermopylae chose rather to die upon the Spot than live and let the Barbarian enter Greece Ought not we therefore in Justice to do them all the good Offices we can who have acquitted themselves with us with so much bravery and in all probability will do the like for the future Nor would you loose your labour in shewing them respect upon the Allies account for assure your selves that these who continue their faithful Friends in distress will in honour render you the like piece of Service in their Name If these States of ours that would engage in this danger seem inconsiderable yet by the conjunction of yours they will make up a Formidable Power Heretofore My Lords of Athens I had your City in admiration when I heard all who were either injured or had any apprehensions of their Enemies fled hither for refuge and obtained the relief they sought Now I hear no longer but am present and see that the Lacedemonians the most famous Nation in the World and their faithful Allies are come hither to implore your Assistance I my self see the Lacedemonians who formerly could not be prevailed upon by the Thebans utterly to destroy you now begging of you not to suffer the Lacedemonians to be destroyed who preserved you 'T is to the Honour of your Ancestors that they would not permit those Argives to lie unburied who perished at the Citadel of Thebes it will be much more to your Fame not to let the Lacedemonians yet living either to be oppressed or destroyed This was honourably done by you when you curbed the Insolence of Euristheus to preserve Hercules's Posterity but is it not more honourable to save not only the Princes but the whole Republick and this most honourable of all if when the Lacedemonians preserved you by a word of their mouth for you in return to expose your Lives in their Defence If it be matter of so great joy for us only to speak in the behalf of such Gallant men it will be thought a generous part in you to assist them with your Arms and since you have been several times Allies and Enemies to remember rather the good Offices than the Injuries received from them whereby you will make a return not only in their Name but in the Name of all Greece to those who have acquitted themselves with so much Gallantry in it's Defence The Athenians deliberating upon the Matter would not endure to hear the opposite Party but resolved that the Lacedemonians should be assisted with their whole Force and chose Iphicrates their General who having a lucky Sacrifice commanded his men to sup in the Academy whither several arrived before him Soon after he began his March and the whole Army followed as going upon some glorious Expedition But when he came to Corinth he remained there some Days for which delay the Army blamed him yet when he began to march again the Army followed him with that alacrity that they would readily have attacked Argos it self if he had led them against it In the mean while the Arcadians Argives Eleans and several of the Enemies who were Borderers left the Service going about ravaging and spoyling what ever they could light on The Thebans and the rest were for returning home because they saw their Army wasted and their Provisions grow daily scarcer some being spent others taken from them some squandred away and others burnt Besides it was Winter and all desired to return back to their own Countrey So Iphicrates marcht with the Athenians out of Corinth at the same time they left Laconia I find no fault with his Conduct in other Expeditions but I observe all he did in this was either done to no purpose or with no advantage For when he undertook to defend Oneum and cut off the Retreat of the Boeotians he left the most important Pass at Cenchreae unguarded and sent all the Athenian and Corinthian Horse upon the Scout to discover whether the Thebans had passed the Oneum though a great many could see no more than a few and a small Party if they were obliged to retreat could retire with more security than a great Body Is it not therefore a great piece of Imprudence to send out a Party which is weaker than the Forces of the Enemy For being the Horse were many they covered a great deal of Ground and when they were obliged to retire they fell upon several rough Places so that no less than twenty of them perisht and the Thebans marched away at their Liberty XENOPHON'S History OF THE Affairs of Greece LIB VII THE CONTENTS A Treaty betwixt the Lacedemonians and the Athenians The Rise of the Arcadians under Lycomedes The Thebans projecting to enslave Greece send Pelopidas to treat with the King of Persia The signal Fidelity of the Phliasians to the Lacedemonians Euphron the Tyrant of Sicyon assassinated The Battel at Mantinea wherein Epaminondas was slain THe Year following Olymp. 103. Niusigenes Archon the Plenipotentiaries of the Lacedemonians and Confederates came to Athens to treat of an Alliance between the Lacedemonians and the Athenians And several as well of the Allies as Athenians declaring it ought to be made upon equal and like Terms Procles the Phliasian made this Speech My Lords of Athens since you have thought fit to make the Lacedemonians your Friends you ought in my opinion to consider how this Alliance may be made lasting If therefore we make a League that may be advantageous to both sides such an one in all probability will be longest kept There only remains the point about the Command in Chief to be settled in other matters we are almost agreed The States have already resolved that you should command by Sea and the Lacedemonians by Land. Which Partition seems to me not to have been the contrivance of human wit but the Result of the Divine Wisdom and the disposition of Providence For first of all ye have a place exceedingly well contriv'd by nature for it and many Towns lie near your City that depend upon the Commerce at Sea all which are of less power than yours You have Ports too without which your Naval Forces would be of no use and many Gallies 'T is a Maxim also of your State to maintain a powerful Fleet. Moreover the Trades which belong to Shipping are all peculiar
to you who far excel other Nations in the Art of Navigation Most of you subsist by the Sea so that at the same time you follow your own private occasions and gain experience in the Maritine Discipline Nor can any set out so numerous a Fleet of Gallies as you which is of no small moment towards the obtaining the Command in Chief For all desire to join with them that are most powerful and Heaven has conferr'd that Happiness on you for tho you have had so many and so great Engagements at Sea yet you have seldom miscarried but commonly been victorious so that there can hardly be any Enterprise in which the Allies will refuse to engage with you Consider then that this is a matter of the greatest moment and consequence to you for tho the Lacedemonians have made war upon you so many years and possess'd themselves of your Country yet they never endanger'd your Ruine till Heaven gave them the Sovereignty of the Sea and then they soon brought you under subjection 'T is plain therefore your preservation depends wholly on the Sea and since you are so fitted for it by nature how can you in honor suffer the Lacedemonians to command there For first they acknowledge themselves less experienced in Naval Affairs than you are and besides the dangers that they run in Sea-fights are not equal to yours for they adventure only the loss of their Men on board their Gallies but you fight for your Wives your Children and your whole Country This is the state of your Affairs and that of the Lacedemonians is as follows First they inhabit an in-land Country and therefore tho they be shut out from Sea they can subsist well enough on the Land. For this reason they are trained up immediately from their Child-hood in the Land-service and by their exact Discipline which is very material become as powerful at Land as you at Sea. Moreover they they can as soon draw out a potent Army as you can equip a Fleet which in all probability will be a strong inducement to the Confederates to join with them Again as Heaven has given them success by Land so it has to you at Sea for of the many Battels they have fought they have been victorious in most and miscarried but in few You may understand then by their Atchievments that the care of the Land-service is no less necessary for them than that of Sea for you For tho you have made war with them at Sea these several years and beat them several times yet you did nothing considerable towards the subduing them till once they were vanquish'd by Land and then their Wives their Children and all their Country were in danger Would it not then be an hard case for them to resign up their command at Land to others who are capable of discharging it so well themselves I therefore have declared my self to be of the opinion of the Senate as judging it most advantageous for both sides and may all your Counsels be crowned with success whilest you consult the common interest of us all Thus he His Oration was highly commended both by the Athenians and all the Lacedemonians there present Then Cephisodotus rising up came forth into the midst of the Assembly and spoke My Lords of Athens Don't you perceive your selves to be imposed upon and if you will please to hear me I 'll soon make it appear in what manner You forfooth shall command at Sea and the Lacedemonians your Confederates will perhaps find Captains of Gallies and Soldiers that are Lacedemonians but the Seamen shall be either Slaves or Hirelings and these are the men that you must command But when they shall summon you to joyn with them in any Expedition by Land you must send them Horse and heavy-arm'd men so that they shall command you your selves but you only their Slaves and such kind of pitiful Fellows Answer me then said he you Timocrates of Lacedemon did you not affirm but just now that you came to treat with us upon equal terms I did so said Timocrates Is there any thing then said Cephisodotus more equal than that we should command in our turns both at Sea and Land and if there be any advantage in the command at Sea that ye should participate of it as well as we of that at Land The Athenians hearing this were perswaded to alter their opinion and decreed that each side should command five days alternately Afterwards when they and their Confederates made War against Corinth 't was thought convenient to guard the Mount Oneum with their joint Forces so that when the Thebans and their Allies march'd thither they posted themselves in several parts of the Mount and the Lacedemonians with the Pellenians in those places which were easiest to be assaulted When the Thebans came within thirty Furlongs of the Enemy they encamped on the Plain and computing what time they should spend in their March from their first setting out they advanced towards the Lacedemonians by twilight Nor were they mistaken in their time for they fell upon them and the Pellenians just as the Night-Watch ended and every one was raising himself out of his Bed. There the Thebans being provided fell upon those that were not those in order upon the disordered As soon as those that escaped the Action retired to the adjacent Hill the Lacedemonian Collonel might have taken what heavy-arm'd Men and Targetiers of the Confederates he would and by their assistance have possess'd himself of the place for Provisions might easily have been conveyed from Cenchreoe thither but he neglected this opprtunity For whilst the Thebans were in suspence whether they should march down the way to Sicyon or retreat back again the Colonel made Truce though most people thought 't was more for the Theban's advantage than his own after this he marched off with his Army The Thebans march'd severally down the Hill and having joyned their Confederates immediately attacked Sicycon and Pellene Afterwards they entred Epidaurus burnt all the Country and marched back greatly scorning and contemning their Enemy and when they approach'd near Corinth they run full speed up to the Gates that look towards Phlius with an intention to break in if they found them open but some of the Light-arm'd men sallying out of the Town met their Body not above four hundred foot from the Walls and mounting upon the Monuments and Eminent Places killed a great many of the foremost of them with their Spears and Lances routing and pursuing them about three or four Furlongs After the Action the Corinthians dragging the dead bodies nearer the Walls restored them upon Truce and erected a Trophy Upon this the Lacedemonian Allies took heart again About this time there arrived Auxiliaries from Dionysius to the Lacedemonians with above twenty Gallies that brought on board about fifty Celtic and Iberian horse Next day the Thebans and their Confederates entred the Country in an Hostile manner covering the Plain as far as
the Sea and the Hills near the City and destroyed all before them The Athenian and Corinthian Cavalry when they discovered the strength and numbers of the Enemy did not come very near them Yet Dionysius's Horse though a few in number advanced in small Parties and threw their Lances but the Enemy falling upon them they retreated and then advancing again darted their Lances as before But when any Charged them as they were lighting off their Horses and rested themselves they nimbly mounted again and retreated And when they were pursued any distance from the main Body they attacked their Pursuers and did great execution upon them with their Lances compelling the whole Army both to Advance and Retreat according to their Motions The Thebans returned home not many days after and so did the whole Army Dionysius's Troops made an attempt upon Sicyon and beat the Sicyonians in a fair Field killing about seventy and took the Fort Deras by Storm These were the first Auxiliaries sent by Dionysius who after they had performed these Exploits sailed home to Syracuse The Thebans and those that had Revolted from the Lacedemonians did every thing till this time by general consent and the Thebans wholly managed the War But there arose one Lycomedes a Mantinean in Birth inferiour to none Wealthy and Ambitious who puff'd up the Arcadians with high Conceits telling them That Peloponnesus was only their Country and they its first Inhabitants That they were the most numerous Nation of the Greeks and men of very able bodies alledging this as a Proof of their Prowess that when there was occasion for Auxiliaries none were preferred before them Moreover that the Lacedemonians never attacked Athens without the Arcadians nor had the Thebans come now against Lacedemon had they not been supported by them Wherefore if you are wise says he no longer follow others Command for before when you served the Lacedemonians you advanced them and if you still inconsiderately engage with the Thebans and don 't seek to command in your turns you will perhaps find them Lacedemonians too The Arcadians hearing this became elated and treated Lycomedes with extraordinary Respect esteeming him the only man amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insomuch that they chose such to be Officers as he nominated whereby the Arcadians became very great For when the Argives entred Epidaurus their Retreat was cut off by Chabrias's Mercenaries the Athenians and Corinthians the Arcadians opened them a Passage and brought them off though they suffered as well by the difficulty of the Passes as the opposition of the Enemy They also attempted Asina in Laconia and mastering the Garison destroyed the Suburbs thereof and killed Peranor a Spartan Colonel When ever they had a design to march neither Night nor Storm nor length of way nor unpassable Mountains hindred them so that they esteemed themselves at this time the hardiest Souldiers in the World. For these Reasons the Thebans began to envy and to be colder in their kindness towards them But the Eleans demanding back of the Arcadians those Towns that the Lacedemonians took from them observed that they not only slighted what they said but magnified the Triphylians and the others that revolted from them because they pretended themselves to be Arcadians and hereupon the Eleans also began to be ill affected to them Thus the Allies entertaining an high opinion of themselves Philiscus the Abydenian came with a great Sum of Money from Ariobarzanes and summoned the Thebans their Allies and the Lacedemonians to Delphos about a Peace When they came there they did not communicate their Business to Apollo but debated it amongst themselves At last when the Thebans would not yield that Messene should remain in the hands of the Lacedemonians Philiscus raised a great Body of Mercenaries to assist them Whilst these things were in agitation Polyzelus Archon there arrived a second Supply from Dionysius The Athenians declaring it expedient that they should fall into Thessaly against the Thebans the Lacedemonians would have had them landed in Laconia and this latter Opinion was approved by the Council of War Afterwards Dionysius's Auxiliaries sailed round to Lacedemon and Archidamus taking the Field with them and his Spartans storm'd Caryae and put the Garison to the Sword. From thence he went directly to Parrhasia a Town in Arcadia and destroyed the Country about it But when the Arcadians and Argives came with Succors he Retreated and Encamped upon the Hills that overlookt Midea Whilst he was there Cissidas the General of Dionysius's Forces declared that the time limited for his stay was expired and so departed home by the way of Sparta But the Messenians cutting off his Retreat at a narrow Pass he sent to Archidamus and demanded Relief who accordingly succoured him When they came to the turning that goes to Euctresii the Arcadians and Argives entred Laconia designing to cut off his Retreat homeward but Archidamus drawing up in a Level at the meeting of the Roads that lead to Euctresii and Midea came as they say to the head of his Troops and thus encouraged them Dear Country-men Let us be brave Archidamus's Speech to his Souldiers and look forward that we may deliver our Country to Posterity in such a condition as we receiv'd it from our Ancestors Nor let us any longer be a Reproach to the present Age since in former times we have been the most Renown'd of all the Greeks 'T is reported that when he had ended his Speech it thundred and an auspicious Lightning shone about him in a clear Sky There hapned also to be on the right Wing a Grove and an Image of Hercules from whom he was said to be descended Hereby there was raised such Courage and Alacrity in the Army that the Commanders found some difficulty to restrain the Souldiers from pushing forward Archidamus immediately leading them on a small Party of the Enemy received them at push of Pike some whereof were slain the rest fled many of them being kill'd by the Horse and several by the Celtes When the Fight was over he erected a Trophy and dispatch'd Demoteles the Herald home with the News of a great Victory how that not one of the Lacemonians fell but that the Enemy lost a great many When News hereof came to Sparta they say that Agesilaus first wept and then the Senate and Ephori So common are Tears both to Joy and Grief The Thebans and Eleans growing weary of the Arcadians Arrogance were not less pleas'd at this their ill Success than the Lacedemonians The Thebans continually studying how they might become Lords of Greece thought if they sent to the King of Persia they might by his assistance compass their Design Whereupon under pretence that Euthycles the Lacedemonian was with the King they exhorted the Confederates to send an Embassie and accordingly Pelopidas went from the Thebans Antiochus the Champion from the Arcadians Archidamus from the Eleans and in company of these the Argive On the other
knowing that they had no Title to be Presidents of Jupiter's Temple but that they should do a greater piece of Justice and which would be more pleasing to the God by restoring the Presidentship to the Eleans The Eleans approving of it both sides thought fit to conclude a Peace and accordingly one was concluded When all as well the Tegeans as the Theban that commanded three hundred Boeotian heavy-arm'd Men at Tegea had taken the Oaths some of the Arcadians that remained at Tegea feasted and were merry offering Sacrifices and singing Hymns as tho the Peace had been already Ratified The Thebans and chief of the Arcadians as also the Baeotians that were afraid lest they should be call'd to an account about the consecrated Money and the Epariti that were under the same Circumstances causing the Gates of Tegea to be shut sent Officers to those that were making merry and seized the Principal Persons amongst them For every one being desirous of Peace there was a great Concourse of People from all the Cities of Arcadia whereby there must needs be a great many taken insomuch that the Prison and Town-House were filled with them Several were committed to Custody some leap'd down the Walls and others were let out at the Gates for no body was incens'd against any one except those that thought they should be put to death which put the Theban Commander and his Complices to their Wits-ends because they had seized very few of the Mantineans whom chiefly they design'd to take for their City being near most of them escaped home When it was day and the Mantineans heard how Affairs went they sent immediately to all the Arcadian Towns summoning them to appear in Arms and to be upon their Guard as they were At the same time they sent to Tegea and demanded the Mantineans they had seiz'd Adding that no Arcadian ought to be imprisoned or put to death without a tryal And some there were who blam'd them for these Proceedings because the Mantineans had engag'd to produce any before the Community of the Arcadians that should be Impeached The Theban Commander hearing this could not tell how to govern himself but discharged all the Prisoners and the Day following calling together as many Arcadians as would assemble excused himself before them saying he was mistaken and told them that he heard that the Lacedemonians were in the Frontiers with their Army and that some of the Arcadians were ready to betray Tegea to them which when they heard they let him go though they knew that he imposed upon them The Arcadians sent Ambassadors to Thebes to Impeach this Commander of Treason and then they report that Epaminondas who was at that time their General should say That he did much better in seizing the Arcadians than in discharging them For said he Why may not he accuse you of Treason when we for your sakes made War and you without our Consent have concluded a Peace Assure your selves said he we will employ our Arms against Arcadia and make a joynt War with our Confederates When this was reported to the Community of the Arcadians and the Account hereof spread through every City the rest of the Arcadians and * Mantineans Eleans Achaeans those that were concern'd for Peloponefus gathered from hence that the Thebans did endeavour to weaken the Peloponesians what they could that so they might enslave them with the more ease For said they Why would they have us both involv'd in a War unless it was to weaken one another that so both of us may stand in need of their assistance Why do they make Preparations for a Campagn tho' we have told them that we have no occasion at this time for them Is it not manifest that they design us mischief Thereupon they sent to Athens for assistance and dispatch'd the Epariti on an Embassie to the Lacedemonians requiring them to joyn Forces and preserve Peloponnesus from slavery Then they determined the matter about the Command in Chief how that each Republick should command in their own Territories Whilst these things were in agitation Chariclides Archon Epaminondas took the Field with all the Boeotians Eubaeans and several Thessalians he had from Alexander and from his Enemies The Phoceans did not joyn them alledging they had agreed to assist the Thebans if any invaded them but it was not in the Articles to make a War Offensive Epaminondas considered that they had the Argives Messenians and the Arcadians in Peloponnesus which sided with them the Tegeans also Megalapolitans Aseans Palanteans and some other small Towns that lay amongst these which were compelled to follow them He marched out with great diligence and arriving at Nemea made an halt there hoping to intercept the Athenians that were passing that way thinking this would be of great moment to confirm the Confederates and to put the Enemy into a Consternation and in short every thing would be advantageous to him that incommoded the Athenians Whilst he remained there all the Peloponnesians that had confederated together assembled at Mantinea But as soon as Epaminondas understood that the Athenians had changed their resolution of marching by Land and made Preparations by Sea to pass with their Army through Lacedemon to the relief of the Arcadians he decamped from Nemea and arrived at Tegea I cannot say that this Expedition of his was much successful though I find nothing of Conduct or Courage wanting in him First I cannot but commend him for encamping within the Walls of Tegea as having there a securer Post than if he had been without and being more private from the Enemies understanding his Designs Besides if he had occasion for any necessaries they might be easier procured in the City and the Enemy encamping without the Town might be discovered if they did any thing well or committed any mistake And because he thought himself stronger than the Enemy as often as he saw them attempt the taking any advantageous Posts he went not out to attack them But wen he found never a Town would surrender to him and that the Season advanced he thought he must perform some remarkable Exploit or else expect some great Disgrace instead of his former Glory Therefore being Advertised that the Enemy was strongly encamped near Mantinea and had sent for Agesilaus and all the Lacedemonians being informed also that Agesilaus was already marcht as far as Pellene he Supped and giving Orders to the Army moved directly towards Sparta And if a certain Cretan by a special Providence had not informed Agesilaus that the Army was upon their march Epaminondas had surprized the City like a Nest of young Ones wholly defenceless But Agesilaus having first Intelligence of it reached the City before the Enemy and posted his Spartans who though but an handfull defended the Place For all their Horse their Mercenary Troops and three Companies out of Ten were march'd on before into Arcadia After Epaminondas was come to Sparta he did not enter the Town
where the Enemy might have engaged him in the Plain or where they might have thrown their Darts from off the Houses or where a small number could have done as much service as a greater but took a Place of which he thought he could make advantage and so went down not up into the City But what hapned there afterwards may be partly ascribed to Providence or else it may be said that no Power can resist the Desperate For though Archidamus had not an hundred men he not only passed over the River where in probability he might have been hindred but marched up a rising Ground to the Enemy and there those Souldiers that breathed Fire that had beaten the Lacedemonians that were in every respect stronger than they and on higher Ground could not sustain the Charge of Archidamus's Men but gave ground and the foremost of Epaminondas's Men were slain The Lacedemonians being transported with the Victory and pursuing the Enemy too far came off with some loss For as it seems Providence had circumscribed the bounds of the Victory how far it should extend Archidamus erected a Trophy in the Place where he had routed the Enemy and deliver'd their Dead upon Truce Epaminondas considering that the Arcadians were coming to the relief of Lacedemon would not fight them and the Lacedemonians together especially these having been lately successful and his own Men foiled Wherefore marching back again with all speed to Tegea and refreshing his Heavy-arm'd men he sent his Horse to Mantinea desiring them to hold out bravely telling them that probably all the Mantineans and their Cattel were without the Walls it being the time that they housed their Corn accordingly they went In the mean while the Athenian Horse marching from Eleusis Supped at the Isthmus and passing by Cleone arrived at Mantinea and took up their Quarters in the City The mantineans being certified that the Enemies Cavalry were coming thither desired the Athenian Horse to assist them if 't were possible for all their Cattel were abroad as also their Workmen a great many Children and old Men that were free The Athenians hearing this went out to their Assistance before either they or their Horses had eaten Here who can enough admire the Valour of these Horses who though they saw the Enemy were far stronger and tho they themselves had had a Disaster at Corinth they yet never call'd it to mind or that they were to fight with the Theban and Thessalian Horse which were counted the best in the World But ashamed to come thither without doing the Confederates any Service as soon as ever they came in view of the Enemy desirous to maintain the Glory of their Ancestors they engaged them and by this Encounter saved all that the Mantineans had abroad yet they lost some brave men and slew also some such of the Enemy For there was none on either side that had so short a Weapon but that he could reach his Enemy therewith At last they carried off their Friends that were slain and restored the Enemy theirs upon Truce Here Epaminondas considering that within a few days he should be obliged to depart because the time set for the Expedition was elapsed and that if he should leave them exposed whom he came to assist then they would be besieged by the Enemy and himself should lose all his former Glory because he and a strong body of Heavy-arm'd men had been beaten at Lacedemon by a few foiled at Mantinea in a Skirmish with the Horse and that his Voyage into Peloponnesus had given occasion to the Lacedemonians Arcadians Achaeans Eleans and Athenians to enter into a Confederacy thought it was not possible for him to retreat without fighting considering too that if he conquer'd he should remove all these Difficulties and that if he were killed it would be thought a Noble Death by having attempted to leave his Country the Soveraignty of Peloponnesus Nor is it any great wonder to me that he should entertain these Designs for these are the thoughts of men that are Lovers of Glory But this is a greater wonder that he so inur'd his Souldiers to refuse no kind of Toyl either by Day or Night to decline no Danger and to obey his Commands though they wanted Provisions For at last when he gave out orders to his Army to prepare themselves for Battel the Horse readily at his Command whitened their Head-pieces and some of the Arcadian Heavy-arm'd men form'd themselves into Companies and carried Clubs after the manner of the Thebans Lastly all whetted their Spears and Swords and scoured their Bucklers It is worth while to observe what he did after he had got them in this good Order At first as is usual he drew up in Battalia The Battel at Mantinea and then signified that Preparations should be made for a Battel after he had drawn up as he best liked he did not take the shortest Cut to the Enemy but led to the Hills that lay on the West of Tegea and opposite to the place where he was So that he made the Enemy believe he would not fight that Day But after he came to the Mountains and had extended his Army in Front he made a halt under the Hills as though he was about to Encamp and by this abated the prepared Fury of the Enemy to fight and made them negligent of the order of Battel they had drawn up in But bringing the Companies that were placed in File to the Front 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and making a strong Wedge about himself he commanded them to take up their Arms again and led them on When the Enemy saw them advance contrary to their expectation no one stood still but some ran to their Ranks others prepared themselves in Battalia some bridled their Horses and put on their Armour and seemed rather to be made a Carnage of than to make one On the other hand Epaminondas led on his Army being like the opposite Stem of a Galley concluding that where-ever he made an Impression there he should ruine their whole Body For he had prepared to charge with the Flower of his Forces leaving the Weaker part a good way off considering that if this were beaten it would put the rest into a Consternation and add Resolution to the Enemies The Enemy had drawn up their Horse in depth like a Battalion of Heavy-arm'd men not having flank'd them with Foot. on the contrary Epaminondas made a firm Wedge of his Horse and placed Foot by them thinking that after he had broke through the Enemies Horse he should beat all the rest of their Army For 't is very hard to find any that will abide by 't when they see their Fellow-Souldiers run Now that the Athenians on the left might not relieve those next them he posted some Horse and Heavy-arm'd men on the opposite Hills putting them in fear that if they went to the relief of their men these would fall on their Rear Nor did he sail of
his Design for fighting in this order he beat that Part he charged and put the whole Army to flight But after he fell himself the others knew not how to use the Victory for when the Battalion that charged them fled the Heavy-arm'd men killed no body nor advanced from the place where the Fight began In like manner when the Enemies Horse sled the Thebans did not pursue them nor their Heavy-arm'd men but as if they had been beaten got disorderly away through the flying Enemy The Foot and the Targetiers by agreement moved together with the Horse to the left as if they had been Victorious where most of them were cut in pieces by the Athenians This Action hapned contrary to the expectation of all men for most part of Greece being got together and drawn up in Battalia every one believed that if there were a Fight the Victors would rule and the Vanquisht obey But Providence so ordered it that both sides as Victors set up Trophies and neither side hindred the other from erecting them both as Conquerors delivered the Slain upon Truce and both as Conquered received them upon Truce And though both pretended to the Victory yet neither the one nor the other enlarg'd their Territories or encreased their Power but after the Fight there arose greater Confusion and Troubles in Greece than ever were at any time before Thus far have I deduc'd my History and perhaps that which follows may be done by some other hand An Advertisement THE Chronology of this History being obscure it will be necessary to offer something towards the clearing of it Our Author continues the History of the Peloponnesian War which Thucydides began and brought down as far as the end of Summer in the Twenty first Year of the War to the Second Battel at Mantinea containing the Space of Forty eight Years Didorus Siculus affirms in his XIII Book that Xenophon was the Continuator of Thucydides but mistakes in asserting that Thucydides wrote to the Twenty second Year of the War because the latter in the close of his VIII Book says That the Twenty first Year would not be Compleated till the Winter that succeeded the Summer where he breaks off his History was elapsed Some learned men allow Xenophon to be the Continuator of Thucydides but yet they would have the History of some Years wanting concluding it both from the abrupt beginning which has no Introduction as the rest of his Works and from the Account by Olympiades and Archons 'T is very probable the first may be so far true that something may be defective though not whole Years but the Argument they fetch from the Olympiades and Archons to prove it is insufficient because that Account was not so early in use as these Authors as has been formerly observ'd by a learned Gentleman and therefore I have set them in the Margin as being a Gloss and inserted into the Text. Moreover the constant Notation of Time throughout Thucydides and Xenophon is by Summer and Winter and 't is by accident that either of them make any mention of Olympick Years and when they do 't is not in relation to the Annals of the History but to some dependance the History has on them But further to prove that Xenophon was the Continuator of Thucydides I shall alledge a Law of the Lacedemonians that barred the same person from being twice Admiral which is mentioned both in the second Book of this History and by Plutarch in the Life of Lysander on this occasion The Lacedemonians being vanquisht by the Athenians in the Sea Fight at Arginusae their Affairs were reduced to a very ill Condition yet the Confederates resolving to repair their former Losses Requested the Lacedemonians to send them Lysander to Command their Fleet having the experience of his Conduct in the Fight at Notium wherein he overthrew the Athenians The Lacedemonians answered them that by their Law none might be twice Admiral thereupon they gave Aracus the Command of the Fleet choosing Lysander to go in Quality of his Vice-Admiral Moreover the Admirals continued but a year in their Office For we find in the first Book of this History that as soon as Lysander's year was elaps'd the Lacedemonians sent Callicratidas to succeed him Furthermore Thucydides in his last Book witnesses that Mindarus succeeded Astyochus in the Command of the Fleet and Xenophon in the first Book of his History implies that he was Admiral because he mentions Hegesandridas as his Vice-Admiral Therefore since none could be twice Admiral by the Lacedemonian Law and none could bear that Office longer than a year And being Thucydides in the end of the eighth Book and Xenophon in the beginning of this History affirm that Mindarus was Admiral it follows that the one ends and the other begins in the same year In the next place it is to be considered that there are two Opinions concerning the duration of the War. Thucydides in his Fifth Book says That it lasted Twenty seven years and ended when the Walls of the Pireus were demolished but Xenophon says Twenty eight and an half acounting till the time that Lysander return'd home in Triumph Yet there was but half a year betwixt the Demolishing of the Walls and Lysander's Triumph so that there is the difference of a year between both Accounts To this I answer that as there are two ends of this War so there are as many beginnings For Thucydides accounts from the time of Action and Xenophon from the Declaration of the War which was when the Ambassadors of the Allies assembled at Lacedemon to Confederate against the Athenians and the like Supputation Thucydides makes in his Second Book where he says That Pericles died two years and an half after the War began which must be understood in Xenophon's sense and not in his own Having thus proved that Xenophon is the Continuator of Thucydides and that there is no defect of any year I proceed to set out the Six years and an half of the Peloponnesian War that this Author writes of the end of the Twenty first year and beginning of the Twenty second are not distinguished Whereupon I have followed Diodorus Siculus herein and placed the Death of Mindarus in the end of the Twenty first year and began the Twenty second with the Banishment of the Syracusian Captains the other five years are expresly distinguished The rest of the Chronology is very obscure which amongst other things makes me think that Xenophon did not finish this Piece because the Notation of Time is frequently omitted and in many places the Sequel of an Action not continued but interrupted with some new relation I have in order to the clearing of it made four Periods the first to the Fight at Cnidus the second to the Antalcidean Peace the third to the Battel at Leuctra and the fourth to that at Mantinea And because the Marks of Time are wanting in Xenophon I have fitted them to the Annals of Diodorus Siculus