Histories

So Mardonius drew his men off, and when he had now set forth on his road there came a message that in addition to the others, an advance guard of a thousand Lacedaemonians had arrived at +Megara [23.35,38] (Perseus) Megara. When he heard this, he deliberated how he might first make an end of these. He accordingly turned about and led his army against +Megara [23.35,38] (Perseus) Megara, his cavalry going first and overrunning the lands of that city. That was the westernmost place in Europe (continent)Europe which this Persian army reached.

Presently there came a message to Mardonius that the Greeks were gathered together on the Isthmus. Thereupon he marched back again through Decelea; the rulers of Boeotia (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Boeotia sent for those of the Asopus country who lived nearby, and these guided him to Sphendalae and from there to +Tanagra [23.6,38.3083] (Perseus) Tanagra.

Here he camped for the night, and on the next day he turned from there to Scolus, where he was in Theban territory. There he laid waste the lands of the Thebans, though they sided with the Persian part. This he did, not for any ill-will that he bore them, but because sheer necessity drove him to make a stronghold for his army and to have this for a refuge if the fortune of battle were other than he wished.