The histories of Herodotus;

22-26] BATTLE OF PLAT^EA 499
ing one another on, pushed their horses to the charge, in
order to recover the body. The Athenians, seeing the cavalry
no longer advancing in squadrons, but all together, called out
for assistance to the rest of the army; and while the whole
infantry was coming up to their aid, a sharp struggle took
place for the body. Now as long as the three hundred were
alone, they were much inferior, and abandoned the body ; but
when the multitude came up to their assistance, the cavalry
no longer maintained their ground, nor did they succeed in
recovering the body, but lost many others of their number,
besides him; having therefore retired about two stades, they
consulted about what ought to be done ; and determined, as
they were without a commander, to retreat to Mardonius.
When the cavalry arrived at the camp, the whole army, and
Mardonius most of all, mourned the loss of Masistius; cutting
off their own hair, and that of their horses and beasts of
burden, and giving themselves up to unbounded lamentations
for the sound reached over all Bceotia, as for the loss of a
man who, next to Mardonius, was most esteemed by the Persians
and the king. Thus the barbarians, according to their
custom, honoured Masistius when dead.
The Greeks, when they had withstood the attack of the
cavalry, and having withstood had repulsed it, were much
more encouraged, and, first of all, having placed the body on
a carriage, they carried it along the line; but the body was
worthy of admiration, on account of his stature and beauty;
for that reason they did this, and the men, leaving their ranks,
came out to view Masistius. After this, they determined to
go down toward Plataea, for the Plataean territory appeared
to be much more convenient for them to encamp in than the
Erythraean, both in other respects and as it was better supplied
with water. To this country, therefore, and to the foun-
tain Gargaphia, which is in this country, they decided that it
would be best to remove, and having drawn up their line,
there to encamp. Accordingly, having taken up their arms,
they marched by the foot of Mount Cithseron, near Hysiae,
into the Plataean territory ; and on arriving there, they formed
in line, nation by nation, near the fountain of Gargaphia, and
the precinct of the hero Androcrates, on slight elevations and
the level plain. There in the distribution of the stations a
vehement dispute arose between the Tegeans and the Athe-
1
nians ; for each claimed a right to occupy the other wing,
alleging both their recent and former exploits. On the one
hand, the Tegeans spoke thus : " We have ever been thought
1 The Lacedaemonians chose which wing they pleased.
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