Diodorus Siculus

BOOK XI - The Library of History



Page 258 and their Confederates, and purchas'd to themselves great Renown, and became reputed (and that not unworthily) the best Commanders of all Greece.

Although this Battel was one of the most Famous, yet no Author has writ any thing of the manner or order of it. However by this glorious Victory over the Beotians, Myronides has equaliz'd his Memory with those illustrious Generals, Themistocles, Miltiades and Cimon. Immediately after the Fight, he took Tanagra by Storm, and demolisht it. And running over all Beotia, wasted all before him, and divided the Spoil and Riches of the Country amongst his Souldiers.

The Beotians inraged with the wasting and destroying of their Country, came together from all Parts, and with a great Army march'd against their Enemies. The Fight began amongst the Vineyards of Beotia, and both sides being fully resolved, the heat of the Battel continued a whole Day, but at length with great difficulty the Valour of the Athenians prevail'd.

Myronides shortly wan all the Cities of Beotia, except Thebes. Then he rais'd his Camp, and march'd with his Army against the Locrians (call'd Opuntians) routed them at the first Onset, and upon their submission took Hostages, and then broke into Pharsalia, and with as much ease overcame the Phoceans, as he did the Locrians, and receiving Hostages, marched for Thessaly, and charging them with Treason, commanded them to recall those they had Banished.

But the Pharsalians refusing to obey, he besieged the City, which (after a long and stout Defence) he was not able to take by Force, and therefore raised his Siege, and return'd to Athens; where he was receiv'd with great Acclamations of Praise, for the noble Acts he had in so short a time accomplish'd. These were the Remarks of this Year.



CHAP. XXV.


The Athenians invade the Spartans by Tolmides.


THE Eighty First Olympiad was celebrated at Elis, wherein PolymnastusCyreneus was Victor, at the time when Callias was Archon of Athens, and Servius Sulpitius and Publius Volumnius Amintinus were Roman Consuls. Then Tolmides the Admiral of the Athenian Fleet out of Emulation to the glory of Myronides, made it his Business to do something more than ordinary remarkable. And therefore for as much as none before had ever attempted to invade Laconia, he advis'd the People of Athens to make an Inroad into the Country of the Spartans, undertaking that if he might have but a Thousand Armed Men Aboard his Ships, he would waste Laconia, and bring an Eclipse upon the Spartans Glory. Having got the Consent of the People, and designing privately to get more Men than he at first required, he conceiv'd this Project: All were of opinion that a choice should be made of the strongest, young and most spriteful Men in the Army. But Tolmides designing far more than the Thousand yielded to him for his intended Enterprize: He goes to every one of the ablest Men, and tells 'em each singly, that he intended to chuse him for the War, and that it was far more for their Credit and Reputation, to offer themselves of their own accord, than being chosen to be compell'd to the Service. When by this means he had persuaded above Three Thousand to give in their Names of their own accord, and discern'd the rest to be backward, he then proceeded to the choice of the Thousand granted to him by the Consent of the People. And when all things were ready for the Expedition, he set Sail with Fifty Ships, and Four Thousand Souldiers, and arriving at Methon in Laconia, took it; but by reason of the speedy Succour sent by the Spartans, he was forc'd to quit the Place, and made for Gythium, a Port Town of the Lacedemonians, which he likewise took, and there burnt and destroy'd all the Shipping and Naval Provisions, wasting the Country round about. Thence he bent his Course for Zacynthus in Cephalania, and possess'd himself of that City, and after he had brought all the Towns in Cephalania to a submission, he sail'd with the whole Fleet to Naupactus, on the


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