l in the gloaming, they advanced against
the Lacedaemonian outposts. In spite of the difficulty they timed their
movements to a nicety, and fell upon the Lacedaemonians and Pellenians
just at the interval when the night pickets were turning in and the men
were leaving their shakedowns and retiring for necessary purposes. (14)
This was the instant for the Thebans to fling themselves upon them; they
plied their weapons with good effect, blow upon blow. Order was pitted
against disorder, preparation against disarray. When, however, those who
escaped from the thick of the business had retired to the nearest rising
ground, the Lacedaemonian polemarch, who might have taken as many heavy,
or light, infantry of the allies as he wanted, and thus have held the
position (no bad one, since it enabled him to get his supplies safely
enough from Cenchreae), failed to do so. On the contrary, and in spite
of the great perplexity of the Thebans as to how they were to get down
from the high level facing Sicyon or else retire the way they came,
the Spartan general made a truce, which in the opinion of the majority,
seemed more in favour of the Thebans than himself, and so he withdrew
his division and fell back.

(13) Lit. "thirty stades."

(14) Or, "intent on their personal concerns." See "Hell." II. iv. 6;
"Hipparch." vii. 12.

The Thebans were now free to descend without hindrance, which they did;
and, effecting a junction with their allies the Arcadians, Argives,
and Eleians, at once attacked (15) Sicyon and Pellene, and, marching on
Epidaurus, laid waste the whole territory of that people. Returning from
that exploit with a consummate disdain for all their opponents, when
they found themselves near the city of Corinth they advanced at the
double against the gate facing towards Phlius; intending if they found
it open to rush in. However, a body of light troops sallied out of the
city to the rescue, and met the advance of the Theban picked corps (16)
not one hundred and fifty yards (17) from the walls. Mounting on the
monuments and commanding eminences, with volleys of sling stones and
arrows they laid low a pretty large number in the van of the attack,
and routing them, gave chase for three or four furlongs' (18) distance.
After this incident the Corinthians dragged the corpses of the slain
to the wall, and finally gave them up under a flag of truce, erecting a
trophy to record the victory. As a result of this occurrence the all