would suggest the
notion that he was only out on one of his customary voyages to collect
money. The sequel more than fulfilled his expectations. Anaxibius began
his return march, and if report speaks truly, he did so notwithstanding
that the victims were against his marching that day; contemptuously
disregarding the warning, and satisfied that his march lay all along
through a friendly country and was directed to a friendly city. Besides
which, those whom he met assured him that Iphicrates was off on a voyage
to Proconnesus: hence the unusual absence of precaution on the march.
On his side Iphicrates saw the chance, but, so long as the troops of
Anaxibius lingered on the level bottoms, refused to spring from his
lair, waiting for the moment when the Abydenian division in the van
was safely landed in the plain of Cremaste, at the point where the
gold mines stand; the main column following on the downward slope, and
Anaxibius with his Laconians just beginning the descent. At that instant
Iphicrates set his ambuscade in motion, and dashed against the Spartan
at full speed. The latter quickly discerned that there was no hope of
escape as he scanned the long straggling line of his attenuated column.
The troops in advance, he was persuaded, would never be able to come
back to his aid up the face of that acclivity; besides which, he
observed the utter bewilderment of the whole body at sight of the
ambuscade. He therefore turned to those next him, and spoke as follows:
"Sirs, it is good for me to die on this spot, where honour bids me; but
for you, sirs, yonder your path lies, haste and save yourselves (35)
before the enemy can close with us." As the words died on his lips he
took from the hands of his attendant shield-bearer his heavy shield, and
there, at his post, unflinchingly fought and fell; not quite alone,
for by his side faithfully lingered a favourite youth, and of the
Lacedaemonian governors who had rallied to Abydos from their several
cities yet other twelve fought and fell beside the pair. The rest fled,
dropping down one by one as the army pursued them to the walls of the
city. The death-roll amounted to something like fifty hoplites of the
Abydenians, and of the rest two hundred. After this exploit Iphicrates
returned to the Chersonese. (36)

(35) Or, "sauve qui peut."

(36) See Hicks, 76; and below, "Hell." V. i. 31.

BOOK V

I

B.C. 388. Such was the state of affairs in the Hellespont, so far