to Eleusinian Ceres. They had stopped here, that, in case Amompharetus
and his band should refuse to quit the spot where they were drawn
up, and should really not stir from it, they might have it in their
power to move back and lend them assistance. Amompharetus, however,
and his companions rejoined the main body; and at the same time the
whole mass of the barbarian cavalry arrived and began to press hard
upon them. The horsemen had followed their usual practice and ridden
up to the Greek camp, when they discovered that the place where the
Greeks had been posted hitherto was deserted. Hereupon they pushed
forward without stopping, and, as soon as they overtook the enemy,
pressed heavily on them.
Mardonius, when he heard that the Greeks had retired under cover
of the night, and beheld the place, where they had been stationed,
empty, called to him Thorax of Larissa, and his brethren, Eurypylus
and Thrasideius, and said:-
"O sons of Aleuas! what will ye say now, when ye see yonder
place empty? Why, you, who dwell in their neighbourhood, told me the
Lacedaemonians never fled from battle, but were brave beyond all the
rest of mankind. Lately, however, you yourselves beheld them change
their place in the line; and here, as all may see, they have run
away during the night. Verily, when their turn came to fight with
those who are of a truth the bravest warriors in all the world, they
showed plainly enough that they are men of no worth, who have
distinguished themselves among Greeks- men likewise of no worth at
all. However, I can readily excuse you, who, knowing nothing of the
Persians, praised these men from your acquaintance with certain
exploits of theirs; but I marvel all the more at Artabazus, that he
should have been afraid of the Lacedaemonians, and have therefore
given us so dastardly a counsel,- bidding us, as did, break up our
camp, and remove to Thebes, and there allow ourselves to be besieged
by the Greeks- advice whereof I shall take care to inform the king.
But of this hereafter. Now we must not allow them to escape us, but
must pursue after them till we overtake them; and then we must exact
vengeance for all the wrongs which have been suffered at their hands
by the Persians."
When he had so spoken, he crossed the Asopus, and led the Persians
forward at a run directly upon the track of the Greeks, whom he
believed to be in actual flight. He could not see the Athenians;
for, as they had taken the way of the plain, they were hidden from his
sight by the hills; he therefore led on his troops against the
Lacedaemonians and the Tegeans only. When the commanders of the
other divisions of the barbarians saw the Persians pursuing the Greeks
so hastily, they all forthwith seized their standards, and hurried
after at their best speed in great disorder and disarray. On they went
with loud shouts and in a wild rout, thinking to swallow up the
runaways.
Meanwhile Pausanias had sent a horseman to the Athenians, at the
time when the cavalry first fell upon him, with this message:-
"Men of Athens! now that the great struggle has come, which is
to decide the freedom or the slavery of Greece, we twain,
Lacedaemonians and Athenians, are deserted by all the other allies,
who have fled away from us during the past night. Nevertheless, we are
resolved what to do- we must endeavour, as best we may, to defend
ourselves and to succour one another. Now, had the horse fallen upon
you first, we ourselves with the Tegeans (who remain faithful to the
Greek cause) would have been bound to render you assistance against
them. As, however, the entire body has advanced upon us, 'tis your
place to come to our aid, sore pressed as we are by the enemy.
Should you yourselves be so straitened that you cannot come, at
least send us your archers, and be sure you will earn our gratitude.
We acknowledge that throughout this whole war there has been no zeal
to be compared to yours- we therefore doubt not that you will do us
this service."
The Athenians, as soon as they received this message, were anxious