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6. Cleon had now sailed round from Toronè against Amphipolis, and making Eion his headquarters,1 attacked Stagirus2, a colony of the Andrians, which he failed to take. He succeeded, however, in storming Galepsus3, a Thasian colony. [2] He sent an embassy to Perdiccas, desiring him to come with an army, according to the terms of the alliance4, and another to Polles, the king of the Odomantian Thracians, who was to bring as many Thracian mercenaries as he could; he then remained quietly at Eion waiting for these reinforcements. [3] Brasidas, hearing of his movements, took up a counter-position on Cerdylium. This is a high ground on the right bank of the river, not far from Amphipolis, belonging to the Argilians. From this spot he commanded a view of the country round, so that Cleon was sure to be seen by him if,—as Brasidas fully expected,—despising the numbers of his opponents, he should go up against Amphipolis without waiting for his reinforcements. [4] At the same time he prepared for a battle, summoning to his side fifteen hundred Thracian mercenaries and the entire forces of the Edonians, who were targeteers and horsemen; he had already one thousand Myrcinian and Chalcidian targeteers, in addition to the troops in Amphipolis. [5] His heavy-armed, when all mustered, amounted to nearly two thousand, and he had three hundred Hellenic cavalry. Of these forces about fifteen hundred were stationed with Brasidas on Cerdylium, and the remainder were drawn up in order of battle under Clearidas in Amphipolis.

1 Cleon remains at Eion waiting for reinforcements; Brasidas ascends the hill of Cerdylium to reconnoitre.

2 Cp. 4.88 fin.

3 Cp. 4.107 fin.

4 Cp. 4.132 init.

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  • Commentary references to this page (15):
    • E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 7, 7.9
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER X
    • C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XXXI
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.10
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.10
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.18
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.7
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, 5.8
    • Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5, SPEECH OF BRASIDAS TO HIS TROOPS.
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.107
    • Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1, 1.50
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.20
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.25
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.4
    • Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7, 7.9
  • Cross-references to this page (11):
    • Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges, ADVERBIAL COMPLEX SENTENCES (2193-2487)
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.2.3
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.2.4
    • Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.6.1
    • A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), EXE´RCITUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), AMPHI´POLIS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), A´RGILUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), GALEPSUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ODOMANTI
    • Basil L. Gildersleeve, Syntax of Classical Greek, The Article
    • Smith's Bio, Cleon
  • Cross-references in notes to this page (1):
  • Cross-references in notes from this page (3):
    • Thucydides, Histories, 4.107
    • Thucydides, Histories, 4.132
    • Thucydides, Histories, 4.88
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (10):
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