Pausanias, Phocis

CHAPTER XXII.


On the seventh day after the battle a division of the Galati endeavoured to cross Mount Oeta by Heraclea, by a narrow pass near the ruins of Trachis, not far from which was a temple of Athene, rich in votive offerings. The barbarians hoped to cross Mount Oeta by this pass, and also to plunder the temple by the way. The garrison however under the command of Telesarchus defeated the barbarians, though Telesarchus fell in the action, a man zealously devoted to the Greek cause.

The other commanders of the barbarians were astounded at the Greek successes, and doubted whereunto these things would grow, seeing that at present their own fortunes were desperate, but Brennus thought that, if he could force the Aetolians back into Aetolia, the war against the other Greeks would be easier. He selected therefore out of his whole army 40,000 foot and about 800 horse, all picked men, and put them under the command of Orestorius and Combutis.

And they recrossed the Sperchius by the bridges, and marched through Thessaly into Aetolia. And their actions at Callion were the most atrocious of any that we have ever heard of, and quite unlike human beings. They butchered all the males, and likewise old men, and babes at their mother's breasts: they even drank the blood, and feasted on the flesh, of babies that were fat. And high- spirited women and maidens in their flower committed suicide when the town was taken : and those that survived the barbarians submitted to every kind of outrage, being by nature incapable of pity and natural affection. And some of the women rushed upon the swords of the Galati and voluntarily courted death: to others death soon came from absence of food and sleep, as these merciless barbarians outraged them in turn, and wreaked their lusts on them whether dying or dead. And the Aetolians having learnt from messengers of the disasters that had fallen upon them, removed their forces with all speed from Thermopylae, and pressed into Aetolia, furious at the sufferings of the people of Callion, and even still more anxious to save the towns that had not yet been captured. And the young men flocked out from all their towns to swell their army, old men also mixed with them inspirited by the crisis, and even their women volunteered their services, being more furious against the Galati than even the men.

And the barbarians, having plundered the houses and temples and set fire to Callion, marched back to the main army at Thermopylae : and on the road the people of Patrae were the only Achaeans that helped the Aetolians and fell on the barbarians, being as they were capital heavy-armed soldiers, but hard-pressed from the quantity of the Galati and their desperate valour. But the -Aetolian men and women lined the roads and threw missiles at the barbarians with great effect, as they had no defensive armour but their national shields, and when the Galati pursued them they easily ran away, and when they desisted from the vain pur suit harassed them, again continually. And though Callion had suffered so grievously, that what Homer relates of the contest between the Laestrygones and the Cyclops seems less improbable, 1 yet the vengeance which the Aetolians took was not inadequate : for of the 40,800 barbarians not more than half got back safe to the camp at Thermopylae.

In the meantime the fortunes of the Greeks at Thermopylae were as follows. One pass over Mount Oeta is above Trachis, most steep and precipitous, the other through the district of the Aenianes is easier for an army, and is the way by which Hydarnes the Mede formerly turned the flank of Leonidas' forces. By this way the Aenianes and people of Heraclea promised to conduct Brennus, out of no ill-will to the Greeks, but thinking it a great point if they could get the Celts to leave their district and not remain there to their utter ruin. So true are the words of Pindar, when he says that everybody is oppressed by his own troubles, but is indifferent to the misfortunes of other people. 2 And this promise of the Aenianes and people of Heraclea encouraged Brennus : and he left Acichorius with the main army, instructing him to attack the Greek force, when he (Brennus) should have got to their rear: and himself marched through the pass with 40,000 picked men. And it so happened that that day there was a great mist on the mountain which ohscured the sun, so that the barbarians were not noticed by the Phocians who guarded the pass till they got to close quarters and attacked them. The Phocians defended themselves bravely, but were at last overpowered and retired from the pass : but were in time to get to the main force, and report what had happened, before the Greeks got completely surrounded on all sides. There upon the Athenians took the Greeks on board their triremes at Thermopylae: and they dispersed each to their own nationality.

1 Odyssey, x, 199,200.

2 Nem. i. 82. Thus La Rochefoucauld is anticipated, "Nous avons tous assez de force pour supporter les maux d'autrui."