History of the Peloponnesian War

While Hippocrates was thus exhorting his men, and when he had reached the centre of the line, but had not had time to go farther, the Boeotians, having also been exhorted in few words by Pagondas, on that occasion as well as the former, raised their paean, and advanced against them from the hill.

The Athenians, on their side, also advanced to meet them, and closed with them at a run. The extremity of neither line came into action, but both were in the same case; for water-courses were in their way:

but the rest met in an obstinate engagement, shield to shield. And the Boeotian left, and as far as the centre, was beaten by the Athenians, who pressed hard both the others posted there, and especially the Thespians. For the troops next to them in the line having given way, and the Thespians being thus surrounded in a narrow space, those of them who were killed were cut down while defending themselves hand to hand: