|
As soon as Pausanias saw a portion of the troops in motion, he issued
orders to the Lacedaemonians to strike their tents and follow those who
had been the first to depart, supposing that they were on their march
to the place agreed upon. All the captains but one were ready to obey
his orders: Amompharetus, however, the son of Poliadas, who was
leader of the Pitanate cohort, refused to move, saying, "He for
one would not fly from the strangers, or of his own will bring disgrace
upon Sparta." It had happened that he was absent from the former
conference of the captains; and so what was now taking place astonished
him. Pausanias and Euryanax thought it a monstrous thing that
Amompharetus would not hearken to them; but considered that it would
be yet more monstrous, if, when he was so minded, they were to leave
the Pitanates to their fate; seeing that, if they forsook them to
keep their agreement with the other Greeks, Amompharetus and those
with him might perish. On this account, therefore, they kept the
Lacedaemonian force in its place, and made every endeavour to persuade
Amompharetus that he was wrong to act as he was doing.
|
|