A Raid Upon Laconia
What suggested to Philopoemen this stratagem was the
great number of the tyrant's eavesdroppers and
spies. On the day then on which the main body
of the Achaeans were to arrive at Tegea, he despatched a band of picked men, so timing their start, that they
might pass the night near Sellasia and at daybreak begin a raid
on Laconia. They had orders that, in case the mercenaries of
Nabis left their quarters and attacked them, they were to retire
on Scotita, and in other respects follow the directions of
Didascalondas of Crete; for Philopoemen had given his confidence to this officer,
and full directions as to the whole expedition. These men therefore set out in good spirits to the
task assigned to them. Philopoemen himself having issued
orders to the Achaeans to sup early, led out his army from
Tegea, and after a rapid night's march halted it about the time
of the morning watch in the neighbourhood of Scotita, which
is between Tegea and Lacedaemon. When day broke the
mercenaries in Pellene, being informed by their scouts of the
raid which the enemy were making, started at once to the
rescue, as was their custom, and bore down upon them; and
when the Achaeans, in accordance with their instructions, retired, they followed, harassing them with bold and daring
assaults. But as soon as they came to the place where
Philopoemen lay in ambush, the Achaeans sprang up and cut
some of them to pieces, and took others prisoners.
