Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/109

 133-135] NIGHT ATTEMPT UPON POTIDAEA lOI a trophy, while the Mantineans retreated to BucoHon and raised a rival trophy, but afterwards. At the close of the same winter, towards the beginning 135 of spring, Brasidas made an attempt Unsuccessful attempt on Potidaea. He approached the place made by Brasidas on by night and planted a ladder against ^''^'"'«^«- the walls. Thus far he proceeded undiscovered ; for the ladder was fixed at a point which the sentinel who was passing on the bell had just quitted, and before he had returned to his post. But Brasidas had not yet mounted the ladder when he was detected by the garrison : where- upon he withdrew his army in haste without waiting for the dawn. So the winter ended, and with it the ninth year in the Peloponnesian War of which Thucydides wrote the history.