various fortresses, and so crossed
back again into Ionia.

Hearing that the satraps had recrossed the Maeander, Dercylidas
grew apprehensive for the district which lay there unprotected. "If
Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus," he said to Pharax, "chose to make a
descent, they could harry the country right and left." In this mind he
followed suit, and recrossed the frontier too. And now as they marched
on, preserving no sort of battle order--on the supposition that the
enemy had got far ahead of them into the district of Ephesus--suddenly
they caught sight of his scouts perched on some monumental structures
facing them. To send up scouts into similar edifices and towers on their
own side was the work of a few moments, and before them lay revealed the
long lines of troops drawn up just where their road lay. These were the
Carians, with their white shields, and the whole Persian troops there
present, with all the Hellenic contingents belonging to either satrap.
Besides these there was a great cloud of cavalry: on the right wing the
squadrons of Tissaphernes, and on the left those of Pharnabazus.

Seeing how matters lay, Dercylidas ordered the generals of brigade and
captains to form into line as quickly as possible, eight deep, placing
the light infantry on the fringe of battle, with the cavalry--such
cavalry, that is, and of such numerical strength, as he chanced to have.
Meanwhile, as general, he sacrificed. (11) During this interval the
troops from Peloponnese kept quiet in preparation as for battle. Not
so the troops from Priene and Achilleum, from the islands and the Ionic
cities, some of whom left their arms in the corn, which stood thick and
deep in the plain of the Maeander, and took to their heels; while those
who remained at their posts gave evident signs that their steadiness
would not last. Pharnabazus, it was reported, had given orders to
engage; but Tissaphernes, who recalled his experience of his own
exploits with the Cyreian army, and assumed that all other Hellenes
were of similar mettle, had no desire to engage, but sent to Dercylidas
saying, he should be glad to meet him in conference. So Dercylidas,
attended by the pick of his troops, horse and foot, in personal
attendance on himself, (12) went forward to meet the envoys. He told
them that for his own part he had made his preparations to engage, as
they themselves might see, but still, if the satraps were minded to meet
in conference, he had nothing to say