History of the Peloponnesian War

invaded the country of Arrhibaeus, and finding the Lyncestians encamped in the field against them, they also took up a position opposite to them.

The infantry occupying a hill on each side, and the space between being a plain, the horse of both armies, in the first place, galloped down into it, and engaged in a cavalry action. Then the Lyncestian heavy-armed having advanced first from their hill with their cavalry, and being ready for action, Brasidas and Perdiccas also, in their turn, led their forces against them, and engaged in battle, and routed the Lyncestians, and killed many of them; but the rest took refuge on the heights, and there remained quiet.

After thin, having erected a trophy, they waited two or three days, in expectation of the Illyrians, who were to join Perdiccas as mercenaries. Then Perdiccas wished to advance against the villages of Arrhibaeus, and not to sit still; but Brasidas was anxious for Mende, lest if the Athenians should sail against it before his return, it should meet with some disaster; and; as the Illyrians, moreover, had not joined them, he was not eager to advance, but rather to retreat.

In the mean time, while they were thus at variance, news arrived that the Illyrians had actually betrayed Perdiccas, and joined Arrhibaeus: so that now both parties thought it best to retreat through their fear of them, as they were men of a warlike character; but nothing being settled, in consequence of their quarrel, as to when they should march, and night coming on, the Macedonians and the multitude of the barbarians were immediately terrified, (as great armies are wont to be panic-stricken for no certain cause;) and thinking that many times more than had really come were advancing against them, and had all but reached them, they broke into sudden flight, and proceeded homeward. Perdiccas, who at first was not aware of it, was compelled by them, on his learning it, to depart before seeing Brasidas (for they were encamped at a great distance from each other)

In the morning, when Brasidas saw that the Macedonians had gone before him, and that the Illyrians and Arrhibaeus were on the point of attacking him, he, on his side, drew his heavy-armed together into a square, and taking the light-armed multitude into the centre, intended to retire. And he appointed his youngest men to dash out, on whatever point they might charge them;

while he himself with three hundred picked men in the rear intended during the retreat to face about, and resist the first of the enemy that should fall upon them.

Before the enemy came near, he addressed his men, as well as the short time allowed him, with the following exhortation:

Men of the Peloponnese, if I did not suspect that in consequence of your being left alone, and because your assailants are barbarians, and there are many of them, you were thrown into consternation, I should not have given you, as I do, information at the same time as encouragement. But as it is, with respect to the desertion of our friends, and the superior numbers of our adversaries, I will endeavour, by a brief admonition and advice, to convince you of what is most important for you.

For it is your proper characterr to be brave in warlike operations, not from the presence of allies in each case, but from your own native valour; and to fear no number of your enemies whatever: [*]( I venture to differ from all the editors whose opinion I generally follow, in thinking that there is no need to consider οὐ as carelessly introduced here, either by Thuoydides himself, or by his copyists. The perfect agreement of all the MSS. in retaining it renders the latter supposition exceedingly improbable: and though our author is doubtless sometimes careless, there is no reason for assuming that he was so in this passage, if his words can be explained on any other view of them. And such I think is the case, if the relative clause be taken as more particularly referring to πολιτειῶν, instead of being regarded as explanatory of τοιούτων. The meaning of the latter word will then be of such a character as to warrant your entertaining any such fear of superior numbers. When the passage is read with the stress on πολιτειῶν, which its prominent position seems to require, I cannot but think that this interpretation will appear most natural) since neither are the governments from which you come of such a character—governments in which the many do not rule the few, but rather the smaller number the greater, having acquired their power by no other means than by being victorious in battle.

But with regard to barbarians, of whom you are now afraid through inexperience, you ought to know, both from the contest you have already had with those of them who are Macedonians, and from what I myself conjecture, and indeed have ascertained from hearsay, that they will not prove formidable.