t possible depth, and, moreover, kept veering
more and more to their right, with the intention of overlapping their
opponent's flank. The consequence was that the Athenians, to avoid being
absolutely severed, were forced to follow suit, and edged towards the
right, though they recognised the risk they ran of having their flank
turned. For a while the Lacedaemonians had no idea of the advance of the
enemy, owing to the rough nature of the ground, (15) but the notes of
the paean at length announced to them the fact, and without an instant's
delay the answering order "prepare for battle" ran along the different
sections of their army. As soon as their troops were drawn up, according
to the tactical disposition of the various generals of foreign brigades,
the order was passed to "follow the lead," and then the Lacedaemonians
on their side also began edging to their right, and eventually stretched
out their wing so far that only six out of the ten regimental divisions
of the Athenians confronted the Lacedaemonians, the other four finding
themselves face to face with the men of Tegea. And now when they
were less than a furlong (16) apart, the Lacedaemonians sacrificed in
customary fashion a kid to the huntress goddess, (17) and advanced upon
their opponents, wheeling round their overlapping columns to outflank
his left. As the two armies closed, the allies of Lacedaemon were as
a rule fairly borne down by their opponents. The men of Pellene alone,
steadily confronting the Thespiaeans, held their ground, and the dead
of either side strewed the position. (18) As to the Lacedaemonians
themselves: crushing that portion of the Athenian troops which lay
immediately in front of them, and at the same time encircling them
with their overlapping right, they slew man after man of them; and,
absolutely unscathed themselves, their unbroken columns continued their
march, and so passed behind the four remaining divisions (19) of the
Athenians before these latter had returned from their own victorious
pursuit. Whereby the four divisions in question also emerged from battle
intact, except for the casualties inflicted by the Tegeans in the
first clash of the engagement. The troops next encountered by the
Lacedaemonians were the Argives retiring. These they fell foul of, and
the senior polemarch was just on the point of closing with them "breast
to breast" when some one, it is said, shouted, "Let their front ranks
pass." This was done, and as the