The histories of Herodotus;

58-61] BATTLE OF PLATyEA 513
them by whom you knew something had been done: but I
wondered more at Artabazus, that he should dread the Lacedaemonians,
and, dreading them, should have advanced a most
cowardly opinion, that it was expedient to remove our camp,
and retire to the city of the Thebans to be besieged : of this
the king shall hereafter hear from me. But these matters will
be discussed elsewhere. For the present, we must not suffer
them to do what they intend, but they must be pursued until
they shall be overtaken, and have given us satisfaction for all
the mischief they have done to the Persians." Having spoken
thus, he led the Persians at full speed, crossing the Asopus in
the track of the Greeks, as if they had betaken themselves to
flight ; he directed his course only against the Lacedaemonians
and Tegeans ; for on account of the hills he did not discern
the Athenians, who had turned into the plain. The rest of
the commanders of the Barbarian's brigades, seeing the Persians
advancing to pursue the Greeks, all immediately took
up their standards, and pursued, each as quick as he could,
without observing either rank or order : thus they advanced
with a shout and in a throng, as if they were about to overwhelm
the Greeks.
Pausanias, when the cavalry pressed on him, having de-
spatched a horseman to the Athenians with this message,
spoke as follows : " Men of Athens, when the mighty contest
lies before us, whether Greece shall be free or enslaved, we
are betrayed by the allies (both we Lacedaemonians and you
Athenians), who have fled away during the past night. It is
now, therefore, determined what we must henceforth do; for
defending ourselves in the best manner we can, we must support
each other. Now if the cavalry had attacked you first,
it would have behooved us and the Tegeans, who with us have
not betrayed Greece, to assist you. But now, since the whole
body has advanced against us, you ought in justice to come
to the succour of that division which is most hardly pressed.
If, however, any inability to assist has befallen you, you will
confer a favour on us by sending your archers to us. We
are aware of your being by far the most zealous in this present
war, so as in this instance to listen to our request." When
the Athenians heard this, they prepared to assist and to defend
them to the utmost of their power; but as they were
already on their way, those of the Greeks who sided with the
king, that were arrayed against them, attacked them, so that
they were no longer able to render assistance; for the division
that pressed upon them harassed them. Thus the Lacedaemonians
and Tegeans being left alone, the former with the
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