Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/379

 ro9-ii2l TREACHERY OF THE PELOPONNESIANS 263 his army to lie in ambush in the roads and to occupy the strong places, himself at the same time preparing to sup- port them with the rest of his forces. In the meantime the Mantineans and the others who in were included in the truce went out on The P,h/>o,n,esun,s pretence of gathering herbs and sticks, «'«'«'' «2f«v/'w« 0//w, and stole away one by one, picking up ""f '''"^' '" ^S>">-"- ^, ^1 . ... ^ i" The Anibraciots zvho as they went along what they pretended i,y to follow them aye to be looking for. But, as they got *^'"'"- farther away from Olpae, they quickened their steps, and then the Ambraciots and others who happened to collect on the instant, when they saw that they were leaving, ran after them at full speed, wanting to get up with them. The Acarnanians at first thought that none of those who were going away were protected by a truce, and pursued the Peloponnesians. Some of the generals tried to keep them back and explained how matters stood ; whereupon a soldier, suspecting that there was treachery, hurled a javelin at them. At length the soldiers understood, and let the Mantineans and other Peloponnesians go, but began to kill the Ambraciots. There was great dispute and uncertainty as to who was an Ambraciot and who a Pelo- ponnesian. Of the former they killed about two hundred ; the Peloponnesians escaped into the neighbouring country of Agraea, and were received by king Salynthius who was their friend. Meanwhile the reinforcement from the city of Ambracia 112 had reached Idomene, which is the Demosthenes, having name of two lofty peaks. The higher sent on forces ivhuh of the two had been already occupied occupy the hm opf^osite tothat ivhereontheAm- unobserved at nightfall by the troops ly^dots are encamped which Demosthenes had sent forward ; at Idomene, surprises of the lower the Ambraciots first ob- «"^ '-^"'^ ^'""'• tained possession and encamped there. As soon as it was dark, after supper, Demosthenes advanced with the rest of his army, himself leading half of them towards the pass between the mountains, while the rest made their way