Page:Frontinus - The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (Bennet et al 1925).djvu/275

 STRATAGEMS, III. vii. 4-viii. 2

diverting the stream, entered the town along the former river bed, which had dried up and thus afforded an entrance to the town.^

Semiramis is said to have done the same thing in the war against the Babylonians, by diverting the same Euplirates.

CHsthenes of Sicyon cut the water-pipes leading into the town of the Crisaeans. Then when the townspeople were suffering from thirst, he turned on the water again, now poisoned with hellebore. When the inhabitants used this, they were so weakened by diarrhoea that CHsthenes overcame them. 2

Hl. On Terrorizing the Besieged

When Philip was unable by the utmost exertions to capture the fortress of Prinassus, he made excava- tions of earth directly in front of the walls and pre-. tended to be constructing a tunnel. The men within the fortress, imagining that they were being under- mined, surrendered.^

Pelopidas, the Theban, on one occasion planned to make a simultaneous attack on two towns of the Magnetes, not very far distant from each other. As he advanced against one of these towns, he gave orders that, in accordance with preconcerted arrange- ments, four horsemen should come from the other camp with garlands on their heads and with the marked eagerness of those who announce a victory. To complete the illusion, he arranged to have a forest between the two cities set on fire, to give the appearance of a burning town. Besides this, he ordered certain prisoners to be led along, dressed in

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