Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/108

90 90 HISTORY OF GREECE. wo ma) remark, ihat the defeat was greatly occasioned by the selfish caprice of the Eleians in withdrawing their three thousand men immediately before the battle, because the other allies, instead of marching against Lepreum, preferred to attempt the far more important town of Tegea : an additional illustration of the remark of Perikles at the beginning of the war, that numerous and equal allies could never be kept in harmonious cooperation. 1 Shortly after the defeat, the three thousand Eleians came back to the aid of Mantineia, probably regretting their previous untoward de- parture, together with a reinforcement of one thousand Athe nians. Moreover, the Karneian month began, a season which the Lacedaemonians kept rigidly holy ; even despatching messen- gers to countermand their extra-Peloponnesian allies, whom they had invoked prior to the late battle, 2 and remaining themselves within their own territory, so that the field was for the moment left clear for the operations of a defeated enemy. Accordingly, the Epidaurians, though they had made an inroad into the terri- tory of Argos during the absence of the Argeian main force at the time of the late battle, and had gained a partial success, now found their own territory overrun by the united Eleians, Manti- neians, and Athenians, who were bold enough even to commence a wall of circumvallation round the town of Epidaurus itself. The entire work was distributed between them to be accom- plished ; but the superior activity and perseverance of the Athe- nians was here displayed in a conspicuous manner. Eor while the portion of work committed to them the fortification of the rape on which the Heraum or temple of Here was situated was tndefatigably prosecuted and speedily brought to completion, theii allies, both Eleians and Mantineians, abandoned the tasks respec- tively allotted to them in impatience and disgust. The idea of circumvallation being for this reason relinquished, a joint gar- rison was left in the new fort at Cape Heraeum, after which the allies evacuated the Epidaurian territory. 3 So far, the Lacedemonians appeared to have derived little positive benefit from their late victory : but the fruits of it were soon manifested in the very centre of their enemy's force, at Argos. A material change had taken place since the battle in 1 Tlmcyd. i. 141. * Thucyd. v, 75. ^ Thucyd. v. 75