ordered the infantry to follow; and behind the infantry he placed his
whole force of cavalry. Then when all his men had been placed in their
several positions, he charged them to spare none of the other Lydians,
slaying all who might come in their way, but Croesus himself they were
not to slay, not even if he should make resistance when he was captured.
Such was his charge: and he set the camels opposite the horsemen for
this reason,--because the horse has a fear of the camel and cannot endure
either to see his form or to scent his smell: for this reason then the
trick had been devised, in order that the cavalry of Croesus might be
useless, that very force wherewith the Lydian king was expecting most
to shine. And as they were coming together to the battle, so soon as the
horses scented the camels and saw them they turned away back, and the
hopes of Croesus were at once brought to nought. The Lydians however
for their part did not upon that act as cowards, but when they perceived
what was coming to pass they leapt from their horses and fought with
the Persians on foot. At length, however, when many had fallen on either
side, the Lydians turned to flight; and having been driven within the
wall of their fortress they were besieged by the Persians.

81. By these then a siege had been established: but Croesus, supposing
that the siege would last a long time, proceeded to send from the
fortress other messengers to his allies. For the former messengers were
sent round to give notice that they should assemble at Sardis by the
fifth month, but these he was sending out to ask them to come to his
assistance as quickly as possible, because Croesus was being besieged.

82. So then in sending to his other allies he sent also to Lacedemon.
But these too, the Spartans I mean, had themselves at this very time
(for so it had fallen out) a quarrel in hand with the Argives about
the district called Thyrea. For this Thyrea, being part of the Argive
possessions, the Lacedemonians had cut off and taken for themselves. Now
the whole region towards the west extending as far down as Malea 96 was
then possessed by the Argives, both the parts situated on the mainland
and also the island of Kythera with the other islands. And when the
Argives had come to the rescue to save their territory from being cut
off from them, then the two sides came to a parley together and agreed
that three hundred should fight of each side, and whichever side had the
b