Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/276

 l6o EXPEDITION AGAINST CIIALCIDICE [ll with the rest of their unserviceable population. Those who remained during the siege were four hundred Pla- taeans, eighty Athenians, and a hundred and ten women to make bread. These were their exact numbers when the siege began. There was no one else, slave or freeman, within the walls. In such sort was the blockade of Plataea completed. 79 During the same summer, when the corn was in full ear, and about the time of the attack on The Athenians at- ^^^^ ^^^ Athenians Sent an expedi- tack Spartolus. An ' _ _ ^ ^ ettgagcment takes place, tion against the Chalcidians of Thrace in ivhich they are at ^^^ against the Bottiacans, consisting jirst victorious, but ^^ ^^^ thousand hcavy-armcd troops of Chalcuiian reinforce- •' '■ ments arriving, the en- their own and two hundred horsemen gageincnt is renewed under the Command of Xenophon the and they are defeated ^^^ ^^ Euripides, and two Others. They with loss. ^, T^ • o 1 came close up to the liottian bpartoius and destroyed the crops. They expected that the place would be induced to yield to them by a party within the walls. But the opposite party sent to Olynthus and obtained from thence a garrison, partly composed of hoplites, which sallied out of Spartolus and engaged with the Athenians under the walls of the town. The Chalcidian hoplites and with them certain auxiliaries were defeated and retreated into Spartolus, but their cavalry and light- armed troops had the advantage over those of the Athenians. They were assisted by a few targeteers, who came from the district called Crusis. The engagement was scarcely over when another body of targeteers from Olynthus came up to their aid. Encouraged by the reinforcement and their previous success, and supported by the Chalcidian horse and the newly-arrived troops, the light-armed again attacked the Athenians, who began to fall back upon the two companies which they had left with their baggage : as often as the Athenians charged, the enemy retired; but when the Athenians continued their retreat, they pressed upon them and hurled darts at them. The Chalcidian