the best soldiers in those countries) and the troops
upon the right wing, defeated the division opposed to them and pursued
it to Argos. Returning from the pursuit, they found their main body
defeated; and hard pressed by the Acarnanians, with difficulty made good
their passage to Olpae, suffering heavy loss on the way, as they dashed
on without discipline or order, the Mantineans excepted, who kept their
ranks best of any in the army during the retreat.

The battle did not end until the evening. The next day Menedaius, who on
the death of Eurylochus and Macarius had succeeded to the sole command,
being at a loss after so signal a defeat how to stay and sustain a
siege, cut off as he was by land and by the Athenian fleet by sea, and
equally so how to retreat in safety, opened a parley with Demosthenes
and the Acarnanian generals for a truce and permission to retreat, and
at the same time for the recovery of the dead. The dead they gave back
to him, and setting up a trophy took up their own also to the number of
about three hundred. The retreat demanded they refused publicly to the
army; but permission to depart without delay was secretly granted to the
Mantineans and to Menedaius and the other commanders and principal men
of the Peloponnesians by Demosthenes and his Acarnanian colleagues; who
desired to strip the Ambraciots and the mercenary host of foreigners of
their supporters; and, above all, to discredit the Lacedaemonians
and Peloponnesians with the Hellenes in those parts, as traitors and
self-seekers.

While the enemy was taking up his dead and hastily burying them as he
could, and those who obtained permission were secretly planning their
retreat, word was brought to Demosthenes and the Acarnanians that the
Ambraciots from the city, in compliance with the first message from
Olpae, were on the march with their whole levy through Amphilochia to
join their countrymen at Olpae, knowing nothing of what had occurred.
Demosthenes prepared to march with his army against them, and meanwhile
sent on at once a strong division to beset the roads and occupy the
strong positions. In the meantime the Mantineans and others included
in the agreement went out under the pretence of gathering herbs and
firewood, and stole off by twos and threes, picking on the way the
things which they professed to have come out for, until they had gone
some distance from Olpae, when they quickened their pace. The Ambraciots
and such of the rest