ould not think it good, but
think it sufficient that we alone should fight, then let us fight it
out to the end, and whichsoever of us shall be the victors, let these be
counted as victorious with their whole army.".

49. The herald having thus spoken waited for some time, and then, as no
one made him any answer, he departed and went back; and having returned
he signified to Mardonios that which had happened to him. Mardonios
then being greatly rejoiced and elated by his empty 53 victory, sent
the cavalry to attack the Hellenes: and when the horsemen had ridden
to attack them, they did damage to the whole army of the Hellenes by
hurling javelins against them and shooting with bows, being mounted
archers and hard therefore to fight against: and they disturbed and
choked up the spring Gargaphia, from which the whole army of the
Hellenes was drawing its water. Now the Lacedemonians alone were posted
near this spring, and it was at some distance from the rest of the
Hellenes, according as they chanced to be posted, while the Asopos was
near at hand; but when they were kept away from the Asopos, then they
used to go backwards and forwards to this spring; for they were not
permitted by the horsemen and archers to fetch water from the river..

50. Such then being the condition of things, the generals of the
Hellenes, since the army had been cut off from its water and was being
harassed by the cavalry, assembled to consult about these and other
things, coming to Pausanias upon the right wing: for other things too
troubled them yet more than these of which we have spoken, since they
no longer had provisions, and their attendants who had been sent to
Peloponnese for the purpose of getting them had been cut off by the
cavalry and were not able to reach the camp..

51. It was resolved then by the generals in council with one another,
that if the Persians put off the battle for that day, they would go
to the Island. This is distant ten furlongs 54 from the Asopos and the
spring Gargaphia, where they were then encamped, and is in front of the
city of the Plataians: and if it be asked how there can be an island on
the mainland, thus it is 55:--the river parts in two above, as it flows
from Kithairon down to the plain, keeping a distance of about three
furlongs between its streams, and after that it joins again in one
stream; and the name of it is Oeroe, said by the natives of the country
to be the daughter of Asopos. To this place o