is, scaled that face of the mountain (9) which
stretches seaward, the blast hurled headlong from the precipices a
string of asses, baggage and all: countless arms were wrested from the
bearers' grasp and whirled into the sea; finally, numbers of the men,
unable to march with their arms, deposited them at different points of
the pass, first filling the hollow of their shields with stones. For the
moment, then, they halted at Aegosthena, on Megarian soil, and supped as
best they could. Next day they returned and recovered their arms.
After this adventure the contingents lost no time in returning to their
several homes, as Cleombrotus disbanded them.

(9) I.e. "Cithaeron."

Meanwhile at Athens and Thebes alike fear reigned. To the Athenians the
strength of the Lacedaemonians was unmistakable: the war was plainly
no longer confined to Corinth; on the contrary, the Lacedaemonians had
ventured to skirt Athenian territory and to invade Thebes. They were so
worked upon by their alarm that the two generals who had been privy
to the insurrection of Melon against Leontiades and his party had to
suffer: the one was formally tried and put to death; the other, refusing
to abide his trial, was banished.

The apprehensions of the Thebans were of a different sort: their fear
was rather lest they should find themselves in single-handed war with
Lacedaemon. To prevent this they hit upon the following expedient. They
worked upon Sphodrias, (10) the Spartan governor left in Thespiae, by
offering him, as at least was suspected, a substantial sum, in return
for which he was to make an incursion into Attica; their great object
being to involve Athens and Lacedaemon in hostilities. Sphodrias lent a
willing ear, and, pretending that he could easily capture Piraeus in its
present gateless condition, gave his troops an early evening meal and
marched out of Thespiae, saying that he would reach Piraeus before
daybreak. As a matter of fact day overtook him at Thria, nor did he
take any pains even to draw a veil over his intentions; on the contrary,
being forced to turn aside, he amused himself by recklessly lifting
cattle and sacking houses. Meanwhile some who chanced upon him in the
night had fled to the city and brought news to the men of Athens that a
large body of troops was approaching. It needs no saying with what speed
the cavalry and heavy infantry armed themselves and stood on guard
to protect the city. As chance befell, there were some L