Their best friend was the tempest, which raged with extraordinary
violence throughout the night.
When their last man had crossed, the Plataeans went off at a run in
the direction of Thebes, being assured that no one would expect them
to take the road which led to their worst enemy. And the prudence of
this course soon appeared, for looking back they saw the
Peloponnesians hurrying with lighted torches along the road to Athens.
Then after marching towards Thebes for about a mile, they doubled
back, and taking to the mountains soon reached the friendly territory
of Attica. They received a kind welcome at Athens, where it was found
that out of the original two hundred and twenty, only eight were
missing. Seven of these had lost heart at the last moment, and
returned to Plataea, where they announced that all the rest of the
party had been slain. One only, an archer, was taken prisoner at the
outer ditch.
On hearing the report of those who had turned back, the Plataeans
applied for a truce to bury their dead; and when their herald came
back from his useless errand, they learned to their delight that this
gallant enterprise, so ably planned, and so boldly executed, had been
crowned with complete success.
II
Well would it have been for the Plataeans who remained in the town if
they had stood by their first purpose, and shared the fortunes of
their brave comrades.
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