Page:Frontinus - The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (Bennet et al 1925).djvu/281

 STRATAGEMS, III. ix. 4-8

detachments of troops at night, with instructions to remain in hiding and to wait till he himself drew near land with his ships. Then as the enemy came to meet him at his approach, he led them a long chase by pretending to flee, while liis other troops attacked the cities thus abandoned by their inhabitants. ^^

Pericles, the Athenian general, was once besieging a city which was protected by very determined defenders. At night he ordered the trumpet to be sounded and a loud outcry to be raised at a quarter of the walls adjacent to the sea. The enemy, think- ing that the town had been entered at that point, abandoned the gates, whereupon, as soon as these were left Avithout defence, Pericles burst into the town.

Alcibiades, the Athenian general, planning to assault Cyzicus, approached the town unexpectedly at night, and commanded his trumpeters to sound their instruments at a different part of the fortifica- tions. The defenders of the walls were ample, but since they all flocked to the side where alone they imagined themselves to be attacked, Alcibiades succeeded in scaling the walls at the point where there was no resistance.^

Thrasybulus, general of the Milesians, in his efforts to seize the harbour of the Sicyonians, made repeated attacks upon the inhabitants from the land side. Then, when the enemy directed their attention to the point where they were attacked, he suddenly seized the harbour with his fleet. ^

Philip, while besieging a certain coast town, secretly lashed ships together in pairs, with a common deck over all, and erected towers on them. Then launching an attack with other towers by land,

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