Today's Passage
This passage describes the preliminary movements and deployments before the Battle of Delium (424 BCE), one of the major engagements of the Archidamian War phase of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
By these arguments Pagondas persuaded the Boeotians to attack the Athenians, and quickly breaking up his camp led his army forward, it being now late in the day. On nearing the enemy, he halted in a position where a hill intervening prevented the two armies from seeing each other, and then formed and prepared for action. Meanwhile Hippocrates at Delium, informed of the approach of the Boeotians, sent orders to his troops to throw themselves into line, and himself joined them not long afterwards, leaving about three hundred horse behind him at Delium, at once to guard the place in case of attack, and to watch their opportunity and fall upon the Boeotians during the battle. The Boeotians placed a detachment to deal with these, and when everything was arranged to their satisfaction appeared over the hill, and halted in the order which they had determined on, to the number of seven thousand heavy infantry, more than ten thousand light troops, one thousand horse, and five hundred targeteers. On their right were the Thebans and those of their province, in the centre the Haliartians, Coronaeans, Copaeans, and the other people around the lake, and on the left the Thespians, Tanagraeans, and Orchomenians, the cavalry and the light troops being at the extremity of each wing. The Thebans formed twenty-five shields deep, the rest as they pleased. Such was the strength and disposition of the Boeotian army.
On the side of the Athenians, the heavy infantry throughout the whole army formed eight deep, being in numbers equal to the enemy, with the cavalry upon the two wings. Light troops regularly armed there were none in the army, nor had there ever been any at Athens. Those who had joined in the invasion, though many times more numerous than those of the enemy, had mostly followed unarmed, as part of the levy in mass of the citizens and foreigners at Athens, and having started first on their way home were not present in any number. The armies being now in line and upon the point of engaging, Hippocrates, the general, passed along the Athenian ranks, and encouraged them as follows:
“Athenians, I shall only say a few words to you, but brave men require no more, and they are addressed more to your understanding than to your courage. None of you must fancy that we are going out of our way to run this risk in the country of another. Fought in their territory the battle will be for ours: if we conquer, the Peloponnesians will never invade your country without the Boeotian horse, and in one battle you will win Boeotia and in a manner free Attica. Advance to meet them then like citizens of a country in which you all glory as the first in Hellas, and like sons of the fathers who beat them at Oenophyta with Myronides and thus gained possession of Boeotia.”
Modern Translation
With these arguments, Pagondas convinced the Boeotians to engage the Athenians in battle. He quickly struck camp and led his forces forward, though it was already late in the day. As he approached the enemy position, he halted where an intervening hill blocked the two armies' view of each other, then arranged his troops and prepared for combat. Meanwhile, Hippocrates at Delium, having received intelligence of the Boeotian advance, dispatched orders for his men to form battle lines. He soon joined them himself, leaving behind approximately three hundred cavalry at Delium with dual objectives: to defend the fortification against any assault and to watch for an opportunity to strike the Boeotians' flank during the engagement. The Boeotians assigned a unit to counter this threat. When their preparations were complete, they crested the hill and halted in their predetermined formation: seven thousand hoplites, over ten thousand light-armed troops, one thousand cavalry, and five hundred peltasts. The Thebans and their regional allies held the right wing, the Haliartians, Coronaeans, Copaeans, and other lakeside communities occupied the center, while the Thespians, Tanagraeans, and Orchomenians formed the left wing, with cavalry and light troops positioned at each flank. The Thebans arrayed themselves twenty-five shields deep; the others arranged their ranks as they saw fit. Such was the composition and deployment of the Boeotian forces.
The Athenian hoplites formed a uniform line eight shields deep across their entire front, matching the enemy in numbers, with cavalry stationed on both wings. They had no properly equipped light infantry—Athens had never maintained such troops. Though many light-armed men had joined the expedition, vastly outnumbering their Boeotian counterparts, most had come unarmed as part of the general levy of Athenian citizens and resident foreigners. Having departed earlier for home, few remained for the battle. With both armies now deployed and combat imminent, the general Hippocrates moved along the Athenian ranks, delivering this exhortation:
"Athenians, my words will be brief, for brave men need little encouragement—this speech appeals to your wisdom rather than your valor. Let none among you think we recklessly court danger in foreign territory. Though fought on Boeotian soil, this battle decides the fate of our homeland. Victory here means the Peloponnesians can never again invade Attica without Boeotian cavalry support. In a single engagement, you will conquer Boeotia and effectively liberate Attica. March forward, then, as citizens of the state you proudly acclaim as Hellas's foremost power, as worthy sons of those fathers who, under Myronides, defeated these same enemies at Oenophyta and brought Boeotia under our control."
Historical Context
This passage describes the preliminary movements and deployments before the Battle of Delium (424 BCE), one of the major engagements of the Archidamian War phase of the Peloponnesian War. The Athenians, under Hippocrates, had fortified the temple of Apollo at Delium in Boeotian territory as part of a complex strategy to establish democratic governments in Boeotian cities. Pagondas, the Theban commander, has convinced the initially reluctant Boeotian confederacy to attack the Athenians before they can withdraw. The passage highlights the contrasting military organizations: the Boeotians field a traditional combined-arms force with substantial light troops and cavalry, while the Athenians rely primarily on their hoplite phalanx. Hippocrates's speech reveals the strategic stakes—Athenian control of Boeotia would neutralize a key Spartan ally and protect Attica from invasion.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Hoplite Warfare
The passage reveals key differences in hoplite deployment. The Theban formation of 25 shields deep was exceptionally dense, contrasting with the Athenian eight-deep line. This extreme depth sacrificed frontage for pushing power, reflecting Theban tactical doctrine that would later influence Philip II and Alexander.
Learn more →Battle of Oenophyta
Hippocrates references the Athenian victory at Oenophyta (457 BCE) under Myronides, which had given Athens control of Boeotia for about a decade. This historical precedent served to inspire the troops while highlighting what was at stake in the coming battle.
Learn more →Boeotian League
The Boeotian contingents listed represent the federal structure of the Boeotian League, with Thebes as the dominant member. Each city contributed forces according to its size and obligations, demonstrating the confederate nature of Boeotian military organization.
Learn more →Light-Armed Troops
Thucydides notes Athens's lack of organized light infantry, a persistent weakness in Athenian land warfare. While many citizens joined campaigns as irregular light troops, they lacked training and equipment, putting Athens at a disadvantage in combined-arms battles.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.69-70)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the Battle of Delium, including details about the fortification of the temple and the Boeotian deliberations, though with some variations in numbers and tactical details.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Alcibiades (7.3)
Plutarch mentions Alcibiades's role at Delium, describing how he helped save Socrates during the retreat, providing a personal perspective on the battle's aftermath not found in Thucydides.
Read passage →Pausanias: Description of Greece (9.6.3)
Pausanias describes the sanctuary at Delium and its later history, providing geographical and religious context for understanding why the Athenians chose this location for their fortification.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the difference in army composition (especially the presence or absence of light troops) reflect the different military traditions and strategic priorities of Athens and Boeotia?
- What does Hippocrates's speech reveal about how Athenian commanders motivated their troops? How does his emphasis on defensive rather than offensive goals affect the rhetoric?
- Why might Thucydides include such precise details about troop numbers and formations? What does this tell us about his intended audience and historical method?
- How does the late timing of the battle ('late in the day') and the terrain (the intervening hill) potentially affect the tactical situation?