dvice from his Greek captains, he failed to show
any of the qualities of a great commander, and was speedily involved in
difficulties with which he was quite incapable of dealing. Having had
his first line of defence partially forced by a bold movement on the
part of the Argives under Nicostratus, instead of trying to redeem the
misfortune by a counter-movement, or a concentration of troops, he
hastily abandoned to his generals the task of continuing the resistance
on this outer line, and retiring to Memphis, concentrated all his
efforts on making preparations to resist a siege.

Meantime, the Persians were advancing. Lacrates the Theban set himself
to reduce Pelusium, and, having drained dry one of the ditches, brought
his military engines up to the walls of the place. In vain, however, did
he batter down a portion of the wall--the garrison had erected another
wall behind it; in vain did he advance his towers--they had movable
towers ready prepared to resist him. No progress had been made by the
besiegers, when on a sudden the resistance of the besieged slackened.
Intelligence had reached them of Nekht-nebf's hasty retreat. If the king
gave up hope, why should they pour out their blood to no purpose?
Accordingly they made overtures to Lacrates for a surrender upon terms,
and it was agreed that they should be allowed to evacuate the place and
return to Greece, with all the goods and chattels that they could carry
with them. Bagoas demurred to the terms; but Ochus confirmed them, and
Pelusium passed into the possession of the Persians without further
fighting.

About the same time Mentor had proceeded southwards and laid siege to
Bubastis. Having invested the town, he caused intelligence to reach the
besieged that Ochus had determined to spare all who should surrender
their cities to him without resistance, and to treat with the utmost
severity all who should fight strenuously in their defence. By these
means he introduced dissension within the walls of the towns, since the
native Egyptians and their Greek allies naturally distrusted and
suspected each other. At Bubastis the Egyptians were the first to move.
The siege had only just begun when they sent an envoy to Mentor's
colleague, Bagoas, to offer to surrender the town to him. But this
proceeding did not suit the Greeks, who caught the messenger, extracted
from him his message, and then attacked the Egyptian portion of the
garrison and slew great numbers of them. The