together, and after waiting for each other, to pass through
the enemy's country, which lay right across and blocked up the line of
communication. Nevertheless they made what haste they could. Meanwhile
the Lacedaemonians with the Arcadian allies that had joined them,
entered the territory of Mantinea, and encamping near the temple of
Heracles began to plunder the country.

Here they were seen by the Argives and their allies, who immediately
took up a strong and difficult position, and formed in order of battle.
The Lacedaemonians at once advanced against them, and came on within a
stone's throw or javelin's cast, when one of the older men, seeing the
enemy's position to be a strong one, hallooed to Agis that he was minded
to cure one evil with another; meaning that he wished to make amends for
his retreat, which had been so much blamed, from Argos, by his present
untimely precipitation. Meanwhile Agis, whether in consequence of this
halloo or of some sudden new idea of his own, quickly led back his army
without engaging, and entering the Tegean territory, began to turn off
into that of Mantinea the water about which the Mantineans and Tegeans
are always fighting, on account of the extensive damage it does to
whichever of the two countries it falls into. His object in this was to
make the Argives and their allies come down from the hill, to resist the
diversion of the water, as they would be sure to do when they knew of
it, and thus to fight the battle in the plain. He accordingly stayed
that day where he was, engaged in turning off the water. The Argives
and their allies were at first amazed at the sudden retreat of the enemy
after advancing so near, and did not know what to make of it; but when
he had gone away and disappeared, without their having stirred to pursue
him, they began anew to find fault with their generals, who had not
only let the Lacedaemonians get off before, when they were so happily
intercepted before Argos, but who now again allowed them to run away,
without any one pursuing them, and to escape at their leisure while the
Argive army was leisurely betrayed. The generals, half-stunned for the
moment, afterwards led them down from the hill, and went forward and
encamped in the plain, with the intention of attacking the enemy.

The next day the Argives and their allies formed in the order in which
they meant to fight, if they chanced to encounter the enemy; and the
Lacedaemonians returning from the wat