The hystory writtone by Thucidides the Athenyan of the warre, whiche was betwene the Peloponesians and the Athenyans, translated oute of Frenche into the Englysh language by Thomas Nicolls citezeine and goldesmyth of London

Howe the Lacedemonyans and their allyes dyd wynne one battaille againste the Athenyans, the Argiues and their other allyes in the lande of Mantynyans. ☞The .ix. Chaptre.

IN thys meane tyme dyd come a messenger frō Tegea. who broughte theym newes frome those in the towne, that if they were not ryghte shortely succoured: they shulde be constraynedde for to render them∣••elfe vnto the Argiues and to their allyes. wherof the Lacedemonyās were greatly astonyed and thereupon dyd all arme themself, aswel fre as bonde, wyth greater diligence than euer they had done, and wente fromthence to Ore∣stiū.* 1.1 And on the other syde, they cōmaunded those of Menalia and the other Ar∣cadyans, whyche toke their parte, that they shulde goo by theire shorteste waye vnto Tegea. And they, after that they were aryued at Drestie at their departure from Orestium,* 1.2 they did sende agayne thider well the sixte parte of their people, for to kepe the cytie: amonge whome were those, whyche were to olde & to yong. The other marched straighte fourthe to Tegea, and they beynge there arryued, sone after came the Arcadyans, and besyde thys, they commaunded the Coryn∣thyans, the Beotians, the Phocyans, & the Locryans•• that they shuld be at Mā∣tynea with most diligence that might be possible for them. Now there were some of them there, whyche were nyghe ynough for to come thider by and by. But for that, that of force they muste passe through the lande of the ennemys, they were constrayned to attende and tary for the othere, and yett neuerthelas dyd vse the

beste dyligence that they coulde for to passe. The Lacedemonyans with the Ar∣cadyans that they had, inuaded the lande of Mantynea, and there dyd all the e∣uill that they could. Hauyng lodged their host bi••ore the temple of Hercules, the Argiues and their allyes being thereof aduertised, dydde comme to lodge them∣sel••e in a hyghe place, stronge ynoughe and harde for to aboorde or to enter vp∣on, and there they preparedde themselfe for to comme to the battaille agaynste the Lacedemonyans, who lykewyse marchedde in order for to combate. And beynge with in the caste of a stoane or of a darte, nighe vnto the ennemyes, one of the mooste auncyente of hys bende, seynge that they wente for to assault their ennemyes in theire force: cryed greatlye and wyth a lowde voyce vnto theym, Agis wolle amende one euylle, whyche he hathe done, wythe one othere moore greatte, wyllynge to geue it to be vnderstande, that thynkinge to amende the faulte whyche he hadde done at Argos, he woolde hazarte that same battaylle agaynste reasonne. Agis than vnderstandynge this, for feare that he hadde to be reprehendedde and rebukedde, if that he hadde assailled the ennemyes in their forte, or els rathere for thys, that it semed vnto hym not to be to purpose: he re∣tyredde wyth hys people wythoute fyghting. And whan he was in the lande of Tegea, he dyuertedde and dydde tourne the water, frome the ryuer that passed throughe that countreye, into the lande of Mantynea. By reasonne of whyche ryuer, the Tegeans and the Mantynyans hadde oftentimes hadde question, ••or that, that yt wasted the landes, in that parte therof, where it hadde course. This dyd Agis, for that, that he woolde by that meane constrayne the Argiues & their allyes, to descende oute of their forte, wherein they were lodgedde, for necessytye of water, and to cause theyme to come into the playne, to the ende that he mighte combate in a reasonable or indifferente place, and so he aboode in that same place for to diuerte and tourne awaye the water all that daye. The Argiues and their allyes were furste abashedde of thys, that the Lacedemonyans were so soub∣daynelye departedde, and coulde not thinke the cause of theire departure. After∣wardes seynge that they were retyredde, and that they hadde not pursued them, they chargedde theire Dukes and Capytaynes therewyth, sayinge: that furste they hadde suffredde them to passe by appoynctemente, whan they myghte haue destroyedde them bifore Argos, and nowe that they were fledde, that they wold not followe them, and by that meane, the ennemyes hadde wyth their ayse saued themself, and that they were deceyued and betrayed by their sayde Capytaynes. who were through that murmuration much troubled, and yet neuerthelas did afterwardes departe oute of their forte, wherin they were wyth their people, and descendedde into the playne, to the intente for to pursue their ennemyes. And the day followynge, they marchedde in battaille, determynedde to fyghte agaynste them, if they myghte mete or fynde theyme. On the othere syde the Lacedemo∣nyans, who were retourned from the ryuer into their furste Campe, nygh to the temple of Hercules, parceyuinge them to comme towardes them, were more a∣frayd, than euer at any time bifore, within the remēbrance of man, they had bene. For that, that the thinge was so soubdayne, that skarcely they hadde space ••or to putte themselfe into battaylle araye. Notwithstandinge they toke harte of grace and recouered their espryttes in••ontynently, and euery man dyd putt himself in order at commandement of Agis their kyng. who had, by order of their lawes, al the authorytie to cōmaunde and ordeyne the Dukes of the armye, whyche were the chiefeste vnder hym. And afterwardes, the Dukes commaunded the Trybu∣nes, the Trybunes the Centurions, and the Centurions the Dixeniers or rot∣ter men, rulers of euery nomber of tenne, for such is their order. By means wher∣of,

whatsoeuer was requisyt to be done, was quickly executed, for a great parte of the people that be in their hooste, haue charge the one ouer the other, and soo there be founde manye that haue charge of the affayres. At that same tyme the Scirites by their oune accorde placed themself in the lefte poincte.* 1.3 For such, from all auncyente, was the order of the Lacedemonyans, and wyth them, those, why∣che hadde bene in Thrace wyth Brasidas and those that had newly bene affran∣chised and putt into lybertie. After them there were the othere Lacedemonyans in bendes accordynge to their order, and ioigninge to them the Arcadyans. And in the ryght poynct, the Menalyans, the Tegeates and a small nomber of Lace∣demonyans. who kepte the poyncte, and the horsemen the wynge. On the othere syde the ryghte poyncte was commyttedde to the Mantynians, for that, that the feate was done in their lande. After theym, were the Arcadyans of theire partie, and a thousande ordenarye Souldears. vnto whome the Argiues dydde geue ordenary soulde or wages, for that, that they were well experymented for the warre, and after them, were all the Argyues, and successyuely the Cleonians and the Orneates their allyes, and fynally at the ende of the lefte poyncte were the A∣thenyans wyth their horsmen. Suche was the order of bothe the battaills, and albeit that the Lacedemonyans were of the greater apparance, yet coulde I not for trouthe descryue the nomber of the people, nothere of the one syde nor of the other, nother of them both togiders. To wyt, of the Lacedemonyās for that, that they do their feates very secretly and in greate sylence: and of the other, for that, that they make them so greate, that that, why the they saye, is not to be beleued. But yet neuerthelas the nomber of the Lacedemonyans may be coniectured by thys, that seuen bendes of theirs dyd fyght besides the Scyrites, who were fiue houndred. In euery of whychebendes, were .v. Centuries, and in euery Centurie, two Manipules, and in ayther Manypule there were foure men a fronte at the poinct. But more inner in the depth therof, there were more or lesse accordyng to the discretion of the capytaynes and Bandoliers. And yet neuerthelas euery or∣der was of the thicknes of eight men, and the fronte of al the former seueral ben∣des was ioygned and locked egally in lengthe, and there were foure houndred, forty and eyght men in the furste poyncte, besydes the sayd Scyrites. After that they were thus all sett into battaille araye, aswell of the one syde as of the other, euery capytayne exhorted & encouraiged hys souldears, the beste wyse that they coulde: to wytt, the Mantinians declared to their people, that the questyon was, o•• losinge their seignyory and lybertie, and of their comynge into seruytude. The Argyues shewed vnto theirs, that the questyon was to defende their princypa∣litie, whyche was egall to the same of the other cyties of Peloponese, and also for to reuenge the oultrages and iniuryes, that their voysins & ennemys, had oftene tymes done vnto them. The Athenyans proponed vnto theirs that it shulde be their honnour (sithens they dyd fyght wyth so greate nomber of their allyes) to shewe that they were no worse warryours thā the other, and also if they coulde at the selfe instante vainquyshe and destroye the Lacedemonyans in the coun∣trey of Peloponesa, their estate and seignyorye shulde foreuer be in the greatter suertie, for there shulde neuer be any people that durste comme to assaylle them in their landes. Such were the sayinges and perswations that were made to the Argiues and their allyes. As touchynge the Lacedemonyans they were all assu∣red people and experte in warre, werefore they hadde no nede of exhortatyon. For the memory and recordynge of their many and cheualerour feates dyd geue thē more hardynes, than a shorte declaratyon (though yt hadde bene welle garnys∣shed wyth wordes) coulde haue done. Thys passed they, beganne to marche the

one agaynste the other, to wytt, the Argyues and theyr allyes wyth greate impe∣tuosytie or fiercenes, and wyth greate wrathe and anger. And the Lacedemony∣ans all at leasure and pace by pace after the sounde of the trompets. wherof they had greate nomber dispersed into many places of their battaille, for suche was their custome and ordenance, to cary many of them, not for any relygyon or de∣uotyon as many other doo, but for to marche in better order at the sounde of the sayd trompettes, and also to the ende that they shulde not be putt into disorder at the encountrynge of the ennemyes, as it chauncethe oftentymes whan twoo greate armyes do encounter the one, the othere. But before that they dyd come to the encountrynge or metinge, Agis kynge of the Lacedemonyans deuysedde wyth hymselfe for to do a thynge for to empesche and wythstande that, whyche hadde alwayes bene vsed whan twoo battailles dyd encounter. For those, that be in the righte poyncte of ayther syde, whan they comme to encounter the enne∣myes that be in the apposytte or directly agaynst the lefte poyncte, they spreade themself in lenghe for to enuyrone and enclose thē. For that, that ayther partie fearinge to abyde in discouert of the ryght syde, whych the shield doth not couer, he wardeth hymself wyth hys shielde that is nexte hym on the right hande, and they thinke that whan they be most locked togiders, they shulde be moste in co∣uert and in suertie, and he that is formost in the ende of that same ryght poynct, sheweth to the other the way to do yt, for insomuch as he hath none at his right hande for to warde hym, he taketh the moste payne that he maye, to exchue the ennemyes on that syde that is openne or discouered, and for that cause doth the beste that he canne for to auaunce the ende of the contrarye poyncte, that was opposit or dyrecte againste hym and for to enclose and enuyronne it, for that he woolde not be assailled on the syde, whyche ys discoueredde, and the othere for the selfe feare dyd followe hym. Nowe the Mantynians, who kepte the ryghte poynct of their syde, were in much greater nōber, than the Scirites. Also the La∣cedemonyans and the Tegetes, who kepte the ryghte poyncte of their syde, were in muche greater nōber, than the Athenyans that kepte the lefte poynct of theirs. For thys cause Agis fearyng leste the lefte poincte of his people shulde susteigne dammage by the Mantynyans, who were in muche greater nomber, he made a signe to the Scirites and to the Brasidians, that they shulde retyre oute of their order, and ioigne themselfe to the Mantynians, and fourthwyth he commaun∣ded two Trybuns, that were in the ryghte poyncte, to wytte, Hipponoides and Aristocles,* 1.4 that they shulde departe oute of the place, wherein they were in theire bendes, and that they shuld readely bestow thēself in rome of the said Scirites & Brasidians, thynkinge that by that meane, hys ryghte poyncte shulde remayne yet well prouyded for, and the lefte shulde be greatly strengthened for to resiste the Mantynyans. Neuertheles they woolde not do it, aswell for that, that they were already nighe hande to hande wyth the ennemyes, as also the tyme was very shorte for to do that, whyche they were commaundedde, through occasyon wherof, they were afterwardes bannyshed oute of Sparte, as nyce and slouth∣full. The Scirites and the Brasidians beinge than separated and retyred out of their order accordinge to the commaundemente of the kyng Agis, and the same kyng, seing that the other two bedes dyd not come into their place, he comaūded them againe, that they shulde putt themself into their former order. But it was not possyble for them so to do, nother for those of that poynct, fromwhence they were departed, to receue them, beinge alredy all locked togider and nigh vnto the ennemyes. And yet neuerthelas the Lacedemonyans shewedde themselfe in all thynges the better warryours, and more experimented in warre, than the other.

For whan it came to fighting hande to hande, the Mantynyans, that hadde the ryght poincte, at the arryuall dyd put the Scirites and the Brasidians to flight, and wyth their allyes and the thousande souldiars of the Argiues, they charged vpon the lefte poincte of the Lacedemonyans, whych they founde naked & voide w^t the sayd two bendes, and so repoulsed it and constraigned the Lacedemony∣ans, that were after them there, to take flight, and chased them into the maresses that were nyghe vnto them, wherein there were some of the mooste aged slayne. And so in that parte, the Lacedemonians were vainquished: but as for the reme∣nante and chiefly the middell of the battaill, wherin the kinge Agis was, hauing aboute him three houndred chosen men, whyche were named, the knightes: the thynges wente whooly otherwyse, for they chargedde wyth suche foorce vpon the pryncipall and mooste auncyent of the Argiues and vpon the thousand soul∣dears, whyche were named the fyue Cohertes or bendes, and lykewyse vpon the Cleontyns, and vpon the Orneates, and vpō some Athenyans, that were in their bendes: that they caused them to lose the place, and trulye manye wythoute ma∣kyng•• resystence, seynge the ympetuosytye or fiercenes of the Lacedemonyans, dyd flye, whereby a nomber of them were oppressed and strangled in the prease. The Argiues and their allyes beinge in flyght, their battaille was brokenne on bothe sydes, whereby the Athenyans, that were in the lefte poynct were in great daunger. For that, that the Lacedemonyans and the Tegeates, whyche were in the ryghte poyncte of the ennemyes, had enclosed them on the one syde, and on the other, their allyes were vainquished, and had not it bene for the succour, whi∣che they had w^t their horsemen, they had bene all destroyed. And also in thies en∣terfaictes, Agis beinge aduertysed, that those, that were in the lefte poyncte of his battaille dyrectly agaynste the Mantynyans, and the thousand souldears Ar∣gyues, were in greate parille: he commaunded all his people that they shuld go to succour them, which thing they dyd, by meane wherof, the Athenians had lea∣sure to saue themself with the Argiues, which had bene vainquished. And as tou¦chinge the Mantynyans and the thousand sonldyars of the Argiues, they hadde no hart any lōger to poursue against them, that were opposit or directly against them, but yet seinge their people beaten or ouercomme, and the Lacedemonyans that came to ouerronne them, they dyd lykewise flye, and therin many of y^e Man∣tynyans were slayne: but the more parte of the thousande souldyars, Argiues, saued themselfe in retyringe all fayer and easely wythout flying in disaraye. For also the customme of the Lacedemonyans ys to fight a••grelye and longe vntill they haue putt their ennemyes to flyghte, but afterwardes, as they see them flye, they follow not them longe. And suche was y^e yssue of that same battayl, the whi∣che was the greateste and mooste sharpe amonge alle the othere that the Gre¦kes had hadde togider, for also the same was betwene the mooste puissance Cy∣ties of Grece. After the victorie, the Lacedemonyans, spoilled furst y^e dead bodies of the ennemyes of their harnes, wherw^t they dressedde their Trophee, and than they spoilled them of their habillemētes and apparell which they caryed away, and that done they rendred the Cariogns to the ennemyes, that requyred them. As touching theirs, they caused them to be caryed into the towne of Tegea, and there they caused them to be honnorably engraued or buryedde. The nomber of them that dyed in that battaille, was, of the Argiues, Orneates, and Cleonyans aboutes leuene houndred, of the Mantynyans two houndred, and of the Athe∣nyans and Argyues asmany: amongeste whome, were Dukes and Capytaines of the same Athenyans and Argiues. On the Lacedemonyans parte, there was not so many, as there nedeth any greate memory of them, and also the nomber is

not well knowen but it is comonly sayde, that there dyed of them aboutes thre houndred. Nowe was it happened, that at the houre, whan the battaille shulde be made, Plistoanax the other kynge of Lacedemony yssued wythe the olde and yonge people of the Cytie,* 1.5 for to comme to the succours of the othere. But being comme to Tegea, and there vnderstandinge the newes of the victorye, he retour∣ned, and so contremanded or wylled the Corinthians and othere allyes, that be out of the distraict of Peloponese, whyche came lykewyse to the succoures of the sayde Lacedemonyans to repaire homewardes, and geuyng lycence to certayne estrangers, that were wyth them to departe, they afterwarde celebrated theire feast, which is named, Carnea. And by this meane they reuenged and blotted out the infamie and shame, which they had receyued of the Athenyans, aiwelle in the Island, as in other places, (wherby they were reputed nyce people and euil warri∣ours) through this only victory, and yt was knowē that that, which bifore tyme had happened vnto them, was through fortune of warre, but that their vertue and force therin was such, as had bene accustomed. It chaunsed also that the day bifore the sayd battaille, the Epidaurians, thinking that the Argiues had bene al gone to that same battaill, & by that meane, that the Cytie remayned voide or de∣solate, they came with al their strength or power for to enter into their land, and did slay some of their cytezeins, that were left for defence of the cytie, whych came fourth against them. But thre thousand Elyans which did come to y^e succour of Mantynyans, and a thousand Athenyans, which lykewyse came to y^e succour of theirs, togiders wyth those that were eskaped from the battaille, ioigned them∣self togider, and went all agaynst Epidaure. And in y^e meane tyme, that the La∣cedemonyans made their feaste of Carnea, they assieged the sayde cytie on all sy∣des, departynge the quartiers amonge them, and they enclosed yt wyth walles. And the Athenyans in the quarter that was geuene or appoyncted to them, af∣ter that the other dyd ceasse to worke, they fortefyed the temple of Iuno, whyche was wythout the cytie in their sayd quarter, and therin placinge a good garny∣sonne they afterwardes retournedde fromethence into theire houses. And so the sommer endedde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Orestiū
• * 1.2

  Destri••
• * 1.3

  Sciri∣tes.
• * 1.4

  Hippo∣noides.

  Aristo∣cles.
• * 1.5

  Plistoa∣nax.