Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/314

 198 THE PASSAGE OF THE ENEMY'S WALL [ill to be handed to them as soon as they were near the enemy. A considerable number had ascended, when they were discovered by the guards in the towers. One of the Plataeans, taking hold of the battlements, threw down a tile which made a noise in falling : immediately a shout was raised and the army rushed out upon the wall ; for in the dark and stormy night they did not know what the alarm meant. At the same time, in order to distract their attention, the Plataeans who were left in the city made a sally against the Peloponnesian wall on the side opposite to the place at which their friends were getting over. The besiegers were in great excitement, but every one remained at his own post, and dared not stir to give assistance, being at a loss to imagine what was happening. The three hundred who were appointed to act in any sudden emergency marched along outside the walls towards the spot from which the cry proceeded ; and fire-signals indicating danger 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 unintelligible, that so the Thebans, misunder- standing the true state of affairs, might not arrive until the men had escaped and were in safety. 23 Meanwhile the Plataeans were scaling the walls. The _, „, first party had mounted, and, killing The Plataeans, pro-,. ,, , . ' , ' . ^ tected by parties of men ^hc scntuiels, had gamed possession u'ho hold the tozvers, of the towers On either side. Their first get over the wall; followers now began to occupy the they then cross the ditch. 1, , passages, 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. Mean- while 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