Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/294

 178 SITALCES MARCHES INTO MACEDONIA [ll the kingdom became very powerful, and in revenue and general prosperity exceeded all the nations of Europe which lie' between the Ionian Sea and the Euxine ; in the size and strength of their army being second only, though far inferior, to the Scythians. For if the Scythians were united, there is no nation which could compare with them, or would be capable of resisting them " ; I do not say in Europe, but even in Asia — not that they are at all on a level with other nations in sense, or in that intelligence which uses to advantage the ordinary means of life. 98 Such was the great country over which Sitalces ruled. Sitalccs and his army When he had Collected his army and enter Macedonia. hjg preparations Were complete he marched into Macedonia, passing first of all through his own territory, and then through Cercine, a desert mountain which lies between the Sinti and the Paeonians. He went by the road which he had himself constructed when he made his expedition against the Paeonians and cut down the forest. As he left the Odrysian territory in going through the mountain he had on the right hand the Paeonians and on the left hand the Sinti and Maedi; on quitting the mountain he arrived at Doberus in Paeonia. He lost no part of his army on the march, except by sick- ness, but rather increased it ; for many of the independent Thracian tribes followed him of their own accord in hopes of plunder. The whole number of his forces was estimated at a hundred and fifty thousand, of which about two-thirds were infantry and the rest cavalry. The largest part of the cavalry was furnished by the Odrysae themselves, and the next largest by the Getae. Of the infantry, those armed with dirks who came from the independent tribes of Mount Rhodope were the most warlike. The remainder of the army was a mixed multitude, chiefly formidable from its numbers. 99 Having mustered at Doberus, they made ready to Cp. Herod, iv. 46.