Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.111

[1] Brasidas this while with the rest of his army lay still, and then coming a little forward, sent a hundred targetiers before, who, when the gates should be opened and sign agreed on be set up, should run in first.

[2] These men, expecting long and wondering at the matter, by little and little were at length come up close to the city. Those Toronaeans within, which helped the men that entered to perform the enterprise, when the postern gate was broken open, and the gate leading to the market-place opened likewise by cutting asunder the bar, went first and fetched some of them about to the postern, to the end that they might suddenly affright such of the town as knew not the matter, both behind and on either side; and then they put up the sign appointed, which was fire, and received the rest of the targetiers by the gate that leadeth to the market-place.

[1] Brasidas meanwhile came a little nearer and then halted with his main body, sending on one hundred targeteers to be ready to rush in first, the moment that a gate should be thrown open and the beacon lighted as agreed.

[2] After some time passed in waiting and wondering at the delay, the targeteers by degrees got up close to the town. The Toronaeans inside at work with the party that had entered, had by this time broken down the postern and opened the gates leading to the marketplace by cutting through the bar, and first brought some men round and let them in by the postern, in order to strike a panic into the surprised townsmen by suddenly attacking them from behind and on both sides at once; after which they raised the fire-signal as had been agreed, and took in by the market gates the rest of the targeteers.

Brasidas, der indessen etwas näher vorgerückt war, hielt
sich mit dem übrigen Heere ruhig und sandte nur hundert leichte
Schildträger vor, damit diese, wenn ein und das andere Thor
geöffnet und das verabredete Zeichen gegeben würde, zuerst eindringen
sollten. Diese waren, während zu ihrer Verwunderung längere Zeit
verstrich, allmälig bis nahe an die Stadt gekommen. Indessen waren
jene Toronäer in der Stadt mit den Eingedrungenen nicht unthätig,
und als jenes Pförtchen geöffnet und auch das Stadtthor beim Markte
vermittelst Durchhauung deS Querbalkens gesprengt war, brachten
sie zuerst einige um die Mauer herum durch das Pförtchen herein,
damit sie durch ihr plötzliches Erscheinen im Rücken und auf beiden
Seiten die Nichts ahnenden Toronäer in Verwirrung setzten; danach
gaben sie das Feuerzeichen, wie verabredet war, und ließen nun auch
die übrigen leichten Schildträger durch das Marktthor herein.

CXI. Brasidas, après s’être un peu avancé, fit halte avec le reste de son armée. Il envoya en avant cent peltastes qui devaient se précipiter les premiers dans la place, lorsqu’on ouvrirait quelque porte et qu’on élèverait le signal convenu. Déjà le moment était passé, et, tout en s’étonnant de ce retard, ils s’étaient insensiblement approchés de la ville. Cependant ceux des Toronéens qui faisaient les dispositions à l’intérieur d’accord avec les soldats qu’ils avaient introduits, après avoir brisé la petite porte, ouvrirent, en rompant la barre, celle qui mène à la place. D’abord ils firent faire un circuit ¹ à quelques-uns des peltastes et les intro- duisirent par la petite porte, afin de frapper d’une terreur subite les habitants étrangers au complot, en attaquant par derrière et de deux côtés à la fois. Ensuite ils hissèrent la flamme, signal convenu, et firent entrer le reste des peltastes par la porte du marché.

Brasidas, après s’être un peu avancé, avait fait halte avec le gros de sa troupe et détaché cent peltastes, qui devaient se jeter dans la ville sitôt que les portes seraient ouvertes et qu’on aurait élevé le signal convenu; mais ce signal se faisait attendre. Etonnés de ce retard, les peltastes s’étaient insensiblement approchés de la ville. Pendant ce temps, les Toronéens entrés avec les sept soldats avaient enfoncé la petite porte et ouvert à coups de hache celle qui conduit à la place publique. Par la première ils introduisirent d’abord quelques soldats, afin d’effrayer des deux côtés par leur apparition soudaine les habitants étrangers au complot ; ensuite ils élevèrent, comme on était convenu, le signal de feu, et firent entrer le reste des pel-tastes par la porte de la place publique.

[1] Meanwhile Brasidas, having gone forward a little, kept quiet with the rest of his army, but sent forward one hundred targeteers, in order that as soon as any gates were opened and the signal agreed upon was raised they might rush in first.

[2] These now, as time elapsed, were wondering at the delay and had come up little by little close to the town. Meanwhile the Toronaeans inside who were co-operating with the party which had entered, when the postern had been broken down and the gates near the market-place had been opened by cutting the bar, first brought some men around to the postern and let them in, in order that they might take the townsmen unawares by a sudden attack in their rear and on both sides and throw them into a panic; after that they raised the fire-signal agreed upon and received the rest of the targeteers through the gates near the market-place.

[1] Brasidas, meanwhile, after advancing a short distance, remained quiet with the rest of his army, but sent forward a hundred targeteers, that when any gates were opened, and the signal raised which had been agreed on, they might be the first to rush in.

[2] These, having waited some time, and wondering at the delay, had come by degrees near the town; while those of the Toronaeans within, who were preparing matters with the party that had entered, after the postern had been broken open by them, and the gates leading to the market-place opened by cutting through the bar, in the first place brought a party round to the postern and introduced them, that in their rear, and on both sides of them, they might suddenly strike terror into the townsmen, knowing nothing of what was going on. Next they raised the fire-signal as had been appointed; and then received the rest of the targeteers through the gates leading to the market-place.

[1] Brasidas vero cum ceteris quidem copiis aliquantulum progressus, quiescebat, sed centum peltatos praemisit, ut, simul ac portae aliquae apertae essent, et signum, quod convenerat, sublatum esset, primi irrumperent.

[2] Atque hi quidem, quum mora fieret, et mirarentur, paulatim ad urbem accedebant; Toronaei vero, qui cum militibus jam ingressis in urbe rem adornabant, quum portulam perfregissent, et portas, quae ad forum ducebant, diffracto vecte aperuissent, primum quidem quosdam per portulam circumductos introduxerunt, ut oppidanos, rerum prorsus ignaros, et a tergo et ab utroque latere repente aggressi terrerent; deinde vero et ignis signum, quod condictum erat, sustulerunt, et per portas, quae ad forum ducebant, jam reliquos peltatos recipiebant.

Brasida avanzossi un poco, e spediti innanzi cento palvesari acciocché si gettassero i primi nella città, quando, venisse aperta qualche porta e fòsse alzato il segnale convenuto, teneva fermo il restante dell’ esercito. Ma quelli maravigliando dell’ indugio che sì frapponeva, si trovarono a poco a poco presso della città. Intanto quei Toronesi di dentro che insieme con gli altri introdottici preparavano la cosa , poiché ebbero rotta la porticciola r tolta la sbarra alla porta verso il foro, primieramente fatto fare un giro ad alcuni di quei palvesari, li introducevano per la porticciola, perchè spaventassero alt9 improvviso quelli di città ignari dfel fatto, assalendoli alle spalle ed ai lati. Quindi alzarono , come era convenuto , il segnale di fuoco , ed ormai dalla porta del foro ricevevano il rimaheuté de’ palvesari.