Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/66

 58 BRASIDAS IN THESSALY [iV Demosthenes on his arrival found that the confederate Ocuiadae forced into Acarnanians had already compelled the Athenian alliance. Oeniadae to enter the Athenian alliance. He then himself raised all the forces of the allies in those parts and proceeded first to make war upon Salynthius and the Agraeans". Having subd'ued them, he took the necessary steps for keeping his appointment at Siphae, 78 During this summer, and about the same time, Brasidas Braaidas, escorted by set out on his Way to Chalcidicc with the leading men of the seventeen hundred hoplitcs. When country, makes hts way . .. . .,„,., through Thessaiy. His he arrived at Heraclea m Frachis he politic language. despatched a messenger to Pharsalus, where he had friends, with a request that they would conduct him and his army through the country. Ac- cordingly there came to meet him at Mclitia, in Achaea Phthiotis, Panaerus, Dorus, Hippolochidas, Torylaus, and Strophacus who was the proxenus of the Chalcidians. Under their guidance he started. Other Thessalians also conducted him ; in particular, Niconidas a friend of Perdiccas from Larissa. Under any circumstances it would not have been easy to cross Thessaiy without an escort, and certainly for an armed force to go through a neighbour's country without his consent was a proceeding which excited jealousy among all Hellenes. Besides, the common people of Thessaiy were always well disposed towards the Athenians. And if the traditions of the country had not been in favour of a close oligarch}', Brasidas could never have gone on ; even as it was, some of the opposite party met him on his march at the river Enipeus and would have stopped him, saying that he had no business to proceed without the consent of the whole nation. His escort replied that they would not conduct him if the others objected, but that he had suddenly presented himself and they were doing the duty of hosts in accom-
 * Cp. iii. Ill fin.