In short, they think frightening you at a secure distance a surer game than meeting you hand to hand; otherwise they would have done the one and not the other.

You can thus plainly see that the terrors with which they were at first invested are in fact trifling enough, though to the eye and ear very prominent.

Stand your ground therefore when they advance, and again wait your opportunity to retire in good order, and you will reach a place of safety all the sooner, and will know for ever afterwards that rabble such as these, to those who sustain their first attack, do but show off their courage by threats of the terrible things that they are going to do, at a distance, but with those who give way to them are quick enough to display their heroism in pursuit when they can do so without danger." With this brief address Brasidas began to lead off his army.

Seeing this, the barbarians came on with much shouting and hubbub, thinking that he was flying and that they would overtake him and cut him off.

But wherever they charged they found the young men ready to dash out against them, while Brasidas with his picked company sustained their onset.