Today's Passage
This passage describes the dramatic nighttime escape of Plataean defenders from their besieged city in 428 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Meanwhile the first of the scaling party that had got up, after carrying both the towers and putting the sentinels to the sword, posted themselves inside to prevent any one coming through against them; and rearing ladders from the wall, sent several men up on the towers, and from their summit and base kept in check all of the enemy that came up, with their missiles, while their main body planted a number of ladders against the wall, and knocking down the battlements, passed over between the towers; each as soon as he had got over taking up his station at the edge of the ditch, and plying from thence with arrows and darts any who came along the wall to stop the passage of his comrades. When all were over, the party on the towers came down, the last of them not without difficulty, and proceeded to the ditch, just as the three hundred came up carrying torches. The Plataeans, standing on the edge of the ditch in the dark, had a good view of their opponents, and discharged their arrows and darts upon the unarmed parts of their bodies, while they themselves could not be so well seen in the obscurity for the torches; and thus even the last of them got over the ditch, though not without effort and difficulty; as ice had formed in it, not strong enough to walk upon, but of that watery kind which generally comes with a wind more east than north, and the snow which this wind had caused to fall during the night had made the water in the ditch rise, so that they could scarcely breast it as they crossed. However, it was mainly the violence of the storm that enabled them to effect their escape at all.
Starting from the ditch, the Plataeans went all together along the road leading to Thebes, keeping the chapel of the hero Androcrates upon their right; considering that the last road which the Peloponnesians would suspect them of having taken would be that towards their enemies’ country. Indeed they could see them pursuing with torches upon the Athens road towards Cithaeron and Druoskephalai or Oakheads. After going for rather more than half a mile upon the road to Thebes, the Plataeans turned off and took that leading to the mountain, to Erythrae and Hysiae, and reaching the hills, made good their escape to Athens, two hundred and twelve men in all; some of their number having turned back into the town before getting over the wall, and one archer having been taken prisoner at the outer ditch. Meanwhile the Peloponnesians gave up the pursuit and returned to their posts; and the Plataeans in the town, knowing nothing of what had passed, and informed by those who had turned back that not a man had escaped, sent out a herald as soon as it was day to make a truce for the recovery of the dead bodies, and then, learning the truth, desisted. In this way the Plataean party got over and were saved.
Modern Translation
Meanwhile, the first members of the scaling party who had climbed up, after seizing both towers and killing the guards, positioned themselves inside to block anyone from coming through to attack them. They set up ladders against the wall and sent several men up onto the towers, where they used missiles to hold back any enemy forces that approached, shooting from both the top and bottom of the towers. The main force set up numerous ladders against the wall and, after knocking down the battlements, crossed over between the towers. Each man, immediately after crossing, took position at the edge of the ditch and fired arrows and javelins at anyone who came along the wall to prevent his comrades' passage. When everyone had crossed, the men on the towers came down—the last ones with considerable difficulty—and made their way to the ditch, just as three hundred enemy soldiers arrived carrying torches. The Plataeans, positioned at the ditch's edge in darkness, had a clear view of their enemies and shot arrows and threw javelins at their exposed parts, while they themselves remained hidden in the darkness beyond the torchlight. Thus even the last of them crossed the ditch, though with great effort and difficulty. Ice had formed in it—not solid enough to walk on, but the slushy kind that typically forms when the wind blows more from the east than north. The snow that had fallen during the night due to this wind had raised the water level in the ditch so high that they could barely keep their heads above it while crossing. Nevertheless, it was primarily the severity of the storm that made their escape possible.
Leaving the ditch behind, the Plataeans moved together along the road toward Thebes, keeping the shrine of the hero Androcrates on their right. They reasoned that the Peloponnesians would least expect them to take the route toward enemy territory. Indeed, they could see their pursuers with torches on the Athens road toward Cithaeron and Druoskephalai (Oakheads). After traveling just over half a mile on the Thebes road, the Plataeans turned off onto the path leading to the mountains, toward Erythrae and Hysiae. Reaching the hills, they successfully escaped to Athens—212 men in total. Some had turned back to the town before crossing the wall, and one archer was captured at the outer ditch. The Peloponnesians eventually abandoned the pursuit and returned to their positions. The Plataeans remaining in the city, unaware of what had transpired and misinformed by those who had turned back that no one had escaped, sent a herald at daybreak to arrange a truce for recovering the dead. Upon learning the truth, they abandoned this plan. This was how the Plataean party crossed over and reached safety.
Historical Context
This passage describes the dramatic nighttime escape of Plataean defenders from their besieged city in 428 BCE. Plataea, Athens' loyal ally, had been under siege by Spartan-led Peloponnesian forces for over a year. The escapees executed a daring plan during a winter storm, scaling the enemy's siege walls, fighting guards, and fleeing through harsh conditions. The escape's success depended on careful planning, exploiting weather conditions, and psychological warfare—taking an unexpected route toward enemy territory. This episode demonstrates both the desperation of the besieged Plataeans and their resourcefulness. The escape of 212 men represented a significant propaganda victory for Athens and a corresponding embarrassment for the besiegers, while those left behind would eventually surrender and face execution.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Siege Warfare
Ancient Greek siege warfare involved circumvallation (surrounding walls), towers for observation and defense, and constant vigilance. The Plataean escape exploited weaknesses in this system, particularly during adverse weather conditions when guards were less alert and visibility was poor.
Learn more →Plataea's Strategic Importance
Plataea held immense symbolic value as the site of the Greek victory over Persia in 479 BCE. Its alliance with Athens dated to before the Persian Wars, making it a crucial ideological battleground in the struggle between Athens and Sparta for Greek leadership.
Learn more →Ancient Greek Weather and Warfare
Weather conditions significantly impacted ancient warfare. The 'watery ice' and eastern wind described here created both obstacles and opportunities. Such detailed meteorological observations in Thucydides demonstrate his commitment to accurate historical recording.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.56)
Diodorus provides a briefer account of the siege of Plataea and mentions the escape, though with less detail than Thucydides about the tactical elements and weather conditions.
Read passage →Herodotus: Histories (Book 9.51-85)
Describes the Battle of Plataea (479 BCE), establishing the city's importance and its special relationship with Athens, which explains why the Athenians couldn't abandon their ally during the Peloponnesian War.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 1.3.1)
Xenophon describes various siege operations during the Peloponnesian War, providing context for understanding the tactical challenges and innovations involved in siege warfare of this period.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' detailed account of weather conditions and tactical movements reflect his approach to historical writing compared to other ancient historians?
- What does the Plataeans' choice to flee toward enemy territory reveal about psychological warfare and strategic thinking in ancient conflicts?
- How might the escape of 212 men have affected morale on both sides of the conflict, and what does this suggest about the importance of symbolic victories in prolonged wars?
- Consider the ethical implications of those who turned back and misinformed their fellow citizens. What does this reveal about human behavior under extreme stress?