Phokion was now sent
thither in command of a small force, as it was expected that the
people of the country would rally round him. He found, however,
nothing but treachery and corruption, as all patriotism had been
undermined by the bribes of Philip, and soon was brought into great
danger. He established himself upon a hill which was cut off by a
ravine from the plain near the city of Tamynae, and there collected the
most trustworthy part of his forces, bidding his officers take no heed
of the undisciplined mass of talkers and cowards who deserted from his
camp and made their way home, observing that they were useless in
action because they would not obey orders, and only hindered the
fighting men, while at Athens the consciousness of their baseness
would prevent their bringing false accusations against him.
XIII. When the enemy[627] drew near, he ordered his troops to remain
quiet under arms until he had finished offering sacrifice. Either the
sacrifices were unfavourable, or else he designedly wasted time,
wishing to bring the enemy as close as possible. The result was that
Plutarchus,[628] imagining that the Athenians were terror-stricken and
hanging back, rushed to attack the enemy at the head of the Euboeans.
Seeing this, the Athenian cavalry could no longer endure to remain
idle, but charged at once, pouring out of their camp in scattered
bodies and with much confusion.
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