Page 526 So that trusting more to the Valour of their Arms, than making use of Prudent Councils, they ran headlong to the Ruin of themselves and their Country.
In the mean time, the King, within the space of Three Days, put all Things in order, both for assaulting the City, and marshalling of his Army for Battel. His Army he divided into Three Parts: One Part he order'd to assault the Out wall; another to fight the Thebans Army; and the third he kept for Reserves to relieve his Men, and renew the Fight as there should be occasion. But the Thebans plac'd their Horse within the Ramparts. Their Slaves that were manumitted, the Exiles and the Strangers that were Inhabitants, were order'd to defend the Walls: And the Thebans themselves (though they were far inferiour in Number) were resolv'd to fight those Macedonians commanded by the King, that were ready to make the Assault.
And now all the Women and Children ran to the Temples, to make Supplication to the Gods to deliver them from the Ruin that threaten'd them. When the Macedonians drew near, the Trumpets sounded a Charge, upon which both Armies set up a great Shout, and every one charg'd that Battalion to which he was appointed. By Day-break the Darts flew one at another, and those being quickly spent, they fell to it with their Swords Hand to Hand, so that the Fight presently was very sharp and bloody. For the Macedonians, through their Number (far exceeding the other) and the fierceness of their Charge, put the Enemy hard to it. On the other side, the Thebans heing stronger body'd Men, and us'd to Martial Discipline by their continual Exercises in the Schools, and more resolv'd than the other, resolutely went through all Difficulties whatsoever, so that many were wounded, and multitudes kill'd on both Sides. In the Heat of the Battel, a Man might have heard Shouts for Victory and Groans of Dying Men at one and the same time, and the Macedonians often calling out one to another, not to stain the Glory of their former Victories by any base Act of Cowardise in the present Engagement; and the Thebans pressing theirs not to suffer their Parents, Wives and Children, to be miserable Captives, and all their Families expos'd to the rageful Lust of the Macedonians, but that they would remember the Battels at Leuctra and Mantinea, and the noble Actions for which they were famous all the World over. So that the obstinate Resolution of both Parties occasion'd the Issue of the Battel to be very doubtful a long time.
Alexander perceiving how the Love of Liberty inflam'd the Courage of the Thebans, and that the Macedonians began to faint, commanded the Reserves to relieve them that were ingag'd. Upon which, the Macedonians coming with a fierce and sudden Charge upon the Thebans, now even tir'd out, bore them down and kill'd multitudes of them. However the Thebans would not yield the Enemy the Day, but stood to it with that Obstinacy, that they slighted all Misfortunes, and their Valour so strengthen'd their Resolution, that they cry'd out, That the Macedonians must own themselves worsted by the Thebans. And this is to be observ'd of them, That when all others (being still press'd upon by their Enemies with fresh Supplies one after another) are wont to flag, they only are the more Couragious, even when their weary'd Enemy is reliev'd by fresh Reserves.
While the Armies were thus resolutely engag'd, the King spy'd a Portal without any Guard, and sends away Perdiccas with some Regiments in order to possess himself of the Place, and so to break into the City. Perdiccas having presently executed the King's Command, the Macedonians through this little Gate forthwith rush'd into the City. And though the Thebans had a good while before worsted the Enemy's first Battalion, and were now ingag'd with the second, and full of Hopes of a perfect Victory, yet when they understood that the Enemy had possess'd themselves of part of the City, they forthwith retir'd within the Walls. And then both the Horse and Foot hasted back with all speed into the City, and trod many of their Fellow-Citizens under Foot, who there perish'd; and while they made into the City in this Trepidation and Confusion, many were kill'd by running upon their own Weapons in the strait and narrow Passages, and by falling into the Trenches. And in the midst of this Distraction, the Garison out of the Castle of Cadmea issu'd forth like a rapid Torrent upon the Backs of the Thebans, and fell upon them as they were in this Disorder and Confusion, and cut them down in Heaps. The City being thus taken, multitudes of all sorts of Cruelties were acted within the Walls. For the Macedonians, by reason of that Insolency of the Common Crier, were inrag'd against the Thebans beyond what the Law of Arms would allow, and with many Threats in their Mouths, flew upon the miserable People, and without all Pity or Compassion put all to the Sword that were in their way. However, among all these Calamities, the Courage of the Thebans and their Love to their Liberty was such, that they were so far from minding the Preservation of their Lives, as that when they met any of their Enemies, they would provoke them of their own accord to kill them. For after the
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