"
So readily did this holiday general fall into the trap which Brasidas,
with a just estimate of his capacity, had set for him. As soon as he
saw that Cleon had started from Eion, the Spartan general left his
post in Cerdylium, and led his men back into Amphipolis. Here he made
such a disposition of his forces as to give the place that peaceful
and innocent appearance which deceived Cleon's unpractised eye. Then
he took up his station with a picked troop of a hundred and fifty
hoplites at the southern gate of Amphipolis, leaving Clearidas in
charge of the main body, and awaited a favourable moment to attack.
But these preparations could not be made without exciting some
attention among the more experienced of the Athenian officers. They
had seen Brasidas entering the city, and observed him offering
sacrifice, as for battle, before the temple of Athene; and Cleon, who
was standing, lost in his contemplations, some distance in advance of
his forces, suddenly received the alarming intelligence that the enemy
were on the point of making a sally. "The whole garrison is in
motion," said the messenger, "and we have caught sight of the feet of
many horses and men under the gates: evidently they mean to attack
us." Thus rudely startled from his meditations, Cleon went to look for
himself, and seeing that the messenger had spoken the truth he gave
the order for a retreat in the direction of Eion.
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