§12.79.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Ἀθηναίων ἀποστειλάντων κατὰ θάλατταν εἰς Ἄργος ὁπλίτας μὲν χιλίους ἐπιλέκτους, ἱππεῖς δὲ διακοσίους, ὧν ἐστρατήγουν Λάχης καὶ Νικόστρατος· συνῆν δὲ τούτοις καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδης ἰδιώτης ὢν διὰ τὴν φιλίαν τὴν πρὸς Ἠλείους καὶ Μαντινεῖς·
After this, the Athenians sent by sea to Argos one thousand select hoplites and two hundred cavalry, commanded by Laches and Nicostratus; with them was also Alcibiades, who, although a private citizen, accompanied them because of his friendship with the Eleans and Mantineans.
συνεδρευσάντων δὲ πάντων, ἔδοξε τὰς μὲν σπονδὰς ἐᾶν χαίρειν, πρὸς δὲ τὸν πόλεμον ὁρμῆσαι.
When all had held a council, they resolved to ignore the treaty and to embark on the war.
§12.79.2διὸ καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους ἕκαστος στρατηγὸς παρώρμησε πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα, καὶ πάντων προθύμως ὑπακουσάντων, ἐκτὸς τῆς πόλεως κατεστρατοπέδευσαν.
Therefore, each general urged his own men to the struggle, and since everyone eagerly obeyed, they encamped outside the city.
ἔδοξεν οὖν αὐτοῖς πάντων πρῶτον στρατεύειν ἐπʼ Ὀρχομενὸν τῆς Ἀρκαδίας.
Then they resolved first of all to campaign against Orchomenus in Arcadia.
διὸ καὶ παρελθόντες εἰς Ἀρκαδίαν, προσκαθεζόμενοι τῇ πόλει καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐποιοῦντο προσβολὰς τοῖς τείχεσι.
Consequently, having advanced into Arcadia, they sat down before the city and made daily assaults upon the walls.
§12.79.3χειρωσάμενοι δὲ τὴν πόλιν κατεστρατοπέδευσαν πλησίον Τεγέας, κεκρικότες καὶ ταύτην πολιορκῆσαι.
Having subdued the city, they encamped near Tegea, having decided to besiege this city as well.
τῶν δὲ Τεγεατῶν ἀξιούντων τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους βοηθῆσαι κατὰ τάχος, οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται παραλαβόντες τοὺς ἰδίους πάντας καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους ἧκον ἐπὶ τὴν Μαντίνειαν, νομίζοντες ταύτης πολεμουμένης ἀρθήσεσθαι τὴν τῆς Τεγέας πολιορκίαν.
When the Tegeans requested the Lacedaemonians to aid them with speed, the Spartans, taking all their own troops and those of their allies, came against Mantineia, thinking that if this city were attacked, the siege of Tegea would be raised.
§12.79.4οἱ δὲ Μαντινεῖς τοὺς συμμάχους παραλαβόντες, καὶ αὐτοὶ πανδημεὶ στρατεύσαντες, ἀντετάχθησαν τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις.
The Mantineans, taking their allies and campaigning themselves in full force, drew themselves up against the Lacedaemonians.
γενομένης δὲ μάχης ἰσχυρᾶς, οἱ μὲν ἐπίλεκτοι τῶν Ἀργείων, χίλιοι τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὄντες, γεγυμνασμένοι δὲ καλῶς τὰ κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον, ἐτρέψαντο τοὺς ἀντιτεταγμένους πρῶτοι, καὶ διώκοντες πολὺν ἐποίουν φόνον.
When a fierce battle took place, the select troops of the Argives, being one thousand in number and well trained in matters of war, were the first to route those arrayed against them, and in pursuit they wrought great slaughter.
§12.79.5οἱ δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τἄλλα μέρη τοῦ στρατεύματος τρεψάμενοι καὶ πολλοὺς ἀνελόντες ὑπέστρεψαν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους, καὶ τῷ πλήθει κυκλώσαντες ἤλπιζον κατακόψειν ἅπαντας.
The Lacedaemonians, however, having routed the other parts of the army and slain many, turned back upon these very men, and surrounding them with their superior numbers, hoped to cut them all to pieces.
§12.79.6τῶν δὲ λογάδων τῷ μὲν πλήθει πολὺ λειπομένων, ταῖς δʼ ἀνδραγαθίαις προεχόντων, ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων προαγωνιζόμενος ἐνεκαρτέρησε τοῖς δεινοῖς, καὶ πάντας ἂν ἀνεῖλεν· ἔσπευδε γὰρ τοῖς πολίταις ἀποδοῦναι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, καὶ μέγα τι κατεργασάμενος διορθώσασθαι τὴν γεγενημένην ἀδοξίαν·
Though the select troops were far inferior in numbers, they excelled in deeds of valor, and the king of the Lacedaemonians, fighting in the forefront, stood firm against the danger and would have slain them all; for he was eager to fulfill his promises to the citizens, and by achieving some great deed, to make amends for the dishonor that had befallen him.
οὐ μὴν εἰάθη γε τὴν προαίρεσιν ἐπιτελέσαι.
However, he was not permitted to carry out his intention.
Φάραξ γὰρ ὁ Σπαρτιάτης, εἷς ὢν τῶν συμβούλων, ἀξίωμα δὲ μέγιστον ἔχων ἐν τῇ Σπάρτῃ, διεκελεύετο τοῖς λογάσι δοῦναι δίοδον, καὶ μὴ πρὸς ἀπεγνωκότας τὸ ζῆν διακινδυνεύοντας πεῖραν λαβεῖν ἀτυχούσης ἀρετῆς.
For Pharax the Spartan, who was one of the advisors and possessed the greatest prestige in Sparta, urged him to grant a passage to the select troops, and not to risk testing a desperate valor against men who had despaired of life and were risking everything.
§12.79.7ὅθεν ἠναγκάσθη κατὰ τὴν ἀρτίως ῥηθεῖσαν ἐπιταγὴν δοῦναι διέξοδον κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Φάρακος γνώμην.
Hence the king was compelled, in accordance with the command recently mentioned, to grant a way out according to the opinion of Pharax.
οἱ μὲν οὖν χίλιοι τὸν εἰρημένον τρόπον ἀφεθέντες διελθεῖν διεσώθησαν, οἱ δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι μεγάλῃ μάχῃ νικήσαντες καὶ τρόπαιον στήσαντες ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν.
Thus the thousand, having been permitted to pass through in the manner described, were saved, and the Lacedaemonians, having won a great victory and set up a trophy, returned to their own land.