After this it was resolved that they must again separate their quarters and get under cover in the villages.  At this news the soldiers, with much joy and shouting, rushed upon the covered houses and the provisions; but all who in their blind folly had set fire to the houses when they left them before, now paid the penalty in the poor quarters they got.  From this place one night they sent off a party under Democrates, a Temenite[2], up into the mountains, where the stragglers reported having seen watchfires.  The leader selected was a man whose judgement might be depended upon to verify the truth of the matter.  With a happy gift to distinguish between fact and fiction, he had often been successfully appealed to.  He went and reported that he had seen no watchfires, but he had got a man, whom he brought back with him, carrying a Persian bow and quiver, and a sagaris or battleaxe like those worn by the Amazons.  When asked “from what country he came,” the prisoner answered that he was “a Persian, and was going from the army of Tiribazus to get provisions.”  They next asked him “how large the army was, and for what object it had been collected.”  His answer was that “it consisted of Tiribazus at the head of his own forces, and aided by some Chalybian and Taochian mercenaries.  Tiribazus had got it together,” he added, “meaning to attack the Hellenes on the high mountain pass, in a defile which was the sole passage.”

[2] Reading {Temeniten}, i.e. a native of Temenus, a district of
    Syracuse; al. {Temniten}, i.e. from Temnus in the Aeolid; al. 
    {Temeniten}, i.e. from Temenum in the Argolid.

When the generals heard this news, they resolved to collect the troops, and they set off at once, taking the prisoner to act as guide, and leaving a garrison behind with Sophaenetus the Stymphalian in 19 command of those who remained in the camp.  As soon as they had begun to cross the hills, the light infantry, advancing in front and catching sight of the camp, did not wait for the heavy infantry, but with a loud shout rushed upon the enemy’s entrenchment.  The natives, hearing the din and clatter, did not care to stop, but took rapidly to their heels.  But, for all their expedition, some of them were killed, and as many as twenty horses were captured, with the tent of Tiribazus, and its contents, silver-footed couches and goblets, besides certain persons styling themselves the butlers and bakers.  As soon as the generals of the heavy infantry division had learnt the news, they resolved to return to the camp with all speed, for fear of an attack being made on the remnant left behind.  The recall was sounded and the retreat commenced; the camp was reached the same day.

V