Page:Frontinus - The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (Bennet et al 1925).djvu/211

 STRATAGEMS, II. v. 45-vi. i

The same Alcibiades, on one occasion, when about to engage in a naval combat, erected a number of masts on a headland, and commanded the men whom he left there to spread sails on these as soon as they noticed that the engagement had begun. By this means he caused the enemy to retreat, since they imagined another fleet was coming to his assistance.

Memnon, the Rhodian, in a naval encounter, pos- sessing a fleet of two hundred ships, and wishing to lure the vessels of the enemy out to battle, made arrangements for raising the masts of only a few of his ships, ordering these to proceed first. When the enemy from a distance saw the number of masts, and from that inferred the number of vessels, they offered battle, but were fallen upon by a larger number of ships and defeated.

Timotheus, leader of the Athenians, when about to engage in a naval encounter with the Spartane, as soon as the Spartan fleet came out arrayed in line of battle, sent ahead twenty of his swiftest vessels, to baulk the enemy in every way by various tactics. Then as soon as he observed that the enemy were growing less active in their manoeuvres, he moved forward and easily defeated them, since they were already worn out.^

VI. Ox Letting the Enemy Escape, lest, Brought TO Bay, He Renew the Battle in Desperation

When the Gauls, after the battle fought under Camillus's generalship, desired boats to cross the Tiber, the Senate voted to set them across and to supply them with provisions as well.

On a subsequent occasion also a free passage was

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