The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 04 : $b Greece to the Roman Conquest
History
The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 04 : $b Greece to the Roman Conquest
World history
Upon this, Chirisophus and Xenophon, with Callimachus of Parrhasia, one
of the Captains, advanced (for the last had the command that Day of the
Captains in the Rear), all the rest of the Officers standing out of
Danger. Then about seventy of the Men advanc’d under the Trees, not in
a Body, but one by one, each sheltering himself as well as he could:
While Agasias the Stymphalian and Aristonymus of Methydria, who were also
Captains belonging to the Rear, with some others, stood behind, without
the Trees, for it was not safe for more than one Company to be there.
Upon this Occasion Callimachus made Use of the following Stratagem. He
advanc’d two or three Paces from the Tree under which he stood; but, as
soon as the Stones began to fly, he quickly retir’d, and, upon every
Excursion, more than ten Cart-Loads of Stones were consum’d. When
Agasias saw what Callimachus was doing, and that the Eyes of the whole
Army were upon him, fearing lest he should be the first Man who enter’d
the Place, he, without giving any Notice to Aristonymus, who stood next
to him, or to Eurylochus, of Lusia, both of whom were his friends, or to
any other Person, advanc’d alone, with a Design to get before the rest.
When Callimachus saw him passing by, he laid hold of the Border of his
Shield. In the mean Time Aristonymus, and, after him, Eurylochus ran by
them both: For all these were Rivals in Glory, and in constant Emulation
of each other. And, by contending thus, they took the Place: For, the
Moment one of them had gain’d the Ascent, there were no more Stones
thrown from above.
And here followed a dreadful Spectacle indeed; for the Women first
threw their Children down the Precipice, and then themselves. Then Men
did the same. And here Æneas the Stymphalian, a Captain, seeing one of
the Barbarians, who was richly dress’d, running with a Design to throw
himself down, caught hold of him, and the other drawing him after, they
both fell down the Precipice together, and were dashed to Pieces. Thus we
made very few Prisoners, but took a considerable Quantity of Oxen, Asses,
and Sheep.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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