that they stood opposite to the men of Tegea; only the best of them he set to deal with the Spartans. Next to the Persians he set the Medes, and next to the Medes the Bactrians. These stood over against the other dwellers in the Peloponnese. But against the Athenians he set such of the Greeks and Macedonians as had joined themselves to him.
Both armies being now ready for battle, the soothsayers offered sacrifice. The Spartans had with them one Tisamenus, a man of Elis. To this Tisamenus, inquiring about his childlessness, there was given an oracle that he should be the winner in five very great contests. This he understood of the contests of the games. But when he had exercised himself for the fivefold contests at Olympia but had failed, being vanquished in wrestling by a man of Andros, the Spartans perceived that the oracle spake not of contests in sport but, of contests in battle. Then they sought to hire the man that he might go with them to battle. But he said, “Give me the citizenship of your city.” This they could not endure, but when the fear of the Persians hung over them they sent to him again. And Tisamenus, perceiving that they were changed, said, “Ye must give the citizenship not to me