Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/337

VICTORY OF AGESILAL'S. 315 march onward and rejoin their comrades ; not without sustaining some bss by attacks on their rear. 1 Agesilaus thus remained master of the field of battle, having gained a victory over his opponents taken collectively. But so far as concerns the Thebans separately, he had not only gained no victory, but had failed in his purpose of stopping their progress, and had had the worst of the combat. His wounds having been dressed, he was brought back on men's shoulders to give his final orders, and was then informed that a detachment of eighty The- ban hoplites, left behind by the rest, had taken refuge in the temple of Itonian Athene as suppliants. From generosity min- gled with respect to the sanctity of the spot, he commanded that they should be dismissed unhurt, and then proceeded to give di- rections for the night-watch, as it was already late. The field of battle presented a terrible spectacle ; Spartan and Theban dead lying intermingled, some yet grasping their naked daggers, others pierced with the daggers of their enemies ; around, on the blood- stained ground, were seen broken spears, smashed shields, swords and daggers scattered apart from their owners. 2 He directed the Spartan and Theban dead to be collected in separate heaps, and placed in safe custody for the night, in the interior of his phalanx; the troops then took their supper, and rested for the night. On the next morning, Gylis the Polemarch was ordered to draw up the army in battle-array, to erect a trophy, and to offer sacrifices of cheerfulness and thanksgiving, with the pipers solemnly playing, according to Spartan fashion. Agesilaus was anxious to make these demonstrations of victory as osten- tatious as possible, because he really doubted whether he had gained a victory. It was very possible that the Thebans might feel confidence enough to renew the attack, and try to recover the field of battle, with their own dead upon it ; which Agesilaus had, for that reason, caused to be collected in a sepa- 1 Xen. Hcllen. iv, 3, 19 ; Xen. Agesil. ii, 12. 2 Xen, Agesil. ii, 14. 'Eiret -ye [tijv h,rj!-ev ^ fiux 7 !! napriv 6% ^Euaaa-Bai tv&a avviireaov aA/l^Aotf, TTJV fisv JTJV aifiari TretyvpfievTjv, venpovg Se KEI^S' vovf <j>Mo-vf KO.I KoTie/j.iov^ /zer' <iXkt)uv, uamSaf fe diare'&pvp.fieva.g, dbpara TU nh x<ipal, ra <T in ow/wan, r<<