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335 THE SIEGE OF PLATA Ε A 335

were raised towards Thebes. But the Plataeans in the city had numerous counter signals ready on the wall, which they now lighted and held up, thereby hoping to render the signals of the enemy unintelligi- ble, that so the Thebans, misunderstanding the true state of affairs, might not arrive until the men had es- caped and were in safety.

Meanwhile the Plataeans were scaling the walls. The first party had mounted, and, killing the senti- nels, had gained possession of the towers on either side. Their followers now began to occupy the pas- sages, lest the enemy should come through and fall upon them. Some of them placed ladders upon the wall against the towers, and got up more men. A shower of missiles proceeding both from the upper and lower parts of the towers kept off all assailants. Meanwhile the main body of the Plataeans, who were still below, applied to the wall many ladders at once, and, pushing down the battlements, made their way over through the space between the towers. As each man got to the other side he halted upon the edge of the ditch, whence then he shot darts and arrows at any one who came along under the wall and attempted to impede their passage. When they had all passed OA'er, those who had occupied the towers came down, the last of them not without great difficulty, and pro- ceeded towards the ditch. By this time the three hundred were upon them ; they had lights, and the Plataeans, standing on the edge of the ditch, saw them all the better out of the darkness, and shot arrows and threw darts at them where their bodies were exposed ; they themselves were concealed by the darkness, while the enemy were dazed by their own lights. And so the Plataeans, down to the last man of them all, got