n
with the best equipped battalion of heavy infantry, archers, and light
infantry. On the same principle he informed the chief cavalry officers
that the general who succeeded in presenting the best accoutred and best
mounted regiment would receive from himself some victorious distinction.
"The final adjudication," he said, "would not be made until they had
crossed from Asia into Europe and had reached the Chersonese; and this
with a view to impress upon them that the prizes were not for show but
for real campaigners." (1) These consisted for the most part of infantry
or cavalry arms and accoutrements tastefully furnished, besides which
there were chaplets of gold. The whole, useful and ornamental alike,
must have cost nearly a thousand pounds, (2) but as the result of this
outlay, no doubt, arms of great value were procured for the expedition.
(3) When the Hellespont was crossed the judges were appointed. The
Lacedaemonians were represented by Menascus, Herippidas, and
Orsippus, and the allies by one member from each state. As soon as the
adjudication was complete, the army commenced its march with Agesilaus
at its head, following the very route taken by the great king when he
invaded Hellas.

(1) Or, "that the perfection of equipment was regarded as anticipative
of actual service in the field." Cobet suggests for {eukrinein}
{dieukrinein}; cf. "Oecon." viii. 6.

(2) Lit. "at least four talents" = 975 pounds.

(3) Or, "beyond which, the arms and material to equip the expedition
were no doubt highly costly."

Meanwhile the ephors had called out the ban, and as Agesipolis was still
a boy, the state called upon Aristodemus, who was of the royal family
and guardian of the young king, to lead the expedition; and now that
the Lacedaemonians were ready to take the field and the forces of their
opponents were duly mustered, the latter met (4) to consider the most
advantageous method of doing battle.

(4) At Corinth. See above, III. iv. 11; below, V. iv. 61, where the
victory of Nixos is described but not localised.

Timolaus of Corinth spoke: "Soldiers of the allied forces," he said,
"the growth of Lacedaemon seems to me just like that of some mighty
river--at its sources small and easily crossed, but as it farther and
farther advances, other rivers discharge themselves into its channel, and
its stream grows ever more formidable. So is it with the Lacedaemonians.
Take them at the starting-point and th