Classical literature; Greece -- History -- Peloponnesian War, 431-404 B.C.; Greece -- History -- Spartan and Theban Supremacies, 404-362 B.C.
But by this time the small garrison above them had increased tenfold,
until there were now something like seven hundred men collected in
Phyle; and with these Thrasybulus one night descended. When he was not
quite half a mile from the enemy's encampment he grounded arms, and a
deep silence was maintained until it drew towards day. In a little while
the men opposite, one by one, were getting to their legs or leaving the
camp for necessary purposes, while a suppressed din and murmur arose,
caused by the grooms currying and combing their horses. This was the
moment for Thrasybulus and his men to snatch up their arms and make a
dash at the enemy's position. Some they felled on the spot; and routing
the whole body, pursued them six or seven furlongs, killing one
hundred and twenty hoplites and more. Of the cavalry, Nicostratus, "the
beautiful," as men called him, and two others besides were slain; they
were caught while still in their beds. Returning from the pursuit,
the victors set up a trophy, got together all the arms they had taken,
besides baggage, and retired again to Phyle. A reinforcement of horse
sent from the city could not discover the vestige of a foe; but waited
on the scene of battle until the bodies of the slain had been picked up
by their relatives, when they withdrew again to the city.
After this the Thirty, who had begun to realise the insecurity of their
position, were anxious to appropriate Eleusis, so that an asylum might
be ready for them against the day of need. With this view an order was
issued to the Knights; and Critias, with the rest of the Thirty, visited
Eleusis. There they held a review of the Eleusians in the presence of
the Knights; (4) and, on the pretext of wishing to discover how many
they were, and how large a garrison they would further require, they
ordered the townsfolk to enter their names. As each man did so he had to
retire by a postern leading to the sea. But on the sea-beach this
side there were lines of cavalry drawn up in waiting, and as each man
appeared he was handcuffed by the satellites of the Thirty. When all
had so been seized and secured, they gave orders to Lysimachus, the
commander of the cavalry, to take them off to the city and deliver them
over to the Eleven. Next day they summoned the heavy armed who were on
the list, and the rest of the Knights (5) to the Odeum, and Critias rose
and addressed them. He said: "Sirs, the constitution, the lines of which
we are laying down, is a work undertaken in your interests no less than
ours; it is incumbent on you therefore to participate in its dangers,
even as you will partake of its honours. We expect you therefore, in
reference to these Eleusians here, who have been seized and secured, to
vote their condemnation, so that our hopes and fears may be identical."
Then, pointing to a particular spot, he said peremptorily, "You will
please deposit your votes there within sight of all." It must be
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