History of the Peloponnesian War

Thinking, however, that he understood it rightly, he took the business in hand.

The Athenians, on perceiving it, ran in a body from the fields to resist them, and sitting down before the place besieged them. But as time went on, being tired out by the blockade, most of them went away, having commissioned the nine Archons to keep guard, and to arrange every thing with full powers, as they should consider best:

for at that time the nine Archons transacted most of the state affairs.