Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/60

52 ENERGY OF DRASIDAS [iV of any aid soon arriving from Peloponnesus, capitulated to the Athenians. The conditions were as follows : — They were to go free, every man paying a fixed ransom and giving up his arms; but the Athenians might deal as they pleased with the Lacedaemonian commander and any Lacedaemonian who was in the place. Upon these terms they came out, and the Athenians, having broken down the Long Walls between Megara and Nisaea, took possession of Nisaea and prepared for further action. 70 But it so happened that Brasidas, son of Tell is, the Bmsidas collects Lacedaemonian, who was equipping an troops and sends to the expedition intended for Chalcidice, was Boeotians for an army, j,^ ^^^ neighbourhood of Sicyon and Corinth at the time. Hearing of the capture of the Long Walls, and fearing for the safety of the Pelopon- nesians in Nisaea, and of Megara itself, he sent to the Boeotians, desiring them to bring an army and meet him with all speed at Tripodiscus. The place so called is a village of Megara situated under Mount Geranea. Thither he also came himself, bringing two thousand seven hundred Corinthian, four hundred Phliasian, and six hundred Sicyonian hoplites, as well as the followers whom he had previously collected. He had hoped to find Nisaea still untaken ; but the news of the capture reached him on his exit from the hills at Tripodiscus, where he did not arrive until night. He immediately took with him a body of three hundred chosen men, and before his arrival in the country was reported reached Megara, undiscovered by the Athenians, who were near the sea. He professed that he wanted, and he really meant if he could, to attempt the recovery of Nisaea; but the great point was to get into Megara and make that safe. So he demanded admission, saying that he had hopes of regaining Nisaea. " Cp. iv. 80 fin.