ifle to waste his time here, whilst
I with my own hand can draw off their water from the men of Cybrene";
wherewith he ran forward with his division and essayed to choke up the
spring which supplied the city. But the garrison sallied out and covered
the Sicyonian himself with wounds, besides killing two of his men.
Indeed, they plied their swords and missiles with such good effect that
the whole company was forced to beat a retreat. Dercylidas was not a
little annoyed, thinking that now the spirit of the besiegers would
certainly die away; but whilst he was in this mood, behold! there
arrived from the beleaguered fortress emissaries of the Hellenes, who
stated that the action taken by the commandant was not to their taste;
for themselves, they would far rather be joined in bonds of fellowship
with Hellenes than with barbarians. While the matter was still under
discussion there came a messenger also from the commandant, to say that
whatever the former deputation had proposed he, on his side, was ready
to endorse. Accordingly Dercylidas, who, it so happened, had at length
obtained favourable omens on that day, marched his force without more
ado up to the gates of the city, which were flung open by those
within; and so he entered. (18) Here, then, he was content to appoint a
garrison, and without further stay advanced upon Scepsis and Gergithes.

(18) Grote ("H. G." ix. 294) says: "The reader will remark how
Xenophon shapes the narrative in such a manner as to inculcate the
pious duty in a general of obeying the warnings furnished by the
sacrifice--either for action or for inaction.... Such an
inference is never (I believe) to be found suggested in
Thucydides." See Brietenbach, "Xen. Hell." I et II, praef. in
alteram ed. p. xvii.

And now Meidias, partly expecting the hostile advance of Pharnabazus,
and partly mistrusting the citizens--for to such a pass things had
come--sent to Dercylidas, proposing to meet him in conference provided
he might take security of hostages. In answer to this suggestion the
other sent him one man from each of the cities of the allies, and bade
him take his pick of these, whichsoever and how many soever he chose, as
hostages for his own security. Meidias selected ten, and so went out. In
conversation with Dercylidas, he asked him on what terms he would accept
his alliance. The other answered: "The terms are that you grant the
citizens freedom and self-government." The w