Calliope   

country where horse could act with advantage; and further, that if
he suffered defeat in a battle, no way of escape was open to him,
except through defiles, where a handful of troops might stop all his
army. So he determined to withdraw to Thebes, and give the Greeks
battle in the neighbourhood of a friendly city, and on ground well
suited for cavalry.
After he had quitted Attica and was already upon his march, news
reached him that a body of a thousand Lacedaemonians, distinct from
the army of Pausanias, and sent on in advance, had arrived in the
Megarid. When he heard it, wishing, if possible, to destroy this
detachment first, Mardonius considered with himself how he might
compass their ruin. With a sudden change of march he made for
Megara, while the horse, pushing on in advance, entered and ravaged
the Megarid. (Here was the furthest point in Europe towards the
setting sun to which this Persian army ever penetrated.)
After this, Mardonius received another message, whereby he
learnt that the forces of the Greeks were collected together at the
Isthmus; which tidings caused him to draw back, and leave Attica by
the way of Deceleia. The Boeotarchs had sent for some of the
neighbours of the Asopians; and these persons served as guides to
the army, and led them first to Sphendale, and from thence to Tanagra,
where Mardonius rested a night; after which, upon the morrow, he
bent his course to Scolus, which brought him into the territory of the
Thebans. And now, although the Thebans had espoused the cause of the
Medes, yet Mardonius cut down all the trees in these parts; not
however from any enmity towards the Thebans, but on account of his own
urgent needs; for he wanted a rampart to protect his army from attack,
and he likewise desired to have a place of refuge, whither his
troops might flee, in case the battle should go contrary to his
wishes. His army at this time lay on the Asopus, and stretched from
Erythrae, along by Hysiae, to the territory of the Plataeans. The
wall, however, was not made to extend so far, but formed a square of
about ten furlongs each way.
While the barbarians were employed in this work, a certain citizen
of Thebes, Attaginus by name, the son of Phrynon, having made great
preparations, gave a banquet, and invited Mardonius thereto,
together with fifty of the noblest Persians. Now the banquet was
held at Thebes; and all the guests who were invited came to it.
What follows was recounted to me by Thersander, a native of
Orchomenus, a man of the first rank in that city. Thersander told me
that he was himself among those invited to the feast, and that besides
the Persians fifty Thebans were asked; and the two nations were not
arranged separately, but a Persian and a Theban were set side by
side upon each couch. After the feast was ended, and the drinking
had begun, the Persian who shared Thersander's couch addressed him
in the Greek tongue, and inquired of him from what city he came. He
answered, that he was of Orchomenus; whereupon the other said-
"Since thou hast eaten with me at one table, and poured libation
from one cup, I would fain leave with thee a memorial of the belief
I hold- the rather that thou mayest have timely warning thyself, and
so be able to provide for thy own safety. Seest thou these Persians
here feasting, and the army which we left encamped yonder by the
river-side? Yet a little while, and of all this number thou wilt
behold but a few surviving!"
As he spake, the Persian let fall a flood of tears: whereon
Thersander, who was astonished at his words, replied- "Surely thou
shouldest say all this to Mardonius, and the Persians who are next him
in honour"- but the other rejoined- "Dear friend, it is not possible
for man to avert that which God has decreed shall happen. No one
believes warnings, however true. Many of us Persians know our
danger, but we are constrained by necessity to do as our leader bids
us. Verily 'tis the sorest of all human ills, to abound in knowledge
and yet have no power over action." All this I heard myself from
Thersander the Orchomenian; who told me further, that he mentioned