History of the Peloponnesian War

And they arrived in Thrace the fortieth day after Potidaea had revolted.

To the Athenians too came immediately the tidings of the cities having revolted; and when they found that the forces with Aristeus had gone there besides, they sent two thousand heavy-armed of their own men and forty slips to the revolted towns, with Callias, the son of Calliades, as general with four others;

who, on arriving in Macedonia first, found that the former thousand had just taken Therme, and were besieging Pydna.

So they also sat down before Pydna, and besieged it; but afterwards, having made terms and a compulsory alliance [*]( i. e. which they only made because they could not help it. Compare II. 70. 1, βρώσεως πέρι ἀναγκαίας Food which none but a starving man would eat. —Arnold) with Perdiccas, as they were hurried on by Potidaea and the arrival of Aristeus there, they withdrew from Macedonia;

and having gone to Beroea, and thence turned again [to the coast], (after first attempting the place without taking it,) they continued their march by land to Potidaea, with three thousand heavy-armed of their own, and many of the allies besides, and six hundred horse of the Macedonians with Philip and Pausanias. At the same time seventy ships were sailing in a line with them.

And advancing by short marches, they arrived at Gigonus, and pitched their camp.

Now the Potidaeans and the Peloponnesians with Aristeus, in expectation of the Athenians, were encamped towards Olynthus, on the isthmus, and had established their market outside the city.

As general of all the infantry the allies had chosen Aristeus; of the cavalry, Perdiccas; for he had broken terms again immediately with the Athenians, and was in alliance with the Potidaeans, having appointed Iolaus to represent him as commander.

The plan of Aristeus was to keep his own force [*](ἔχοντι.] Constructio ad sensum facta: nam verborum τοϋ αρ́ιστέως νώμη ἦν idem sensus, ac si dixisset τῷ ʼαριστεῖ ἔδοξε.—Göller.) on the isthmus, and watch the Athenians, in case of their coming against them; while the Chalcidians, and the allies beyond the isthmus, and the two hundred cavalry with Perdiccas, should remain at Olynthus; and when the Athenians advanced against his force, they should come up in their rear to assist him, and enclose the enemy between them.