then, as ready to obey." 28. Thus they answered; and the whole army of the Lacedæmonians shouted out, that the Athenians were more worthy to occupy the wing than the Arcadians. Accordingly the Athenians had it, and got the better of the Tegeans.

After this, those of the Greeks who came up later, and those who arrived at first, were drawn up in the following manner. Ten thousand of the Lacedæmonians occupied the right wing; five thousand of these being Spartans, were attended by thirtyfive thousand lightly armed Helots, seven being assigned to each man. The Spartans chose the Tegeans to stand next themselves, both for honour and valour; of these there were fifteen hundred heavy-armed men: next to them stood five thousand of the Corinthians; and with them they got permission from Pausanias for three hundred Potidæans, who came from Pallene, to stand: next these stood six hundred Arcadians of Orchomenus; next them three thousand Sicyonians; next them were eight hundred Epidaurians; and by the side of these were stationed three thousand of the Trozenians; and next the Trozenians two hundred Lepreatæ ; next these four hundred of the Mycenaeans and Tirynthians; next them one thousand Phliasians; and by the side of them stood three hundred Hermionians; next the Hermionians were stationed six hundred of the Eretrians and Styrians; and next them four hundred Chalcidians; next them five hundred Ambraciots; after them stood eight hundred of the Leucadians and Anactorians; next them two hundred Paleans from Cephallenia; and after them five hundred of the Ægineta were stationed; and by the side of them were posted three thousand of the Megarians; and next them six hundred Platæans; and last of all, and at the same time first, eight thousand Athenians took their station, occupying the left wing, Aristides, son of Lysimachus, commanding them. 29. These, except the seven assigned to each of the Spartans, were heavy-armed; their total number amounting to thirty-eight thousand seven hundred. All the heavy-armed men assembled to oppose the barbarian were so many. Of the light-armed the number was as follows: in the Spartans' line thirty-five thousand men, there being seven to each man; every one of these was equipped as for war: and the light-armed of the rest of the Lacedæmonians and other Greeks, about one to each man,

amounted to thirty-four thousand five hundred. So that the number of the light-armed fighting men was sixty-nine thousand five hundred. 30. Thus, then, the whole of the Grecian army assembled at Platea, reckoning heavy-armed and light-armed fighting men, amounted to one hundred and ten thousand, wanting one thousand eight hundred men and with the Thespians who came up, the full number of one hundred and ten thousand was completed; for the survivors of the Thespians joined the army, to the number of one thousand eight hundred, but they had not heavy armour. These, then, being drawn up in line, encamped on the Asopus.

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31. The barbarians, with Mardonius, when they had ceased to mourn for Masistius, having heard that the Greeks were at Platæa, themselves also marched to the Asopus, which flows there; and on their arrival, they were thus drawn up by Mardonius. Opposite the Lacedæmonians he stationed the Persians; and as the Persians far exceeded them in number, they were both drawn up several ranks deep, and extended opposite the Tegeans: and he arrayed them thus; having selected all the most powerful of his forces, he stationed them opposite the Lacedæmonians, and the weaker he arrayed by their side against the Tegeans: this he did by the advice and direction of the Thebans. Next the Persians he ranged the Medes these fronted the Corinthians, Potidæans, Orchomenians, and Sicyonians. Next the Medes he ranged the Bactrians; these fronted the Epidaurians, Trozenians, Lepreatæ, Tirynthians, Mycenæans, and Phliasians. Next the Bactrians he stationed the Indians; these fronted the Hermionians, Eretrians, Styrians, and Chalcidians. Next the Indians, he ranged the Sacæ; these fronted the Ampraciots, Anactorians, Leucadians, Paleans, and Æginetæ. And next the Sacæ, and opposite to the Athenians, Platæans, and Megarians, he ranged the Bootians, Locrians, Melians, Thessalians, and the thousand Phocians; for all the Phocians did not side with the Mede; but some of them assisted the cause of the Greeks, being shut up about Parnassus; and sallying from thence, they harassed the army of Mardonius, and the Greeks who were with him. He also ranged the Macedonians, and those that dwelt about Thessaly, against the Athenians. 32. These, the most considerable of the nations that were ranged under Mardonius, have been named, and which were the most distinguished and of most account;

yet there were also mixed with them men of other nations, Phrygians, Thracians, Mysians, Pæonians, Ethiopians, and others; and among them those of the Ethiopians and Egyptians who are called Hermotybians and Calasirians, armed with swords; who are the only Egyptians that are warriors.3 These, while he was still at Phalerus, he took from on board the ships, they being marines; for the Egyptians were not arrayed with the land-forces that came with Xerxes to Athens. Of barbarians there were three hundred thousand, as has been already shown; but of Greeks who were allies of Mardonius no one knows the number, for they were not reckoned up; but, to make a guess, I conjecture that they were assembled to the number of fifty thousand. These, who were thus arrayed, were infantry; the cavalry were marshalled apart.

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33. When they were all ranged by nations and battalions, thereupon, on the second day, both sides offered sacrifices. For the Greeks, Tisamenus, son of Antiochus, was the person who sacrificed, for he accompanied this army as diviner; him, though an Elean, and by extraction a Clytiad of the Iamidæ, the Lacedæmonians had admitted into the number of their citizens. For when Tisamenus was consulting the oracle at Delphi about offspring, the Pythian answered, that he should be victorious in five very great contests. He accordingly, mistaking the answer, applied himself to gymnastic exercises, as if he were to be victorious in gymnastic contests; and having practised the pentathlon, he missed winning the Olympic prize by one wrestling match, having contended with Hieronymus of Andros. The Lacedæmonians, having learnt that the oracle delivered to Tisamenus referred not to gymnastic but to martial contests, endeavoured by offers of money to persuade Tisamenus to become the leader of their wars, in conjunction with their kings of the Heraclidæ. But he, seeing the Spartans very anxious to make him their friend, having discovered this, enhanced his price, acquainting them, "that if they would make him their own citizen, granting him a full participation of all privileges, he would comply, but not on any other terms." The Spartans, when they first heard this, were very indignant, and altogether slighted his prophetic skill; but at last, when great terror of this Persian army was hanging over them, they sent for him and assented. But he, 3 See B. II. chap. 164. • See B. VIII. chap. 113.

perceiving they had changed their minds, said he would no longer be contented with these things only, but that his brother Hegias must also be made a Spartan, on the same terms as himself. 34. In saying this he imitated Melampus, to compare a kingdom with citizenship in his demands. For Melampus also, the women at Argos being smitten with madness, when the Argives would have hired him from Pylus to cure their women of the disease, demanded one half of the kingdom for his recompence. But the Argives not yielding to his terms, but going away, when many more of their women became mad, they at length submitted to what Melampus demanded, and went to present it to him. But he thereupon, seeing them changed, coveted still more, saying, that "unless they would give a third part of the kingdom to his brother Bias, he would not do what they wished." The Argives, therefore, being driven to a strait, granted that also. 35. In like manner the Spartans, for they wanted Tisamenus exceedingly, yielded to him entirely and when the Spartans had thus yielded to him, Tisamenus the Elean, having become a Spartan, accordingly assisted them by his art of divination in gaining five most important battles. These, then, were the only persons of all mankind who were made Spartan citizens. The five battles were as follows: one and the first, this at Platea; next, that which took place at Tegea, against the Tegeans and Argives; afterwards, that at Dipæa, against all the Arcadians except the Mantineans; next, that of the Messenians, near Ithoma; and the last, that which took place at Tanagra, against the Athenians and Argives: this was the last achieved of the five victories. 36. This Tisamenus, then, the Spartans bringing him, officiated as diviner to the Greeks at Platea: now the sacrifices were favourable to the Greeks, if they stood on the defensive; but if they crossed the Asopus, and began the battle, not so.

37. To Mardonius, who was very desirous to begin the battle, the sacrifices were not propitious; but to him also, if he stood on the defensive, they were favourable: for he too adopted the Grecian sacrifices, having for his diviner Hegesistratus, an Elean, and the most renowned of the Telliada. This man, before these events, the Spartans had taken and bound for death, because they had suffered many and atrocious things from him. He being in this sad condition, as being in peril

for his life, and having to suffer many tortures before death, performed a deed beyond belief. For as he was confined in stocks bound with iron, he got possession of a knife, which had been by some means carried in, and immediately contrived the most resolute deed of all men we know of: for having considered in what way the rest of his foot would get out, he cut off the broad part of the foot; and having done this, as he was guarded by sentinels, he dug a hole through the wall and escaped to Tegea, travelling by night, and by day hiding himself in the woods and tarrying there. Thus, though the Lacedæmonians searched for him with their whole population, on the third night he arrived at Tegea; but they were struck with great amazement at his daring, when they saw half his foot lying on the ground, and were not able to find him. Thus Hegesistratus, having escaped from the Lacedæmonians, fled to Tegea, which was at that time not on friendly terms with the Lacedæmonians: and having been cured of his wounds, and procured a wooden foot, he became an avowed enemy to the Lacedæmonians. However, at last his hatred conceived against the Lacedæmonians did not benefit him; for he was taken by them when acting as diviner at Zacynthus, and put to death. Now the death of Hegesistratus took place after the battle of Platea: but at that time, on the Asopus, being hired by Mardonius for no small sum, he sacrificed and was very zealous, both from hatred to the Lacedæmonians, and from a love of gain.

38. As the victims were not favourable for fighting, either to the Persians themselves, or the Greeks who were with them, (for they also had a diviner for themselves, Hippomachus, a Leucadian,) and as Greeks were flowing in, and their numbers increasing, Timagenides, son of Herpys, a Theban, advised Mardonius to guard the passes of Mount Citharon; saying, that the Greeks were continually pouring in every day, and that he would intercept great numbers. 39. Eight days had already elapsed since they had been posted opposite each other, when he gave this advice to Mardonius. But he, perceiving that the suggestion was good, as soon as it was night, sent some cavalry to the passes of Citharon, that lead to Platea, which the Boeotians call The Three Heads; but the Athenians, The Heads of Oak. The horsemen that were sent did not arrive in vain; for issuing on the plain, they took five hun