Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/378

 356 HISTOKK OF QKEECE The Corinthian troops, from all the territory of Corinth, ithin the isthmus, were already assembled at the isthmus itself to repel him ; for intelligence of the intended expedition had reached Corinth some time before fro.ii Argos, with which latter place the scheme of the expedition may have been in some way con- nected. The Athenians having touched the coast during the darkness, the Corinthians were only apprized of the fact by fire- signals from Solygeia. Not being able to hinder the landing, they despatched forthwith half their forces, under Battus and Lykophron, to repel the invader, while the remaining half were left at the harbor of Kenchreae, on the northern side of Mount Oneion, to guard the port of Krommyon, outside of the isthmus, in case it should be attacked by sea. Battus with one lochus of hoplites threw himself into the village of Solygeia, which was unfortified, while Lykophron conducted the remaining troops to attack the Athenians. The battle was first engaged on the Athe- nian right, almost immediately after its landing, on the point called Chersonesus. Here the Athenian hoplites, together with their Karystian allies, repelled the Corinthian attack, after a stout and warmly disputed hand-combat of spear and shield : but the Corinthians, retreating up to a higher point of ground, returned to the charge, and with the aid of a fresh lochus, drove the Athe- nians back to the shore and to their ships : from hence the latter again turned, and again recovered a partial advantage. 1 The battle was no less severe on the left wing of the Athenians : but here, after a contest of some length, the latter gained a more decided victory, greatly by the aid of their cavalry, pursuing the Corinthians, who fled in some disorder to a neighboring hill and there took up a position. 2 The Athenians were thus victo- rious throughout the whole line, with the loss of about forty-seven men, while the Corinthians had lost two hundred and twelve, together with the general Lykophron. The victors erected their trophy, stripped the dead bodies, and buried their own dead. 1 Thucyd. iv, 43. 2 Thucyd. iv, 44. l&evro TU OTT^O, an expression which Dr. Arnold explains, here as elsewhere, to mean " piling the arms : " I do not think such an explanation is correct, even here: much less in several other places to which he alludes. See a note on the surprise of Plataea by the Thclws, immediately before the Peloponnesian war.