polemarch at Thespiae, with orders to seize the
pass which commands the road over Cithaeron, and to guard it against his
arrival. Then, having once more crossed the pass and reached Plataeae,
he again made a feint of marching first into Thespiae, and so sent a
despatch ordering supplies to be in readiness, and all embassies to
be waiting his arrival there; so that the Thebans concentrated their
attention on the approaches from Thespiae, which they strongly guarded.
Next morning, however, Agesilaus sacrificed at daybreak and set out on
the road to Erythrae, (25) and completing in one day what was a good two
days' march for an army, gave the Thebans the slip, and crossed
their palisade-work at Scolus before the enemy had arrived from the
closely-guarded point at which he had effected his entrance formerly.
This done he proceeded to ravage the eastward-facing districts of the
city of Thebes as far as the territory of Tanagra, for at that date
Tanagra was still in the hands of Hypatodorus and his party, who were
friends of the Lacedaemonians. After that he turned to retire, keeping
the walls of Thebes on his left. But the Thebans, who had stolen, as
it were, upon the scene, drew up at the spot called "The Old Wife's
Breast," (26) keeping the trench and palisading in their rear: they were
persuaded that here, if anywhere, lay their chance to risk a decisive
engagement, the ground at this point being somewhat narrow and difficult
to traverse. Agesilaus, however, in view of the situation, refused to
accept the challenge. Instead of marching upon them he turned sharp off
in the direction of the city; and the Thebans, in alarm for the city in
its undefended state, abandoned the favourable ground on which they
were drawn up in battle line, and retired at the double towards the city
along the road to Potniae, which seemed the safer route. This last
move of Agesilaus may be described as a stroke of genius: (27) while it
allowed him to retire to a distance, it forced the enemy themselves
to retreat at the double. In spite of this, however, one or two of the
polemarchs, with their divisions, charged the foe as he raced past.
But again the Thebans, from the vantage-ground of their heights, sent
volleys of spears upon the assailants, which cost one of the polemarchs,
Alypetus, his life. He fell pierced by a spear. But again from this
particular crest the Thebans on their side were forced to turn in
flight; so much so that the Sciritae, w