m, and, as is likely, dealing terror
among them, take with you the Amphipolitans, and the rest of the allies,
and suddenly open the gates and dash at them, and hasten to engage as
quickly as you can. That is our best chance of establishing a panic
among them, as a fresh assailant has always more terrors for an enemy
than the one he is immediately engaged with. Show yourself a brave
man, as a Spartan should; and do you, allies, follow him like men, and
remember that zeal, honour, and obedience mark the good soldier, and
that this day will make you either free men and allies of Lacedaemon, or
slaves of Athens; even if you escape without personal loss of liberty
or life, your bondage will be on harsher terms than before, and you will
also hinder the liberation of the rest of the Hellenes. No cowardice
then on your part, seeing the greatness of the issues at stake, and I
will show that what I preach to others I can practise myself."

After this brief speech Brasidas himself prepared for the sally, and
placed the rest with Clearidas at the Thracian gates to support him as
had been agreed. Meanwhile he had been seen coming down from Cerdylium
and then in the city, which is overlooked from the outside, sacrificing
near the temple of Athene; in short, all his movements had been
observed, and word was brought to Cleon, who had at the moment gone on
to look about him, that the whole of the enemy's force could be seen
in the town, and that the feet of horses and men in great numbers were
visible under the gates, as if a sally were intended. Upon hearing this
he went up to look, and having done so, being unwilling to venture upon
the decisive step of a battle before his reinforcements came up, and
fancying that he would have time to retire, bid the retreat be sounded
and sent orders to the men to effect it by moving on the left wing in
the direction of Eion, which was indeed the only way practicable. This
however not being quick enough for him, he joined the retreat in person
and made the right wing wheel round, thus turning its unarmed side
to the enemy. It was then that Brasidas, seeing the Athenian force in
motion and his opportunity come, said to the men with him and the rest:
"Those fellows will never stand before us, one can see that by the way
their spears and heads are going. Troops which do as they do seldom
stand a charge. Quick, someone, and open the gates I spoke of, and let
us be out and at them with no fears for the re