Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/101

 124-126] PANIC IN THE ARMY OF PERDICCAS 93 Athenians might sail thither and do some mischief before he returned. The Illyrians had not appeared ; and for both reasons he was more disposed to retreat than to advance. But while they were disputing, the news arrived that the 125 Illyrians had just betrayed Perdiccas Meamvhileso,„elllyr. and joined Arrhibaeus, whereupon they ians who hadbeett hired both resolved to retreat ; for they were h Perdiccas, join Ar- afraid of the Illyrians, who are a nation ' " ""'I' "^ 'j^^'^?! •> ' causes panic and flight of warriors. Owing to the dispute in the army of Perdiccas. nothing had been determined respect- The Illyrians pursue. ing the time of their departure. Night came on, and the Macedonians and the mass of the barbarians were instantly seized with one of those unaccountable panics to which great armies are liable*. They fancied that the Illyrians were many times their real number, and that they were close at their heels ; so, suddenly betaking themselves to flight, they hastened homewards. And they compelled Perdiccas, when he understood the state of affairs, which at first he did not, to go away without seeing Brasidas, for the two armies were encamped at a considerable distance from one another. At dawn Brasidas, finding that Arrhi- baeus and the Illyrians were coming on and that the Macedonians had already decamped, resolved to follow them. So he formed his hoplites into a compact square, and placed his light-armed troops in the centre. He selected the youngest of his soldiers to run out upon the enemy at whatever point the attack might be made. He himself proposed during the retreat to take his post in the rear with three hundred chosen men, meaning to stop the foremost of his assailants and beat them off. Before the Illyrians came up he exhorted his soldiers, as far as the shortness of the time permitted, in the following words : — ' Did I not suspect, men of Peloponnesus, that you may 126 be terrified because you have been deserted by your " Cp. vii. 80 nied.