wall, each beam hanging by long chains from two cranes which rested on
the wall and projected outwards from it; and whenever a ram was being
brought up, they drew up the beam at right angles to it, and then,
letting go the chains, dropped the ponderous timber, which came
crashing down on the ram, and broke off its head.

Thus baffled at every point, the Peloponnesians began to despair of
taking the town by assault, and thought that they would be compelled
to form a blockade. But before being driven to this costly and tedious
operation, they determined to try and set fire to the place, which
seemed possible, as it was but small in extent. So they waited till
the wind was in the right direction, and then brought vast quantities
of faggots, and threw them into the space between the mound and the
wall; and this being soon filled up, they piled up more faggots as far
as they could reach within the city itself, and then throwing in
lighted torches, with brimstone and pitch, they set fire to the whole
mass. Then arose a great sheet of flame, such as had never been raised
by human hands, though not, of course, to be compared to the vast
forest-fires, produced by natural means; yet it was sufficient to
cause a panic among the Plataeans, and bring their town to the verge
of destruction. The heat was so intense that a whole quarter of the
place was cleared of its defenders, and if a wind had arisen to drive
the flame inwards, nothing could have saved the whole town from
destruction. [Footnote: Thucydides seems to imply that there was a
wind, though a slight one.] But fortunately the breeze was but slight,
and it is said also that a heavy fall of rain came on, and quenched
the conflagration.

Having failed in their last attempt, the Peloponnesians sent away part
of their army, and employed those who remained in building a