History of the Peloponnesian War

So they came up to the battlements at one of the spaces between the towers, knowing that they were deserted. First came those who carried the ladders, which they planted; then twelve lightarmed, with only a dagger and a breastplate, proceeded to mount, Ammias son of Coroelius leading them, and being the first to mount, and after him his followers, six going to each of the towers. Next after them came another party of light-armed, with darts, whose shields, that they might the more easily advance, others carried in the rear, and were ready to hand them to them whenever they came to the enemy.

When a considerable number had got up, the sentinels in the towers discovered it; for one of the Plataeans, in laying hold of the battlements, threw down a the from them, which made a noise as it fell.

And immediately a shout was raised, and the troops rushed to the wall, for they did not know what the alarm was, the night being dark, and the weather stormy; and besides, those of the Plataeans who had been left behind in the town sallied forth, and made an attack on the wall of the Peloponnesians on the opposite side t where their men were getting over, that they might pay as little attention as possible to them.

Thus, though they were alarmed, and stood to their several posts, no one ventured to go to the rescue beyond his own station, but they were at a loss to conjecture what was going on.