Thucydides Daily Reader

At this point, the Argives and their allies spotted them and immediately occupied a strong defensive position on difficult terrain, arranging themselves in battle formation. The Spartans promptly advanced toward them and had closed to within stone-throwing or javelin range when one of the older soldiers, observing the strength of the enemy's position, shouted to Agis that he seemed intent on correcting one mistake with another—implying that his eagerness to compensate for his much-criticized withdrawal from Argos was leading him into an equally rash engagement. Whether influenced by this warning or struck by some sudden insight of his own, Agis quickly ordered his army to withdraw without engaging. He then entered Tegean territory and began diverting into Mantinean land the water source over which the Mantineans and Tegeans perpetually quarreled, given the severe damage it could inflict on whichever territory it flooded. His strategy was to force the Argives and their allies to descend from their advantageous position to prevent the water's diversion, which they would surely do once they discovered his actions, thereby compelling them to fight on level ground. He spent the remainder of that day engaged in redirecting the water. The Argives and their allies were initially bewildered by the enemy's sudden withdrawal after approaching so close, unable to comprehend the maneuver. But once the Spartans had departed and vanished without any pursuit being mounted, they renewed their criticism of their commanders, who had not only allowed the Spartans to escape when they had been so fortunately trapped near Argos, but now permitted them to withdraw again unopposed, retreating at their convenience while the Argive forces were left standing idle and betrayed. The generals, momentarily stunned, eventually led their forces down from the hill and established camp on the plain, intending to attack the enemy.

The following day, the Argives and their allies arranged themselves in the battle formation they intended to use should they encounter the enemy. When the Spartans returned from the water source to their previous encampment near the temple of Heracles, they were shocked to find their opponents directly before them, fully organized and advancing from the hill. The Spartans experienced a moment of panic unlike any they could recall: with minimal time to prepare, they hastily formed their ranks under Agis's direction, as prescribed by their laws. In the field, all authority flows from the king: he issues orders to the polemarchs, who relay them to the lochagoi, who pass them to the pentekostyes, who communicate them to the enomotarchs, who finally convey them to the individual enomoties. Thus all necessary commands follow this chain and reach the troops rapidly, since nearly the entire Spartan army, except for a small portion, consists of officers commanding other officers, with responsibility for execution distributed among many.