Better far to have died, sword in hand, than to
meet the ignoble fate which was now reserved for them. It was in the
following summer, two years after the beginning of the siege, that the
crisis arrived. The Plataeans had come to the end of their provisions,
and were suffering severely from want of food. In this state of
weakness they were suddenly attacked by the besiegers, who might
easily have carried the town by storm. But the Spartan general wished,
if possible, to avoid this, as all places taken by assault would have
to be given back to their original owners on the conclusion of peace,
whereas those which had voluntarily surrendered might be retained.
Accordingly he sent a herald, and summoned the Plataeans to surrender,
promising that they should have a fair trial by Spartan judges; and
they, being actually on the point of starvation, accepted the terms
offered, and laid down their arms. They were kept in custody and
supplied with food until the judges, five in number, arrived from
Sparta. On the arrival of the judges no express charge was made
against them, but they were called up one by one, and asked this
simple question: "Have you done any service to the Spartans or their
allies in the course of the present war?"
The Plataeans saw the snare which was set for them, and seeking to
evade it they asked permission to plead their cause at length.
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