Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/395

 ARATUS. 387 pei'sing the clouds, shone out and gave light to the most difficult part of the way, until he got to that part of the wall he desired, and there she overshadowed and hid him, the clouds coming together again. Those soldiers whom Aratus had left outside the gate, near Juno's tem- ple, to the number of three hundred, entering the town, now full of tumult and lights, and not knowing the wa}- hy which the former had gone, and finding no track of them, slunk aside, and crowded together in one bodj^ under a flank of the cliff that cast a strong shadow, and there stood and waited in great distress and perplexity. For, by this time, those that had gone with Ai-atus. were attacked with missiles from the citadel, and were busy fightmg, and a sound of cries of battle came down from above, and a loud noise, echoed back and back from the moun- tain sides, and therefore confused and uncertain whence it proceeded, was heard on all sides. They being thus in doubt which way to turn themselves, Archelaus, the com- mander of Antigonus's troops, having a great number of soldiers with him, made up towards the castle with great shouts and noise of trumpets to fall upon Aratus's peo- ple, and passed by the three hundred, who, as if they had risen out of an ambush, immediately charged him, killing the first they encountered, and so affrighted the rest, to- gether with Archelaus, that they put them to flight and pursued them until they had quite broke and dispersed them about the city. No sooner were these defeated, but Ergiuus came to them from those that were fighting above, to acquaint them that Aratus was engaged with the enemy, who defended themselves very stoutly, and there was a fierce conflict at the very wall, and need of speedy help. They therefore desired him to lead them on with- out delay, and, marching up, they by their shouts made their friends understand who they were, and encouraged them ; and the full moon, shining on tlieir arms, made