Pursuant to the scheme concerted, the Bœotians and Chalkidians
attacked Attica at the same time that Kleomenês entered it. The
former seized Œnoê and Hysiæ, the frontier demes of Attica on the
side towards Platæa, while the latter assailed the north-eastern
frontier, which faces Eubœa. Invaded on three sides, the Athenians
were in serious danger, and were compelled to concentrate all their
forces at Eleusis against Kleomenês, leaving the Bœotians and
Chalkidians unopposed. But the unexpected breaking up of the invading
army from Peloponnesus proved their rescue, and enabled them to turn
the whole of their attention to the other frontier. They marched into
Bœotia to the strait called Euripus, which separates it from Eubœa,
intending to prevent the junction of the Bœotians and Chalkidians,
and to attack the latter first apart. But the arrival of the Bœotians
caused an alteration in their scheme; they attacked the Bœotians
first, and gained a victory of the most complete character,—killing
a large number, and capturing seven hundred prisoners. On the very
same day they crossed over to Eubœa, attacked the Chalkidians, and
gained another victory so decisive that it at once terminated the
war. Many Chalkidians were taken, as well as Bœotians, and conveyed
in chains to Athens, where after a certain detention they were at
last ransomed for two minæ per man; and the tenth of the sum thus
raised was employed in the fabrication of a chariot and four horses
in bronze, which was placed in the acropolis to commemorate the
victory. Herodotus saw this trophy when he was at Athens. He saw
too, what was a still more speaking trophy, the actual chains in
which the prisoners had been fettered, exhibiting in their appearance
the damage undergone when the acropolis was burnt by Xerxês: an
inscription of four lines described the offerings and recorded the
victory out of which they had sprung.[299]
[299] Herodot. v, 77; Ælian, V. H. vi, 1; Pausan. i, 28, 2.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account