History of the Peloponnesian War

the Thebans. And they had conducted their intrigue through Eurymachus son of Leontiades, a man of great influence

at Thebes. For, as Plataea was always at variance with them, the Thebans, foreseeing that the war[*](i.e. the war between Athens and Sparta.) was coming, wished to get possession of it while there was still peace and before the war had yet been openly declared. And so they found it easier to make their entry unobserved, because no watch had been set to guard

the city. And when they had grounded their arms in the market-place, instead of following the advice of those who had invited them over, namely to set to work at once and enter the houses of their enemies, they determined rather to try conciliatory proclamations and to bring the city to an amicable agreement. The proclamation made by herald was that, if anyone wished to be an ally according to the hereditary usages of the whole body of the Boeotians, he should take his weapons and join them. For they thought that in this way the city would easily be induced to come over to their side.

And the Plataeans, when they became aware that the Thebans were inside, and that the city had been taken by surprise, took fright, and, as it was night and they could not see, thinking that a far greater number had come in, they concluded to make terms, and, accepting the proposals made to them, raised no disturbance, especially as the Thebans did no violence to anyone.