Passage 4.8.1
τοιαῦτα μὲν ὁ Εὐφαὴς εἶπεν· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἑκατέροις ἐσήμηναν οἱ ἡγεμόνες, Μεσσήνιοι μὲν δρόμῳ τε ἐς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐχρῶντο καὶ ἀφειδῶς αὑτῶν εἶχον ἅτε ἄνθρωποι θανατῶντες ὑπὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἕκαστος πρῶτος ἔσπευδεν ἄρξαι μάχης· ἀντεπῄεσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι σπουδῇ καὶ οὗτοι, πρόνοιαν δὲ ὅμως ἐποιοῦντο μὴ διαλυθῆναί σφισι τὴν τάξιν.
Such were the words spoken by Euphaes. And when the commanders gave the signal to each side, the Messenians charged running against the Lacedaemonians, fighting recklessly and sparing themselves not at all; for being men driven to death by rage, each man individually strove eagerly to be the first to start the battle. The Lacedaemonians also advanced swiftly against them, yet mindful nevertheless to maintain their formation intact.