What the herdsman said seemed trustworthy, and he led Emperamus and the Spartan force. Their march was difficult owing to the darkness and steady downpour. Still they advanced with alacrity, and, as soon as they got to the citadel of Eira, fixed scaling ladders and got over the walls with all dispatch. And the Messenians had several indications of their coming trouble, especially the unusual barking of the dogs, who barked fiercely and continuously. Perceiving then that the final struggle had come upon them, they had no time for arming themselves properly, but each seized what weapon he could find to defend their last possession out of all Messenia, their last inch of fatherland! The first who noticed that the enemy had got inside the walls, and who rushed up to the fray, were Gorgus the son of Aristomenes, and Aristomenes himself, and Theoclus the seer and Manticlus his son, and with them Euergetidas a man held in especial honour at Messene, who had improved his fortunes by his marriage with Agnagora, the sister of Aristomenes. And all the others at this time, though they perceived that they were in a trap, yet had a little hope in spite of the outlook: but Aristomenes and the seer knew that it was all up with the Messenians, remembering the Pythian Priestess’ oracle about the he-goat, but they concealed none the less the true state of affairs, and were silent about it to everybody. And they went all round the town energetically and exhorted every Messenian they met to play the man, and called from their houses those that yet remained in them. During the night nothing very notable was done on either side, for the attacking party were hindered by their ignorance of the ground and the boldness of Aristomenes, and the Messenians were rather backward in taking the word from their generals, and if anyone lit a torch or struck a light, the rain immediately put it out. And when day broke and they could see one another clearly, then Aristomenes and Theoclus endeavoured to nerve the Messenians to desperate courage, by giving them the necessary directions, and reminding them of the heroism of the people of Smyrna, who, though they were only Ionians, by their boldness and vigour drove out of their city Gyges, the son of Dascylus, and the Lydians who were in possession of it. And the Messenians hearing this were animated with the courage of despair, and forming what ranks they could rushed against the Lacedæmonians. And even the women eagerly hurled tiles, and whatever each could lay hold of, at the enemy: but they were partly prevented doing this from the slipperiness of the roofs through the frequent rain: but they seized arms and thus kindled still more the courage of the men, when they saw that even the women preferred perishing with their country to being led off as slaves to Lacedæmon, insomuch that had it been possible they would have given destiny the go-by. And the downpour of rain continued all day, and