History of the Peloponnesian War

Ischagoras, however, with Ameinias and Aristeus, came by themselves to Brasidas, having been commissioned by the Lacedaemonians to look into the situation. And they brought from Sparta, contrary to custom, some of their young men, intending to place them as governors over the cities instead of entrusting these to anybody that might chance to offer. Accordingly, they placed at Amphipolis Clearidas son of Cleonymus and at Torone Pasitelidas son of Hegesander.

In the same summer the Thebans dismantled the wall of the Thespians, accusing them of favouring the Athenians. Indeed they had always wished to do this, but now found it easier, since the flower of the Thespians had perished in the battle with the Athenians.[*](At Delium; cf. 4.93.4; 4.96.3.)

In this same summer, too, the temple of Hera at Argos was burned down, Chrysis[*](The same who in 431 B.C. had held her office forty-eight years; cf. 2.2.1.) the priestess having placed a lighted torch near the garlands and then gone to sleep, so that the whole place took fire and was ablaze before she was aware.

And Chrysis that very night, in fear of the Argives, fled to Phlius; but they appointed another priestess according to the custom prescribed, Phaeinis by name. Chrysis had been priestess during eight years of this war and half of the ninth when she fled.

Toward the close of the summer Scione was at length completely invested, and the Athenians, leaving a guard there, withdrew with the rest of their army.

In the following winter, on account of the armistice, matters were quiet with the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians; but the Mantineans and the Tegeans with their respective allies fought a battle at Laodoceum in the district of Oresthis. The victory was disputed; for each side routed the wing opposed to themselves, and both set up trophies[*](It seems that the Mantineans and Tegeans each defeated the other's allies, which were on the left wings of the opposing armies.) and sent spoils to Delphi.

Certain it is at any rate that after many had fallen on both sides and night had cut short the action, the issue of battle being still undecided, the Tegeans bivouacked on the field and set up a trophy at once, while the Mantineans retreated to Bucolion, and afterwards set up a rival trophy.

Toward the close of the same winter, when spring was near at hand, Brasidas made an attempt on Potidaea. He came up by night and placed a ladder against the wall, up to this point escaping detection; for the ladder was planted precisely at the interval of time after the bell had been carried by and before the patrol who passed it on had come back.[*](It appears that the bell was passed from one sentinel to the next. Another, and probably more common, way of testing the watchfulness of the sentinels was to have a patrol with a bell make the round, each sentinel having to answer the signal.) The guards, however, discovered it immediately, before an ascent could be made, and Brasidas made haste to lead his army back again, not waiting for day to come.

So ended the winter and with it the ninth year of this war of which Thucydides wrote the history.

The next summer the one-year's truce con-[*](422 B.C.) tinued till, and ended with, the Pythian games.[*](The truce had really expired, according to 4.118.12, the 14th of the Attic month Elaphebolion (about the end of March), but hostilities were not renewed till after the Pythian games, which were celebrated in the Attic month Metageitnion (latter half of August and first of September). This seems the most natural interpretation of Thucydides' language, but many editors render “The next summer the one-year's truce was ended and war was renewed till the Pythian games.”) During the suspension of arms the Athenians expelled the Delians from Delos, thinking that they had been consecrated[*](Referring to their purification and consecration to Apollo four years before (iii. 107).) while in a state of pollution from some ancient crime, and besides, that they themselves had been responsible for this defect in the purification, in which, as I have before related, they believed they had acted rightly in removing the coffins of the dead. And the Delians settled, according as each man chose,[*](Or, “was inclined” (etc. οἰκῆσαι).) in Atramytteum in Asia, which had been given them by Pharnaces.

After the armistice had expired Cleon persuaded the Athenians to let him sail to the cities in Thrace, with twelve hundred Athenian hoplites and three hundred cavalry, and a larger force of the allies, and thirty ships.

And touching first at Scione, which was still under siege, and taking on from there some hoplites of the garrison, he then sailed down to the port of Cophus, which is not far distant from the city of Torone.

From there, on learning from deserters that Brasidas was not in Torone and that the inhabitants were not a match for him in battle, he advanced with his land-force against the city, but sent ten ships to sail round into the harbour.

And first he arrived at the new wall which Brasidas had built round the city for the purpose of taking in the suburb, having pulled down a part of the old wall and made one city of Torone.