In the ensuing spring, the Olynthians sustained various partial
defeats, especially one near Apollonia, from Derdas. They were more
and more confined to their walls; insomuch that Teleutias became
confident and began to despise them. Under these dispositions on
his part, a body of Olynthian cavalry showed themselves one morning,
passed the river near their city, and advanced in calm array towards
the Lacedæmonian camp. Indignant at such an appearance of daring,
Teleutias directed Tlemonidas with the peltasts to disperse them;
upon which the Olynthians slowly retreated, while the peltasts rushed
impatiently to pursue them, even when they recrossed the river. No
sooner did the Olynthians see that half the peltasts had crossed
it, than they suddenly turned, charged them vigorously, and put
them to flight with the loss of their commander Tlemonidas and a
hundred others. All this passed in sight of Teleutias, who completely
lost his temper. Seizing his arms, he hurried forward to cover the
fugitives with the hoplites around him, sending orders to all his
troops, hoplites, peltasts, and horsemen, to advance also. But the
Olynthians, again retreating, drew him on towards the city, with
such inconsiderate forwardness, that many of his soldiers ascending
the eminence on which the city was situated, rushed close up to the
walls.[148] Here, however, they were received by a shower of missiles
which forced them to recede in disorder; upon which the Olynthians
again sallied forth, probably, from more than one gate at once, and
charged them first with cavalry and peltasts, next with hoplites.
The Lacedæmonians and their allies, disturbed and distressed by the
first, were unable to stand against the compact charge of the last;
Teleutias himself, fighting in the foremost ranks, was slain, and his
death was a signal for the flight of all around. The whole besieging
force dispersed and fled in different directions,—to Akanthus, to
Spartôlus, to Potidæa, to Apollonia. So vigorous and effective was
the pursuit of the Olynthians, that the loss of the fugitives was
immense. The whole army was in fact ruined;[149] for probably many of
the allies who escaped became discouraged and went home.
[148] Thucyd. i, 63—with the Scholiast.
[149] Xen. Hellen. v, 3, 4-6. παμπλήθεις ἀπέκτειναν ἀνθρώπους καὶ
ὅτι περ ὄφελος ἦν τούτου τοῦ στρατεύματος.
Diodorus (xv, 21) states the loss at twelve hundred men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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