Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/90

72 72 HISTORY OF GREECE. the ijacedasmonians had acquired greater familiarity with the exigencies of actual warfare. As soon as the Lacedaemonian retreat was known in the morn- ing, the Argeians left their position also, and marched with their allies, first to Argos itself; next, to Nemea, on the ordinary road from Corinth and Phlius to Argos, by which they imagined that the invaders would approach. But Agis acted differently. Dis- tributing his force into three divisions, he himself with the Lace- daemonians and Arcadians, taking a short, but very rugged and difficult road, crossed the ridge of the mountains and descended straight into the plain near Argos. The Corinthians, Pellenians, and Phliasians, were directed to follow another mountain road, which entered the same plain upon a different point ; while the Boeotians, Corinthians, and Sikyonians, followed the longer, more even, and more ordinary route, by Nemea. This route, though apparently frequented and convenient, led for a considerable dis- tance along a narrow ravine, called the Tretus, bounded on each side by mountains. The united army under Agis was much superior in number to the Argeians : but if all had marched in one line by the frequented route through the narrow Tretus, their superiority of number would have been of little use, whilst the Argeians would have had a position highly favorable to their defence. By dividing his force, and taking the mountain road with his own division, Agis got into the plain of Argos in the rear of the Argeian position at Nemea. He anticipated that when the Argeians saw him devastating their properties near the city, they would forthwith quit the advantageous ground near Nemea, to come and attack him in the plain : the Breotian divis- ion would thus find the road by Nemea and the Tretus open, and would be f.ble to march without resistance into the plain of Argos, where their numerous cavalry would act with effect against the Argeians engaged in attacking Agis. This triple march was executed. Agis with his division, and the Corinthians with theirs, got across the mountains into the Argeian plain during the uight ; while the Argeians. 1 hearing at daybreak that he was near their ' Tlnicyd. v, 58. Oi t?t 'ApyfZo; yvovref t/iof/^ >v q fie par