Page:History of Greece Vol VIII.djvu/291

VICT02.Y OF THRASYBULUS 29 muster. Accordingly, when the Thirty marched out of Athena the next morning to attack him, with their full force of Athenian hoplites and horsemen, and with the Lacedaemonian garrison besides, he in vain attempted to maintain against them the great carriage-road which led down to Peireeus. He was compelled to concentrate his forces in Munychia, the easternmost portion of the aggregate called Peiraeus, nearest to the bay of Phalerum, and comprising one of those three ports which had once sustained the naval power of Athens. Thrasybulus occupied the temple of Artemis Munychia, and the adjoining Bendideion, situated jn the midst of Munychia, and accessible only by a street of steep ascent. In the rear of his hoplites, whose files were ten deep, were posted the darters and slingers : the ascent being so steep that these latter could cast their missiles over the heads of the hoplites in their front. Presently Kritias and the Thirty, having first mustered in the market-place of Peirseus, called the Hippo- damian agora, were seen approaching with their superior num- bers ; mounting the hill in close array, with hoplites not less than fifty in depth. Thrasybulus, after an animated exhortation to his soldiers, in which he reminded them of the wrongs which they had to avenge, and dwelt upon the advantages of their position, which exposed the close ranks of the enemy to the destructive effect of missiles, and would force them to crouch under their shields so as to be unable to resist a charge with the spear in front, waited patiently until they came within distance, standing in the foremost rank with the prophet habitually consulted before a battle by his side. The latter, a brave and devoted patriot, while promising victory, had exhorted his com- rades not to charge until some one on their own side should be slain or wounded : he at the same time predicted his own death in the conflict. When the troops of the Thirty advanced neai enough in ascending the hill, the light-armed in the rear of Thrasybulus poured upon them a shower of darts over the heads of their own hoplites, with considerable effect. As they seemed to waver, set-king to cover themselves with their shields, and thus not seeing well before them, the prophet, himself seemingly in arms, set the example of rushing forward, was the first to close with the enemy, and perished in the onset. Thrasybulus with the main body of hoplitcs followed him, charged vigorously dowr