Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

38 WAR A RELAXATION.If the enemy was superior in numbers, they sometimes triedruse.They marched to battle in cadenced step and in silence,to the sound of the flute. If they won, they might not pursue; if beaten, they were generally able to withdraw slowlyand in good order. A mounted vanguard accompanied thearmy on the march.In camp they had a police-guard undera provost-marshal, and they appear tohave developed a systemof pickets and patrols.They rarely fortified their camp,which was round in shape, if they could place it where itslocation made it reasonably secure.Peace to the Spartans was a season of unremitting laborin preparing for war. War was their sole relaxation. Theonly duty then was to fight. The intervals between marchesand battles were filled by games and gymnastic sports. Theyhad none of the tasks of peace ;a campaign was a holiday. AUfatigiie-duties were performed byhelots, who accompanied the armyfor that purpose only, but were inlater years utilized in the ranksof fighting men. They carriedabundant supplies on pack-animals,and the general meal, inpeace a most coarsethough ampleHoplite (from a vase)mess, was in war richand nutritious.The soldiers prepared forbattle as for a feast, wore their best garments, and pluckedflowers wherewith to adorn their persons and their arms.The Spartans never opened a campaign before the fullmoon. This was a religious custom, but occasionally, as atMarathon, far from auspicious.The gods were propitiatedby tiresome but invariable ceremonials and offerings beforeevery military movement.