to deliuer their message before the Magistrates and the Few and they accordingly said as followeth DIALOGVE BETWEENE THE ATHENIANS and MELIANS Ath. SInce we may not speake to the multitude for feare lest when they heare our perswasiue and vnanswerable Arguments all at once in a continued Oration they should chance to bee seduced for we know that this is the scope of your bringing vs to audience before the Few make surer yet that point you that sit heere answer you also to euery particular not in a set speech but presently interrupting vs whensoeuer any thing shall bee said by vs which shall seeme vnto you to be otherwise And first answer vs whether you like this motion or not Wherevnto the Councell of the Melians answered Mel. The equity of a leasurely debate is not to be found fault withall but this preparation of warre not future but already heere present seemeth not to agree with the same For we see that you are come to bee Iudges of the conference and that the issue of it if we bee superiour in argument and therefore yeeld not is likely to bring vs Warre and if we yeeld seruitude Ath. Nay if you be come together to reckon vp suspitions of what may bee or to any other purpose then to take aduice vpon what is present and before your eyes how to saue your Citie from destruction let vs giue ouer But if this be the point let vs speake to it Mel. It is reason and pardonable for men in our cases to turne both their words and thoughts vpon diuers things Howsoeuer this consultation being held onely vpon the point of our safety we are content if you thinke good to goe on with the course you haue propounded Ath. As we therefore will not for our parts with faire pretences as That hauing defeated the Medes our raigne is therefore lawfull or That we come against you for iniury done make a long discourse without being beleeued so would we haue you also not expect to preuaile by saying either That you therefore tooke not our parts because you were a Colonie of the Lacedaemonians or that you haue done vs no iniury but out of those things which we both of vs doe really thinke let vs goe through with that which is fesible both you and wee knowing that in humane disputation iustice is then only agreed on when the necessity is equall Whereas they that haue oddes of power exact as much as they can and the weake yeeld to such conditions as they can get Mel. Well then seeing you put the point of profit in the place of that of Iustice we hold it profitable for our selues not to ouerthrow a generall profit to all men which is this That men in danger if they pleade reason and equity nay though somewhat without the strict compasse of Iustice yet it ought euer to doe them good And the same most of all concerneth you forasmuch as you shall else giue an example vnto others of the greatest reuenge that can bee taken if you chance to miscarry Ath. As for vs though our dominion should cease yet wee feare not the sequell For not they that command as doe the Lacedaemonians are cruell to those that are vanquished by them yet wee haue nothing to doe now with the Lacedaemonians but such as hauing beene in subiection haue assaulted those that commanded them and gotten the victory But let the danger of that be to our selues In the meane time wee tell you this that wee are here now both to enlarge our owne dominion and also to conferre about the sauing of your Citie For wee would haue dominion ouer you without oppressing you and preserue you to the profit of vs both Mel. But how can it be profitable for vs to serue though it be so for you to command Ath. Because you by obeying shall saue your selues from extremity and wee not destroying you shall reape profit by you Mel. But will you not accept that wee remaine quiet and be your friends whereas before wee were your enemies and take part with neither Ath. No. For your enimity doth not so much hurt vs as your friendship will be an argument of our weakenesse and your hatred of our power amongst those whom we beare rule ouer Mel. Why Doe your Subiects measure equity so as to put those that neuer had to doe with you and themselues who for the most part haue beene your owne Colonies and some of them after reuolt conquered into one and the same consideration Ath. Why not For they thinke they haue reason on their side both the one sort and the other and that such as are subdued are subdued by force and such as are forborne are so through our feare So that by subduing you besides the extending of our dominion ouer so many more Subiects we shall also assure it the more ouer those wee had before especially being masters of the Sea and you Ilanders and weaker except you can get the victory then others whom wee haue subdued already Mel. Doe you thinke then that there is no assurance in that which we propounded For here againe since driuing vs from the plea of equity you perswade vs to submit to your profit when we haue shewed you what is good for vs we must endeuour to draw you to the same as far forth as it shall be good for you also As many therefore as now are neutrall what doe you but make them your enemies when beholding these your proceedings they looke that hereafter you will also turne your Armes vpon them And what is this but to make greater the Enemies you haue already and to make others your Enemies euen against their wills that would not else haue beene so Ath. We doe not thinke that they shall be euer the more our Enemies who inhabiting any where in the Continent will bee long ere they so much as keepe guard vpon their liberty against vs. But Ilanders vnsubdued as you bee or Ilanders offended with the necessity of subiection which they are already in these may indeed by vnaduised courses put both themselues and vs into apparent danger Mel. If you then to retaine your command and your vassals to get loose from you will vndergoe the vtmost of danger would it not in vs that be already free be great basenesse and cowardise if we should not incounter any thing whatsoeuer rather then suffer our selues to be brought into bondage Ath. No if you aduise rightly For you haue not in hand a match of valour vpon equall termes wherein to forfet your honour but rather a consultation vpon your safety that you resist not such as be so farre your ouermatches Mel. But wee know that in matter of Warre the euent is sometimes otherwise then according to the difference of the number in sides And that if we yeeld presently all our hope is lost whereas if wee hold out we haue yet a hope to keepe our selues vp Ath. Hope the comfort of danger when such vse
who being arriued with Cnemus intimated to the Cities about to prouide their Gallies and caused those they had before to be repayred Phormio likewise sent to Athens to make knowne both the Enemies preparation and his owne former victory and withall to will them to send speedily vnto him as many Gallies as they could make ready because they were euery day in expectation of a new fight Heereupon they sent him twenty Gallies but commanded him that had the charge of them to goe first into Crete For Nicias a Cretan of Gortys the publike Host of the Athenians had perswaded them to a voyage against Cydonia telling them they might take it in being now their Enemie Which he did to gratifie the Polichnitae that bordered vpon the Cydonians Therefore with these Gallies hee sayled into Crete and together with the Polichnitae wasted the Territory of the Cydonians where also by reason of the Winds and weather vnfit to take Sea in hee wasted not a little of his time In the meane time whilest these Athenians were Wind-bound in Crete the Peloponnesians that were in Cyllene in order of Battell sayled along the Coast to Panormus of Achaia to which also were their Land-forces come to ayde them Phormio likewise sayled by the shore to Rhium Molychricum and anchored without it with twenty Gallies the same hee had vsed in the former Battell Now this Rhium was of the Athenians side and the other Rhium in Peloponnesus lyes on the opposite shore distant from it at the most but seuen furlongs of Sea and these two make the mouth of the Crissaean Gulfe The Peloponnesians therefore came to an anchor at Rhium of Achaia with 77. Gallies not farre from Panormus where they left their Land Forces After they saw the Athenians and had lyen sixe or seuen daies one against the other meditating and prouiding for the Battell the Peloponnesians not intending to put off without Rhium into the wide Sea for feare of what they had sufferd by it before nor the other to enter the Streight because to fight within they thought to be the Enemies aduantage At last Cnemus Brasidas and the other Commanders of the Peloponnesians desiring to fight speedily before a new supply should arriue from Athens called the Soldiers together and seeing the most of them to be fearefull through their former defeat and not forward to fight againe encouraged them first with words to this effect THE ORATION OF CNEMVS MEn of Peloponnesus If any of you be afraid of the Battell at hand for the successe of the Battell past his feare is without ground For you know wee were inferiour to them then in preparation and set not forth as to a fight at Sea but rather to an expedition by Land Fortune likewise crossed vs in many things and somewhat wee miscarried by vnskilfulnesse so as the losse can no way be ascribed to cowardise Nor is it iust so long as we were not ouercome by meere force but haue somewhat to alledge in our excuse that the mind should bee deiected for the calamity of the euent But we must thinke that though Fortune may faile men yet the courage of a valiant man can neuer faile and not that we may iustifie cowardise in any thing by pretending want of skill and yet bee truely valiant And yet you are not so much short of their skill as you exceede them in valour And though this knowledge of theirs which you so much feare ioyned with courage will not bee without a memory also to put what they know in execution yet without courage no act in the world is of any force in the time of danger For feare confoundeth the memory and skill without courage auaileth nothing To their oddes therefore of skill oppose your oddes of valour and to the feare caused by your ouerthrow oppose your being then vnprouided You haue further now a greater Fleet and to fight on your owne shore with your aydes at hand of men of Armes and for the most part the greatest number and best prouided get the victory So that wee can neither see any one cause in particular why wee should miscarry and whatsoeuer were our wants in the former Battell supplyed in this will now turne to our instruction With courage therefore both Masters and Mariners follow euery man in his order not forsaking the place assigned him And for vs wee shall order the battaile as well as the former Commanders and leaue no excuse to any man of his cowardize And if any will needes be a coward hee shall receiue condigne punishment and the valiant shall be rewarded according to their merit Thus did the Commanders encourage the Peloponnesians And Phormio he likewise doubting that his Souldiers were but faint-hearted and obseruing they had consultations apart and were afraid of the multitude of the enemies Gallies thought good hauing called them together to encourage and admonish them vpon the present occasion For though he had alwayes before told them and predisposed their mindes to an opinion that there was no number of Gallies so great which setting vpon them they ought not to vndertake and also most of the Souldiers had of long time assumed a conceit of themselues that being Athenians they ought not to decline any number of Gallies whatsoeuer of the Peloponnesians yet when he saw that the sight of the enemy present had deiected them he thought fit to reuiue their courage and hauing assembled the Athenians said thus THE ORATION OF PHORMIO SOuldiers hauing obserued your feare of the enemies number I haue called you together not enduring to see you terrified with things that are not terrible For first they haue prepared this great number and oddes of Gallies for that they were ouercome before and because they are euen in their owne opinions too weake for vs. And next their present boldnesse proceeds onely from their knowledge in Land-seruice in confidence whereof as if to be valiant were peculiar vnto them they are now come vp wherin hauing for the most part prospered they thinke to doe the same in seruice by Sea But in reason the oddes must be ours in this as well as it is theirs in the other kinde For in courage they exceed vs not and as touching the aduantage of either side we may better be bold now then they And the Lacedaemonians who are the leaders of the Confederates bring them to fight for the greatest part in respect of the opinion they haue of vs against their wills For else they would neuer haue vndertaken a new battaile after they were once so cleerely ouerthrowne Feare not therefore any great boldnesse on their part But the feare which they haue of you is farre both greater and more certaine not onely for that you haue ouercome them before but also for this that they would neuer beleeue you would goe about to resist vnlesse you had some notable thing to put in practice vpon them For when the enemy is the greater number as
resorted thither to contend therein hee againe maketh manifest in these Verses of the same Hymne For after hee hath spoken of the Delian Dance of the Women hee endeth their praise with these Verses wherin also he maketh mention of himselfe But well let Phoebus and Diana bee Propitious and farewell you each one But yet remember me when I am gone And if of earthly men you chance to see Any toyl'd Pilgrim that shall aske you Who O Damsels is the man that liuing here Was sweet'st in Song and that most had your eare Then all with a ioynt murmur thereunto Make answer thus A man depriu'd of seeing In th'lle of Sandie Chios is his beeing So much hath Homer witnessed touching the great meeting and solemnity celebrated of old in the I le of Delos And the Ilanders and the Athenians since that time haue continued still to send Dancers along with their Sacrificers but the Games and things of that kind were worne out as is likely by aduersity Till now that the Athenians restored the Games and added the Horse-race which was not before The same Winter the Ambraciotes according to their promise made to Eurylochus when they reteyned his Armie made Warre vpon Argos in Amphilochia with three thousand men of Armes and inuading Argia they tooke Olpae a strong Fort on a Hill by the Sea-side which the Acarnanians had fortified and vsed for the place of their common meetings for matters of Iustice and is distant from the Citie of Argos which stands also on the Sea-side about twenty fiue furlongs The Acarnanians with part of their Forces came to relieue Argos and with rest they encamped in that part of Amphilochia which is called Crenae to watch the Peloponnesians that were with Eurylochus that they might not passe through to the Ambraciotes without their knowledge and sent to Demosthenes who had beene Leader of the Athenians in the expedition against the Aetolians to come to them and bee their Generall They sent also to the twenty Athenian Gallies that chanced to be then on the Coast of Peloponnesus vnder the Conduct of Aristoteles the sonne of Timocrates and Ierophon the sonne of Antimnestus In like manner the Ambraciotes that were at Olpae sent a messenger to the Citie of Ambracia willing them to come to their ayde with their whole power as fearing that those with Eurylochus would not bee able to passe by the Acarnans and so they should bee either froced to fight alone or else haue an vnsafe Retreat But the Peloponnesians that were with Eurylochus as soone as they vnderstood that the Ambraciotes were come to Olpae dislodging from Proschion went with all speede to assist them And passing ouer the Riuer Achelous marched through Acarnania which by reason of the aydes sent to Argos was now disfurnished on their right hand they had the Citie of Stratus and that Garrison on the left the rest of Acarnania Hauing past the Territory of the Stratians they marched through Phytia and againe by the vtmost limits of Medeon then through Limâ—aea then they went into the Territory of the Agraeaâ—â— which are out of Acarnania and their friends and getting to the Hill Thiamus which is a desart Hill they marched ouer it and came downe into Argia when it was now night and passing betweene the Citie of the Argiues and the Acarnans that kept watch at the Welles came vnseene and ioyned with the Ambraciotes at Olpae When they were all together they sate downe about breake of day at a place called Metropolis and there encamped And the Athenians not long after with their 20. Gallies arriued in the Ambracian Gulfe to the aide of the Argiues To whom also came Demosthenes with 200. Messenian men of Armes and threscore Athenian Archers The Gallies lay at Sea before the Hill vpon which the Fort of Olpae standeth But the Acarnanians and those few Amphilochians for the greatest part of them the Ambraciotes kept backe by force that were come already together at Argos prepared themselues to giue the Enemy Battell and chose Demosthenes with their owne Commanders for Generall of the whole League Hee when hee had brought them vp neere vnto Olpae there encamped There was betweene them a great Hollow and for fiue dayes together they stirred not but the sixth day both sides put themselues into array for the Battell The Armie of the Peloponnesians reached a great way beyond the other for indeed it was much greater but Demosthenes fearing to bee encompassed placed an Ambush in a certaine hollow way and fit for such a purpose of armed and vnarmed Souldiers in all to the number of 400. which in that part where the number of the Enemies ouer-reached should in the heate of the battell rise out of Ambush and charge them on their backes When the Battels were in order on either side they came to Blowes Demosthenes with the Messenians and those few Athenians that were there stood in the right Wing and the Acarnanians as they could one after another bee put in order and those Amphilochian Darters which were present made vp the other The Peloponnesians and Ambraciotes were ranged promiscuously except onely the Mantineans who stood together most of them in the left Wing but not in the vtmost part of it for Eurylochus and those that were with him made the extremity of the left Wing against Demosthenes and the Messenians When they were in fight and that the Peloponnesians with that Wing ouer-reached and had encircled the right Wing of their Enemies those Acarnanians that lay in Ambush comming in at their backes charged them and put them to flight in such sort as they endured not the first brunt and besides caused the greatest part of the Armie through affright to runne away For when they saw that part of it defeated which was with Eurylochus which was the best of their Armie they were a great deale the more affraid And the Messenians that were in that part of the Armie with Demosthenes pursuing them dispatched the greatest part of the execution But the Ambraciotes that were in the right Wing on that part had the Victorie and chased the Enemie vnto the Citie of Argos but in their Retreat when they saw that the greatest part of the Armie was vanquished the rest of the Acarnanians setting vpon them they had much adoe to recouer Olpae in safety and many of them were slaine whilest they ranne into it out of array and in disorder Saue onely the Mantineans for these made a more orderly Retreat then any part of the Armie And so this Battell ended hauing lasted till the Euening The next day Menedaius Eurylochus and Macarius beeing now slaine taking the Command vpon him and not finding how if hee staid hee should bee able to sustaine a Siege wherein hee should both bee shut vp by Land and also with those Attique Gallies by Sea or if hee should depart how hee might doe it safely had speech
one with such Armes as he had being all that rowed except only the Thalamij eight hundred Arâ—hers Targuetiers as many all the Messenians that came to aide them and as many of them besides as held any place about Pylus except onely the Garrison of the Fort it selfe Demosthenes then disposing his Army by two hundred and more in a company and in some lesse at certaine distances seazed on all the higher grounds to the end that the enemies compassed about on euery side might the lesse know what to doe or against what part to set themselues in battel and be subiect to the shot of the multitude from euery part and when they should make head against those that fronted them be charged behind and when they should turne to those that were opposed to their flancks be charged at once both behind and before And which way soeuer they marched the light-armed and such as were meanliest prouided of Armes followed them at the backe with Arrowes Darts Stones and Slings who haue courage enough afarre off and could not be charged but would ouercome flying and also presse the enemies when they should retyre With this designe Demosthenes both intended his landing at first and afterwards ordered his forces accordingly in the action Those that were about Epitadâ—s who were the greatest part of those in the Iland when they saw that the formost guard was slaine and that the Army marched towards them put themselues in array and went towards the men of Armes of the Athenians with intent to charge them for these were opposed to them in front and the light-armed Souldiers on their flancks and at their backs But they could neither come to ioyne with them nor any way make vse of their skill For both the light-armed Souldiers kept them off with shot from either side and the men of Armes aduanced not Where the light-armed Souldiers approached neerest they were driuen backe but returning they charged them afresh being men armed lightly and that easily got out of their reach by running especially the ground being vneasie and rough by hauing been formerly desert so that the Lacedaemonians in their Armour could not follow them Thus for a little while they skirmished one against another a farre off But when the Lacedaemonians were no longer able to run out after them where they charged these light-armed Souldiers seeing them lesse earnest in chasing them and taking courage chiefly from their sight as being many times their number and hauing also been vsed to them so much as not to thinke them now so dangerous as they had done for that they had not receiued so much hurt at their hands as their subdued mindes because they were to fight against the Lacedaemonians had at their first landing pre-iudged contemned them and with a great cry ran all at once vpon them casting Stones Arrowes and Darts as to euery man came next to hand Vpon this cry and assault they were much terrified as not accustomed to such kind of fight and withall a great dust of the woods lately burnt mounted into the ayre so that by reason of the Arrowes and Stones that together with the dust flew from such a multitude of men they could hardly see before them Then the battell grew sore on the Lacedaemonians side for their Iackes now gaue way to the Arrowes and the Darts that were throwne stucke broken in them so as they could not handle themselues as neither seeing before them nor hearing any direction giuen them for the greater noyse of the enemy but danger being on all sides were hopelesse to saue themselues vpon any side by fighting In the end many of them being now wounded for that they could not shift their ground they made their retreat in close order to the last guard of the Iland and to the watch that was there When they once gaue ground then were the light-armed Souldiers much more confident then before and pressed vpon them with a mighty noyse And as many of the Lacedaemonians as they could intercept in their retreat they slew but the most of them recouered the Fort and together with the watch of the same put themselues in order to defend it in all parts that were subiect to assault The Athenians following could not now encompasse and hemme them in for the strong situation of the place but assaulting them in the face sought onely how to put them from the wall And thus they held out a long time the better part of a day either side tyred with the fight and with thirst and with the Sunne one endeauouring to driue the enemy from the top the other to keepe their ground And the Lacedaemonians defended themselues easilier now then before because they were not now encompassed vpon their flancks When there was no end of the businesse the Captaine of the Messenians said vnto Cleon and Demosthenes that they spent their labour there in vaine and that if they would deliuer vnto him a part of the Archers and light-armed Souldiers to get vp by such a way as he himselfe should find out and come behinde vpon their backes hee thought the entrance might bee forced And hauing receiued the Forces hee asked hee tooke his way from a place out of sight to the Lacedaemonians that hee might not be discouered making his approach under the Cliffes of the Iland where they were continuall In which part 〈…〉 the naturall strength therof they kept no watch and with much labour and hardly vnseene came behinde them And appearing suddenly from aboue at their backes both terrified the Enemies with the sight of what they expected not and much confirmed the Athenians with the sight of what they expected And the Lacedaemonians being now charged with their shot both before and behind were in the same case to compare small matters with great that they were in at Thermopylae For then they were slaine by the Persians shut vp on both sides in a narrow path And these now being charged on both sides could make good the place no longer but fighting few against many and beeing weake withall for want of foode were at last forced to giue ground and the Athenians by this time were also Masters of all the entrances But Cleon and Demosthenes knowing that the more they gaue backe the faster they would bee killed by their Armie staid the fight and held in the Souldiers with desire to carry them aliue to Athens in case their spirits were so much broken and their courage abated by this miserie as vpon Proclamation made they would bee content to deliuer vp their Armes So they proclaimed that they should deliuer vp their Armes and themselues to the Athenians to be disposed of as to them should seeme good Vpon hearing heereof the most of them threw downe their Bucklers and shooke their hands aboue their heads signifying their acceptation of what was proclaimed Whereupon a Truce was made and they came to treat Cleon and
it and required to be let in for that he was he said in hope to recouer Nisaea But the Megarean Factions being afraid one lest he should bring in the Outlawes and cast out them the other lest the Commons out of this very feare should assault them wherby the City being at battell within it selfe and the Athenians lying in wait so neere would be lost receiued him not but resolued on both sides to sit still and attend the successe For both the one faction and the other expected that the Athenians and these that came to succour the City would ioyne battell and then they might with more safety such as were the fauoured side turne vnto them that had the victory And Brasidas not preuailing went backe to the rest of the Army Betimes in the morning arriued the Boeotians hauing also intended to come to the aide of Megara before Brasidas sent as esteeming the danger to concerne themselues and were then with their whole forces come forward as farre as Plataea But when they had receiued also this message they were a great deale the more encouraged and sent 2200 men of Armes and 200 horse to Brasidas but went backe with the greater part of their Army The whole Army being now together of no lesse then 6000 men of Armes And the Athenian men of Armes lying indeed in good order about Nisaea and the Sea side but the light-armed straggling in the Plaines the Boeotian horsemen came vnexpected vpon the light-armed Souldiers and droue them towards the Sea For in all this time till now there had come no aide at all to the Megareans from any place But when the Athenian horse went likewise out to encounter them they fought and there was a battell between the horsemen of either side that held long wherein both sides claimed the victory For the Athenians slew the Generall of the Boeotian horse and some few others and rifled them hauing themselues bin first chased by them to Nisaea And hauing these dead bodies in their power they restored them vpon truce and erected a Trophie Neuerthe lesse in respect of the whole action neither side went off with assurance but parting asunder the Boeotians went to the Army and the Athenians to Nisaea After this Brasidas with his Army came downe neerer to the Sea and to the City of Megara and hauing seazed on a place of aduantage set his Army in battell array and stood still For they thought the Athenians would bee assaylants and knew the Megareans stood obseruing whether side should haue the Victory and that it must needs fall out well for them both wayes first because they should not be the assaylant and voluntarily begin the battel and danger since hauing shewed themselues ready to fight the victory must also iustly be attributed to them without their labour And next it must fall out well in respect of the Megareans For if they should not haue come in sight the matter had not beene any longer in the power of fortune but they had without all doubt been presently depriued of the City as men conquered Whereas now if haply the Athenians declined battell likewise they should obtaine what they came for without stroake stricken Which also indeed came to passe For the Megareans when the Athenians went out and ordered their Army without the Long-wals but yet because the enemy charged not stood also still their Commanders likewise considering that if they should begin the battell against a number greater then their owne after the greatest part of their enterprize was already atchieued the danger would be vnequall For if they should ouercome they could win but Megara and if they were vanquished must lose the best part of their men of Armes Whereas the enemy who out of the whole power and number that was present in the field did aduenture but euery one a part would in all likelihood put it to the hazzard And so for a while affronted each other and neither doing any thing withdrew againe the Athenians first into Nisaea and afterwards the Peloponnesians to the place from whence they had set forth then I say the Megareans such as were the friends of the Outlawes taking heart because they saw the Athenians were vnwilling to fight set open the Gates to Brasidas as Victor and to the rest of the Captaines of the seuerall Cities And when they were in those that had practised with the Athenians being all the while in a great feare they went to Councell Afterwards Brasidas hauing dismissed his Confederates to their seuerall Cities went himselfe to Corinth in pursute of his former purpose to leuy an Army for Thrace Now the Megareans that were in the Citie when the Athenians also were gone home all that had chiefe hand in the practice with the Athenians knowing themselues discouered presently slipt away but the rest after they had conferred with the friends of the Outlawes recalled them from Pegae vpon great oathes administred vnto them no more to remember former quarrels but to giue the Citie their best aduice These when they came into Office tooke a view of the Armes and disposing bands of Souldiers in diuers quarters of the Citie picked out of their enemies and of those that seemed most to haue co-operated in the treason with the Athenians about a hundred persons and hauing constrained the people to giue their sentence vpon them openly when they were condemned slew them and established in the Citie the estate almost of an Oligarchy And this change of gouernment made by a few vpon sedition did neuerthelesse continue for a long time after The same Summer when Antandrus was to be furnished by the Mitylenians as they intended Demodicus and Aristides Captaines of certaines Gallies set forth by the Athenians to fetch in Tribute being then about Hellespont for Lamachus that was the third in that Commission was gone with ten Gallies into Pontus hauing notice of the preparation made in that place and thinking it would be dangerous to haue it happen there as it had done in Anaea ouer against Samos in which the Samian Outlawes hauing setled themselues ayded the Peloponnesians in matters of the Sea by sending them Steersmen and both bred trouble within the Citie and entertained such as fled out of it leuyed an Army amongst the Confederates and marched to it and hauing ouercome in fight those that came out of Antandrus against them recouered the place againe And not long after Lamachus that was gone into Pontus as he lay at Anchor in the Riuer Calex in the territory of Heraclea much raine hauing fallen aboue in the Countrey and the streame of a Land Flood comming suddenly downe lost all his Gallies and came himselfe and his Army through the Territory of the Bithynians who are Thracians dwelling in Asia on the other side to Chalcedon a Colony of the Megareans in the mouth of Pontus Euxinus by Land The same
were slaine but of those chosen Argiues the most were saued by reason the flight and going off was neither hasty nor long For the Lacedaemonians fight long and constantly till they haue made the enemy to turne his backe but that done they follow him not farre Thus or neere thus went the battell the greatest that had been of a long time betweene Grecians and Grecians and of two the most famous Cities The Lacedaemonians laying together the Armes of their slaine enemies presently erected a Trophie and rifled their dead bodies Their owne dead they tooke vp and carried them to Tegea where they were also buried and deliuered to the Enemie theirs vnder truce Of the Argiues and Orneates and Cleonaeans were slaine 700. of the Mantineans 200. and of the Athenians with the Aeginetae likewise 200. and both the Captaines The Confederates of the Lacedaemonians were neuer pressed and therfore their losse was not worth mentioning And of the Lacedaemonians themselues it is hard to know the certainety but it is said there were slaine three hundred When it was certaine they would fight Pleistoanax the other King of the Lacedaemonians and with him both old and yong came out of the Citie to haue ayded the Armie and came forth as farre as Tegea but being aduertised of the Victory they returned And the Lacedaemoniâ—ans sent out to turne backe also those Confederates of theirs which were comming to them from Corinth and from without the Isibâ—nus And then they also went home themselues and hauing dismissed their Confederates for now were the Carneian Holidaies celebrated that Feast Thus in this one Battell they wiped off their disgrace with the Grecians for they had beene taxed both with cowardise for the blow they receiued in the Iland and with imprudence and slacknesse in other occasions But after this their miscarriage was imputed to Fortune and for their mindes they were esteemed to haue been euer the same they had beene The day before this Battell it chanced also that the Epidaurians with their whole power inuaded the Territory of Argos as being emptied much of men and whilest the Argiues were abroad killed many of those that were left behinde to defend it Also three thousand men of Elis and a thousand Athenians besides those which had beene sent before being come after the Battell to ayde the Mantineans marched presently all to Epidaurus lay before it all the while the Lacedaemonians were celebrating the Carneian Holidaies and assigning to euery one his part began to take in the Citie with a Wall But the rest gaue ouer only the Athenians quickly finished a Fortification which was their taske wherein stood the Temple of Iuno In it amongst them all they left a Garrison and went home euery one to his owne Citie And so this Summer ended In the beginning of the Winter following the Lacedaemonians presently after the end of the Carneian Holidaies drew out their Armie into the Field and being come to Tegea sent certaine propositions of agreement before to Argos There were before this time many Citizens in Argos well-affected to the Lacedaemonians and that desired the deposing of the Argiue People and now after the Battell they were better able by much to perswade the people to composition then they formerly were And their designe was first to get a Peace made with the Lacedaemonians and after that a League and then at last to set vpon the Commons There went thither Lichas the sonne of Archesilaus entertainer of the Argiues in Lacedaemon and brought to Argos two propositions one of Warre if the Warre were to proceed another of Peace if they would haue Peace And after much contradiction for Alcibiades was also there the Lacedaemonian Faction that boldly now discouered themselues preuailed with the Argiues to accept the proposition of Peace which was this It seemeth good to the Councell of the Lacedaemonians to accord with the Argiues on these Articles The Argiues shall redeliuer vnto the Orchomenians their children and vnto the Maenalians their men and vnto the Lacedaemonians those men that are at Mantinea They shall withdraw their Souldiers from Epidaurus and raze the Fortification there And if the Athenians depart not from Epidaurus likewise they shall bee held as Enemies both to the Argiues and to the Lacedaemonians and also to the Confederates of them both If the Lacedaemonians haue any men of theirs in custody they shall deliuer them euery one to his owne Citie And for so much as concerneth the God the Argiues shall accept composition with the Epidaurians vpon an Oath which they shall sweare touching that controuersie and the Argiues shall giue the forme of that Oath All the Cities of Peloponnesus both small and great shall bee free according to their patriall Lawes If any without Peloponnesus shall enter into it to doe it harme the Argiues shall come forth to defend the same in such sort as in a Common Councell shall by the Peloponnesians be thought reasonable The Confederates of the Lacedaemonians without Peloponnesus shall haue the same conditions which the Confederates of the Argiues and of the Lacedaemonians haue euery one holding his owne This composition is to hold from the time that they shall both parts haue shewed the same to their Confederates and obtained their consent And if it shall seeme good to either part to adde or alter any thing their Confederates shall be sent vnto and made acquainted therewith These Propositions the Argiues accepted at first and the Army of the Lacedaemonians returned from Tegea to their owne City But shortly after when they had commerce together the same men went further and so wrought that the Argiues renouncing their League with the Mantineans Eleans and Athenians made league and alliance with the Lacedaemonians in this forme It seemeth good to the Lacedaemonians and Argiues to make League and alliance for fifty yeeres on these Articles That either side shall allow vnto the other equall and like trials of Iudgement after the forme vsed in their Cities That the rest of the Cities of Peloponnesus this League and Alliance comprehending also them shall be free both froÌ„ the lawes and payments of any other City then their owne holding what they haue and affording equall and like tryals of iudgement according to the forme vsed in their seuerall Cities That euery of the Cities Confederate with the Lacedaemonians without Peloponnesus shall be in the same condition with the Lacedaemonians and the Confederates of the Argiues in the same with the Argiues euery one holding his owne That if at any time there shall need an expedition to be vndertaken in common the Lacedaemonians and the Argiues shall consult thereof and decree as shall stand most with equity towards the Confederates and that if any Controuersie arise betweene any of the Cities either within or without Peloponnesus about limits or other matter they also shall decide it That if any
necessary as intending the next Spring to vndertake Syracuse againe With this mind they went to winter at Naxus and Catana The Syracusians after they had buried their dead called an Assembly and Hermocrates the sonne of Hermon a man not otherwise second to any in wisdome and in warre both able for his experience and eminent for his valour standing forth gaue them encouragement and would not suffer them to be dismayed with that which had hapned Their courage he said was not ouercome though their want of order had done them hurt And yet in that they were not so farre inferiour as it was likely they would haue beene Especially being as one may say home-bred artificers against the most experienced in the Warre of all the Grecians That they had also beene hurt by the number of their Generals and Commanders for there were fifteene that commanded in chiefe and by the many supernumerary Souldiers vnder no command at all Whereas if they would make but a few and skilfull Leaders and prepare Armour this Winter for such as want it to encrease as much as might be the number of their men of Armes and compell them in other things to the exercise of Discipline in all reason they were to haue the better of the Enemie For valour they had already and to keepe their order would be learnt by practice and both of these would still grow greater Skill by practising with danger and their Courage would grow bolder of it selfe vpon the confidence of Skill And for their Generals they ought to chuse them few and absolute and to take an Oath vnto them to let them lead the Armie whithersoeuer they thought best For by this meanes both the things that require secrecie would the better be concealed and all things would be put in readinesse with order and lesse tergiuersation The Syracusians when they had heard him decreed all that he aduised and elected three Generals Him Heraclides the sonne of Lysimachus and Sicanus the sonne of Exegestus They sent also Ambassadours to Corinth and Lacedaemon as well to obtaine a League with them as also to perswade the Lacedaemonians to make a hotter Warre against the Athenians and to declare themselues in the quarrell of the Syracusians thereby eyther to withdraw them from Sicily or to make them the lesse able to send supply to their Army which was there already The Athenian Army at Catana sayled presently to Messana to receiue it by Treason of some within but the plot came not to effect For Alcibiades when hee was sent for from his charge being resolued to fly and knowing what was to bee done discouered the same to the friends of the Syracusians in Messana who with those of their Faction slew such as were accused and being armed vpon occasion of the Sedition obtained to haue the Athenians kept out And the Athenians after 13 dayes stay troubled with tempestuous weather prouision also failing and nothing succeeding returned againe to Naxus and hauing fortified their Campe with a Palizado they wintred there and dispatched a Gallie to Athens for money and Horsemen to be with them early in the Spring The Syracusians this Winter raised a Wall before their Citie all the length of the side towards Epipolae including Temenitis to the end if they chanced to bee beaten they might not bee so easily enclosed as when they were in a narrower compasse And they put a Guard into Megara and another into Olympieum and made Palizadoes on thâ— Sea-side at all the places of landing And knowing that the Athenians wintred at Naxus they marched with all the power of the Citie vnto Catana and after they had wasted the Territory and burnt the Cabines and Campe where the Athenians had lodged before returned home And hauing heard that the Athenians had sent Ambassadours to Camarina according to a League made before in the time of â—aches to try if they could win them to their side they also sent Ambassadours to oppose it For they suspected that the Camarinaeans had sent those succors in the former Battell with no great good will and that now they would take part with them no longer seeing the Athenians had the better of the day but would rather ioyne with the Athenians vpon the former League Hermocrates therefore and others being come to Camarina from the Syracusians and Euphemus and others from the Athenians when the Assembly was met Hermocrates desiring to increase their enuy to the Athenians spake vnto them to this effect THE ORATION OF HERMOCRATES MEN of Camarina we come not hither vpon feare that the Forces of the Athenians here present may affright you but lest their Speeches which they are about to make may seduce you before you haue also heard what may be said by vs. They are come into Sicily with that pretence indeed which you heare giuen out but with that intention wâ—ich wee all suspect And to me they seeme not to intend the replantation of the Leontines but rather our supplantation for surely it holdeth not in reason that they who subuert the Cities yonder should come to plant any Citie heere nor that they should haue such a care of the Leontines because Chalcideans for kindreds sake when â—hey keepe in seruitude the Chalcideans themselues of Euboea of whom these heere are but the Colonies But they both hold the Cities there and attempt those that are here in one and the same kind For when the Ionians and the rest of the Confederates their owne Colonies had willingly made them their Leaders in the Warre to auenge them of the Medes the Athenians laying afterwards to their charge to some the not sending of their Forces to some their Warre amongst themselues and so to the rest the most colourable criminations they could get subdued them all to their obedience And it was not for the liberty of the Grecians that these men nor for the liberty of themselues that the Grecians made head against the Medes but the Athenians did it to make them serue not the Medes but them and the Grecians to change their Master as they did not for one lesse wise but for one worsewise But intruth we come not to accuse the Athenian State though it be obnoxious enough before you that know sufficiently the iniuries they haue done but farre rather to accuse our selues who though we haue the examples before our eyes of the Grecians there brought into seruitude for want of defending themselues and though wee see them now with the same sophistry of replanting the Leontines and their kindred and ayding of their Confederates the Egestaeans prepare to doe the like vnto vs doe not yet vnite our selues and with better courage make them to know that we be not Ionians nor Hellespontines nor Ilanders that changing serue alwaies the Mede or some other Master but that wee are Doriens and free-men come to dwell here in Sicily out of Peloponnesus a free Country Shall we stand still till we
cry out on the contrary and say the Generals haue betrayed the State and come away for a bribe That hee would not therefore knowing the nature of the Athenians so well chuse to bee put to death vniustly and charged with a dishonourable crime by the Athenians rather then if he must needes doe one to suffer the same at the hand of the Enemy by his owne aduenture And yet he said the State of the Syracusians was still inferiour to their owne For paying much money to strangers and laying out much more on Forts without and about the Citie hauing also had a great Nauie a yeere already in pay they must needs want money at last and all these things faile them For they haue spent already two thousand Talents and are much in debt besides And whensoeuer they shall giue ouer this course and make pay no longer their strength is gone as being auxiliary and not constrained to follow the Warre as the Athenians are Therefore it was fit he said to stay close to the Citie and not to goe away as if they were too weake in money wherein they were much superiour Nicias when he spake this assured them of it as knowing the state of Syracuse precisely and their want of money and that there were some that desired to betray the Citie to the Athenians and sent him word not to goe Withall hee had now confidence in the Fleet which as being before ouercome he had not As for lying where they did Demosthenes would by no meanes heare of it But if the Armie might not be carried away without order from the Athenians but must needes stay in Sicily then he said they might goe to Thapsus or Catana from whence by their Land men they might inuade and turne much of the Countrey to them and wasting the Fields of the Enemies weaken the Syracusians and bee to fight with their Gallies in the maine Sea and not in a narrow which is the aduantage of the Enemy but in a wide place where the benefit of skill should bee theirs and and where they should not be forced in charging and retyring to come vp and fall off in narrow and circumscribed limits In summe he said he by no meanes liked to stay where they were but with all speed no longer delaying the matter to arise and be gone Eurymedon also gaue the like counsell Neuerthelesse vpon the contradiction of Nicias there grew a kind of sloth and procrastination in the businesse and a suspition withall that the asseueration of Nicias was grounded on somewhat that he knew aboue the rest and therevpon the Athenians deferred their going thence and stayed vpon the place In the meane time Gylippus and Sycanus returned vnto Syracuse Sicanus without his purpose at Agrigentū for whilest he was yet in Gela the sedition which had beene raised in the behalfe of the Syracusians was turned into friendship but Gylippus not without another great Army out of Sicily besides the men of Armes which hauing set-forth from Peloponnesus in Ships the Spring before were then lately arriued at Selinus from out of Africke For hauing beene driuen into Africke and the Cyreneans hauing giuen them two Gallies with Pilots in passing by the shore they ayded the Euesperitae besieged by the Africans and hauing ouercome the Africans they went on to Neapolis a Towne of traffique belonging to the Carthaginians where the passage into Sicily is shortest and but two dayes and a nights saile ouer And from thence they crossed the Sea to Selinus As soone as they were come the Syracusians againe presently prepared to set vpon the Athenians both by Sea and Land The Athenian Generals seeing them haue another Armie and their owne not bettering but growing euery day worse then other but especially as being pressed to it by the sicknesse of the Souldiers repented now that they remoued not before and Nicias being now no longer against it as he was but desirous onely that it might not be concluded openly gaue order vnto all as secretly as was possible to put forth of the Harbour and to be ready when the signe should be giuen But when they were about it and euery thing was ready the Moone hapned to bee eclipsed For it was full Moone And not onely the greatest part of the Athenians called vpon the Generals to stay but Nicias also for hee was addicted to superstition and obseruations of that kind somewhat too much said that it should come no more into debate whether they should goe or not till the three times nine dayes were past which the Southsayers appoint in that behalfe And the Athenians though vpon going stayed still for this reason The Syracusians also hauing intelligence of this were encouraged vnto the pressing of the Athenians much the more for that they confessed themselues already too weake for them both by Sea and Land for else they would neuer haue sought to haue runne away Besides they would not haue them sit downe in any other part of Sicily and become the harder to be warred on but had rather there-right and in a place most for their owne aduantage compell them to fight by Sea To which end they manned their Gallies and after they had rested as long as was sufficient when they saw their time the first day they assaulted the Athenians Campe and some small number of men of Armes and Horsemen of the Athenians sallyed out against them by certaine Gates and the Syracusians intercepting some of the men of Armes beat them backe into the Campe. But the entrance being strait there were 70 of the Horsemen lost and men of Armes some but not many The next day they came out with their Gallies 76 in number and the Athenians set forth against them with 86 and being come together they fought Eurymedon had charge of the Right Wing of the Athenians and desiring to encompasse the Gallies of the Enemies drew forth his owne Gallies in length more toward the shoare and was cut off by the Syracusians that had first ouercome the middle battell of the Athenians from the rest in the bottome and inmost part of the Hauen and both slaine himselfe and the Gallies that were with him lost And that done the rest of the Athenian Fleet was also chased and driuen ashore Gylippus when he saw the Nauy of the Enemie vanquished and carried past the Piles and their owne Harbour came with a part of his Armie to the peere to kill such as landed and to cause that the Syracusians might the easilier pull the Enemies Gallies from the shore whereof themselues were Masters But the Tuscans who kept guard in that part for the Athenians seeing them comming that way in disorder made head and charging these first forced them into the Marish called Lysimelia But when afterwards a greater number of the Syracusians and their Confederates came to helpe them then also the Athenians to helpe the Tuscans and for feare to lose their Gallies fought with them and hauing
make you part vnlesse you haue first beaten off the men of Armes of the Enemy from their Deckes And this I speake to you rather that are the men of Armes than to the Mariners in as much as that part belongeth rather vnto you that fight aboue and in you it lyeth euen yet to atchieue the Victory for the most part with the Land-men Now for the Mariners I aduise and withall beseech them not to bee too much daunted with the losses past hauing now both a greater number of Gallies and greater Forces vpon the Deckes Thinke it a pleasure worth preseruing that being taken by your knowledge of the language and imitation of our fashions for Athenians though you be not so you are not only admired for it through all Greece but also partake of our dominion in matter of profit no lesse then our selues and for awfulnesse to the Nations subiect and protection from iniury more You therefore that alone participate freely of our Dominion cannot with any iustice betray the same In despight therefore of the Corinthians whom you haue often vanquished and of the Sicilians who as long as our Fleet was at the best durst neuer so much as stand vs repell them and make it appeare that your knowledge euen with weaknesse and losse is better then the strength of another with Fortune Againe to such of you as are Athenians I must remember this that you haue no more such Fleets in your Harbours nor such able men of Armes and that if ought happen to you but victory your Enemies here will presently bee vpon you at home and those at home will bee vnable to defend themselues both against those that shall goe hence and against the Enemy that lyeth there already So one part of vs shall fall into the mercy of the Syracusians against whom you your selues know with what intent you came hither and the other part which is at home shall fall into the hands of the Lacedaemonians Being therefore in this one battell to fight both for your selues and them be therfore valiant now if euer beare in mind euery one of you that you that goe now aboard are the Land-forces the Sea-forces the whole estate and great name of Athens For which if any man excell others in skill or courage he can neuer shew it more opportunely then now when he may both helpe himselfe with it and whole Nicias hauing thus encouraged them commanded presently to goe aboord Gylippus and the Syracusians might easily discerne that the Athenians meant to fight by seeing their preparation Besides they had aduertisement of their purpose to cast Iron Grapnels into their Gallies And as for euery thing else so also for that they had made prouision For they couered the fore-part of their Gallies and also the Deckes for a great way with Hydes that the Grapnels cast in might slip and not be able to take hold When all was ready Gylippus likewise and other the Commanders vsed vnto their Souldiers this hortatiue THE ORATION OF GYLIPPVS and the Syracusian Generals THAT not onely our former acts haue beene honourable but that wee are to fight now also for further honour Men of Syracuse and Confederates the most of you seeme to know already for else you neuer would so valiantly haue vndergone it And if there be any man that is not so sensible of it as he ought wee will make it appeare vnto him better For whereas the Athenians came into this Countrey with designe first to enslaue Sicily and then if that succeeded Peloponnesus and the rest of Greece And whereas already they had the greatest dominion of any Grecians whatsoeuer either present or past you the first that euer withstood their Nauy wherewith they were euery where Masters haue in the former Battels ouercome them and shall in likelyhood ouercome them againe in this For men that are cut short where they thought themselues to exceed become afterwards further out of opinion with themselues then they would haue beene if they had neuer thought so And when they come short of their hope in things they glory in they come short also in courage of the true strength of their forces And this is likely now to be the case of the Athenians Whereas with vs it falleth out that our former courage wherewith though vnexperienced we durst stand them being now confirmed and an opinion added of being the stronger giueth to euery one of vs a double hope And in all enterprizes the greatest hope conferreth for the most part the greatest courage As for their imitation of our prouisions they are things we are acquainted withall and we shall not in any kinde be vnprouided for them But they when they shall haue many men of Armes vpon their Deckes being not vsed to it and many as I may terme them Land-Darters both Acarnanians and others who would not be able to direct their Darts though they should fit how can they choose but put the Gallies into danger and be all in confusion amongst themselues mouing in a fashion not their owne As for the number of their Gallies it will helpe them nothing if any of you feare also that as being to fight against oddes in number For many in little roome are so much the slower to doe what they desire and easiest to bee annoyed by our munition But the very truth you shall now vnderstand by these things whereof we suppose we haue most certaine intelligence Ouerwhelmed with Calamities and forced by the difficulties which they are in at this present they are growne desperate not trusting to their Forces but willing to put themselues vpon the decision of Fortune as well as they may that so they may either goe out by force or else make their retreat afterward by Land as men whose estates cannot change into the worse Against such confusion therefore and against the fortune of our greatest enemies now betraying it selfe into our hands let vs fight with anger and with an opinion not onely that it is most lawfull to fulfill our hearts desire vpon those our enemies that iustified their comming hither as a righting of themselues against an assailant but also that to be reuenged on an Enemie is both most naturall and as is most commonly said the sweetest thing in the world And that they are our Enemies and our greatest Enemies you all well enough know seeing them come hither into our dominion to bring vs into seruitude Wherein if they had sped they had put the men to the greatest tortures the women and children to the greatest dishonesty and the whole Citie to the most ignominious name in the world In regard whereof it is not fit that any of you should be so tender as to thinke it gaine if they goe away without putting you to further danger for so they meane to doe though they get the victory But effecting as it is likely we shall what wee intend both to be reuenged of these and to deliuer vnto
Horsemen contrary to their custome carried their victuals vnder their Armes partly for want partly for distrust of their seruants who from time to time ran ouer to the enemy but at this time went the greatest number and yet what they carried was not enough to serue the turne For not a iot more prouision was left remaining in the Campe. Neither were the sufferings of others and that equal diuision of misery which neuerthelesse is wont to lighten it in that we suffer with many at this time so much as thought light in it selfe And the rather because they considered from what splendor and glory which they enioyed before into how low an estate they were now falne For neuer Grecian Army so differed from it selfe For whereas they came with a purpose to enslaue others they departed in greater feare of being made slaues themselues and in stead of Prayers and Hymnes with which they put to Sea they went backe againe with the contrary maledictions and whereas they came out Sea-men they departed Land-men and relyed not vpon their Nauall forces but vpon their men of Armes Neuerthelesse in respect of the great danger yet hanging ouer them these miseries seemed all but tolerable Nicias perceiuing the Armie to be deiected and the great change that was in it came vp to the Rankes and encouraged and comforted them as far as for the present meanes he was able And as he went from part to part he exalted his voyce more then euer before both as being earnest in his exhortation and because also he desired that the benefit or his words might reach as farre as might be THE ORATION OF NICIAS to his afflicted Army AThenians and Confederates we must hope still euen in our present estate Men haue beene saued ere now from greater dangers then these are Nor ought you too much to accuse your selues either for your losses past or the vndeserued miseries we are now in Euen I my selfe that haue the aduantage of none of you in strength of body you see how I am in my sicknesse nor am thought inferiour to any of you for prosperity past either in respect of mine owne priuate person or otherwise am neuerthelesse now in as much danger as the meanest of you And yet I haue worshipped the Gods frequently acording to the Law and liued iustly and vnblamably towards men For which cause my hope is still confident of the future though these calamities as being not according to the measure of our desert doe indeed make me feare But they may perhaps cease For both the Enemies haue already had sufficient fortune and the Gods if any of them haue beene displeased with our Voyage haue already sufficiently punished vs. Others haue inuaded their neighbours as well as wee and as their offence which proceeded of humane infirmity so their punishment also hath beene tolerable And we haue reason now both to hope for more fauour from the Gods for our case deserueth their pitty rather then their hatred and also not to despaire of our selues seeing how good and how many men of Armes you are marching together in order of Battell Make account of this that wheresoeuer you please to sit downe there presently of your selues you are a City such as not any other in Sicily can either easily sustaine if you assault or remoue if you be once seated Now for your March that it may be safe and orderly looke to it your selues making no other account any of you but what place soeuer he shall be forced to fight in the same if he win it must be his Country and his Walles March you must with diligence both night and day alike for our victuall is short and if we can but reach some amicable Territory of the Siculi for these are still firme to vs for feare of the Syracusians then you may thinke your selues secure Let vs therefore send before to them and bid them meete vs and bring vs forth some supplies of victuall In summe Souldiers let me tell you it is necessary that you be valiant for there is no place neere where being cowards you can possibly be saued Whereas if you escape thorow the Enemies aâ— this time you may euery one see againe whatsoeuer any where he most desires and the Athenians may re-erect the great power of their City how low soeuer falne For the men not the Walles nor the empty Gallies are the Citie Nicias as he vsed this hortatiue went withall about the Armie and where he saw any man straggle and not march in his Ranke he brought him about and set him in his place Demosthenes hauing spoken to the same or like purpose did as much to those Souldiers vnder him and they marched forward those with Nicias in a square Battallion and then those with Demosthenes in the Rere And the men of Armes receiued those that carried the Baggage and the other multitude within them When they were come to the Foord of the Riuer Anapus they there found cettaine of the Syracusians and their Confederates embattelled against them on the banke but these they put to flight and hauing wonne the passage marched forward But the Syracusian Horsemen lay still vpon them and their Light-armed plyed them with their Darts in the flanke This day the Athenians marched forty Furlongs and lodged that night at the foot of a certaine Hill The next day as soone as it was light they marched forwards about 20 Furlongs and descending into a certaine Champaigne ground encamped there with intent both to get victuall at the houses for the place was inhabited and to carry water with them thence for before them in the way they were to passe for many Furlongs together there was little to bee had But the Syracusians in the meane time got before them and cut off their passage with a wall This was at a steepe Hill on either side wherof was the Channel of a torrent with steep and rocky banks and it is called Acraeum Lepas The next day the Athenians went on And the Horsemen and Darters of the Syracusians and their Confederates being a great number of both pressed them so with their Horses and Darts that the Athenians after long fight were compelled to retire againe into the same Campe But now with lesse victuall then before because the Horsemen would suffer them no more to straggle abroad In the morning betimes they dislodged and put themselues on their march againe and forced their way to the Hill which the Enemy had fortified where they found before them the Syracusian Foot embattelled in great length aboue the Fortification on the Hils side for the place it selfe was but narrow The Athenians comming vp assaulted the Wall but the shot of the Enemy who were many and the steepnesse of the Hill for they could easily cast home from aboue making them vnable to take it they retired againe and rested There hapned withall some claps of Thunder and a showre of Raine as vsually falleth out
the Orators that furthered the Voyage as if they themselues had neuer decreed it They were angry also with those that gaue out Prophecies and with the Soothsayers and with whosoeuer else had at first by any diuination put them into hope that Sicily should be subdued Euery thing from euery place grieued them and feare and astonishment the greatest that euer they were in beset them round For they were not onely grieued for the losse which both euery man in particular and the whole City sustained of so many men of Armes Horsemen and seruiceable men the like whereof they saw was not left but seeing they had neither Gallies in their Hauen nor money in their Treasurie nor furniture in their Gallies were euen desperate at that present of their safety and thought the Enemy out of Sicily would come forthwith with their Fleet into Piraeus especially after the vanquishing of so great a Nauy and that the Enemie here would surely now with double preparation in euery kinde presse them to the vtmost both by Sea and Land and be aided therein by their reuolting Confederates Neuerthelesse as farre as their meanes would stretch it was thought best to stand it out and getting materials and money where they could haue it to make ready a Nauie and to make sure of their Confederates especially those of Euboea and to introduce a greater frugality in the Citie and to erect a Magistracie of the elder sort as occasion should be offered to praeconsult of the businesse that passed And they were ready in respect of their present feare as is the Peoples fashion to order euery thing aright And as they resolued this so they did it And the Summer ended The Winter following vpon the great ouerthrow of the Athenians in Sicily all the Grecians were presently vp against them Those who before were Confederates of neither side thought fit no longer though vncalled to abstaine from the Warre but to goe against the Athenians of their owne accord as hauing not onely euery one seuerally this thought that had the Athenians prospered in Sicily they would afterwards haue come vpon them also but imagined withall that the rest of the Warre would be but short whereof it would be an honour to participate And such of them as were Confederates of the Lacedaemonian longed now more then euer to be freed as soone as might be of their great toyle But aboue all the Cities subiect to the Athenians were ready euen beyond their ability to reuolt as they that iudged according to their passion without admitting reason in the matter that the next Summer they were to remaine with victory But the Lacedaemonians themselues tooke heart not onely from all this but also principally from that that their Confederates in Sicily with great power hauing another Nauy now necessarily added to their owne would in all likelihood be with them in the beginning of the Spring And being euery way full of hopes they purposed without delay to fall close to the Warre making account if this were well ended both to be free hereafter from any more such dangers as the Athenians if they had gotten Sicily would haue put them into and also hauing pulled them downe to haue the principality of all Greece now secure vnto themselues Whereupon Agis their King went out with a part of his Armie the same Winter from Decelea and leuied money amongst the Confederates for the building of a Nauy And turning into the Melian Gulfe vpon an old grudge tooke a great Booty from the Oetaeans which hee made money of and forced those of Pthiotis being Achaians and others in those parts Subiects to the Thessalians the Thessalians complaining and vnwilling to giue him Hostages and Money The Hostages he put into Corinth and endeuoured to draw them into the League And the Lacedaemonians imposed vpon the States confederate the charge of building 100 Gallies that is to say on their owne State and on the Boeotians each 25. On the Phoceans and Locrians 15. On the Corinthians 15. On the Arcadians Sicyonians and Pellenians 10. And on the Megareans Troezenians and Hermionians 10. And put all things else in readinesse presently with the Spring to beginne the Warre The Athenians also made their preparations as they had designed hauing gotten Timber and built their Nauie this same Winter and fortified the Promontory of Sunium that their Corne-boats might come about in safety Also they abandoned the Fort in Laconia which they had built as they went by for Sicily And generally where there appeared expence vpon any thing vnusefull they contracted their charge Whilest they were on both sides doing thus there came vnto Agis about their reuolt from the Athenians first the Ambassadours of the Euboeans Accepting the motion he sent for Alcamenes the sonne of Sthenelaidas and for Melanthon from Lacedaemon to goe Commanders into Euboea Whom when he was come to him with about 300 freed-men he was now about to send ouer But in the meane time came the Lesbians they also desiring to reuolt and by the meanes of the Boeotians Agis changed his former resolution and prepared for the reuolt of Lesbos deferring that of Euboea and assigned them Alcamenes the same that should haue gone into Euboea for their Gouernour And the Boeotians promised them tenne Gallies and Agis other tenne Now this was done without acquainting therewith the State of Lacedaemon For Agis as long as he was about Decelea with the power he had had the Law in his owne hands to send what Armie and whither he listed and to leuy men and mony at his pleasure And at this time the Confederates of him as I may call them did better obey him then the Confederates of the Lacedemonians did them at home For hauing the power in his hands he was terrible wheresoeuer he came And he was now for the Lesbians But the Chians and Erythraeans they also desiring to reuolt went not to Agis but to the Lacedaemonians in the City and with them went also an Ambassadour from Tissaphernes Lieutenant to King Darius in the low Countries of Asia For Tissaphernes also instigated the Peloponnesians and promised to pay their Fleet. For he had lately begged of the King the Tribute accruing in his owne Prouince for which he was in arrearage because he could receiue nothing out of any of the Greeke Cities by reason of the Athenians And therefore he thought by weakning the Athenians to receiue his Tribute the better and withall to draw the Lacedaemonians into a League with the King and thereby as the King had commanded to kill or take aliue Amorges Pissuthnes his bastard sonne who was in rebellion against him about Caria The Chians therefore and Tissaphernes followed this businesse ioyntly Caligetus the sonne of Laophon a Magarean and Timagoras the sonne of Athenagoras a Cyzicene both banished their owne Cities and abiding with Pharnabazus the sonne of Pharnaces came also about the same time
with their vanquished Fleet were gone home to Corinth the Corcyraeans Masters now of the whole Sea in those parts went first and wasted the Territory of Leucas a Corinthian Colonie and then sayled to Cyllene which is the Arsenall of the Eleans and burnt it because they had both with money and shipping giuen ayde to the Corinthians And they were Masters of those Seas and infested the Confederates of Corinth for the most part of that yeere till such time as in the beginning of the Summer following the Corinthians sent a Fleet and Souldiers vnto Actium the which for the more safe keeping of Leucas and of other Citties their friends encamped about Chimerium in Thesprotis and the Corcyraeans both with their Fleet and Land Souldiers lay ouer against them in Leucimna But neither part stirred against the other but after they had lyen quietly opposite all the Summer they retyred in Winter both the one side and the other to their Cities All this yeere as well before as after the Battaile the Corinthians being vexed at the Warre with the Corcyraeans applyed themselues to the building of Gallies and to the preparing of a Fleet the strongest they were able to make and to procure Mariners out of Peloponnesus and all other parts of Greece The Corcyraeans hauing intelligence of their preparations beganne to feare and because they had neuer beene in League with any Grecian Citty nor were in the Roll of the Confederates either of the Athenians or Lacedaemonians thought it best now to send to Athens to see if they could procure any ayde from thence This being perceiued by the Corinthians they also sent their Ambassadours to Athens lest the addition of the Athenian Nauy to that of the Corcyraeans might hinder them from carrying the Warre as they desired And the Assembly at Athens being met they came to pleade against each other and the Corcyraeans spake to this effect THE ORATION OF THE Ambassadours of CORCYRA MEN of Athens It is but Iustice that such as come to implore the ayde of their neighbours as now doe wee and cannot pretend by any great benefit or League some precedent merit should before they goe any further make it appeare principally that what they seeke conferreth profit or if not so yet is not prejudiciall at least to those that are to grant it and next that they will bee constantly thankfull for the same And if they cannot doe this then not to take it ill though their suite bee rejected And the Corcyraeans being fully perswaded that they can make all this appeare on their owne parts haue therefore sent vs hither desiring you to ascribe them to the number of your Confederates Now so it is that we haue had a Custome both vnreasonable in respect of our Suite to you and also for the present vnprofitable to our owne estate For hauing euer till now beene vnwilling to admit others into League with vs we are now not onely suiters for League to others but also left destitute by that meanes of friends in this our Warre with the Corinthians And that which before wee thought wisdome namely not to enter with others into League because wee would not at the discretion of others enter into danger wee now finde to haue beene our weaknesse and imprudence Wherefore though alone wee repulsed the Corinthians in the late Battell by Sea yet since they are set to inuade vs with greater preparation out of Peloponnesus and the rest of Greece and seeing with our owne single power we are not able to goe through and since also the danger in case they subdue vs would bee very great to all Greece it is both necessary that wee seeke the succours both of you and of whomsoeuer else wee can and we are also to be pardoned though we make bold to crosse our former custome of not hauing to doe with other men proceeding not from malice but error of iudgement Now if you yeeld vnto vs in what wee request this coincidence on our part of need will on your part bee honourable for many reasons First in this respect that you lend your helpe to such as haue suffered and not to such as haue committed the iniustice And next considering that you receiue into League such as haue at stake their whole fortune you shall so place your benefit as to haue a testimony of it if euer any can be so indeleble Besides this the greatest Nauie but your owne is ours Consider then what rarer hap and of greater griefe to your enemies can befall you then that that power which you would haue prized aboue any money or other requitall should come voluntarily and without all danger or cost present it selfe to your hands bringing with it reputation amongst most men a gratefull minde from those you defend and strength to your selues All which haue not happened at once to many And few there bee of those that sue for League that come not rather to receiue strength and reputation then to conferre it If any heere thinke that the Warre wherein wee may doe you seruice will not at all bee hee is in an errour and seeth not how the Lacedaemonians through feare of you are already in labour of the Warre and that the Corinthians gracious with them and enemies to you making way for their Enterprize assault vs now in the way to the invasion of you heereafter that wee may not stand amongst the rest of their common Enemies but that they may be sure before-hand either to weaken vs or to strengthen their owne estate It must therefore be your part we offering and you accepting the League to beginne with them and to anticipate plotting rather then to counterplot against them If they object injustice in that you receiue their Colonie henceforth let them learne that all Colonies so long as they receiue no wrong from their Mother Citie so long they honour her but when they suffer injurie from her they then become alienate for they are not sent out to be the Slaues of them that stay but to be their equals That they haue done vs the injurie is manifest for when wee offered them a judiciall tryall of the Controversie touching Epidamnus they chose to prosecute their quarrell rather by Armes then Iudgement Now let that which they haue done vnto vs who are their kindred serue you for some Argument not to bee seduced by their demands and made their instruments before you bee aware For hee liues most secure that hath fewest benefits bestowed by him vpon his Enemies to repent of As for the Articles betweene you and the Lacedaemonians they are not broken by receiuing vs into your League because wee are in League with neither partie For there it is said That whosoeuer is Confederate of neither party may haue accesse lawfully to either And sure it were very vnreasonable that the Corinthians should haue the libertie to man their Fleet out of the Cities cōprised in the League and out of any
In this place is a 〈◊〉 and aboue it further from the Sea the Cittie of Ephyre in that part of Thesprotis which is called Eleatis and neere vnto it disbogueth into the Sea the Lake Acherusia and into that hauing first passed through Thesprotis the Riuer Acheron from which it taketh the Name Also the Riuer Thyanis runneth heere which divideth Thesprotis from Cestrine betwixt which two Riuers ariseth this Promontory of Cheimerium To this part of the Continent came the Corinthians and encamped The Corcyraeans vnderstanding that they made against them hauing ready 110. Gallies vnder the conduct of Miciades Aesimides and Eurybatus came and incamped in one of the Ilands called Sybota And the tenne Gallies of Athens were also with them But their Land-forces stayed in the Promontory of Leucimna and with them 1000. men of Armes of the Zacynthians that came to ayde them The Corinthians also had in the Continent the aydes of many Barbarians which in those quarters haue beene euermore their friends The Corinthians after they were ready and had taken aboard three dayes prouision of victuall put off by night from Cheimerium with purpose to fight and about breake of day as they were sayling descryed the Gallies of the Corcyraeans which were also put off from Sybota and comming on to fight with the Corinthians Assoone as they had sight one of another they put themselues into order of Battaile In the right wing of the Corcyraeans were placed the Gallies of Athens and the rest being their owne were diuided into three Commands vnder the three Commanders one vnder one This was the order of the Corcyraeans The Corinthians had in their right wing the Gallies of Megara and of Ambracia in the middle other their Confederates in order and opposite to the Athenians and right wing of the Corcyraeans they were themselues placed with such Gallies as were best of Sayle in the left The Standard being on either side lift vp they ioyned Battell hauing on both parts both many men of Armes and many Archers and Slingers but after the old fashion as yet somewhat vnskilfully appointed The Battell was not so artificially as cruelly fought neere vnto the maner of a fight at Land For after they had once runne their Gallies vp close aboard one of another they could not for the number and throng be easily gotten asunder againe but relyed for the victory especially vpon their men of Armes who fought where they stood whilst the Gallies remained altogether without motion Passages through each other they made none but fought it out with courage and strength rather then with skill insomuch as the Battell was in euery part not without much tumult and disorder In which the Athenian Gallies being alwaies where the Corcyraeans were oppressed at hand kept the enemies in feare but yet began no assault because their Commanders stood in awe of the prohibition of the Athenian people The right wing of the Corinthians was in the greatest distresse for the Corcyraeans with twenty Gallies had made them turne their backes and chased them dispersed to the Continent and sayling to their very Campe went aland burnt their abandoned Tents and tooke away their Baggage so that in this part the Corinthians and their Confederates were vanquished and the Corcyraeans had the victory But in the left wing where the Corinthians were themselues they were farre superiour because the Corcyraeans had twenty Gallies of their number which was at first lesse then that of the Corinthians absent in the chase of the Enemie And the Athenians when they saw the Corcyraeans were in distresse now ayded them manifestly whereas before they had abstained from making assault vpon any But when once they fled out right and that the Corinthians lay sore vpon them then euery one fell to the businesse without making difference any longer and it came at last to this necessity that they vndertooke one another Corinthians and Athenians The Corinthians when their enemies fled staid not to fasten the Hulles of the Gallies they had sunke vnto their owne Gallies that so they might tow them after but made after the men rowing vp and downe to kill rather then to take aliue and through ignorance not knowing that their right wing had beene discomfited slew also some of their owne friends For the Gallies of eyther side being many and taking vp a large space of Sea after they were once in the medly they could not easily discerne who were of the Victors and who of the vanquished party For this was the greatest Nauall Battell for number of Ships that euer had beene before of Grecians against Grecians When the Corinthians had chased the Corcyraeans to the shore they returned to take vp the broken Gallies and bodies of their dead which for the greatest part they recouered and brought to Sybota where also lay the Land-forces of the Barbarians that were come to ayde them This Sybota is a desart Hauen of Thesprotis When they had done they re-vnited themselues and made againe to the Corcyraeans and they likewise with such Gallies as they had fit for the Sea remaining of the former Battell together with those of Athens put foorth to meete them fearing lest they should attempt to land vpon their Territory By this time the day was farre spent and the Song which they vsed to sing when they came to charge was ended when suddenly the Corinthians beganne to row a Sterne for they had descried twenty Athenian Gallies sent from Athens to second the former tenne for feare lest the Corcyraeans as it also fell out should bee ouercome and those tenne Gallies of theirs bee too few to defend them When the Corinthians therefore had sight of these Gallies suspecting that they were of Athens and more in number then they were by little and little they fell off But the Corcyraeans because the course of these Gallies was vnto them more out of sight descryed them not but wondred why the Corinthians rowed a Sterne till at last some that saw them said they were Enemies and then retired also the Corcyraeans For by this time it was darke and the Corinthians had turned about the heads of their Gallies and dissolued themselues And thus were they parted and the Battell ended in night The Corcyraeans lying at Leucimna these twenty Athenian Gallies vnder the command of Glaucon the sonne of Leagrus and Androcides the sonne of Leogorus passing through the middest of the floating Carkasses and wrecke soone after they were descryed arriued at the Campe of the Corcyraeans in Leucimna The Corcyraeans at first being night were afraid they had beene Enemies but knew them afterwards so they anchored there The next day both the thirty Gallies of Athens and as many of Corcyra as were fit for seruice went to the Hauen in Sybota where the Corinthians lay at Anchor to see if they would fight But the Corinthians when they had put off from the Land
and arranged themselues in the wide Sea stood quiet not meaning of their owne accord to beginne the Battell both for that they saw the supply of fresh Gallies from Athens and for many difficulties that happened to them both about the safe custody of their Prisoners aboard and also for that beeing in a desart place their Gallies were not yet repaired but tooke thought rather how to goe home for feare lest the Athenians hauing the Peace for already broken in that they had fought against each other should not suffer them to depart They therefore thought good to send afore vnto the Athenians certaine men without priviledge of Heraulds for to â—ound them and to say in this manner Men of Athens You doe vniustly to beginne the Warre and violate the Articles For whereas wee goe about to right vs on our Enemies you stand in our way and beare Armes against vs. If therefore you bee resolued to hinder our going against Corcyra or whatsoeuer place else wee please dissolue the Peace and laying hands first vpon vs that are heere vse vs as Enemies Thus said they and the Corcyraeans as many of the Armie as heard them cryed out immediately to take and kill them But the Athenians made answer thus Men of Peloponnesus Neither doe wee beginne the Warre nor breake the Peace but wee bring ayde to these our Confederates the Corcyraeans if you please therefore to goe any whither else wee hinder you not but if against Corcyra or any place belonging vnto it we will not suffer you When the Athenians had giuen them this answer the Corinthians made ready to goe home and set vp a Trophie in Sybota of the Continent And the Corcyraeans also both tooke vp the wrecke and bodies of the dead which carried euery way by the Waues and the Wind that arose the night before came driuing to their hands and as if they had had the victory set vp a Trophie likewise in Sybota the Ilands The victory was thus challenged on both sides vpon these grounds The Corinthians did set vp a Trophie because in the Battell they had the better all day hauing gotten more of the wrecke and dead bodies then the other and taken no lesse then 1000. Prisoners and sunke about 70. of the Enemies Gallies And the Corcyraeans set vp a Trophie because they had sunke 30. Gallies of the Corinthians and had after the arriuall of the Athenians recouered the wrecke and dead bodies that droue to them by reason of the Wind and because the day before vpon sight of the Athenians the Corinthians had rowed a Sterne and went away from them and lastly for that when they went to Sybota the Corinthians came not out to encounter them Thus each side claimed victory The Corinthians in their way homeward tooke in Anactorium a Towne seated in the mouth of the Gulfe of Ambracia by deceipt this Towne was common to them and to the Corcyraeans and hauing put into it Corinthians onely departed and went home Of the Corcyraeans 800. that were seruants they sold and kept prisoners 250. whom they vsed with very much fauour that they might bee a meanes at their returne to bring Corcyra into the power of the Corinthians the greatest part of these being principall men of the Citie And thus was Corcyra deliuered of the Warre of Corinth and the Athenian Gallies went from them This was the first Cause that the Corinthians had of Warre against the Athenians namely because they had taken part with the Corcyraeans in a Battell by Sea against the Corinthians with whom they were comprized in the same Articles of Peace PRESENTLY after this it came to passe that other differences arose betweene the Peloponnesians and the Athenians to induce the Warre For whilest the Corinthians studied to bee reuenged the Athenians who had their hatred in iealousie coÌ„manded the Citizens of Potidaea a Citie seated in the Isthmus of Pallene a Colony of the Corinthians but confederatâ— and tributary to the Athenians to pull downe that part of the Wall of their Citie that stood towards Pallene and to giue them Hostages and also to send away and no more receiue the Epidemiurgi Magistrates so called which were sent vnto them yeere by yeere from Corinth fearing lest through the perswasion of Perdiccas and of the Corinthians they should reuolt and draw to reuolt with them their other Confederates in Thrace These things against the Potideans the Athenians had precontriued presently after the Nauall Battell fought at Corcyra For the Corinthians and they were now manifestly at difference and Perdiccas who before had beene their Confederate and friend now warred vpon them And the cause why hee did so was that when his Brother Philip and Derdas ioyned in Armes against him the Athenians had made a League with them And therefore being afraid hee both sent to Lacedaemon to negotiate the Peloponnesian Warre and also reconciled himselfe to the Corinthians the better to procure the reuolt of Potidaea and likewise he practised with the Chalcideans of Thrace and with the Bottieans to reuolt with them For if hee could make these confining Cities his Confederates with the helpe of them hee thought his Warre would bee the easier Which the Athenians perceiuing and intending to preuent the reuolt of these Citties gaue order to the Commanders of the Fleet for they were now sending thirty Gallies with a thousand men of Armes vnder the command of Archestratus the sonne of Lycomedes and tenne others into the Territories of Perdiccas both to receiue Hostages of the Potideans and to demolish their Walles and also to haue an eye to the neighbouring Cities that they reuolted not The Potidaeans hauing sent Ambassadours to Athens to try if they could perswade the people not to make any alteratioÌ„ amongst them by other Ambassadours whom they sent along with the Ambassadours of Corinth to Lacedaemon dealt with the Lacedaemonians at the same time if need required to be ready to reuenge their quarrell When after long sollicitation at Athens and no good done the Fleet was sent away against them no lesse then against Macedonia and when the Magistrates of Lacedaemon had promised them if the Athenians went to Potidaea to invade Attica then at last they reuolted and together with them the Chalcideans and Bottieans all mutually sworne in the same Conspiracy For Perdiccas had also perswaded the Chalcideans to abandon and pull downe their maritime Townes and to goe vp and dwell at Olynthus and that one City to make strong And vnto those that remoued gaue part of his owne and part of the Territorie of Maydonia about the Lake Bolbe to liue on so long as the Warre against the Athenians should continue So when they had demolished their Cities and were gone vp higher into the Countrey they prepared themselues to the Warre The Athenian Gallies when they arriued in Thrace found Potidaea and the other Cities already reuolted And the Commanders of
the Fleet conceiuing it to be impossible with their present forces to make Warre both against Perdiccas and the Townes reuolted set saile againe for Macedonia against which they had beene at first sent out and there staying ioyned with Philip and the brothers of Derdas that had invaded the Countrey from aboue In the meane time after Potidaea was revolted and whilest the Athenian Fleet lay on the Coast of Macedonia the Corinthians fearing what might become of the Citie and making the danger their owne sent vnto it both of their owne Citie and of other Peloponnesians which they hired to the number of 1600. men of Armes and 400. light armed The charge of these was giuen to Aristaeus the sonne of Adimantus for whose sake most of the Voluntaries of Corinth went the Voyage for hee had beene euer a great Fauourer of the Potidaeans And they arriued in Thrace after the reuolt of Potidaea forty dayes The newes of the reuolt of these Cities was likewise quickly brought to the Athenian people who hearing withall of the Forces sent vnto them vnder Aristaeus sent forth against the places reuolted 2000. men of Armes and 40. Gallies vnder the Conduct of Callias the Sonne of Calliades These comming first into Macedonia found there the former thousand who by this time had taken Therme and were now besieging the City of Pydna and staying helped for a while to besiege it with the rest But shortly after they tooke composition and hauing made a necesary League with Perdiccas vrged thereto by the affaires of Potidaea and the arriuall there of Aristaeus departed from Macedonia Thence comming to Berrhoea they attempted to take it but when they could not doe it they turned backe and marched towards Potidaea by Land They were of their owne number 3000. men of Armes besides many of their Confederates and of Macedonians that had serued with Philip and Pausanias 600. Horse-men And their Gallies 70. in number sayling by them along the Coast by moderate Iournies came in three dayes to Gigonus and there encamped The Potidaeans and the Peloponnesians vnder Aristaeus in expectation of the comming of the Athenians lay now encamped in the Isthmus neere vnto Olynthus and had the Market kept for them without the Citie and the leading of the Foot the Confederates had assigned to Aristaeus and of the Horse to Perdiccas for hee fell off againe presently from the Athenians and hauing left Iölaus Gouernour in his place tooke part with the Potidaeans The purpose of Aristaeus was to haue the body of the Armie with himselfe within the Isthmus and therewith to attend the comming on of the Athenians and to haue the Chalcideans and their Confederates without the Isthmus and also the 200. Horse vnder Perdiccas to stay in Olynthus and when the Athenians were past by to come on their backs and to encloze the Enemie betwixt them But Callias the Athenian Generall and the rest that were in Commission with him sent out before them their Macedonian Horsemen and some few of their Confederates to Olynthus to stop those within from making any sally from the Towne and then dislodging marched on towards Potidaea When they were come on as far to as the Isthmus and saw the Enemie make ready to fight they also did the like and not long after they ioyned Battell That wing wherein was Aristaeus himselfe with the chosen men of the Corinthians and others put to flight that part of their Enemies that stood opposite vnto them and followed execution a great way But the rest of the Army of the Potidaeans and Peloponnesians were by the Athenians defeated and fled into the Citie And Aristaeus when hee came backe from the Execution was in doubt what way to take to Olynthus or to Potidaea In the end hee resolued of the shortest way and with his Souldiers about him ranne as hard as hee was able into Potidaea and with much adoe got in at the Peere through the Sea cruelly shot at and with the losse of a few but safety of the greatest part of his company Assoone as the Battell beganne they that should haue seconded the Potideans from Olynthus for it is at most but 60. Furlongs off and in sight aduanced a little way to haue ayded them and the Macedonian Horse opposed themselues likewise in order of Battell to keepe them backe But the Athenians hauing quickly gotten the Victory and the Standards being taken downe they retyred againe they of Olynthus into that Citie and the Macedonian Horsemen into the Armie of the Athenians So that neither side had their Cauallery at the Battell After the Battell the Athenians erected a Trophie and gaue truce to the Potideans for the taking vp of the bodies of their dead Of the Potideans and their friends there dyed somewhat lesse then 300. and of the Athenians themselues 150. with Callias one of their Commanders Presently vpon this the Athenians raised a Wall before the Citty on the part towards the Isthmus which they kept with a Garrison but the part to Pallene-ward they left vnwalled For they thought themselues too small a number both to keepe a guard in the Isthmus and withall to goe ouer and fortifie in Pallene fearing lest the Potidaeans and their Confederates should assault them when they were deuided When the people of Athens vnderstood that Potidaea was vnwalled on the part toward Pallene not long after they sent thither 1600. men of Armes vnder the Conduct of Phormio the Sonne of Asopius who arriuing in Pallene left his Gallies at Aphytis and marching easily to Potidaea wasted the Territory as hee passed through And when none came out to bid him Battell hee raised a Wall before the Citie on that part also that looketh towards Pallene Thus was Potidaea on both sides strongly besieged and also from the Sea by the Athenian Gallies that came vp and rode before it Aristeus seeing the Citie enclosed on euery side and without hope of safety saue what might come from Peloponnesus or some other vnexpected way gaue aduice to all but 500. taking the opportunity of a Wind to goe out by Sea that the prouision might the longer hold out for the rest and of them that should remaine within offered himselfe to bee one But when his counsell tooke not place beeing desirous to settle their businesse and make the best of their affaires abroad hee got out by Sea vnseene of the Athenian Guard and staying amongst the Chalcideans amongst other actions of the Warre laid an Ambush before Sermyla and slew many of that Citie and sollicited the sending of ayd from Peloponnesus And Phormio after the Siege laid to Potidaea hauing with him his 1600. men of Armes wasted the Territories of the Chalcideans and Bottieans and some small Townes he tooke in These were the Quarrels betweene the Peloponnesians and the Athenians The Corinthians quarrelled the Aâ—heniâ—ans for besieging Potidaea and in it the
men of Corinth and Peloponnesus The Athenians quarrelled the Peloponnesians for causing their confederate and tributary City to reuolt and for that they had come thither and openly fought against them in the behalfe of Potidaea Neuerthelesse the Warre brake not openly forth as yet and they yet abstained from Armes for this was but a particular action of the Corinthians BVT when Potidaea was once besieged both for their mens sakes that were within and also for feare to lose the place they could no longer hold But out of hand they procured of their Confederates to goe to Lacedaemon and thither also they went themselues with clamours and accusations against the Athenians that they had broken the League and wronged the Peloponnesians The Aeginetae though not openly by Ambassadours for feare of the Athenians yet priuily instigated them to the Warre as much as any alledging that they were not permitted to gouerne themselues according to their owne Laws as by the Articles they ought to haue beene So the Lacedaemonians hauing called together the Confederates and whosoeuer else had any iniustice to lay to the charge of the Athenians in the ordinary Councell of their owne State commanded them to speake Then presented euery one his accusation and amongst the rest the Megareans besides many other their great differences laid open this especially That contrary to the Articles they were forbidden the Athenian Markets and Hauens Last of all the Corinthians when they had suffered the Lacedaemonians to be incensed first by the rest came in and said as followeth THE ORATION OF THE Ambassadours of CORINTH MEn of Lacedaemon your own fidelity both in matter of estate conuersation maketh you the lesse apt to beleeue vs when we accuse others of the contrary And heereby you gaine indeed a reputation of equity but you haue lesse experience in the affaires of Forraine States For although we haue oftentimes foretold you that the Athenians would doe vs a mischiefe yet from time to time when we told it you you neuer would take informatiō of it but haue suspected rather that what we spake hath proceeded from our owne priuate differences And you haue therefore called hither these Confederates not before wee had suffered but now when the euill is already vpon vs. Before whom our speech must bee so much the longer by how much our obiections are the greater in that wee haue both by the Athenians beene iniured and by you neglected If the Athenians lurking in some obscure place had done these wrongs vnto the Grecians wee should then haue needed to proue the same before you as to men that knew it not But now what cause haue wee to vse long discourse when you see already that some are brought into seruitude and that they are contriuing the like against others and especially against our Confederates and are themselues in case Warre should be made against them long since prepared for it For else they would neuer haue taken Corcyra and holden it from vs by force nor haue besieged Potidaea whereof the one was most commodious for any action against Thrace and the other had brought vnto the Peloponnesians a most faire Nauie And of all this you are your selues the authors in that you suffered them vpon the end of the Persian Warre to fortifie their Citie and againe afterwards to raise their Long Walles whereby you haue hitherto depriued of their liberty not onely the States by them already subdued but also your owne Confederates For not he that bringeth into slauery but he that being able to hinder it neglects the same is most truely said to doe it especially if they assume the honour to be the esteemed Deliuerers of Greece as you doe And for all that we are hardly yet come together and indeed not yet with any certaine resolution what to doe For the question should not haue beene put Whether or not wee haue receiued iniurie but rather in what manner we are to repaire it For they that doe the wrong hauing consulted vpon it before-hand vse no delay at all but come vpon them whom they meane to oppresse whilest they be yet irresolute And we know not onely that the Athenians haue incroached vpon their neighbours but also by what wayes they haue done it And as long as they thinke they carry it closely through your blindnesse they are the lesse bold But when they shall perceiue that you see and will not see they will then presse vs strongly indeed For Lacedaemonians you are the onely men of all Greece that sitting still defend others not with your Forces but with promises and you are also the onely men that loue to pull downe the power of the Enemie not when it beginneth but when it is doubled You haue indeede a report to bee sure but yet it is more in fame that then in fact For we our selues know that the Persian came against Peloponnesus from the vtmost parts of the Earth before you encountred him as became your State And also now you conniue at the Athenians who are not as the Medes farre off but hard at band choosing rather to defend your selues from their inuasion then to inuade them and by hauing to doe with them when their strength is greater to put your selues vpon the chance of Fortune And yet wee know that the Barbarians own errour and in our Warre against the Athenians their owne ouersights more then your assistance was the thing that gaue vs victory For the hope of your ayde hath beene the destruction of some that relying on you made no preparation for themselues by other meanes Yet let not any man thinke that we speak this out of malice but only by way of expostulation for expostulation is with friends that erre but accusation against enemies that haue done an iniurie Besides if there bee any that may challenge to exprobrate his neighbour we thinke our selues may best doe it especially on so great quarrels as these whereof you neither seeme to haue any feeling nor to consider what manner of men and how different from you in euery kinde the Athenians bee that you are to contend withall For they loue innovation and are swift to devise and also to execute what they resolue on But you on the contrary are onely apt to saue your owne not devise any thing new nor scarce to attaine what is necessary They againe are bold beyond their strength adventurous aboue their owne reason and in danger hope still the best Whereas your actions are euer beneath your power and you distrust euen what your iudgement assures and being in a danger neuer thinke to bee deliuered They are stirrers you studiers they loue to bee abroad and you at home the most of any For they make account by beeing abroad to adde to their estate you if you should goe forth against the State of another would thinke to impayre your owne They when they ouercome their enemies aduance the farthest and when they are ouercome by
now many degrees more eleuated and endured no more to liue after the accustomed manner of his Countrey but went apparelled at Byzantium after the fashion of Persia and when hee went through Thrace had a Guard of Medes and Aegyptians and his Table likewise after the Persian manner Nor was hee able to conceale his purpose but in trifles made apparant before-hand the greater matters hee had conceiued of the future Hee became moreouer difficult of accesse and would bee in such cholericke passions toward all men indifferently that no man might indure to approch him which was also none of the least causes why the Confederates turned from him to the Athenians When the Lacedaemonians heard of it they called him home the first time And when being gone out the second time without their command in a Gallie of Hermione it appeared that hee continued still in the same practices and after hee was forced out of Byzantium by siege of the Athenians returned not to Sparta but newes came that hee had seated himselfe at Colonae in the Countrey of Troy practising still with the Barbarians and making his abode there for no good purpose Then the Ephori forbore no longer but sent vnto him a publique Officer with the Scytale commanding him not to depart from the Officer and in case hee refused denounced Warre against him But he desiring as much as he could to decline suspition and beleeuing that with money hee should bee able to discharge himselfe of his accusations returned vnto Sparta the second time And first he was by the Ephori commited to ward for the Ephori haue power to doe this to their King but afterwards procuring his enlargement hee came forth and exhibited himselfe to Iustice against such as had any thing to alledge against him And though the Spartans had against him no manifest proofe neither his enemies nor the whole Citie whereupon to proceed to the punishment of a man both of the Race of their Kings and at that present in great authority for Plistarchus the Sonne of Leonidas being King and as yet in minority Pausanias who was his Cousin german had the tuition of him yet by his licentious behauiour and affectation of the Barbarian customes hee gaue much cause of suspicion that hee meant not to liue in the equality of the present State They considered also that hee differed in manner of life from the discipline established amongst other thingâ— by this that vpon the Tripode at Delphi which the Grecians had dedicated as the best of the spoile of the Medes hee had caused to bee inscribed of himselfe in particular this Elegiaque Verse PAVSANIAS Greeke Generall Hauing the Medes defeated To Phoebus in record thereof This gift hath consecrated But the Lacedaemonians then presently defaced that inscription of the Tripode and engraued thereon by name all the Cities that had ioyned in the ouerthrow of the Medes and dedicated it so This therefore was numbred amongst the offences of Pausanias and was thought to agree with his present designe so much the rather for the condition hee was now in They had information further that hee had in hand some practice with the Helotes and so hee had For hee promised them not onely manumission but also freedome of the Citie if they would rise with him and cooperate in the whole businesse But neither thus vpon some appeachment of the Helotes would they proceed against him but kept the custome which they haue in their owne cases not hastily to giue a peremptory Sentence against a Spartan without vnquestionable proofe Till at length as it is reported purposing to send ouer to Artabazus his last Letters to the King hee was bewrayed vnto them by a man of Argilus in time past his Minion and most faithfull to him who being terrified with the cogitation that not any of those which had beene formerly sent had euer returned got him a Seale like to the Seale of Pausanias to the end that if his iealousie were false or that hee should need to alter any thing in the Letter it might not bee discouered and opened the Letter wherein as he had suspected the addition of some such clause hee found himselfe also written downe to bee murdered The Ephori when these Letters were by him shewne vnto them though they beleeued the matter much more then they did before yet desirous to heare somewhat themselues from Pausanias his owne mouth the man being vpon designe gone to Taenarus into Sanctuary and hauing there built him a little Roome with a partition in which hee hid the Ephori and Pausanias comming to him and asking the cause of his taking Sanctuary they plainely heard the whole matter For the man both expostulated with him for what hee had written about him and from point to point discouered all the practice saying that though hee had neuer boasted vnto him these and these seruices concerning the King hee must yet haue the honour as well as many other of his seruants to bee slaine And Pausanias himselfe both confessed the same things and also bade the man not to be troubled at what was past and gaue him assurance to leaue Sanctuary entreating him to goe on in his iourney with all speed and not to frustrate the businesse in hand Now the Ephori when they had distinctly heard him for that time went their way and knowing now the certaine truth intended to apprehend him in the Citie It is said that when hee was to bee apprehended in the Street hee perceiued by the countenance of one of the Ephori comming towards him what they came for and when another of them had by a secret becke signified the matter for good will he ranne into the Close of the Temple of Pallas Chalciaeca and got in before they ouertooke him Now the Temple it selfe was hard by and entring into a House belonging to the Temple to auoyd the iniurie of the open ayre there staid They that pursued him could not then ouertake him but afterwards they tooke off the roofe and the doores of the house and watching a time when hee was within beset the House and mured him vp and leauing a Guard there famished him When they perceiued him about to giue vp the Ghost they carried him as hee was out of the House yet breathing and being out hee dyed immediately After hee was dead they were about to throw him into the Caeada where they vse to cast in Malefactors yet afterwards they thought good to bury him in some place thereabouts But the Oracle of Delphi commanded the Lacedaemonians afterward both to remoue the Sepulcher from the place where hee dyed so that he lyes now in the entry of the Temple as is euident by the inscription of the Piller and also as hauing beene a Pollution of the Sanctuary to render two bodies to the Goddesse of Chalciaeca for that one Whereupon they set vp two brazen Statues and dedicated the same vnto her for
they would abrogate the Act concerning the Megareans By which Act they were forbidden both the Fayres of Attica and all Ports within the Athenian dominion But the Athenians would not obey them neither in the rest of their Commands nor in the abrogation of that Act but recriminated the Megareans for hauing tilled holy ground and vnset-out with bounds and for receiuing of their Slaues that reuolted But at length when the last Ambassadours from Lacedaemon were arriued namely Rhamphias Melesippus and Agesander and spake nothing of that which formerly they were wont but onely this That the Lacedaemonians desire that there should be Peace which may bee had if you will suffer the Grecians to bee gouerned by their owne Lawes The Athenians called an Assembly and propounding their opinions amongst themselues thought good after they had debated the matter to giue them an answer once for all And many stood forth and deliuered their mindes on eyther side some for the Warre and some that this Act concerning the Megareans ought not to stand in their way to Peace but to bee abrogated And Pericles the sonne of Xantippus the principall man at that time of all Athens and most sufficient both for speech and action gaue his aduice in such manner as followeth THE ORATION OF PERICLES MEN of Athens I am still not onely of the same opinion not to giue way to the Peloponnesians notwithstanding I know that men haue not the same passions in the Warre it selfe which they haue when they are incited to it but change their opinions with the events but also I see that I must now aduise the same things or very neere to what I haue before deliuered And I require of you with whom my counsell shall take place that if wee miscarry in ought you will eyther make the best of it as decreed by Common Consent or if wee prosper not to attribute it to your owne wisdome onely For it falleth out with the euents of Actions no lesse then with the purposes of man to proceed with vncertainety which is also the cause that when any thing happeneth contrary to our expectation wee vse to lay the fault on Fortune That the Lacedaemonians both formerly and especially now take counsell how to doe vs mischiefe is a thing manifest For whereas it is said in the Articles that in our mutuall controuersies we shall giue and receiue trials of Iudgement and in the meane time eyther side hold what they possesse they neuer yet sought any such tryall themselues nor will accept of the same offered by vs. They will cleere themselues of their accusations by Warre rather then by words and come hither no more now to expostulate but to command For they command vs to arise from before Potidaea and to restore the Aeginetae to the liberty of their owne Lawes and to abrogate the Act concerning the Megareans And they that come last command vs to restore all the Grecians to their liberty Now let none of you conceiue that wee shall goe to Warre for a trifle by not abrogating the Act concerning Megara yet this by them is pretended most and that for the abrogation of it the Warre shall stay nor retaine a scruple in your mindes as if a small matter moued you to the Warre for euen this small matter containeth the tryall and constancy of your resolution Wherein if you giue them way you shall hereafter bee commanded a greater matter as men that for feare will obey them likewise in that But by a stiffe-deniall you shall teach them plainely to come to you heereafter on termes of more equality Resolue therefore from this occasion eyther to yeeld them obedience before you receiue damage or if wee must haue Warre which for my part I thinke is best be the pretence weighty or light not to giue way nor keepe what wee possesse in feare For a great and a little claime imposed by equals vpon their neighbours before Iudgement by way of command hath one and the same vertue to make subiect As for the Warre how both wee and they be furnished and why wee are not like to haue the worse by hearing the particulars you shall now vnderstand The Peloponnesians are men that liue by their labour without money eyther in particular or in common stocke Besides in long Warres and by Sea they are without experience for that the Warres which they haue had one against another haue beene but short through pouerty and such men can neither man their Fleets nor yet send out their Armies by Land very often because they must bee farre from their owne wealth and yet by that be maintained and be besides barred the vse of the Sea It must bee a stocke of money not forced Contributions that support the Warres and such as liue by their labour are more ready to serue the Warres with their bodies then with their money For they make account that their bodies will out-liue the danger but their money they thinke is sure to bee spent especially if the Warre as it is likely should last So that the Peloponnesians and their Confederates though for one Battell they bee able to stand out against all Greece besides yet to maintaine a Warre against such as haue their preparations of another kinde they are not able in as much as not hauing one and the same counsell they can speedily performe nothing vpon the occasion and hauing equality of vote and being of seuerall races euery one will presse his particular interest whereby nothing is like to bee fully executed For some will desire most to take reuenge on some enemie and others to haue their estates least wasted and being long before they can assemble they take the lesser part of their time to debate the Common businesse and the greater to dispatch their owne priuate affaires And euery one supposeth that his owne neglect of the Common estate can doe little hurt and that it will bee the care of some body else to looke to that for his owne good Not obseruing how by these thoughts of euery one in seuerall the Common businesse is ioyntly ruined But their greatest hindrance of all will be their want of money which being raised slowly their actions must bee full of delay which the occasions of warre will not endure As for their fortifying here and their Nauie they are matters not worthy feare For it were a hard matter for a Citie equall to our owne in time of peace to fortifie in that manner much lesse in the Countrey of an Enemie and wee no lesse fortified against them And if they had a Garrison here though they might by excursions and by the receiuing of our Fugitiues annoy some part of our Territory yet would not that bee enough both to besiege vs and also to hinder vs from sayling into their Territories and from taking reuenge with our Fleet which is the thing wherein our strength lyeth For wee haue more experience in Land-seruice by vse of
the Sea then they haue in Sea-seruice by vse of the Land Nor shall they attaine the knowledge of nauall affaires easily For your selues though falling to it immediately vpon the Persian warre yet haue not attained it fully How then should husbandmen not Sea-men whom also wee will not suffer to apply themselues to it by lying continually vpon them with so great Fleets performe any matter of value Indeed if they should bee opposed but with a few Ships they might aduenture encouraging their want of knowledge with store of men but awed by many they will not stirre that way and not applying themselues to it will bee yet more vnskilfull and thereby more cowardly For knowledge of Nauall matters is an Art as well as any other and not to be attended at idle times and on the by but requiring rather that whilest it is a learning nothing else should bee done on the by But say they should take the money at Olympia and Delphi and therewith at greater wages goe about to draw from vs the Strangers employed in our Fleet this indeed if going aboard both our selues and those that dwell amongst vs wee could not match them were a dangerous matter But now wee can both doe this and which is the principall thing wee haue Steeresmen and other necessary men for the seruice of a Ship both more and better of our owne Citizens then are in all the rest of Greece Besides that not any of these Strangers vpon tryall would bee found content to fly his owne Countrey and withall vpon lesse hope of victory for a few dayes increase of wages take part with the other side In this manner or like to this seemeth vnto mee to stand the case of the Peloponnesians Whereas ours is both free from what in theirs I haue reprehended and hath many great aduantages besides If they inuade our Territory by Land wee shall inuade theirs by Sea And when wee haue wasted part of Peloponnesus and they all Attica yet shall theirs bee the greater losse For they vnlesse by the sword can get no other Territory in stead of that wee shall destroy Whereas for vs there is other Land both in the Ilands and Continent For the dominion of the Sea is a great matter Consider but this If we dwelt in the Ilands whether of vs then were more inexpugnable Wee must therefore now drawing as neere as can bee to that imagination lay aside the care of Fields and Villages and not for the losse of them out of passion giue battell to the Peloponnesians farre more in number then our selues for though wee giue them an ouerthrow wee must fight againe with as many more and if wee bee ouerthrowne we shall lose the helpe of our Confederates which are our strength for when we cannot warre vpon them they will revolt nor bewaile yee the losse of Fields or Houses but of mens bodies for men may acquire these but these cannot acquire men And if I thought I should preuaile I would aduise you to goe out and destroy them your selues and shew the Peloponnesians that you will neuer the sooner obey them for such things as these There be many other things that giue hope of victory in case you doe not whilest you are in this Warre striue to enlarge your dominion and vndergoe other voluntary dangers for I am afraid of our owne errours more then of their designes but they shall bee spoken of at another time in prosecution of the warre it selfe For the present let vs send away these men with this Answer That the Megareans shall haue the liberty of our Fayres and Ports if the Lacedaemonians will also make no banishment of vs nor of our Confederates as of Strangers For neither our Act concerning Megara nor their banishment of Strangers is forbidden in the Articles Also that we will let the Grecian Cities be free if they were so when the Peace was made and if the Lacedaemonians will also giue leaue vnto their Confederates to vse their freedome not as shall serue the turne of the Lacedaemonians but as they themselues shall euery one thinke good Also that wee will stand to Iudgement according to the Articles and will not beginne the Warre but bee reuenged on those that shall For this is both iust and for the dignity of the City to answer Neuerthelesse you must know that of necessity Warre there will bee and the more willingly wee embrace it the lesse pressing we shall haue our enemies and that out of greatest dangers whether to Cities or priuate men arise the greatest honours For our Fathers when they vndertooke the Medes did from lesse beginnings nay abandoning the little they had by wisdome rather then Fortune by courage rather then strength both repell the Barbarian and aduance this State to the height it now is at Of whom wee ought not now to come short but rather to reuenge vs by all meanes vpon our enemies and doe our best to deliuer the State vnimpayred by vs to posterity Thus spake Pericles The Athenians liking best of his aduice decreed as hee would haue them answering the Lacedaemonians according to his direction both in particular as hee had spoken and generally That they would doe nothing on command but were ready to answer their accusations vpon equall termes by way of arbitrement So the Ambassadours went home and after these there came no more These were the Quarels and differences on eyther side before the Warre which Quarels beganne presently vpon the businesse of Epidamnus and Corcyra Neuerthelesse there was still commerce betwixt them and they went to each other without any Herald though not without iealousie For the things that had passed were but the confusion of the Articles and matter of the Warre to follow FINIS THE SECOND BOOK OF THE HISTORY OF THVCYDIDES The principall Contents The entry of the Theban Souldiers into Plataea by the Treason of some within Their repulse and slaughter The irruption of the Peloponnesians into Attica The wasting of the Coast of Peloponnesus by the Athenian Fleet. The Publike Funerall of the first slaine The second inuasion of Attica The Pestilence in the City of Athens The Ambraciotes warre against the Amphilochi Plataea assaulted Besieged The Peloponnesian Fleet beaten by Phormio before the Straight of the Gulfe of Crissa The same Fleet repaired and re-inforced and beaten againe by Phormio before Naupactus The attempt of the Peloponnesians on Salamis The fruitlesse expedition of the Thracians against the Macedonians This in the first 3. yeeres of the Warre THE Warre between the Athenians and the Peloponnesians beginneth now from the time they had no longer commerce one with another without a Herald and that hauing once begun it they warred without intermission And it is written in order by Summers and Winters according as from time to time the seuerall matters came to passe The Peace which after the winning of Euboea was concluded for thirty yeeres lasted foureteene yeeres but in the
fifteenth yeere being the forty eighth of the Priesthood of Chrysis in Argos Aenesias being thâ— Ephore at Sparta and Pythadorus Archon of Athens hauing then two moneths of his gouernment to come in the sixth moneth after the Battell at Potidaea and in the beginning of the Spring three hundred and odde Thebans led by Pythangelus the Sonne of Philides and Diemporus the sonne of Oenotoridas Boeotian Rulers about the first Watch of the night entred with their Armes into Plataea a Citie of Boeotia and Confederate of the Athenians They were brought in and the Gates opened vnto them by Nauclides and his Complices men of Plataea that for their owne priuate ambition intended both the destruction of such Citizens as were their enemies and the putting of the whole City vnder the subiection of the Thebans This they negotiated with one Eurymachus the Sonne of Leontiadas one of the most potent men of Thebes For the Thebans foreseeing the Warre desired to praeoccupate Plataea which was alwayes at variance with them whilest there was yet Peace and the Warre not openly on foot By which meanes they more easily entred vndiscouered there being no order taken before for a Watch. And making a stand in their Armes in the Market place did not as they that gaue them entrance would haue had them fall presently to the businesse and enter the Houses of their Aduersaries but resolued rather to make fauourable Proclamation and to induce the Cities to composition and friendship And the Herald proclaimed That if any man according to the ancient custome of all the Boeotians would enter into the same league of Warre with them hee should come and bring his Armes to theirs supposing the Citie by this meanes would easily be drawne to their side The Plataeans when they perceiued that the Thebans were already entred and had surprized the Citie through feare and opinion that more were entred then indeed were for they could not see them in the night came to composition and accepting the condition rested quiet and the rather for that they had yet done no man harme But whilest that these things were treating they obserued that the Thebans were not many and thought that if they should set vpon them they might easily haue the victory For the Plataean Commons were not willing to haue revolted from the Aâ—henians Wherefore it was thought fit to vndertake the matter and they vnited themselues by digging through the Common Walles betweene house and house that they might not be discouered as they passed the Streets They also placed Carts in the Streets without the Cattell that drew them to serue them in stead of a Wall and euery other thing they put in readinesse as they seuerally seemed necessary for the present enterprize When all things according to their meanes were ready they marched from their Houses towards the enemies taking their time whilest it was yet night and a little before breake of day because they would not haue to charge them when they should bee emboldned by the light and on equall termes but when they should by night bee terrified and inferiour to them in knowledge of the places of the Citie So they forthwith set vpon them and came quickly vp to hand-stroakes And the Thebans seeing this and finding they were deceiued cast themselues into a round figure and beat them backe in that part where the assault was made and twice or thrice they repulsed them But at last when both the Plataeans themselues charged them with a great clamour and their Wiues also and Families shouted and screeched from the Houses and withall threw stones and Tyles amongst them the night hauing beene also very wet they were afraid and turned their backes and fled heere and there about the Cittie ignorant for the most part in the darke and durt of the wayes out by which they should haue beene saued for this accident fell out vpon the change of the Moone and pursued by such as were well acquainted with the wayes to keepe them in insomuch as the greatest part of them perished The Gate by which they entred and which onely was left open a certaine Plataean shut vp againe with the head of a Iaueline which hee thrust into the Staple in stead of a bolt so that this way also their passage was stopped As they were chased vp and downe the City some climbed the Walles and cast themselues out and for the most part dyed some came to a desart Gate of the City and with a Hatchet giuen them by a Woman cut the staple and got forth vnseene but these were not many for the thing was soone discouered others againe were slaine dispersed in seuerall parts of the Citie But the greatest part and those especially who had cast themselues before into a Ring happened into a great Edifice adioyning to the Wall the doores whereof being open they thought had beene the Gates of the Citie and that there had beene a direct way through to the other side The Plataeans seeing them now pend vp consulted whether they should burne them as they were by firing the House or else resolue of some other punishment At length both these and all the rest of the Thebans that were straggling in the Citie agreed to yeeld themselues and their Armes to the Plataeans at discretion And this successe had they that entred into Plataea But the rest of the Thebans that should with their whole power haue beene there before day for feare the surprize should not succeed with those that were in came so late with their ayde that they heard the newes of what was done by the way Now Plataea is from Thebes 70. Furlongs and they marched the slowlier for the raine which had falne the same night For the Riuer Asopus was swolne so high that it was not easily passable so that what by the foulenesse of the way and what by the difficulty of passing the Riuer they arriued not till their men were already some slaine and some taken prisoners When the Thebans vnderstood how things had gone they lay in waite for such of the Plataeans as were without for there were abroad in the Villages both men and houshold stuffe as was not vnlikely the euill happening vnexpectedly and in time of peace desiring if they could take any Prisoners to keepe them for exchange for those of theirs within which if any were so were saued aliue This was the Thebans purpose But the Plataeans whilest they were yet in Councell suspecting that some such thing would bee done and fearing their case without sent a Herald vnto the Thebans whom they commanded to say That what they had already done attempting to surprize their Citie in time of Peace was done wickedly and to forbid them to doe any iniury to those without and that otherwise they would kill all those men of theirs that they had aliue which if they would withdraw their forces out of their
lesse carefully prepared but of euery City as well the Captaine as the Souldier to expect alwayes some danger or other in that part wherein hee himselfe is placed For the accidents of Warre are vncertaine and for the most part the Onset begins from the lesser number and vpon passion And oftentimes the lesser number being afraid hath beaten backe the greater with the more ease for that through contempt they haue gone vnprepared And in the Land of an Enemie though the Souldiers ought alwaies to haue bold hearts yet for action they ought to make their preparations as if they were afraid For that will giue them both more courage to goe vpon the enemy and more safety in fighting with him But wee invade not now a Citie that cannot defend it selfe but a City euery way well appointed So that wee must by all meanes expect to be fought withall though not now because we be not yet there yet hereafter when they shall see vs in their Countrey wasting and destroying their possessions For all men when in their owne fight and on a sudden they receiue any extraordinary hurt fall presently into choler and the lesse they consider with the more stomach they assault And this is likely to hold in the Athenians somewhat more then in others for they thinke themselues worthy to haue the command of others and to inuade and waste the territory of their neighbours rather then to see their neighbours waste theirs Wherefore as being to Warre against a great Citie and to procure both to your Ancestours and your selues a great fame eyther good or bad as shall bee the event follow your Leaders in such sort as aboue all things you esteeme of order and watchfulnesse For there is nothing in the world more comely nor more safe then when many men are seene to obserue one and the same order Archidamus hauing thus spoken and dismissed the Councell first sent Melesippus the Sonne of Diacritus a man of Sparta to Athens to try if the Athenians seeing them now on their iourney would yet in some degree remit of their obstinacy But the Athenians neither receiued him into their Citie nor presented him to the State for the opinion of Pericles had already taken place not to receiue from the Lacedaemonians neither Herald nor Ambassadour as long as their Armie was abroad Therefore they sent him backe without audience with commandment to be out of their borders the selfe-same day and that hereafter if they would any thing with them they should returne euery one to his home and send their Ambassadours from thence They sent with him also certaine persons to conuoy him out of the Countrey to the end that no man should conferre with him who when hee came to the limits and was to bee dismissed vttered these words This day is the beginning of much euill vnto the Grecians and so departed When hee returned to the Campe Archidamus perceiuing that they would not relent dislodged and marched on with his Armie into their Territory The Boeotians with their appointed part and with Horsemen ayded the Peloponnesians but with the rest of their Forces went and wasted the Territorie of Plataea Whilest the Peloponnesians were comming together in the Isthmus and when they were on their March before they brake into Attica Pericles the sonne of Xantippus who with nine others was Generall of the Athenians when he saw they were about to breake in suspecting that Archidamus either of priuate courtesie or by command of the Lacedaemonians to bring him into iealousie as they had before for his sake commanded the excommunication might oftentimes leaue his Lands vntouched told the Athenians before-hand in an Assembly That though Archidamus had beene his guest it was for no ill to the State and howsoeuer if the Enemie did not waste his Lands and Houses as well as the rest that then hee gaue them to the Common-wealth And therefore desired That for this hee might not bee suspected Also hee aduised them concerning the businesse in hand the same things hee had done before That they should make preparation for the Warre and receiue their goods into the City that they should not goe out to Battell but come into the City and guard it That they should also furnish out their Nauy wherein consisted their power and hold a carefull hand ouer their Confederates telling them how that in the money that came from these lay their strength and that the Victory in Warre consisted wholly in Counsell and store of money Further hee bade them bee confident in that there was yeerely comming in to the State from the Confederates for Tribute besides other reuenue 600. Talents and remaining yet then in the Citadell 6000. Talents of siluer coine for the greatest summe there had beene was 10000. Talents wanting 300. out of which was taken that which had beene expended vpon the Gate-houses of the Cittadell and vpon other buildings and for the charges of Potidaea Besides the vncoyned gold and siluer of priuate and publike Offerings and all the dedicated Vessels belonging to the Shewes and Games and the spoiles of the Persian and other things of that nature which amounted to no lesse then 500. Talents Hee added further that much money might bee had out of other Temples without the Citie which they might vse And if they were barred the vse of all these they might yet vse the ornaments of gold about the Goddesse her selfe and said that the Image had about it the weight of 40. Talents of most pure Gold and which might all bee taken off but hauing made vse of it for their safety hee said they were to make restitution of the like quantity againe Thus hee encouraged them touching matter of money Men of Armes he said they had 13000. besides the 16000. that were employed for the guard of the Citie and vpon the Walles for so many at the first kept watch at the comming in of the Enemy young and old together and Strangers that dwelt amongst them as many as could beare Armes For the length of the Phalerian Wall to that part of the circumference of the Wall of the City where it ioyned was 35. Furlongs and that part of the circumference which was guarded for some of it was not kept with a Watch namely the part betweene the Long Walles and the Phalerian was 43. Furlongs and the length of the Long-Walles downe to Piraeus of which there was a Watch onely on the outmost was 40. Furlongs and the whole compasse of Piraeus together with Munychia was 60. Furlongs whereof that part that was watched was but halfe He said further they had of Horsemen accounting Archers on horsebacke 1200 and 1600. Archers and of Gallies fit for the Sea 300. All this and no lesse had the Athenians when the invasion of the Peloponnesians was first in hand and when the warre beganne These and other words spake Pericles as hee vsed
which is the greatest towne in all Attica of those that are called Demoi and pitching there both fortified their Campe and staid a great while wasting the Countrey thereabout Archidamus was said to haue staid so long at Acharnas with his Armie in Battell array and not to haue come downe all the time of his invasion into the Champaigne with this intention Hee hoped that the Athenians flourishing in number of young men and better furnished for Warre then euer they were before would perhaps haue come forth against him and not endured to see their fields cut downe and wasted and therefore seeing they met him not in Thriasia hee thought good to try if they would come out against him lying now at Acharnas Besides the place seemed vnto him commodious for the Army to lye in and it was thought also that the Acharnans beeing a great piece of the Citie for they were 3000. men of Armes would not haue suffered the spoiling of their Lands but rather haue vrged all the rest to goe out and fight And if they came not out against him at this inuasion they might hereafter more boldly both waste the Champaigne Countrey and come downe euen to the Walles of the Citie For the Acharnans after they should haue lost their owne would not bee so forward to hazard themselues for the goods of other men But there would bee thoughts of Sedition in one towards another in the Citie These were the cogitations of Archidamus whilest he lay at Acharnas The Athenians as long as the Armie of the Enemie lay about Eleusis and the Fields of Thrius and as long as they had any hope it would come on no further remembring that also Plistoanax the sonne of Pausanias King of Lacedaemon when 14. yeeres before this Warre hee entred Attica with an Armie of the Peloponnesians as farre as Eleusis and Thriasia retired againe and came no further for which hee was also banished Sparta as thought to haue gone backe for money they stirred not But when they saw the Army now at Acharnas but 60. Furlongs from the Citie then they thought it no longer to bee endured and when their Fields were wasted as it was likely in their sight which the yonger sort had neuer seene before nor the elder but in the Persian Warre it was taken for a horrible matter and thought fit by all especially by the youth to goe out and not to endure it any longer And holding Councels apart one from another they were at much contention some to make a sally and some to hinder it And the Priests of the Oracles giuing out Prophecies of all kindes euery one made the interpretation according to the sway of his owne affection But the Acharnans conceiuing themselues to bee no small part of the Athenians were they that whilest their owne Lands were wasting most of all vrged their going out Insomuch as the Citie was euery way in tumult and in choler against Pericles remembring nothing of what hee had formerly admonished them but reuiled him for that being their Generall hee refused to leade them into the Field and imputing vnto him the cause of all their euill but Pericles seeing them in passion for their present losse and ill aduised and being confident hee was in the right touching not sallying assembled them not nor called any Councell for feare lest being together they might vpon passion rather then iudgement commit some error But looked to the guarding of the Citie and as much as hee could to keepe it in quiet Neuerthelesse he continually sent out Horse-men to keepe the Scowts of the Armie from entring vpon and doing hurt to the Fields neere the Citie And there happened at Phrygij a small Skirmish between one troope of Horse of the Athenians with whom were also the Thessalians and the Horsemen of the Boeotians wherein the Athenians and Thessalians had not the worse till such time as the Boeotians were ayded by the comming in of their men of Armes and then they were put to flight and a few of the Athenians and Thessalians slaine whose bodies notwithstanding they fetcht off the same day without leaue of the Enemie and the Peloponnesians the next day erected a Trophie This ayde of the Thessalians was vpon an ancient League with the Athenians and consisted of Larissaeans Pharsalians Parasians Cranonians Peirasians Gyrtonians Pheraeans The Leaders of the Larissaeans were Polymedes and Aristonus men of contrary factions in their Citie Of the Pharsalians Meno And of the rest out of the seuerall Cities seuerall Commanders The Peloponnesians seeing the Athenians would not come out to fight dislodging from Acharnas wasted certaine other Villages betweene the Hils Parnethus and Brelissus Whilest these were in Attica the Athenians sent the hundred Gallies which they had prouided and in them 1000. men of Armes and 400. Archers about Peloponnesus the Commanders whereof were Charcinus the sonne of Xenotimus Proteus the sonne of Epicles and Socrates the sonne of Antigenes who thus furnished weighed Anchor and went their way The Peloponnesians when they had stayd in Attica as long as their prouision lasted went home through Boeotia not the way they came in but passing by Oropus wasted the Countrey called Peiraice which is of the tillage of the Oropians Subiects to the People of Athens and when they were come backe into Peloponnesus they disbanded and went euery man to his owne Citie When they were gone the Athenians ordained Watches both by Sea and Land such as were to continue to the end of the Warre And made a Decree to take out a thousand Talents of the money in the Cittadell and set it by so as it might not bee spent but the charges of the Warre bee borne out of other monies and made it capitall for any man to moue or giue his vote for the stirring of this money for any other vse but onely if the Enemie should come with an Armie by Sea to inuade the Citie for necessity of that defence Together with this money they likewise set apart 100. Gallies and those to be euery yeere the best and Captaines to be appointed ouer them which were to bee employed for no other vse then the money was and for the same danger if need should require The Athenians that were with the 100. Gallies about Peloponnesus and with them the Corcyraeans with the ayde of 50. Sayle more and certaine others of the Confederates thereabout amongst other places which they infested in their course landed at Methone a Towne of Laconia and assaulted it as being but weake and few men within But it chanced that Brasidas the sonne of Tellis a Spartan had a Garrison in those parts and hearing of it succoured those of the Towne with 100. men of Armes wherewith running through the Athenian Army dispersed in the Fields directly towards the Towne hee put himselfe into Methone and with the losse of few of his men in the passage hee saued the place and
imported hither whereby we no lesse familiarly enioy the commodities of all other Nations then our owne Then in the studies of Warre wee excell our Enemies in this wee leaue aur Citie open to all men nor was it euer seene that by banishing of strangers we denyed them the learning or sight of any of those things which if not hidden an Enemie might reape aduantage by not relying on secret preparation and deceipt but vpon our owne courage in the action They in their discipline hunt after valour presently from their youth with laborious exercise and yet wee that liue remissely vndertake as great dangers as they For example the Lacedaemonians inuade not our dominion by themselues alone but with the ayde of all the rest But when wee inuade our neighbours though wee fight in hostile ground against such as in their owne ground fight in defence of their owne substance yet for the most part wee get the victorie Neuer Enemie yet fell into the hands of our whole Forces at once both because wee apply our selues much to Nauigation and by Land also send many of our men into diuers Countries abroad But when fighting with a part of it they chance to get the better they boast they haue beaten the whole and when they get the worse they say they are beaten by the whole And yet when from ease rather then studious labour and vpon naturall rather then doctrinall valour wee come to vndertake any danger wee haue this oddes by it that we shall not faint before-hand with the meditation of future trouble and in the action wee shall appeare no lesse confident then they that are euer toyling procuring admiration to our Citie as well in this as in diuers other things For we also giue our selues to brauery and yet with thrift and to Philosophy and yet without mollification of the minde And we vse riches rather for opportunities of action then for verball ostentation And hold it not ashame to confesse pouerty but not to haue auoided it Moreouer there is in the same men a care both of their owne and of the publique affaires and a sufficient knowledge of State matters euen in those that labour with their hands For we onely thinke one that is vtterly ignorant therein to be a man not that meddles with nothing but that is good for nothing We likewise weigh what we vndertake and apprehend it perfectly in our mindes not accounting words for a hindrance of action but that it is rather a hindrance to action to come to it without instruction of words before For also in this we excell others daring to vndertake as much as any and yet examining what wee vndertake whereas with other men ignorance makes them dare and consideration dastards and they are most rightly reputed valiant who though they perfectly apprehend both what is dangerous and what is easie are neuer the more thereby diuerted from aduenturing Againe we are contrary to most men in matter of bounty For we purchase our friends not by receiuing but by bestowing benefits And he that bestoweth a good turne is euer the most constant friend because hee will not lose the thankes due vnto him from him whom he bestowed it on Whereas the friendship of him that oweth a benefit is dull and flat as knowing his benefit not to be taken for a fauor but for a debt So that we onely doe good to others not vpon computation of profit but freenesse of trust In summe it may be said both that the City is in generall a Schoole of the Grecians and that the men here haue euery one in particular his person disposed to most diuersity of actions and yet all with grace and decency And that this is not now rather a brauery of words vpon the occasion then reall truth this power of the Citie which by these institutions we haue obtained maketh euident For it is the onely power now found greater in proofe then fame and the onely power that neither grieueth the invader when he miscarries with the quality of those he was hurt by nor giueth cause to the subiected States to murmure as being in subiection to men vnworthy For both with present and future Ages we shall be in admiration for a power not without testimony but made euident by great arguments and which needeth not either a Homer to praise it or any other such whose Poems may indeed for the present bring delight but the trutâ— will afterwards confute the opinion conceiued of the actions For we haue opened vnto vs by our courage all Seas and Lands and set vp eternall Monuments on all sides both of the euill we haue done to our enemies and the good wee haue done to our friends Such is the Citie for which these men thinking it no reason to lose it valiantly fighting haue dyed And it is fit that euery man of you that bee left should bee like-minded to vndergoe any trauell for the same And I haue therefore spoken so much concerning the Citie in generall as well to shew you that the stakes betweene vs and them whose Citie is not such are not equall as also to make knowne by effects the worth of these men I am to speake of the greatest part of their praises being therein already deliuered For what I haue spoken of the Citie hath by these and such as these beene atchieued Neither would praises and actions appeare so leuelly concurrent in many other of the Grecians as they doe in these the present revolution of these mens liues seeming vnto mee an argument of their vertues noted in the first act thereof and in the last confirmed For euen such of them as were worse then the rest doe neuerthelesse deserue that for their valour shewne in the Warres for defence of their Countrey they should bee preferred before the rest For hauing by their good actions abolished the memory of their euill they haue profited the State thereby more then they haue hurt it by their priuate behauiour Yet there was none of these that preferring the further fruition of his wealth was thereby growne cowardly or that for hope to ouercome his pouerty at length and to attaine to riches did for that cause withdraw himselfe from the danger For their principall desire was not wealth but reuenge on their Enemies which esteeming the most honourable cause of danger they made account through it both to accomplish their reuenge and to purchase wealth withall putting the vncertainety of successe to the a count of their hope but for that which was before their eyes relying vpon themselues in the Action and therein chusing rather to fight and dye then to shrinke and bee saued They fled from shame but with their bodies they stood out the Battell and so in a moment whilest Fortune inclineth neither way left their liues not in feare but in opinion of victory Such were these men worthy of their Country and for you that remaine you may pray for a safer furtune but
you ought not to bee lesse venturously minded against the enemie not weighing the profit by an Oration onely which any man amplifying may recount to you that know as well as hee the many commodities that arise by fighting valiantly against your enemies but contemplating the power of the Citie in the actions of the same from day to day performed and thereby becomming enamoured of it And when this power of the Citie shall seeme great to you consider then that the same was purchased by valiant men and by men that know their duty and by men that were sensible of dishonour when they were in fight and by such men as though they failed of their attempt yet would not bee wanting to the Citie with their vertue but made vnto it a most honourable contribution For hauing euery one giuen his body to the Common-wealth they receiue in place thereof an vndecaying commendation and a most remarkeable Sepulcher not wherein they are buried so much as wherein their glory is laid vp vpon all occasions both of speech and action to bee remembred for euer For to famous men all the earth is a Sepulcher and their vertues shall bee testified not onely by the inscription in stone at home but by an vnwritten record of the minde which more then of any Monument will remaine with euery one for euer In imitation therefore of these men and placing happinesse in liberty and liberty in valour bee forward to encounter the dangers of Warre For the miserable and desperate men are not they that haue the most reason to bee prodigall of their liues but rather such men as if they liue may expect a change of fortune and whose losses are greatest if they miscarry in ought For to a man of any spirit Death which is without sense arriuing whilest hee is in vigour and common hope is nothing so bitter as after a tender life to bee brought into miserie Wherefore I will not so much bewaile as comfort you the parents that are present of these men For you know that whilest they liued they were obnoxious to manifold calamities whereas whilest you are in griefe they onely are happy that dye honourably as these haue done and to whom it hath beene granted not only to liue in prosperity but to dye in it Though it bee a hard matter to disswade you from sorrow for the losse of that which the happinesse of others wherein you also when time was reioyced your selues shall so often bring into your remembrance for sorrow is not for the want of a good neuer tasted but for the priuation of a good wee haue beene vsed to yet such of you as are of the age to haue children may beare the losse of these in the hope of more For the later children will both draw on with some the obliuion of those that are slaine and also doubly conduce to the good of the Citie by population and strength For it is not likely that they should equally giue good counsell to the State that haue not children to bee equally exposed to danger in it As for you that are past hauing of children you are to put the former and greater part of your life to the account of your gaine and supposing the remainder of it will bee but short you shall haue the glory of these for a consolation of the same For the loue of honour neuer groweth old nor doth that vnprofitable part of our life take delight as some haue said in gathering of wealth so much as it doth in being honoured As for you that are the children or brethren of these men I see you shall haue a difficult taske of aemulation For euery man vseth to praise the dead so that with oddes of vertue you will hardly get an equall reputation but still be thought a little short For men enuy their Competitors in glory while they liue but to stand out of their way is a thing honoured with an affection free from opposition And since I must say somewhat also of feminine vertue for you that are now Widdowes I shall expresse it all in this short admonition It will bee much for your honour not to recede from your Sexe and to giue as little occasion of rumour amongst the men whether of good or euill as you can Thus also haue I according to the prescript of the Law deliuered in word what was expedient and those that are here interred haue in fact beene already honoured and further their children shall bee maintained till they be at mans estate at the charge of the Citie which hath therein propounded both to these and them that liue a profitable Garland in their matches of valour For where the rewards of vertue are greatest there liue the worthiest men So now hauing lamented euery one his owne you may be gone Such was the Funerall made this Winter which ending ended the first yeere of this Warre In the very beginning of Summer the Peloponnesians and their Confederates with two thirds of their forces as before inuaded Attica vnder the conduct of Archidamus the sonne of Zeuxidamas King of Lacedaemon and after they had encamped themselues wasted the countrey about them They had not beene many dayes in Attica when the plague first began amongst the Athenians said also to haue seazed formerly on diuers other parts as about Lemnos and elsewhere but so great a plague and mortality of men was neuer remembred to haue hapned in any place before For at first neither were the Physicians able to cure it through ignorance of what it was but dyed fastest themselues as being the men that most approached the sicke nor any other art of man auailed whatsoeuer All supplications to the Gods and enquiries of Oracles and whatsoeuer other meanes they vsed of that kind proued all vnprofitable insomuch as subdued with the greatnesse of the euill they gaue them all ouer It began by report first in that part of Aethiopia that lyeth vpon Aegypt and thence fell downe into Aegypt and Afrique and into the greatest part of the Territories of the King It inuaded Athens on a sudden and touched first vpon those that dwelt in Pyraeus insomuch as they reported that the Peloponnesians had cast poyson into their Welles for Springs there were not any in that place But afterwards it came vp into the high City and then they dyed a great deale faster Now let euery man Physitian or other concerning the ground of this sickenesse whence it sprung and what causes hee thinkes able to produce so great an alteration speake according to his owne knowledge for my owne part I will deliuer but the manner of it and lay open onely such things as one may take his marke by to discouer the same if it come againe hauing beene both sicke of it my selfe and seene others sicke of the same This yeere by confession of all men was of all other for other diseases most free and healthfull If any
former because they concluded it was alike to worship or not worship from seeing that alike they all perished nor the latter because no man expected that liues would last till he receiued punishment of his crimes by iudgement But they thought there was now ouer their heads some farre greater Iudgement decreed against them before which fell they thought to enioy some little part of their liues Such was the misery into which the Athenians being falne were much oppressed hauing not onely their men killed by the Disease within but the enemy also laying waste their Fields and Villages without In this sicknesse also as it was not vnlikely they would they called to minde this Verse said also of the elder sort to haue beene vttered of old A Dorique Warre shall fall And a great Plague withall Now were men at variance about the word some saying it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. the Plague that was by the Ancients mentioned in that verse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. Famine But vpon the present occasion the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deseruedly obtained For as men suffered so they made the Verse to say And I thinke if after this there shall euer come another Dorique Warre and with it a Famine they are like to recite the Verse accordingly There was also reported by such as knew a certaine answer giuen by the Oracle to the Lacedaemonians when they enquired whether they should make this Warre or not That if they warred with all their power they should haue the Victorie and that the God himselfe would take their parts and thereupon they thought the present misery to bee a fulfilling of that Prophecie The Peloponnesians were no sooner entred Attica but the sicknesse presenlty began and neuer came into Peloponnesus to speake of but raigned principally in Athens and in such other places afterwards as were most populous And thus much of this Disease After the Peloponnesians had wasted the Champaigne Countrey they fell vpon the Territory called Paralos as farre as to the Mountaine Laurius where the Athenians had Siluer Mines and first wasted that part of it which looketh towards Peloponnesus and then that also which lyeth toward Andros and Euboea and Pericles who was also then Generall was still of the same minde hee was of in the former inuasion that the Athenians ought not to goe out against them to battell Whilst they were yet in the Plaine before they entred into the Maritime Country he furnished an hundred Gallies to goe about Peloponnesus and as soone as they were ready put to Sea In these Gallies hee had foure thousand men of Armes and in Vessels then purposely first made to carry Horses three hundred Horsemen The Chians and Lesbians ioyned likewise with him with fiftie Gallies This Fleet of the Athenians when it set foorth left the PelopoÌ„nesians still in Paralia and comming before Epidaurus a Citie of Peloponnesus they wasted much of the Country therabout and assaulting the Citie had a hope to take it though it succeeded not Leauing Epidaurus they wasted the Territories about of Traezene Halias and Hermione places all on the Sea-coast of PelopoÌ„nesus Putting off from hence they came to Prasiae a small maritime Citie of Laconica and both wasted the Territory about it and tooke and razed the Towne it selfe and hauing done this came home and found the Peloponnesians not now in Attica but gone backe All the while the Peloponnesians were in the Territorie of the Athenians and the Athenians abroad with their Fleet the sicknesse both in the Armie and Citie destroyed many in so much as it was said that the Peloponnesians fearing the sicknesse which they knew to bee in the Citie both by fugitiues and by seeing the Athenians burying their dead went the sooner away out of the Countrey And yet they stayed there longer in this inuasion then they had done any time before and wasted euen the whole Territory for they continued in Attica almost forty daies The same Summer Agnon the sonne of Nicias and Cleopompus the Sonne of Clinias who were ioynt Commanders with Pericles with that Armie which hee had employed before went presently and made Warre vpon the Chalcidâ—ans of Thrace and against Potidaea which was yet besieged Arriuing they presently applyed Engins and tryed all meanes possible to take it but neither the taking of the Citie nor any thing else succeeded worthy so great preparation For the sickenesse comming amongst them afflicted them mightily indeed and euen deuoured the Army And the Athenian Souldiers which were there before and in health catched the sickenesse from those that came with Agnon As for Phormio and his 1600. they were not now amongst the Chalcideans and Agnon therefore came backe with his Fleet hauing of 4000 men in lesse then 40. dayes lost 1050. of the plague But the Souldiers that were there before staid vpon the place and continued the siege of Potidaea After the second inuasion of the Peloponnesians the Athenians hauing their fields now the second time wasted and both the sickenesse and warre falling vpon them at once changed their mindes and accused Pericles as if by his meanes they had been brought into these calamities and desired earnestly to compound with the Lacedaemonians to whom also they sent certaine Ambassadours but they returned without effect And being then at their wits end they kept a stirre at Pericles And hee seeing them vexed with their present calamity and doing all those things which he had before expected called an Assembly for he was yet Generall with intention to put them againe into heart and asswaging their passion to reduce their mindes to a more calme and lesse dismayed temper and standing forth he spake vnto them in this manner THE ORATION OF PERICLES YOur anger towards me commeth not vnlooked for for the causes of it I know and I haue called this Assembly therefore to remember you and reprehend you for those things wherin you haue either beene angry with me or giuen way to your aduersity without reason For I am of this opinion that the publike prosperity of the Citie is better for priuate men then if the priuate men themselues were in prosperity and the publique wealth in decay For a priuate man though in good estate if his Countrey come to ruine must of necessity be ruined with it whereas hee that miscarrieth in a flourishing Common-wealth shall much more easily be preserued Since then the Common-wealth is able to beare the calamities of priuate men and euery one cannot support the calamities of the Common-wealth why should not euery one striue to defend it and not as you now astonished with domestique misfortune forsake the common safety and fall a censuring both me that counselled the Warre and your selues that decreed the same as well as I. And it is I you are angry withall one as I thinke my selfe inferiour to none either in knowing what is requisite or in expressing what
I know and a louer of my Countrey and superior to money For he that hath good thoughts and cannot cleerely expresse them were as good to haue thought nothing at all He that can do both and is ill affected to his Countrey will likewise not giue it faithfull counsell And he that will doe that too yet if he be superable by mony will for that alone set all the rest to sale Now if you followed my aduice in making this Warre as esteeming these vertues to bee in mee somewhat aboue the rest there is sure no reason I should now be accused of doing you wrong For though to such as haue it in their owne election being otherwise in good estate it were madnesse to make choice of Warre yet when we must of necessitie either giue way and so without more adoe be subiect to our Neighbours or else saue our selues from it by danger he is more to be condemned that declineth the danger then he that standeth to it For mine owne part I am the man I was and of the minde I was but you are changed wonne to the Warre when you were entire but repenting it vpon the dammage and condemning my counsell in the weakenesse of your owne iudgement The reason of this is because you feele already euery one in particular that which afflicts you but the euidence of the profit to accrew to the Citie in generall you see not yet And your mindes deiected with the great and sudden alteratoin cannot constantly maintaine what you haue before resolued For that which is sodaine and vnexpected and contrary to what one hath deliberated enslaueth the spirit which by this disease principally in the necke of the other incommodities is now come to passe in you But you that are borne in a great Citie and with education suteable how great soeuer the affliction be ought not to shrinke at it and eclipse your reputation for men doe no lesse condemne those that through cowardize lose the glory they haue then hate those that through impudence arrogate the glory they haue not but to set aside the griefe of your priuate losses and lay your hands to the common safety As for the toyle of the Warre that it may perhaps be long â—nd we in the end neuer the neerer to the victory though that may suffice which I haue demonstrated at other times touching your â—auselesse suspition that way yet this I will tell you moreouer touching the greatnesse of your meanes for dominion which neither you your selues seeme to haue euer thought on nor I touched in my former Orations nor would I also haue spoken it now but that I see your mindes deiected more then there is cause for That though you take your dominion to extend onely to your Confederates I affirme that of the two parts of the world of manifest vse the Land and the Sea you are of the one of them entire Masters both of as much of it as you make vse of and also of as much more as you shall thinke fit your selues Neither is there any King or Nation whatsoeuer of those that now are that can impeach your Nauigation with the Fleet and strength you now goe So that you must not put the vse of Houses and Lands wherein you now thinke your selues depriued of a mighty matter into the ballance with such a power as this nor take the losse of these things heauily in respect of it but rather set little by them as but a light ornament and embellishment of wealth and thinke that our libertie as long as we hold fast that will easily recouer vnto vs these things againe whereas subiected once to others euen that which we possesse besides will be diminished Shew not your selues both wayes inferiour to your Ancestors who not onely held this gotten by their owne labours not left them but haue also preserued and deliuered the same vnto vs For it is more dishonour to lose what one possesseth then to miscarrie in the acquisition of it and encounter the enemie not onely with magnanimitie but also with disdaine for a coward may haue a high minde vpon a prosperous ignorance but he that is confident vpon iudgement to be superiour to his enemy doth also disdaine him which is now our case And courage in equall fortune is the safer for our disdaine of the enemy where a man knowes what he doth For he trusteth lesse to hope which is of force onely in vncertainties and more to iudgement vpon certainties wherein there is a more sure foresight You haue reason besides to maintaine the dignitie the Citie hath gotten for her Dominion in which you all triumph and either not decline the paines or not also pursue the honour And you must not thinke the question is now of your liberty and seruitude onely Besides the losse of your rule ouer others you must stand the danger you haue contracted by offence giuen in the administration of it Nor can you now giue it ouer if any fearing at this present that that may come to passe encourage himselfe with the intention of not to meddle hereafter for already your gouernment is in the nature of a tyranny which is both vniust for you to take vp and vnsafe to lay downe And such men as these if they could perswade others to it or liued in a free Citie by themselues would quickly ouerthrow it For the quiet life can neuer be preserued if it be not ranged with the actiue life nor is it a life conducible to a Citie that reigneth but to a subiect Citie that it may safely serue Be not therfore seduced by this sort of men nor angry with me together with whom your selues did decree this Warre because the enemy inuading you hath done what was likely he would if you obeyed him not And as for the sickenesse the onely thing that exceeded the imagination of all men it was vnlooked for and I know you hate me somewhat the more for that but vniustly vnlesse when any thing falleth out aboue your expectation fortunate you will also dedicate vnto me that Euils that come from heauen you must beare necessarily and such as proceed from your enemies valiantly for so it hath beene the custome of this Citie to doe heretofore which custome let it not bee your part to reuerse Knowing that this Citie hath a great name amongst all people for not yeelding to aduersity and for the mighty power it yet hath after the expence of so many liues and so much labour in the Warre the memory whereof though we should now at length miscarry for all things are made with this Law to decay againe will remaine with posterity for euer How that being Grecians most of the Grecians were our subiects That we haue abidden the greatest Warres against them both vniuersally and singly And haue inhabited the greatest and wealthiest Citie Now this hee with the quiet life will condemne the actiue man will aemulate and they that haue not attained to the like will
them fire together with Brimstone and Pitch kindled the Wood and raised such a flame as the like was neuer seene before made by the hand of man For as for the woods in the Mountaines the trees haue indeed taken fire but it hath bin by mutuall attrition and haue flamed out of their own accord But this fire was a great one and the Plataeans that had escaped other mischiefes wanted little of being consumed by this For neere the Wall they could not get by a great way and if the Wind had beene with it as the enemy hoped it might they could neuer haue escaped It is also reported that there fell much raine then with great Thunder and that the flame was extinguished and the danger ceased by that The Peloponnesians when they failed likewise of this retayning a part of their Armie and dismissing the rest enclosed the Citie about with a Wall diuiding the circumference thereof to the charge of the seuerall Cities There was a Ditch both within and without it out of which they made their Brickes and after it was finished which was about the rising of Arcturus they left a guard for one halfe of the Wall for the other was guarded by the Boeotians and departed with the rest of their Armie and were dissolued according to their Cities The Plataeans had before this sent their Wiues and Children and all their vnseruiceable men to Athens The rest were besieged beeing in number of the Plataeans themselues 400. of Athenians 80. and 100 Women to dresse their meate These were all when the Siege was first laid and not one more neither free nor bond in the Citie In this manner was the Citie besieged The same Summer at the same time that this Iourney was made against Plataea the Athenians with 2000. men of Armes of their owne Citie and 200. Horsemen made Warre vpon the Chalcideans of Thrace and the Bottiaeans when the Corne was at the highest vnder the conduct of Xenophon the sonne of Eurypides and two others These comming before Spartolus in Bottiaea destroyed the Corne expected that the Town should haue bin rendred by the practice of some within But such as would not haue it so hauing sent for aid to Olynthus before there came into the Citie for safegard thereof a supply both of men of Armes and other Souldiers from thence And these issuing forth of Spartolus the Athenians put themselues into order of Battell vnder the Towne it selfe The men of Armes of the Chalcideans and certaine auxiliaries with them were ouercome by the Athenians and retired within Spartolus And the Horsemen of the Chalcideans and their light-armed Souldiers ouercame the Horsemen and light-armed of the Athenians but they had some few Targettiers besides of the Territory called Chrusis When the Battell was now begun came a supply of other Targettiers from Olynthus which the light armed Souldiers of Spartolus perceiuing emboldned both by this addition of strength and also as hauing had the better before with the Chalcidean Horse and this new supply charged the Athenians afresh The Athenians heereupon retired to two companies they had left with the Carriages and as oft as the Athenians charged the Chalcideans retired and when the Athenians retired the Chalcideans charged them with their shot Especially the Chalcidean Horsemen rode vp and charging them where they thought fit forced the Athenians in extreme affright to turne their backes and chased them a great way The Athenians fled to Potidaea and hauing afterwards fetched away the bodies of their dead vpon truce returned with the remainder of their Armie to Athens Foure hundred and thirty men they lost and their chiefe Commanders all three And the Chalcideans and Bottiaeans when they had set vp a Trophie and taken vp their dead bodies disbanded and went euery one to his Citie Not long after this the same Summer the Ambraciotes and Chaonians desiring to subdue all Acarnania and to make it reuolt from the Athenians perswaded the Lacedaemonians to make ready a Fleet out of the Confederate Cities and to send 1000. men of Armes into Acarnania saying that if they ayded them both with a Fleet and a Land Armie at once the Acarnanians of the Sea-cost being thereby disabled to assist the rest hauing easily gained Acarnania they might be Masters afterward both of Zacynthus and Cephalonia and the Athenians hereafter lesse able to make their voyages about Peloponnesus and that there was a hope besides to take Naupactus The Peloponnesians assenting sent thither Cnemus who was yet Admirall with his men of Armes in a few Gallies immediately and withall sent word to the Cities about as soone as their Gallies were ready to sayle with all speed to Leucas Now the Corinthians were very zealous in the behalfe of the Ambraciotes as being their owne Colony And the Gallies which were to goe from Corinth Sicyonia and that part of the Coast were now making ready and those of the Leucadians Anactorians and Ambraciotes were arriued before and stayed at Leucas for their comming Cnemus and his 1000. men of Armes when they had crossed the Sea vndiscryed of Phormio who commanded the 20. Athenian Gallies that kept watch at Naupactus presently prepared for the War by Land He had in his Army of Grecians the Ambraciotes Leucadians Anactorians and the thousand Peloponnesians he brought with him and of Barbarians a thousand Chaonians who haue no King but were led by Photius and Nicanor which two being of the Families eligible had now the annuall gouernment With the Chaonians came also the Thesprotians they also without a King The Molossians and Antitanians were led by Sabylinthus protector of Tharups their King who was yet in minority The Paraueans were led by their King Oraedus and vnder Oroedus serued likewise by permission of Antiochus their King a thousand Orestians Also Perdiccas sent thither vnknowne to the Athenians a thousand Macedonians but these last were not yet arriued With this Armie began Cnemus to march without staying for the Fleet from Corinth And passing through Argia they destroyed Limnaea a Towne vnwalled From thence they marched towards Stratus the greatest Citie of Acarnania conceiuing that if they could take this first the rest would come easily in The Acarnanians seeing a great Army by Land was entred their Countrey already and expecting the enemy also by Sea ioyned not to succour Stratus but guarded euery one his owne and sent for ayde to Phormio But he answered them that since there was a Fleet to bee set forth from Corinth he could not leaue Naupactus without a guard The Peloponnesians and their Confederates with their Armie diuided into three marched on towards the Citie of the Stratians to the end that being encamped neere it if they yeelded not on parley they might presently assault the Walles So they went on the Chaonians and other Barbarians in the middle the Leucadians and Anactonians and such others as were with these on the
these are now they invade chiefly vpon confidence of their strength But they that are much the fewer must haue some great and sure designe when they dare fight vnconstrained Wherewith these men now amazed feare vs more for our vnlikely preparation then they would if it were more proportionable Besides many great Armies haue beene ouercome by the lesser through vnskilfulnesse and some also by timorousnesse both which we our selues are free from As for the battaile I will not willingly fight it in the Gulfe nor goe in thither seeing that to a few Gallies with nimblenesse and art against many without art streightnesse of roome is disaduantage For neither can one charge with the beake of the Gallie as is fit vnlesse hee haue sight of the enemy a farre off or if he be himselfe ouer-pressed againe get cleere Nor is there any getting through them or turning to and fro at ones pleasure which are all the workes of such Gallies as haue their aduantage in agility but the Sea-fight would of necessitie be the same with a battaile by Land wherein the greater number must haue the better But of this I shall my selfe take the best care I am able In the meane time keepe you your order well in the Gallies and euery man receiue his charge readily and the rather because the enemy is at Anchor so neere vs. In the fight haue in great estimation order and silence as things of great force in most Military actions especially in a fight by Sea and charge these your enemies according to the worth of your former Acts. You are to fight for a great wager either to destroy the hope of the Peloponnesian Nauies or to bring the feare of the Sea neerer home to the Athenians Againe let mee tell you you haue beaten them once already and men once ouercome will not come againe to the danger so well resolued as before Thus did Phormio also encourage his Souldiers The Peloponnesians when they saw the Athenians would not enter the Gulfe and Streight desiring to draw them in against their willes weighed Anchor and betime in the morning hauing arranged their Gallies by foure and foure in a ranke sayled along their owne Coast within the Gulfe leading the way in the same order as they had lien at Anchor with their right wing In this wing they had placed 20 of their swiftest Gallies to the end that if Phormio thinking them going to Naupactus should for safegard of the Towne sayle along his owne Coast likewise within the Straight the Athenians might not be able to get beyond that wing of theirs and auoyd the impression but be enclosed by their Gallies on both sides Phormio fearing as they expected what might become of the Towne now without guard as soone as he saw them from Anchor against his will and in extreme haste went aboord and sayled along the Shoare with the Land forces of the Messenians marching by to ayde him The Peloponnesians when they saw them sayle in one long File Gally after Gally and that they were now in the Gulfe and by the Shoare which they most desired vpon one signe giuen turned suddenly euery one as fast as he could vpon the Athenians hoping to haue intercepted them euery Gallie But of those the eleuen formost auoyding that wing and the turne made by the Peloponnesians got out into the open Sea The rest they intercepted and driuing them to the Shoare sunke them The men as many as swamme not out they slew and the Gallies some they tyed to their owne and towed them away empty and one with the men and all in her they had already taken But the Messenian succours on Land entring the Sea with their Armes got aboord of some of them and fighting from the Deckes recouered them againe after they were already towing away And in this part the Peloponnesians had the victory and ouercame the Gallies of the Athenians Now the 20 Gallies that were their right wing gaue chase to those eleuen Athenian Gallies which had auoyded them when they turned and were gotten into the open Sea These flying toward Naupactus arriued there before the enemies all saue one and when they came vnder the Temple of Apollo turned their beake heads and put themselues in readinesse for defence in câ—se the enemy should follow them to the Land But the Peloponnesians as they came after were Paeanizing as if they had already had the victory and one Gallie which was of Leucas being farre before the rest gaue chase to one Athenian Gallie that was behind the rest of the Athenians Now it chanced that there lay out into the Sea a certaine Ship at Anchor to which the Athenian Gally first comming fetcht a compasse about her and came backe full butt against the Leucadian Gallie that gaue her chase and sunke her Vpon this vnexpected and vnlikely accident they began to feare and hauing also followed the chase as being victors disorderly some of them let downe their Oares into the water and hindred the way of their Gallies a matter of very ill consequence seeing the enemy was so neere and staid for more company And some of them through ignorance of the Coast ranne vpon the Shelues The Athenians seeing this tooke heart againe and together with one clamour set vpon them who resisted not long because of their present errours committed and their disarray but turned and fled to Panormus from whence at first they set forth The Athenians followed and tooke from them sixe Gallies that were hindmost and recouered their own which the Peloponnesians had sunke by the Shoare and tyed a sterne of theirs Of the men some they slew and some also they tooke aliue In the Leucadian Gally that was sunke neere the ship was Timocrates a Lacedaemonian who when the Gally was lost runne himselfe thorow with his sword and his body draue into the Hauen of Naupactus The Athenians falling off erected a Trophy in the place from whence they set forth to this victory took vp their dead and the wracke as much as was on their own shore and gaue truce to the enemy to doe the like The Peloponnesians also set vp a Trophy as if they also had had the victory in respect of the flight of those Gallies which they sunke by the Shoare and the Gally which they had taken they consecrated to Neptune in Rhium of Achaia hard by their Trophy After this fearing the supply which was expected from Athens they sayled by night into the Crissaean Gulfe and to Corinth all but the Leucadians And those Athenians with twenty Gallies out of Crete that should haue beene with Phormio before the battaile not long after the going away of the Gallies of Peloponnesus arriued at Naupactus And the Summer ended But before the Fleet gone into the Crissaean Gulfe and to Corinth was dispersed Cnemus and Brasidas and the rest of the Commanders of the Peloponnesians in the beginning of Winter instructed
as they led vs as equals wee followed them with much zeale but when wee saw they remitted their enmity against the Medes and led vs to the subiugation of the Confederates we could not then but bee afraid And the Confederates through the multitude of distinct Councels vnable to vnite themselues for resistance fell all but our selues and the Chians into their subiection and wee hauing still our owne Lawes and being in name a free State followed them to the Warres but so as by the examples of their former actions we held them not any longer for faithfull Leaders For it was not probable when they had subdued those whom together with vs they tooke into league but that when they should bee able they would doe the like also by the rest It is true that if we were now in liberty all wee might bee the better assured that they would forbeare to innouate but since they haue vnder them the greatest part already in all likelihood they will take it ill to deale on equall termes with vs alone and the rest yeelding to let vs onely stand vp as their equals Especially when by how much they are become stronger by the subiection of their Confederates by so much the more are wee become desolate But the equality of mutuall feare is the onely band of faith in Leagues For hee that hath the will to transgresse yet when he hath not the oddes of strength will abstaine from comming on Now the reason why they haue left vs yet free is no other but that they may haue a faire colour to lay vpon their domination ouer the rest and because it hath seemed vnto them more expedient to take vs in by policy then by force For therein they made vse of vs for an argument that hauing equall vote with them wee would neuer haue followed them to the Warres if those against whom they led vs had not done the iniury And thereby also they brought the stronger against the weaker and reseruing the strongest to the last made them the weaker by remouing the rest Whereas if they had begunne with vs when the Confederates had had both their owne strength and a side to adhere to they had neuer subdued them so easily Likewise our Nauy kept them in some feare lest vnited and added to yours or to any other it might haue created them some danger Partly also we escaped by our obseruance toward their Commons and most eminent men from time to time But yet we still thought we could not doe so long considering the examples they haue shewed vs in the rest if this Warre should not haue fallen out What friendship then or assurance of liberty was this when we receiued each other with alienated affections when whilst they had Warres they for feare courted vs and when they had Peace we for feare courted them and whereas in others good will assureth loyalty in vs it was the effect of feare So it was more for feare then loue that we remained their Confederates and whomsoeuer security should first embolden he was first likely by one meanes or other to breake the league Now if any man thinke we did vniustly to reuolt vpon the expectation of euill intended without staying to be certaine whether they would doe it or not he weigheth not the matter aright For if we were as able to contriue euill against them and againe to deferre it as they can against vs being thus equall what needed vs to be at their discretion But seeing it is in their hands to inuade at pleasure it ought to be in ours to anticipate Vpon these pretentions therefore and causes Men of Lacedaemon Confederates we haue reuolted the which are both cleare enough for the hearers to iudge vpon that we had reason for it and weighty enough to affright and compell vs to take some course for our owne safety which we would haue done before when before the Warre we sent Ambassadours to you about our reuolt but could not because you would not then admit vs into your league And now when the Boeotians inuited vs to it we presently obeyed Wherein wee thought we made a double reuolt one from the Grecians in ceasing to doe them mischiefe with the Athenians and helping to set them free and another from the Athenians in breaking first and not staying to be destroyed by them hereafter But this reuolt of ours hath beene sooner then was fit and before we were prouided for it For which cause also the Confederates ought so much the sooner to admit vs into the league and send vs the speedier aide thereby the better at once both to defend those you ought to defend and to annoy your enemies Whereof there was neuer better opportunity then at this present For the Athenians being both with the likenesse and their great expences consumed and their Nauy diuided part vpon your own Coasts and part vpon ours it is not likely they should haue many Gallies spare in case you againe this Summer inuade them both by Sea and Land but that they should either be vnable to resist the inuasion of your Fleet or be forced to come off from both our Coastes And let not any man conceiue that you shall herein at your owne danger defend the Territory of another For though Lesbos seeme remote the profit of it will be neere you For the Warre will not be as a man would thinke in Attica but there from whence commeth the profit to Attica This profit is the reuenue they haue from their Confederates which if they subdue vs will still be greater For neither will any other reuolt and all that is ours will accrew vnto them and wee shall be worse handled besides then those that were vnder them before But aiding vs with diligence you shall both adde to your league a Citie that hath a great Nauy the thing you most stand in need of and also easily ouerthrow the Athenians by subduction of their Confederates because euery one will then be more confident to come in and you shall auoyd the imputation of not assisting such as reuolt vnto you And if it appeare that your endeuour is to make them free your strength in this Warre will be much the more confirmed In reuerence therefore of the hopes which the Grecians haue reposed in you and of the presence of Iupiter Olympius in whose Temple here we are in a manner suppliants to you receiue the Mitylenians into league and ayde vs. And doe not cast vs off who though as to the exposing of our persons the danger be our owne shall bring a common profit to all Greece if we prosper and a more common detriment to all the Grecians if through your inflexiblenesse we miscarry Be you therefore men such as the Grecians esteeme you and our feares require you to be In this manner spake the Mitylenians And the Lacedaemonians and their Confederates when they had heard and allowed their reasons decreed not onely a League with the Lesbians
Coraebus who was the first that mounted and they that followed him went vp into either Towre 6. To these succeeded others lightly-armed that carryed the Darts for whom they that came after carried Targets at their backes that they might bee the more expedite to get vp which Targets they were to deliuer to them when they came to the Enemy At length when most of them were ascended they were heard by the Watchmen that were in the Towres for one of the Plataeans taking hold of the Battlements threw downe a Tyle which made a noyse in the fall and presently there was an Alarme And the Armie ran to the Wall for in the darke and stormie night they knew not what the danger was And the Plataeans that were left in the Citie came forth withall and assaulted the Wall of the Peloponnesians on the opposite part to that where their men went ouer So that though they were all in a tumult in their seuerall places yet not any of them that watched durst stirre to the ayde of the rest nor were able to coniecture what had happened But those three hundred that were appointed to assist the Watch vpon all occasions of neede went without the Wall and made towards the place of the clamor They also held vp the fires by which they vsed to make knowne the approach of Enemies towards Thebes But then the Plataeans likewise held out many other fires from the Wall of the Citie which for that purpose they had before prepared to render the fires of the Enemie insignificant and that the Thebans apprehending the matter otherwise then it was might forbeare to send help till their men were ouer and had recouered some place of safety In the meane time those Plataeans which hauing scaled the Wall first and slaine the Watch were now masters of both the Towres not onely guarded the passages by standing themselues in the entries but also applying Ladders from the Wall to the Towres and conueying many men to the toppe kept the enemies off with shot both from aboue and below In the meane space the greatest number of them hauing reared to the Wall many Ladders at once and beaten downe the Battlements passed quite ouer betweene the Towres and euer as any of them got to the other side they stood still vpon the brinke of the Ditch without and with Arrowes and Darts kept off those that came by the outside of the Wall to hinder their passage And when the rest were ouer then last of all and with much adoe came they also downe to the Ditch which were in the two Towres And by this time the three hundred that were to assist the Watch came and set vpon them and had lights with them by which meanes the Plataeans that were on the further brinke of the Ditch discerned them the better from out of the darke and aimed their Arrowes and Darts at their most disarmed parts For standing in the darke the lights of the Enemie made the Plataeans the lesse discernable Insomuch as these last passed the Ditch though with difficulty and force For the Water in it was frozen ouer though not so hard as to beare but watrie and such as when the Wind is at East rather then at North and the Snow which fell that night together with so great a Wind as that was had very much increased the Water which they waded thorow with scarce their heads aboue But yet the greatnesse of the storme was the principall meanes of their escape From the Ditch the Plataeans in troope tooke the way towards Thebes leauing on the left hand the Temple of Iuno built by Androcrates both for that they supposed they would least suspect the way that led to their Enemies and also because they saw the Peloponnesians with their lights pursue that way which by Mount Cithaeron and the Oake-heads led to Athens The Plataeans when they had gone 6. or 7. Furlongs forsooke the Theban way and turned into that which led towards the Mountaine to Erythrae and Hysiae and hauing gotten the Hilles escaped through to Athens being 212. persons of a greater number for some of them returned into the Citie before the rest went ouer and one of their Archers was taken vpon the Ditch without And so the Peloponnesians gaue ouer the pursuite and returned to their places But the Plataeans that were within the City knowing nothing of the euent and those that turned backe hauing told them that not a man escaped as soone as it was day sent a Herald to entreat a Truce for the taking vp of their dead bodies but when they knew the truth they gaue it ouer And thus these men of Plataea passed through the Fortification of their Enemies and were saued About the end of the same Winter Salaethus a Lacedaemonian was sent in a Gallie to Mitylene and comming first to Pyrrha and thence going to Mitylene by Land entred the Citie by the dry channell of a certaine Torrent which had a passage through the Wall of the Athenians vndiscouered And hee told the Magistrates that Attica should againe be inuaded and that the 40. Gallies which were to aide them were comming and that himselfe was sent afore both to let them know it and withall to giue order in the rest of their affaires Heereupon the Mitylenians grew confident and hearkned lesse to composition with the Athenians And the Winter ended and the fourth yeere of this Warre written by Thucydides In the beginning of the Summer after they had sent Alcidas away with the 42. Gallies whereof he was Admirall vnto Mitylene both they and their Confederates inuaded Attica to the end that the Athenians troubled on both sides might the lesse send supply against the Fleet now gone to Mitylene In this Expedition Cleomenes was Generall in stead of Pausanias the sonne of Plistoanax who being King was yet in minority and Cleomenes was his Vncle by the Father And they now cut downe both what they had before wasted and began to grow againe and also whatsoeuer else they had before praetermitted And this was the sharpest inuasion of all but the second For whilest they stayed to heare newes from their Fleet at Lesbos which by this time they supposed to haue beene arriued they went abroad and destroyed most part of the Countrey But when nothing succeeded according to their hopes and seeing their Corne failed they retyred againe and were dissolued according to their Cities The Mitylenians in the meane time seeing the Fleet came not from Peloponnesus but delayed the time and their victuals failed were constrained to make their composition with the Athenians vpon this occasion Salaethus when hee also expected these Gallies no longer armed the Commons of the Citie who were before vnarmed with intention to haue made a Sally vpon the Athenians but they as soone as they had gotten Armes no longer obeyed the Magistrates but holding Assemblies by themselues required the rich men either to bring their Corne
in and yet you sufficiently vnderstand not that that is before your eyes And to speake plainely ouercome with the delight of the eare you are rather like vnto spectators sitting to heare the contentions of Sophisters then to men that deliberate of the state of a Common-wealth To put you out of this humour I say vnto you that the Mitylenians haue done vs more iniury then euer did any one Citie For those that haue reuolted through the ouer-hard pressure of our gouernment or that haue beene compelled to it by the enemy I pardon them but they that were Ilanders and had their Citie walled so as they needed not feare our Enemies but onely by Sea in which case also they were armed for them with sufficient prouision of Gallies and they that were permitted to haue their owne Lawes and whom wee principally honoured and yet haue done thus what haue they done but conspired against vs and rather warred vpon vs then reuolted from vs for a reuolt is onely of such as suffer violence and ioyned with our bitterest Enemies to destroy vs This is farre worse then if they had warred against vs for encreasing of their owne power But these men would neyther take example by their neighbours calamity who are all that reuolted already subdued 〈◊〉 nor could their owne present felicity make them afraid of changing it into misery But being bold against future euents and ayming at matters aboue their strength though below their desires haue taken Armes against vs and preferred force before iustice For no sooner they thought they might get the victory but immediately though without iniury done them they rose against vs. But with Cities that come to great and vnexpected prosperity it is vsuall to turne insolent Whereas most commonly that prosperity which is attained according to the course of reason is more firme then that which commeth â—nhoped for And such Cities as one may say doe more easily keepe off an aduerse then maintaine a happy fortune Indeed we should not formerly haue done any honour more to the Mitylenians then to the rest of our Confederates for then they had neuer come to this degree of insolence For it is naturall to men to contemne those that obserue them and to haue in admiration such as will not giue them way Now therefore let them be punished according to their wicked dealing and let not the fault be laid vpon a few and the people bee absolued for they haue all alike taken Armes against vs. And the Commons if they had beene constrained to it might haue fled hither and haue recouered their Citie afterwards againe But they esteeming it the safer aduenture to ioyne with the Few are alike with them culpable of the Reuolt Haue also in consideration your Confederates And if you inflict the same punishment on them that reuolt vpon compulsion of the Enemie that you doe on them that reuolt of their owne accord who thinke you will not reuolt though on light pretence seeing that speeding they winne their liberty and failing their case is not incurable Besides that against euery City wee must bee at a new hazard both of our persons and fortunes Wherein with the best successe wee recouer but an exhausted Citie and lose that wherein our strength lyeth the reuenue of it but miscarrying wee adde these Enemies to our former and must spend that time in warring against our owne Confederates which wee needed to employ against the Enemies we haue already Wee must not therefore giue our Confederates hope of pardon either impetrable by words or purchaseable by money as if their errours were but such as are commonly incident to humanity For these did vs not an iniury vnwillingly but wittingly conspired against vs whereas it ought to bee inuoluntary whatsoeuer is pardonable Therefore both then at first and now againe I maintaine that you ought not to alter your former Decree nor to offend in any of these three most disaduantagious things to Empire Pittie Delight in plausible speeches and Lenity As for Pitty it is iust to shew it on them that are like vs and will haue pitty againe but not vpon such as not onely would not haue had pitty vpon vs but must also of necessity haue beene our enemies for euer hereafter And for the Rhetoricians that delight you with their Orations let them play their prizes in matters of lesse weight and not in such wherein the City for a little pleasure must suffer a great dammage but they for their well speaking must well haue Lastly for Lenity it is to be vsed towards those that will be our friends hereafter rather then towards such as being suffered to liue will still be as they are not a iot the lesse our enemies In summe I say onely this that if you follow my aduice you shall doe that which is both iust in respect of the Mitylenians and profitable for your selues whereas if you decree otherwise you doe not gratifie them but condemne your selues For if these haue iustly reuolted you must vniustly haue had dominion ouer them Nay though your dominion be against reason yet if you resolue to hold it you must also as a matter conducing thereunto against reason punish them or else you must giue your dominion ouer that you may be good without danger But if you consider what was likely they would haue done to you if they had preuailed you cannot but thinke them worthy the same punishment nor be lesse sensible you that haue escaped then they that haue conspired especially they hauing done the iniurie first For such as doe an iniury without precedent cause persecute most and euen to the death him they haue done it to as iealous of the danger his remaining Enemy may create him For hee that is wronged without cause and escapeth will commonly bee more cruell then if it were against any Enemy on equall quarell Let vs not therefore betray our selues but in contemplation of what you were neere suffering and how you once prized aboue all things else to haue them in your power requite them now accordingly Bee not softned at the sight of their present estate nor forget the danger that hung ouer our own heads so lately Giue not onely vnto these their deserued punishment but also vnto the rest of our Confederates a cleere example that death is their sentence whensoeuer they shall rebell Which when they know you shall the lesse often haue occasion to neglect your Enemies and fight against your owne Confederates To this purpose spake Cleon. After him Diodotus the sonne of Eucrates who also in the former Assembly opposed most the putting of the Mitylenians to death stood forth and spake as followeth THE ORATION OF DIODOTVS I Will neither blame those who haue propounded the businesse of the Mitylenians to be againe debated nor commend those that find fault with often consulting in affaires of great importance But I am of opinion that nothing is so contrary to good counsell as these
against them they tooke Sanctuary in the Temples to the end the summe being great they might pay it by portions as they should be taxed But Pithias for he was also of the Senate obtained that the Law should proceed These fiue being by the Law excluded the Senate and vnderstanding that Pithias as long as he was a Senator would cause the people to hold for friends and foes the same that were so to the Athenians conspired with the rest and armed with Daggers suddenly brake into the Senate house and slew both Pithias and others as well priuate men as Senators to the number of about sixty persons onely a few of those of Pithias his faction escaped into the Athenian Gallie that lay yet in the Harbour When they had done this and called the Corcyreans to an Assembly they told them that what they had done was for the best and that they should not be now in bondage to the Athenians And for the future they aduised them to be in quiet and to receiue neither party with more then one Gallie at once and to take them for enemies if they were more And when they had spoken forced them to decree it accordingly They also presently sent Ambassadors to Athens both to shew that it was fit for them to doe what they had done and also to disswade such Corcyreans as were fled thither of the other faction from doing any thing to their preiudice for feare the matter should fall into a relapse When these arriued the Athenians apprehended both the Ambassadors themselues as seditious persons and also all those Corcyreans whom they had there preuailed with and sent them to custody in Aegina In the meane time vpon the comming in of a Gallie of Corinth with Ambassadours from Lacedaemon those that mannaged the State assayled the Commons and ouercame them in fight And night comming on the Commons fled into the Citadell and the higher parts of the Citie where they rallyed themselues and encamped and made themselues Masters of the Hauen called the Hallaique Hauen But the Nobility seazed on the Market place where also the most of them dwelt and on the Hauen on the side toward the Continent The next day they skirmished a little with shot and both parts sent abroad into the Villages to solicite the slaues with promise of liberty to take their parts And the greatest part of the slaues tooke part with the Commons and the other side had an aide of 800 men from the Continent The next day but one they fought againe and the people had the Victory hauing the oddes both in strength of places and in number of men And the women also manfully assisted them throwing Tyles from the houses and enduring the tumult euen beyond the condition of their Sexe The Few began to flie about twilight and fearing lest the people should euen with their shout take the Arsenall and so come on and put them to the sword to stoppe their passage set fire on the houses in circle about the Market place and vpon others neere it Much goods of Merchants was hereby burnt and the whole City if the wind had risen and carried the flame that way had been in danger to haue been destroyed When the people had gotten the Victory the Corinthian Gallie stole away and most of the auxiliaries gat ouer priuily into the Continent The next day Nicostratus the sonne of Diotrephes an Athenian Commander came in with 12 Gallies and 500 Messenian men of Armes from Naupactus and both negotiated a reconciliation and induced them to the end they might agree to condemne ten of the principall authors of the Sedition who presently fled and to let the rest alone with Articles both betweene themselues and with the Athenians to esteeme friends and enemies the same the Athenians did When he had done this he would haue been gone but the people perswaded him before he went to leaue behind him fiue of his Gallies the better to keepe their aduersaries from stirring and to take as many of theirs which they would man with Corcyreans and send with him To this he agreed and they made a List of those that should imbarke consisting altogether of their enemies But these fearing to be sent to Athens tooke Sanctuary in the Temple of Castor and Pollux But Nicostratus endeauoured to raise them and spake to them to put them into courage but when hee could not preuaile the people arming themselues on pretence that their diffidence to goe along with Nicostratus proceeded from some euill intention tooke away their Armes out of their houses and would also haue killed some of them such as they chanced on if Nicostratus had not hindred them Others also when they saw this tooke Sanctuary in the Temple of Iuno and they were in all aboue foure hundred But the people fearing some innouation got them by perswasion to rise and conueying them into the Iland that lyeth ouer against the Temple of Iuno sent them their necessaries thither The Sedition standing in these termes the fourth or fifth day after the putting ouer of these men into the Iland arriued the Peloponnesian Fleet from Cyllene where since their voyage of Ionia they had lyen at Anchor to the number of three and fiftie saile Alcidas had the command of these as before and Brasidas came with him as a Counsellour And hauing first put in at Sybota a Hauen of the Continent they came on the next morning by breake of day toward Corcyra The Corcyraeans being in great tumult and feare both of the Seditious within and of the inuasion without made ready threescore Gallies and still as any of them were manned sent them out against the Enemie whereas the Athenians had aduised them to giue leaue to them to goe forth first and then the Corcyraeans to follow after with the whole Fleet together When their Gallies came forth thus thinne two of them presently turned to the Enemie and in others they that were aboord were together by the eares amongst themselues and nothing was done in due order The Peloponnesians seeing their confusion opposed themselues to the Corcyraeans with twenty Gallies onely the rest they set in array against the twelue Gallies of Athens whereof the Salaminia and the Paralus were two The Corcyraeans hauing come disorderly vp and by few at once were on their part in much distresse but the Athenians fearing the Enemies number and doubting to bee invironed would neuer come vp to charge the Enemie where they stood thicke nor would set vpon the Gallies that were placed in the middest but charged one end of them and drowned one of their Gallies and when the Peloponnesians afterwards had put their Fleet into a circular figure they then went about and about it endeuouring to put them into disorder which they that were fighting against the Corcyraeans perceiuing and fearing such another chance as befell them formerly at Naupactus went to their ayde and vniting themselues came vpon
they did not onely put to account the safenesse of that course but hauing circumuented their Aduersary by fraud assumed to themselues withall a masterie in point of wit And dishonest men for the most part are sooner called able then simple men honest And men are ashamed of this title but take a pride in the other The cause of all this is desire of rule out of Auarice and Ambition and the zeale of contention from those two proceeding For such as were of authority in the Cities both of the one and the other Faction preferring vnder decent titles one the politicall equality of the multitude the other the moderate Aristocratie though in words they seemed to be seruants of the Publique they made it in effect but the Prize of their contention And striuing by whatsoeuer meanes to ouercome both ventured on most horrible outrages and prosecuted their reuenges still further without any regard of Iustice or the publike good but limiting them each Faction by their owne appetite and stood ready whether by vniust sentence or with their owne hands when they should get power to satisfie their present spight So that neither side made account to haue any thing the sooner done for Religion of an Oath but hee was most commended that could passe a businesse against the haire with a faire Oration The neutrals of the Citie were destroyed by both Factions partly because they would not side with them and partly for enuie that they should so escape Thus was wickednesse on foot in euery kind throughout all Greece by the occasion of their sedition Sincerity whereof there is much in a generous nature was laughed downe And it was farre the best course to stand diffidently against each other with their thoughts in battell array which no speech was so powerfull nor Oath terrible enough to disband And being all of them the more they considered the more desperate of assurance they rather contriued how to auoid a mischiefe then were able to rely on any mans faith And for the most part such as had the least wit had the best successe for both their owne defect and the subtilty of their aduersaries putting them into a great feare to be ouercome in words or at least in pre-insidiation by their enemies great craft they therefore went roundly to worke with them with deedes Whereas the other not caring though they were perceiued and thinking they needed not to take by force what they might doe by plot were thereby vnprouided and so the more easily slaine In Corcyra then were these euils for the most part committed first and so were all other which either such men as haue beene gouerned with pride rather then modesty by those on whom they take reuenge were like to commit in taking it or which such men as stand vpon their deliuery frō long pouerty out of couetousnes chiefly to haue their neighbours goods would contrary to iustice giue their voices to or which men not for couetousnes but assailing each other on equall termes carried away with the vnrulinesse of their anger would cruelly and inexorably execute And the common course of life being at that time confounded in the Citie the nature of man which is wont euen against Law to doe euill gotten now aboue the Law shewed it selfe with delight to be too weake for passion too strong for iustice and enemie to all superiority Else they would neuer haue preferred reuenge before innocence nor lucre whensoeuer the enuie of it was without power to doe them hurt before iustice And for the Lawes common to all men in such cases which as long as they be in force giue hope to all that suffer iniury men desire not to leaue them standing against the neede a man in danger may haue of thē but by their reuenges on others to be beforehand in subuerting them Such were the passions of the Corcyraeans first of all other Grecians towards one another in the City And Eurymedon and the Athenians departed with their Gallies Afterwards such of the Corcyraeans as had fled for there escaped about 500. of them hauing seazed on the Forts in the Continent impatronized themselues of their owne Territory on the other side and from thence came ouer and robbed the Ilanders and did them much hurt and there grew a great Famine in the Citie They likewise sent Ambassadours to Lacedaemon and Corinth concerning their reduction and when they could get nothing done hauing gotten boates and some auxiliary souldiers they passed a while after to the number of about 600. into the Iland Where when they had set fire on their Boates that they might trust to nothing but to make themselues masters of the Field they went vp into the Hill Istone and hauing there fortified themselues with a Wall infested those within and were masters of the Territory In the end of the same Summer the Athenians sent twenty Gallies into Sicily vnder the command of Laches the sonne of Melanopus and Chariadas the sonne of Euphiletus For the Syracusians and the Leontines were now warring against each other The Confederates of the Syracusians were all the Dorique Cities except the Camarinaeans which also in the beginning of this Warre were reckoned in the League of the Lacedaemonians but had not yet ayded them in the Warre The Confederates of the Leontines were the Chalcidique Cities together with Camarina And in Italy the Locrians were with the Syracusians but the Rhegians according to their consanguinity tooke part with the Leontines Now the Confederates of the Leontines in respect of their ancient alliance with the Athenians as also for that they were Ionians obtained of the Athenians to send them Gallies for that the Leontines were depriued by the Syracusians of the vse both of the Land and Sea And so the People of Athens sent ayde vnto them pretending propinquity but intending both to hinder the transportation of Corne from thence into Peloponnesus and also to tast the possibility of taking the States of Sicily into their own hands These arriuing at Rhegium in Italy ioyned with the Confederates and beganne the Warre and so ended this Summer The next winter the Sicknesse fell vpon the Athenians againe hauing in deed neuer totally left the Citie though there was some intermission and continued aboue a yeere after But the former lasted two yeeres insomuch as nothing afflicted the Athenians or empaired their strength more then it For the number that dyed of it of men of Armes enrolled were no lesse then 4400. and Horsemen 300. of the other multitude innumerable There happened also at the same time many Earthquakes both in Athens and in Euboea and also amongst the Boeotians and in Boeotia chiefly at Orchomenus The Athenians and Rhegians that were now in Sicily made Warre the same Winter on the Ilands called the Ilands of Aeolus with thirty Gallies For in Summer it was impossible to Warre vpon them for the shallownesse of the Water These Ilands
the Thessalians who had the Townes of those parts in their power and vpon whose ground it was built afflicted these new planters with a continuall Warre till they had worne them out though they were many indeed in the beginning for being the foundation of the Lacedaemonians euery one went thither boldly conceiuing the Citie to bee an assured one and chiefly the Gouernours themselues sent thither from Lacedaemon vndid the businesse and dispeopled the City by frighting most men away for that they gouerned seuerely and sometimes also vniustly by which meanes their neighbours more easily preuailed against them The same Summer and about the same time that the Athenians stayed in Melos those other Athenians that were in the thirtie Gallies about Peloponnesus slew first certaine Garrison Souldiers in Ellomenus a place of Leucadia by Ambushment But afterwards with a greater Fleet and with the whole power of the Acarnanians who followed the Army all but the Oeniades that could beare Armes and with the Zacynthians and Cephalonians and fifteene Gallies of the Corcyraeans made Warre against the City it selfe of Leucas The Leucadians though they saw their Territorie wasted by them both without the Isthmus and within where the Citie of Leucas standeth and the Temple of Apollo yet they durst not stirre because the number of the Enemie was so great And the Acarnanians entreated Demosthenes the Athenian Generall to Wall them vp conceauing that they might easily be expugned by a Siege and desiring to be rid of a Citie their continuall Enemy But Demosthenes was perswaded at the same time by the Messenians that seeing so great an Armie was together it would bee honourable for him to inuade the Aetolians principally as being Enemies to Naupactus and that if these were subdued the rest of the Continent thereabouts would easily bee added to the Athenian dominion For they alledged that though the Nation of the Aetolians were great and Warlike yet their habitation was in Villages vnwalled and those at great distances and were but light-armed and might therefore with no great difficulty bee all subdued before they could vnite themselues for defence And they aduised him to take in hand first the Apodotians next the Ophionians and after them the Eurytanians which are the greatest part of Aetolia of a most strange language and that are reported to eate raw flesh for these beeing subdued the rest would easily follow But hee induced by the Messenians whom he fauoured but especially because hee thought without the Forces of the People of Athens with the Confederates onely of the Continent and with the Aetolians to inuade Boeotia by Land going first through the Locri Ozolae and so to Cytinium of Doris hauing Pernassus on the right hand till the descent thereof into the Territory of the Phocaeans which people for the friendship they euer bore to the Athenians would he thought be willing to follow his Armie and if not might be forced and vpon the Phocaeans bordereth Boeotia Putting off therefore with his whole Armie against the minds of the Acarnanians from Leucas he sailed vnto Solium by the shoare and there hauing communicated his conceit with the Acarnanians when they would not approue of it because of his refusall to besiege Leucas he himselfe with the rest of his Armie Cephalonians Zacynthians and 300. Athenians the Souldiers of his own Fleet for the fifteene Gallies of Corcyra were now gone away warred on the Aetolians hauing Oeneon a Citie of Locris for the seate of his Warre Now these Locrians called Ozolae were Confederates of the Athenians and were to meete them with their whole power in the heart of the Countrey For being Confiners on the Aetolians and vsing the same manner of arming it was thought it would bee a matter of great vtility in the Warre to haue them in their Armie for that they knew their manner of fight and were acquainted with the Country Hauing lyen the night with his whole Armie in the Temple of â—upiter Nemeius wherein the Poet Hesiodus is reported by them that dwell thereabout to haue dyed foretold by an Oracle that hee should dye in Nemea in the morning betimes he dislodged and marched into Aetolia The first day hee tooke Potidania the second day Crocylium the third Tichium There he stayed and sent the booty hee had gotten to Eupolium in Locris For he purposed when hee had subdued the rest to inuade the Ophionians afterwards if they submitted not in his returne to Naupactus But the Aetolians knew of this preparation when it was first resolued on and afterwards when the Armie was entred they were vnited into a mighty Armie to make head Insomuch as that the furthest off of the Ophionians that reach out to the Melian Gulfe the Bomians and Callians came in with their aydes The Messenians gaue the same aduice to Demosthenes that they had done before and alleadging that the Conquest of the Aetolians would bee but easie willed him to march with all speed against them Village after Village and not to stay till they were all vnited and in order of Battell against him but to attempt alwayes the place which was next to hand Hee perswaded by them and confident of his fortune because nothing had crossed him hitherto without tarrying for the Locrians that should haue come in with their aides for his greatest want was of Darters light-armed marched to Aegitium which approaching hee wonne by force the men hauing fled secretly out and encamped themselues on the Hilles aboue it for it stood in a Mountainous place and about eighty Furlongs from the Sea But the Aetolians for by this time they were come with their Forces to Aegitium charged the Athenians and their Confederates and running downe vpon them some one way some another from the Hilles plyed them with their Darts And when the Armie of the Athenians assaulted them they retired and when it retired they assaulted So that the Fight for a good while was nothing but alternate chase and retreate and the Athenians had the worst in both Neuerthelesse as long as their Archers had Arrowes and were able to vse them for the Aetolians by reason they were not armed were put backe still with the shot they held out But when vpon the death of their Captaine the Archers were dispersed and the rest were also wearied hauing a long time continued the said labour of pursuing and retyring and the Aetolians continually afflicting them with their Darts they were forced at length to fly and lighting into Hollowes without issue and into places they were not acquainted withall were destroyed For Chromon a Messenian who was their Guide for the wayes was slaine And the Aetolians pursuing them still with Darts slew many of them quickly whilest they fled being swift of foot and without Armour But the most of them missing their way and entring into a Wood which had no passage through the Aetolians set it on fire and burnt
great 〈…〉 Timber and Stone and that the place it selfe was naturally strong and desart both it and a great deale of the Countrey about For it lyeth from Sparta about â—00 Furlongs in the Territory that belonging once to the Messenians is called by che Lacedaemonians Coryphasion But they answered him that there were many desart Promontories in Peloponnesus if they were minded to put the Citie to charges in taking them in But there appeared vnto Demosthenes a great difference betweene this place and other places because there was heere a Hauen and the Messenians the ancient Inhabitants thereof speaking the same language the Lacedaemonians did would both be able to annoy them much by excursions thence and be also faithfull Guardians of the place When hee could not preuaile neither with the Generals nor with the Souldiers hauing also at last communicated the same to the Captaines of Companies hee gaue it ouer till at last the weather not seruing to bee gone there came vpon the Souldiers lying idle a desire occasioned by dissention to Wall in the place of their owne accord And falling in hand with the worke they performed it not with yron tooles to hew stone but picked out such stones as they thought good and afterwards placed them as they would seuerally fit And for Morter where it needed for want of Vessels they carried it on their backes with their bodies enclining forward so as it might best lye and their hands clapsed behinde to stay it from falling making all possible haste to preuent the Lacedaemonians and to finish the most assaileable parts before they came to succour it For the greatest part of the place was strong by nature and needed no fortifying at all The Lacedaemonians were that day celebrating a certaine Holiday and when they heard the newes did set lightly by it conceiuing that whensoeuer it should please them to goe thither they should finde them either already gone or easily take the place by force Somewhat also they were retarded by reason that their Armie was in Attica The Athenians hauing in sixe dayes finished the Wall to the Land and in the places where was most need left Demosthenes with fiue Gallies to defend it and with the rest hastend on in their course for Corcyra and Sicily The Peloponnesians that were in Attica when they were aduertised of the taking of Pylus returned speedily home For the Lacedaemonians and Agis their King tooke this accident of Pylus to concerne their owne particular And the inuasion was withall so early Corne being yet greene that the most of them were scanted with victuall the Armie was also much troubled with the weather which was colder then for the season so as for many reasons it fell out that they returned sooner now then at other times they had done and this inuasion was the shortest for they continued in Attica in all but fifteene dayes About the same time Simonides an Athenian Commander hauing drawne a few Athenians together out of the Garrisons and a number of the Confederates of those parts tooke the Citie of Eion in Thrace a Colonie of the Mendâ—eans that was their Enemie by Treason but was presently againe driuen out by the Chalcideans and Bottiaeans that came to succour it and lost many of his Souldiers When the Peloponnesians were returned out of Attica they of the Citie of Sparta and of other the next neighbouring Townes went presently to the ayde of Pylus but the rest of the Lacedaemonians came slowlier on as beeing newly come from the former Expedition Neuerthelesse they sent about to the Cities of Peloponnesus to require their assistance with all speed at Pylus and also to their threescore Gallies that were at Corcyra Which transported ouer the Isthmus of Leucas arriued at Pylus vnseene of the Athenian Gallies lying at Zacynthus And by this time their Armie of foot was also there Whilest the Peloponnesian Gallies were comming toward Pylus Demosthenes sent two Gallies secretly to Eurymedon and the Athenian Fleet at Zacynthus in hall haste to tell them that they must come presently to him for as much as the place was in danger to bee lost And according as Demosthenes his message imported so the Fleet made haste The Lacedaemonians in the meane time prepared themselues to assault the Fort both by Sea and Land hoping easily to winne it beeing a thing built in haste and not many men within it And because they expected the comming of the Athenian Fleet from Zacynthus they had a purpose if they tooke not the Fort before to barre vp the entries of the Harbour For the Iland called Sphacteria lying iust before and very neere to the place maketh the Hauen safe and the entries straight one of them neerest to Pylus and to the Athenian Fortification admitting passage for no more but two Gallies in Front and the other which lyeth against the other part of the Continent for not aboue eight or nine The Iland by beeing desart was all Wood and vntrodden in bignesse about fifteene Furlongs ouer Therefore they determined with their Gallies thicke set and with the Beake-heads outward to stop vp the entries of the Hauen And because they feared the Iland lest the Atheniaâ—s putting men into it should make Warre vpon them from thence they carried ouer men of Armes into the same and placed others likewise along the shoare of the Continent For by this meanes the Athenians at their comming should finde the Iland their Enemie and no meanes of landing in the Continent For the Coast of Pylus it selfe without these two entries being to the Sea harbourlesse would afford them no place from whence to set forth to the ayde of their fellowes And they in all probability might by siege without battell by Sea or other danger winne the place seeing there was no prouision of Victuall within it and that the Enemie tooke it but on short preparation Hauing thus resolued they put ouer into the Iland their men of Armes out of euery Band by Lot some also had beene sent ouer before by turnes but they which went ouer now last and were left there were 420 besides the Helotes that were with them And their Captaine was Epitadas the sonne of Molobrus Demosthenes when he saw the Lacedaemonians bent to assault him both from their Gallies and with their Armie by Land prepared also to defend the place And when hee had drawne vp his Gallies all that were left him vnto the Land hee placed them athwart the Fort and armed the Mariners that belonged to them with Bucklers though bad ones and for the greatest part made of Osiers For they had no meanes in a desart place to prouide themselues of Armes Those they had they tooke out of a Peiraticall Boate of thirty Oares and a Light-horseman of the Messenians which came by by chance And the men of Armes of the Messenians were about 40. which hee made vse of amongst the rest The
requiring for the same onely those their men that are in the Iland though also we thinke it better for both sides not to try the chance of Warre Whether it fall out that by some occasion of safety offered they escape by force or being expugned by siege should be more in your power then they be For wee are of this mind that great hatred is most safely canceld not when one that hauing beaten his enemy and gotten much the better in the Warre brings him through necessity to take an oath and to make peace on vnequall termes but when hauing it in his power lawfully so to doe if he please he ouercome him likewise in goodnesse and contrary to what he expects be reconciled to him on moderate conditions For in this case his enemy being obliged not to seeke reuenge as one that had beene forced but to requite his goodnesse will for shame be the more enclined to the conditions agreed on And naturally to those that relent of their owne accord men giue way reciprocally with content but against the arrogant they will hazard all euen when in their owne iudgements they be too weake But for vs both if euer it were good to agree it is surely so at this present and before any irreparable accident be interposed Whereby wee should be compelled besides the common to beare you a particular eternall hatred and you be depriued of the commodities we now offer you Let vs be reconciled while matters stand vndecided and whilst you haue gained reputation and our friendship and we not suffered dishonour and but indifferent losse And we shall not onely our selues preferre Peace before Warre but also giue a cessation of their miseries to all the rest of the Grecians who will acknowledge it rather from you then vs. For they make Warre not knowing whether side begun but if an end be made which is now for the most part in your owne hands the thankes will bee yours And by decreeing the Peace you may make the Lacedaemonians your sure friends in as much as they call you to it and are therein not forced but gratified Wherein consider how many commodities are like to ensue for if we and you goe one way you know the rest of Greece being inferior to vs will honour vs in the highest degree Thus spake the Lacedaemonians thinking that in times past the Athenians had coueted Peace and been hindered of it by them and that being now offered they would gladly accept of it But they hauing these men intercepted in the Iland thought they might compound at pleasure and aspired to greater matters To this they were set on for the most part by Cleon the sonne of Cleaenetus a popular man at that time and of greatest sway with the multitude He perswaded them to giue this answer That they in the Iland ought first to deliuer vp their Armes and come themselues to Athens and when they should be there if the Lacedaemonians would make restitution of Nisaea and Pegae and Traezen and Achaia the which they had not won in Warre but had receiued by former Treaty when the Athenian being in distresse and at that time in more need of Peace then now yeelded them vp into their hands then they should haue their men againe and peace should be made for as long as they both should thinke good To this answer they replyed nothing but desired that Commissioners might be chosen to treat with them who by alternate speaking and hearing might quietly make such an agreement as they could perswade each other vnto But then Cleon came mightily vpon them saying he knew before that they had no honest purpose and that the same was now manifest in that they refused to speake before the people but sought to sit in consultation onely with a few And willed them if they had ought to say that was reall to speake it before them all But the Lacedaemonians finding that although they had a mind to make Peace with them vpon this occasion of aduersity yet it would not be fit to speake in it before the multitude lest speaking and not obtaining they should incurre calumny with their Confederates and seeing withall that the Athenians would not grant what they sued for vpon reasonable conditions they went backe againe without effect Vpon their returne presently the Truce at Pylus was at an end and the Lacedaemonians according to agreement demanded restitution of their Gallies But the Athenians laying to their charge an assault made vpon the Fort contrary to the Articles and other matters of no great importance refused to render them standing vpon this that it was said that the accord should be voyd vpon whatsoeuer the lest transgression of the same But the Lacedaemonians denying it and protesting this detention of their Gallies for an iniury went their wayes and betooke themselues to the Warre So the Warre at Pylus was on both sides renued with all their power The Athenians went euery day about the Iland with two Gallies one going one way another another way and lay at Anchor about it euery night with their whole Fleet except on that part which lyeth to the open Sea and that onely when it was windy From Athens also there came a supply of thirty Gallies more to guard the Iland so that they were in the whole threescore and ten And the Lacedaemonians made assaults vpon the Fort and watched euery opportunity that should present it selfe to saue their men in the Iland Whilest these things passed the Syracusians and their Confederates in Sicily adding to those Gallies that lay in Garrison at Messana the rest of the Fleet which they had prepared made Warre out of Messana instigated thereto chiefly by the Locrians as enemies to the Rhegians whose Territory they had also inuaded with their whole forces by Land and seeing the Athenians had but a few Gallies present and hearing that the greater number which were to come to them were employed in the siege of the Iland desired to try with them a Battell by Sea for if they could get the better with their Nauie they hoped lying before Rhegium both with their Land-forces on the Field side and with their Fleet by Sea easily to take it into their hands and thereby strengthen their affaires For Rhegium a Promontorie of Italy and Messana in Sicily lying neere together they might both hinder the Athenians from lying at Anchor there against them and make themselues Masters of the Streight This Streight is the Sea betweene Rhegium and Messana where Sicily is neerest to the Continent and is that which is called Charybdis where Vlysses is said to haue passed through which for that it is very narrow and because the Sea falleth in there from two great maines the Tyrrhene and Sicilian and is rough hath therefore not without good cause beene esteemed In this Straight then the Syracusians and their Confederates with somewhat more then 30. Gallies were
say as they said whom hee before calumniated oâ— saying the contrary be proued a lyer hee aduised the Athenians seeing them enclined of themselues to send thither greater forces then they had before thought to doe that it was not fit to send to view the place nor to lose their opportunity by delay but if the report seemed vnto them to bee true they should make a voyage against those men and glanced at Nicias the sonne of Niceratus then Generall vpon malice and with language of reproach Saying it was easie if the Leaders were men to goe and take them there in the Iland And that himselfe if hee had the Command would doe it But Nicias seeing the Athenians to bee in a kinde of tumult against Cleon for that when hee thought it so easie a matter hee did not presently put it in practice seeing also he had vpbraided him willed him to take what strength hee would that they could giue him and vndertake it Cleon supposing at first that he gaue him this leaue but in words was ready to accept it but when he knew he would giue him the authority in good earnest then he shrunke backe and said that not he but Nicias was Generall being now indeed afraid and hoping that he durst not haue giuen ouer the office to him But then Nicias againe bade him doe it and gaue ouer his command to him for so much as concerned Pylus and called the Athenians to witnesse it They as is the fashion of the multitude the more Cleon declined the Voyage and went backe from his word pressed Nicias so much the more to resigne his power to him and cryed out vpon Cleon to goe Insomuch as not knowing how to disengage himselfe of his word hee vndertooke the Voyage and stood forth saying that he feared not the Lacedaemonians and that hee would not carry any man with him out of the Citie but onely the Lemnians and Imbrians that then were present and those Targettieres that were come to them from Aenus and 400. Archers out of other places and with these he said added to the Souldiers that were at Pylus already he would within twenty dayes either fetch away the Lacedaemonians aliue or kill them vpon the place This vaine speech moued amongst the Athenians some laughter and was heard with great content of the wiser sort For of two benefits the one must needs fall out either to be rid of Cleon which was their greatest hope or if they were deceiued in that then to get those Lacedaemonians into their hands Now when he had dispatched with the Assembly and the Athenians had by their voices decreed him the Voyage he ioyned vnto himselfe Demosthenes one of the Commanders at Pylus and presently put to Sea Hee made choice of Demosthenes for his Companion because he heard that hee also of himselfe had a purpose to set his Souldiers a land in the I le For the Armie hauing suffered much by the straightnesse of the place and being rather the besieged then the besieger had a great desire to put the matter to the hazard of a Battell confirmed therein the more for that the Iland had been burnt For hauing beene for the most part wood and by reason it had lyen euer desart without path they were before the more afraid and thought it the aduantage of the Enemie for assaulting them out of sight they might annoy a very great Armie that should offer to come aland For their errours being in the Wood and their preparation could not so well haue beene discerned whereas all the faults of their owne Armie should haue beene in sight So that the Enemy might haue set vpon them suddenly in what part soeuer they had pleased because the onset had beene in their owne election Againe if they should by force come vp to fight with the Lacedaemonians at hand in the thicke Woods the fewer and skilfull of the wayes hee thought would bee too hard for the many and vnskilfull Besides their owne Armie beeing great it might receiue an ouerthrow before they could know of it because they could not see where it was needfull to relieue one another These things came into his head especially from the losse hee receiued in Aetolia Which in part also happened by occasion of the Woods But the Souldiers for want of roome hauing beene forced to put in at the outside of the Iland to dresse their dinners with a watch before them and one of them hauing set fire on the Wood it burnt on by little and little and the Wind afterwards rising the most of it was burnt before they were aware By this accident Demosthenes the better discerning that the Lacedaemonians were more then hee had inagined hauing before by victuall sent vnto them thought them not so many did now prepare himselfe for the Enterprize as a matter deseruing the Athenians vtmost care and as hauing better commodity of landing in the Iland then before he had and both sent for the forces of such Confederates as were neere and put in readinesse euery other needfull thing And Cleon who had sent a Messenger before to signifie his comming came himselfe also with those forces which he had required vnto Pylus When they were both together first they sent a Herald to the Campe in the Continent to know if they would command those in the Iland to deliuer vp themselues and their Armes without battell to be held with easie imprisonment till some agreement were made touching the maine Warre Which when they refused the Athenians for one day held their hands but the next day hauing put aboord vpon a few Gallies all their men of Armes they put off in the night and landed a little before day on both sides of the Iland both from the Mayne and from the Hauen to the number of about 800 men of Armes and marched vpon high speed towards the formost watch of the Iland For thus the Lacedaemonians lay quartered In this formost watch were about thirty men of Armes The middest and euenest part of the Iland and about the water was kept by Epitadas their Captaine with the greatest part of the whole number And another part of them which were not many kept the last guard towards Pylus which place to the Sea-ward was on a Cliffe and least assaileable by Land For there was also a certaine Fort which was old and made of chosen not of hewne stones which they thought would stand them in stead in case of violent retreat Thus they were quartered Now the Athenians presently killed those of the formost guard which they so ran to in their Cabins and as they were taking Armes For they knew not of their landing but thought those Gallies had come thither to Anchor in the night according to custome as they had been wont to doe Assoone as it was morning the rest of the Army also landed out of somewhat more then 70 Gallies euery
Demosthenes of one side and Styphon the sonne of Pharax on the other side For of them that had Command there Epitadas who was the first was slaine and Hippagretes who was chosen to succeed him lay amongst the dead though yet aliue and this man was the third to succeed in the Cōmand by the Law in case the others should miscarry Styphon and those that were with him said they would send ouer to the Lacedaemonians in the Continent to know what they there would aduise them to but the Athenians letting none goe thence called for Heralds out of the Continent and the question hauing beene twice or thrice asked the last of the Lacedaemonians that came ouer from the Continent brought them this Answer The Lacedaemonians bid you take aduice touching your selues such as you shall thinke good prouided you doe nothing dishonourably Whereupon hauing consulted they yeelded vp themselues and their Armes and the Athenians attended them that day and the night following with a watch But the next day after they had set vp their Trophie in the Iland they prepared to bee gone and committed the prisoners to the custody of the Captaines of the Gallies And the Lacedaemonians sent ouer a Herald and tooke vp the bodies of their dead The number of them that were slaine and taken aliue in the Iland was thus There went ouer into the Iland in all foure hundred and twenty men of Armes of these were sent away aliue three hundred wanting eight and the rest slaine Of those that liued there were of the Citie it selfe of Sparta one hundred and twenty Of the Athenians there dyed not many for it was no standing fight The whole time of the siege of these men in the Iland from the fight of the Gallies to the fight in the Iland was 72. dayes of which for 20. dayes victuall was allowed to bee carried to them that is to say in the time that the Ambassadours were away that went about the Peace in the rest they were fed by such onely as put in thither by stealth and yet there was both Corne and other food left in the Iland For their Captaine Epitadas had distributed it more sparingly then hee needed to haue done So the Athenians and the Peloponnesians departed from Pylus and went home both of them with their Armies And the promise of Cleon as senselesse as it was tooke effect For within twenty dayes he brought home the men as he had vndertaken Of all the accidents of this Warre this same fell out the most contrary to the opinion of the Grecians For they expected that the Lacedaemonians should neuer neither by Famine nor whatsoeuer other necessity haue bin constrained to deliuer vp their Armes but haue dyed with them in their hands fighting as long as they had beene able and would not beleeue that those that yeelded were like to those that were slaine and when one afterwards of the Athenian Confederates asked one of the prisoners by way of insulting if they which were slaine were valiant men hee answered that a Spindle meaning an Arrow deserued to bee valued at a high rate if it could know who was a good man Signifying that the slaine were such as the Stones and Arrowes chanced to light on After the arriuall of the men the Athenians ordered that they should be kept in bonds till there should bee made some agreement and if before that the Peloponnesians should inuade their Territory then to bring them forth kill them They tooke order also in the same Assembly for the settling of the Garrison at Pylus And the Messenians of Naupactus hauing sent thither such men of their own as were fittest for the purpose as to their natiue Countrey for Pylus is in that Countrey which belonged once to the Messenians infested Laconia with Robberies and did them much other mischiefe as being of the same Language The Lacedaemonians not hauing in times past beene acquainted with robberies and such Warre as that and because their Helotes ranne ouer to the Enemie fearing also some greater innouation in the Countrey tooke the matter much to heart and though they would not be knowne of it to the Athenians yet they sent Ambassadours and endeuoured to get the restitution both of the Fort of Pylus and of their men But the Athenians aspired to greater matters and the Ambassadours though they came often about it yet were alwayes sent away without effect These were the proceedings at Pylus Presently after this the same Summer the Athenians with 80. Gallies 2000. men of Armes of their own City and 200. Horse in boats built for transportation of Horses made War vpon the Territory of Corinth There went also with them Milesians Andrians and Carystians of their Confederates The Generall of the whole Army was Nicias the sonne of Niceratus with 2. other in Commission with him Betimes in a morning they put in at a place betweene Chersonesus and Rheitus on that shore aboue which standeth the Hill Solygius whereon the Dorians in old time sate downe to make Warre on the Corinthians in the Citie of Corinth that were then Aeolians and vpon which there standeth now a Village called also Solygia From the shore where the Gallies came in this Village is distant twenty furlongs and the Citie of Corinth sixtie and the Isthmus twenty The Corinthians hauing long before from Argos had intelligence that an Armie of the Athenians was comming against them came all of them with their forces to the Isthmus saue onely such as dwelt without the Isthmus and fiue hundred Garrison Souldiers absent in Ambracia and Leucadia all the rest of military age came forth to attend the Athenians where they should put in But when the Athenians had put to shore in the night vnseene and that aduertisement thereof was giuen them by signes put vp into the ayre they left the one halfe of their Forces in Cenchrea lest the Athenians should goe against Crommyon and with the other halfe made haste to meete them Battus one of their Commanders for there were two of them present at the Battell with one Squadron went toward the Village of Solygia being an open one to defend it and Lycophron with the rest charged the Enemie And first they gaue the onset on the right wing of the Athenians which was but newly landed before Chersonesus and afterwards they charged likewise the rest of the Armie The Battell was hot and at hand-stroakes And the right wing of the Athenians and Carystians for of these consisted their vtmost Files sustained the charge of the Corinthians and with much adoe draue them backe But as they retyred they came vp for the place was all rising ground to a dry Wall and from thence being on the vpper ground threw downe stones at them and after hauing sung the Poean came againe close to them whom when the Athenians abode the Battell was againe at hand-stroakes But a certaine Band of Corinthians that came
in to the ayde of their owne left wing put the right wing of the Athenians to flight and chased them to the Sea-side But then from their Gallies they turned head againe both the Athenians and the Carystians The other part of their Armie continued fighting on both sides especially the right wing of the Corinthians where Lycophron fought against the left wing of the Athenians for they expected that the Athenians would attempt to goe to Solygia so they held each other to it a long time neither side giuing ground But in the end for that the Athenians had Horse men which did them great seruice seeing the other had none the Corinthians were put to flight and retired to the Hill where they laid downe their Armes and descended no more but there rested In this Retreat the greatest part of their right wing was slaine and amongst others Lycophron one of the Generals But the rest of the Army being in this manner neither much vrged nor retiring in much haste when they could do no other made their Retreat vp the Hill there sate downe The Athenians seeing them come no more downe to Battel rifled the dead bodies of the Enemy and tooke vp their owne and presently erected a Trophie on the place That halfe of the Corinthians that lay at Cenchrea to watch the Athenians that they went not against Crommyon saw not this Battell for the Hill Oneius but when they saw the dust and so knew what was in hand they went presently to their ayde so did also the old men of Corinth from the Citie when they vnderstood how the matter had succeeded The Athenians when all these were comming vpon them together imagining them to haue been the succours of the neighbouring Cities of Peloponnesus retired speedily to their Gallies carrying with them the booty and the bodies of their dead all saue two which not finding they left Being aboard they crossed ouer to the Ilands on the other side and from thence sent a Herald and fetched away those two dead bodies which they left behinde There were slaine in this battell Corinthians two hundred and twelue and Athenians somewhat vnder fifty The Athenians putting off from the Ilands sayled the same day to Crommyon in the Territory of Corinth distant from the City a hundred and twenty Furlongs where anchoring they wasted the Fields and stayed all that night The next day they sailed along the shore first to to the Territory of Epidaurus whereinto they made some little incursion from their Gallies and then went to Methone betweene Epidaurus and Troezen and there tooke in the Isthmus of Chersonnesus with a Wall and placed a Garrison in it which afterwards exercised robberies in the Territories of Troezen Halias and Epidaurus and when they had fortified this place they returned home with their Fleet. About the same time that these things were in doing Eurymedon and Sophocles after their departure from Pylus with the Athenian Fleet towards Sicily arriuing at Corcyra ioyned with those of the Citie and made Warre vpon those Corcyraeans which lay encamped vpon the Hill Istone and which after the sedition had come ouer and both made themselues masters of the Field and much annoyed the Citie and hauing assaulted their fortification tooke it But the men all in one troupe escaped to a certaine high ground and thence made their composition which was this That they should deliuer vp the Strangers that ayded them and that they themselues hauing rendred their Armes should stand to the iudgement of the People of Athens Heereupon the Generals granted them truce and transported them to the Iland of Ptychia to bee there in custodie till the Athenians should send for them with this condition That if any one of them should be taken running away then the truce to bee broken for them all But the Patrons of the Commons of Corcyra fearing lest the Athenians would not kill them when they came thither deuise against them this plot To some few of those in the Iland they secretly send their friends and instruct them to say as if forsooth it were for good will that it was their best course with all speed to get away and withall to offer to prouide them of a Boat for that the Athenian Commanders intended verily to deliuer them to the Corcyraean people When they were perswaded to doe so and that a Boat was treacherously prepared as they rowed away they were taken and the Truce being now broken were all giuen vp into the hands of the Corcyraeans It did much further this Plot that to make the pretext seeme more serious and the agents in it lesse fearefull the Athenian Generals gaue out that they were nothing pleased that the men should be carried home by others whilest they themselues were to goe into Sicily and the honour of it be ascribed to those that should conuoy them The Corcyraeans hauing receiued them into their hands imprisoned them in a certaine Edifice from whence afterwards they tooke them out by twenty at a time and made them passe through a Lane of men of Armes bound together and receiuing stroakes and thrusts from those on eyther side according as any one espyed his Enemie And to hasten the pace of those that went slowliest on others were set to follow them with Whips They had taken out of the Roome in this manner and slaine to the number of threescore before they that remained knew it who thought they were but remoued and carried to some other place But when they knew the truth some or other hauing told them they then cryed out to the Athenians and said that if they would themselues kill them they should doe it and refused any more to go out of the Roome nor would suffer they said as long as they were able any man to come in But neither had the Corcyraeans any purpose to force entrance by the doore but getting vp to the top of the House vncouered the roofe and threw Tyles and shot Arrowes at them They in prison defended themselues as well as they could but many also slew themselues with the Arrowes shot by the Enemie by thrusting them into their throats and strangled themselues with the cords of certaine beds that were in the Roome and with ropes made of their owne garments rent in pieces And hauing continued most part of the night for night ouertooke them in the action partly strangling themselues by all such meanes as they found and partly shot at from aboue they all perished When day came the Corcyraeans laid them one acrosse another in Carts and carried them out of the City And of their Wiues as many as were taken in the Fortification they made bond-women In this manner were the Corcyraeans that kept the Hill brought to destruction by the Commons And thus ended this farre-spred sedition for so much as concerned this present Warre for of other seditions there remained nothing
so not warre by Warre but all our quarrels shall be ended by peace without trouble And those that haue beene called in as they came with faire pretence to iniure vs so shall they with faire reason bee dismissed by vs without their errand And thus much for the profit that will be found by aduising wisely concerning the Athenians But when Peace is confessed by all men to be the best of things why should wee not make it also in respect of our selues Or doe you thinke perhaps if any of you possesse a good thing or bee pressed with an euill that Peace is not better then Warre to remoue the later or preserue the former to both or that it hath not honours and eminence more free from danger or whatsoeuer else one might discourse at large concerning Warre Which things considered you ought not to make light of my aduice but rather make vse of it euery one to prouide for his owne safety Now if some man bee strongly conceited to goe through with some designe of his be it by right or by violence let him take heed that hee faile not so much the more to his griefe as it is contrary to his hope knowing that many men ere now hunting after reuenge on such as had done them iniury and others trusting by some strength they haue had to take away anothers right haue the first sort in stead of being reuenged been destroyed and the other in stead of winning from others left behind them what they had of their owne For reuenge succeeds not according to Iustice as that because an iniury hath beene done it should therefore prosper nor is strength therefore sure because hopefull It is the instability of Fortune that is most predominant in things to come which though it be the most deceiueable of all things yet appeares to be the most profitable For whilest euery one feare it alike we proceed against each other with the greater prouidence Now therefore terrified doubly both with the implicite feare of the incertainty of euents and with the terrour of the Athenians present and taking these for hindrances sufficient to haue made vs come short of what we had seuerally conceiued to effect let vs send away our enemies that houer ouer vs and make an eternall peace amongst our selues or if not that then a Truce at least for as long as may be and put off our priuate quarrels to some other time In summe let vs know this that following my counsell we shall euery of vs haue our Cities free whereby being Masters of our selues we shall be able to remunerate according to their merit such as doe vs good or harme Whereas reiecting it and following the counsell of others our contention shall no more be how to be reuenged or at the best if it be we must be forced to become friends to our greatest enemies and enemies to such as we ought not For my part as I sayd in the beginning I bring to this the greatest Citie and which is rather an assaylant then assayled and yet foreseeing these things I hold it fit to come to an agreement and not so to hurt our enemies as to hurt our selues more Nor yet through foolish spight will I looke to be followed as absolute in my will and master of Fortune which I cannot command but will also giue way where it is reason And so I looke the rest should doe as well as I and that of your selues and not forced to it by the enemy For it is no dishonour to be ouercome kinsmen of kinsmen one Dorian of another Dorian and one Chalcidean of another of his owne race or in sum any one by another of vs being neighbours and cohabiters of the same Region encompassed by the Sea and all called by one name Sicilians Who as I conceiue will both warre when it happens and againe by common conferences make peace by our owne selues But when Forrainers inuade vs we shall if wise vnite all of vs to encounter them in as much as being weakned singly wee are in danger vniuersally As for Confederates let vs neuer hereafter call in any nor Arbitrators For so shall Sicily attaine these two benefits to be ridde of the Athenians and of Domestique Warre for the present and to be inhabited by our selues with liberty and less insidiated by others for the time to come Hermocrates hauing thus spoken the Sicilians followed his aduice and agreed amongst themselues That the Warre should cease euery one retaining what they then presently enioyed And that the Camarinaeans should haue Morgantina paying for the same vnto the Syracusians a certaine summe of money then assessed They that were Confederates with the Athenians calling such of the Athenians vnto them as were in authority told them that they also were willing to compound and be comprehended in the same Peace And the Athenians approuing it they did so and hereupon the Athenians departed out of Sicily The people of Athens when their Generals came home banished two namely Pythadorus and Sophocles and laid a Fine vpon the third which was Eurymedon as men that might haue subdued the estates of Sicily but had been bribed to returne So great was their fortune at that time that they thought nothing could crosse them but that they might haue atchieued both easie and hard enterprises with great slender forces alike The cause whereof was the vnreasonable prosperity of most of their designes subministring strength vnto their hope The same Summer the Megareans in the Citie of Megara pinched both by the Warre of the Athenians who inuaded their Territory with their whole forces euery yeere twice and by their owne Outlawes from Pegae who in a sedition driuen out by the Commons grieuously afflicted them with robberies began to talke one to another how it was fit to call them home againe and not to let their Citie by both these meanes to be ruined The friends of those without perceiuing the rumour they also more openly now then before required to haue it brought to Counsell But the Patrons of the Commons fearing that they with the Commons by reason of the miseries they were in should not be able to carry it against the other side made an offer to Hippocrates the sonne of Ariphron and Demosthenes the sonne of Aristhenes Commanders of the Athenian Army to deliuer them the City as esteeming that course lesse dangerous for themselues then the reduction of those whom they had before driuen out And they agreed that first the Athenians should possesse themselues of the Long-walls these were about eight furlongs in length and reached from the Citie to Nisaea their Hauen thereby to cut of the aide of the Peloponnesians in Nisaea in which the better to assure Megara to the side there lay no other Souldiers in Garrison but they And then afterwards that these men would attempt to deliuer them the City aboue which would the more easily succeed if that were effected
Summer likewise Demosthenes Generall of the Athenians with fortie Gallies presently after his departure out of Megaris sayled to Naupactus For certaine men in the Cities thereabouts desiring to change the forme of the Boeotian gouernment and to turne it into a Democratie according to the gouernment of Athens practised with him and Hippocrates to betray vnto him the estates of Boeotia Induced thereunto principally by Ptoecdorus a Theban Outlaw And they ordered the designe thus Some had vndertaken to deliuer vp Siphae Siphae is a Citie of the Territory of Thespiae standing vpon the Sea side in the Crissaean Gulfe and Chaeronea which was a Towne that payed duties to Orchomenus called heretofore Orchomenus in Minyeia but now Orchomenus in Boeotia some others of Orchomenus were to surrender into their hands And the Orchomenian Outlawes had a principall hand in this and were hyring Soldiers to that end out of Peloponnesus This Chaeronea is the vtmost Towne of Boeotia towards Phanocis in the Countrey of Phocis and some Phocians also dwelt in it On the other side the Athenians were to seaze on Delium a place consecrated to Apollo in the Territory of Tanagra on the part toward Euboea All this ought to haue been done together vpon a day appointed to the end that the Boeotians might not oppose them with their forces vnited but might be troubled euery one to defend his owne And if the attempt succeeded and that they once fortified Delium they easily hoped though no change followed in the state of the Boeotians for the present yet being possessed of those places and by that meanes continually fetching in prey out of the Countrey because there was for euery one a place at hand to retire vnto that it could not stand long at a stay but that the Athenians ioyning with such of them as rebelled and the Boeotians not hauing their forces vnited they might in time order the State to their owne liking Thus was the Plot layed And Hippocrates himselfe with the forces of the Citie was ready when time should serue to march but sent Demosthenes before with forty Gallies to Naupactus to the end that he should leuy an Army of Acarnanians and other their Confederates in these quarters and sayle to Siphae to receiue it by Treason And a day was set downe betwixt them on which these things should haue been done together Demosthenes when he arriued and found the Oeniades by compulsion of the rest of Acarnania entred into the Athenian Confederation and had himselfe raised all the Confederates thereabouts made Warre first vpon Salynthius and the Agraeans and hauing taken in other places thereabouts stood ready when the time should require to goe to Siphae About the same time of this Summer Brasidas marching towards the Cities vpon Thrace with 1700 men of Armes when he came to Heraclea in Trachinia sent a Messenger before him to his friends at Pharsalus requiring them to be guides vnto him and to his Army And when there were come vnto him Panaerus and Dorus and Hippolochidas and Torylaus and Sâ—rophacus who was the publique Hoste of the Chalcideans all which met him Melitia a towne of Achaia he marched on There were other of the Thessalians also that conuoyed him and from Larissa he was conuoyed by Niconidas a friend of Perdiccas For it had beene hard to passe Thessaly without a guide howsoeuer but especially with an Army And to passe through a neighbour Territory without leaue is a thing that all Grecians alike are iealous of Besides that the people of Thessaly had euer borne good affection to the Athenians Insomuch as if by custome the gouernment of that Countrey had not beene Lordly rather then a Common-wealth he could neuer haue gone on For also now as he marched forward there met him at the Riuer Enipeus others of a contrary mind to the former that forbad him and told him that he did vniustly to goe on without the common consent of all But those that conuoyed him answered that they would not bring him through against their wils but that comming to them on a sudden they conducted him as friends And Brasidas himselfe said he came thither a friend both to the countrey and to them and that he bore Armes not against them but against the Athenians their enemies And that he neuer knew of any enmity between the Thessalians Lacedaemonians wherby they might not vse one anothers ground and that euen now he would not goe on without their consent for neither could hee but onely entreated them not to stop him When they heard this they went their wayes And he by the aduice of his guides before any greater number should vnite to hinder him marched on with all possible speed staying no whereby the way and the same day he set forth from Melitia he reached Pharsalus and encamped by the Riuer Apidanus From thence he went to Phacium From thence into Peraebia The Peraebians though subiect to the Thessalonians set him at Dion in the Dominion of Perdiccas a little City of the Macedonians scituate at the foot of Olympus on the side toward Thessalie In this manner Brasidas ran through Thessalie before any there could put in readinesse to stop him and came into the Territorie of the Chalcideans and to Perdiccas For Perdiccas and the Chalcideans all that had reuolted from the Athenians when they saw the affaires of the Athenians prosper had drawne this Armie out of Peloponnesus for feare the Chalcideans because they thought the Athenians would make Warre on them first as hauing been also incited thereto by those Cities amongst them that had not reuolted and Perdiccas not that he was their open enemy but because he feared the Athenians for ancient quarrels but principally because he desired to subdue Arrhibaeus King of the Lyncesteans And the ill successe which the Lacedaemonians in these times had was a cause that they obtained an Armie from them the more easily For the Athenians vexing Peloponnesus and their particular Territory Laconia most of all they thought the best way to diuert them was to send an Armie to the Confederates of the Athenians so to vexe them againe And the rather because Perdiccas and the Chalcideans were content to maintain the Armie hauing called it thither to helpe the Chalcideans in their reuolt And because also they desired a pretence to send away part of their Helotes for feare they should take the opportunity of the present state of their affaires the enemies lying now in Pylus to innouate For they did also this further Fearing the youth and multitude of their Helotes For the Lacedaemonians had euer many Ordinances concerning how to look to theÌ„selues against the Helotes they caused Proclamation to be made that as many of theÌ„ as claimed the estimation to haue done the Lacedaemonians best seruice in their Warres should be made free feeling them in this manner and conceiuing that as they should euery
this Countrey of yours when a forraine enemy comes against you to fight with him both on your owne and on your neighbours ground alike but much more you ought to doe it against the Athenians when they be borderers For liberty with all men is nothing else but to be a match for the Cities that are their neighbours With these then that attempt the subiugation not onely of their neighbours but of estates farre from them why should we not try the vtmost of our fortune We haue for example the estate that the Euboeans ouer against vs and also the greatest part of the rest of Greece do liue in vnder them And you must know that though others fight with their neighbours about the bounds of their Territories wee if we be vanquished shall haue but one bound amongst vs all so that wee shall no more quarrell about limits For if they enter they will take all our seuerall states into their owne possession by force So much more dangerous is the neighbourhood of the Athenians then of other people And such as vpon confidence in their strength inuade their neighbours as the Athenians now doe vse to bee bolde in warring on those that sit still defending themselues onely in their owne Territories whereas they be lesse vrgent to those that are ready to meete them without their owne limits or also to beginne the Warre when opportunity serueth We haue experience hereof in these same men for after wee had ouercome them at Coronea at what time through our owne sedition they held our Countrey in subiection wee established a great security in Boeotia which lasted till this present Remembring which wee ought now the elder sort to imitate our former acts there and the yonger sort who are the children of those valiant Fathers to endeuour not to disgrace the vertue of their Houses but rather with confidence that the God whose Temple fortified they vnlawfully dwell in will bee with vs the Sacrifices wee offered him appearing faire to march against them and let them see that though they may gaine what they couet when they inuade such as will not fight yet men that haue the generosity to hold their owne in liberty by battell and not inuade the state of another vniustly will neuer let them goe away vnfoughten Pagondas with this exhortation perswaded the Boeotians to march against the Athenians and making them rise led them speedily on for it was drawing towards night and when he was neere to their Army in a place from whence by the interposition of a Hill they saw not each other making a stand he put his Armie into order and prepared to giue Battell When it was told Hippocrates who was then at Delium that the Boeotians were marching after them he sends presently to the Armie commanding them to bee put in array and not long after hee came himselfe hauing left some 300. Horse about Delium both for a guard to the place if it should be assaulted and withall to watch an opportunity to come vpon the Boeotians when they were in fight But for these the Boeotians appointed some Forces purposely to attend them And when all was as it should be they shewed themselues from the toppe of the Hill Where they sate downe with their Armes in the same order they were to fight in being about seuen thousand men of Armes of light-armed Souldiers aboue tenne thousand a thousand Horsemen and fiue hundred Targettiers Their right Wing consisting of the Thebans and their partakers In the middle battell were the Haliartians Coronaeans Copaeans and the rest that dwell about the Lake In the left were the Thespians Tanagraeans and Orchomenians The Horsemen and light-armed Souldiers were placed on either wing The Thebans were ordered by twenty fiue in File but the rest euery one as it fell out This was the preparation and order of the Boeotians The Athenian men of Armes in number no fewer then the enemy were ordered by eight in File throughout Their Horse they placed on either Wing but for light-armed Souldiers armed as was fit there were none nor was there any in the City Those that went out followed the Campe for the most part without Armes as being a generall expedition both of Citizens and Strangers and after they once began to make homeward there stayed few behind When they were now in their order and ready to ioyne battell Hippocrates the Generall came into the Army of the Athenians and encouraged them speaking to this effect THE ORATION OF HIPPOCRATES to his Souldiers MEN of Athens my exhortation shall be short but with valiant men it hath as much force as a longer and is for a remembrance rather then a command Let no man thinke because it is in the Territory of another that we therefore precipitate our selues into a great danger that did not concerne vs. For in the Territory of these men you fight for your owne If wee get the victory the Peloponnesians will neuer inuade our Territories againe for want of the Boeotian Horsemen So that in one battell you shall both gaine this Territory and free your owne Therefore march on against the enemy euery one as becommeth the dignity both of his naturall Citie which he glorieth to be chiefe of all Greece and of his Ancestors who hauing ouercome these men at Oenophyta vnder the Conduct of Myronides were in times past Masters of all Boeotia Whiles Hippocrates was making this exhortation and had gone with it ouer halfe the Army but could proceed no further the Boeotians for Pagondas likewise made but a short exhortation and had there sung the Paean came downe vpon them from the hill And the Athenians likewise went forward to meet them so fast that they met together running The vtmost parts of both the Armies neuer came to ioyne hindred both by one and the same cause for certaine currents of water kept them asunder But the rest made sharpe battell standing close and striuing to put by each others Bucklers The left wing of the Boeotians to the very middle of the Army was ouerthrowne by the Athenians who in this part had to deale amongst others principally with the Thespians For whilest they that were placed within the same wing gaue backe and were circled in by the Athenians in a narrow compasse those Thespians that were slaine were hewed downe in the very fight Some also of the Athenians themselues troubled with inclosing thē through ignorance slew one another So that the Boeotians were ouerthrowne in this part and fled to the other part where they were yet in fight But the right wing wherein the Thebans stood had the better of the Athenians and by little and little forced them to giue ground and followed vpon them from the very first It hapned also that Pagondas whilst the left wing of this Army was in distresse sent two Companies of Horse secretly about the hill whereby that wing of the Athenians which was victorious apprehending vpon
the rest of the Rabble ran dispersed here and there without difference When the Towne was taken the most of the Toronaeans were much troubled because they were not acquainted with the matter but the Conspirators and such as were pleased with it ioyned themselues presently with those that entred The Athenians of which there were about fifty men of Armes asleepe in the Market place when they knew what had happened fled all except some few that were slaine vpon the place some by Land some by water in two Gallies that kept watch there and saued themselues in Lecythus which was a Fort which they themselues held cut off from the rest of the City to the Sea-ward in a narrow Isthmus And thither also fled all such Toronaeans as were affected to them Being now day and the City strongly possessed Brasidas caused a Proclamation to be made that those Toronaeans which were fled with the Athenians might come backe as many as would to their owne and Inhabite there in security To the Athenians he sent a Herald bidding them depart out of Lecythus vnder Truce with all that they had as a place that belonged to the Chalcideans The Athenians denyed to quit the place but the Truce they desired for one day for the taking vp of their dead And Brasidas granted it for two In which two dayes hee fortified the buildings neere and so also did the Athenians theirs Hee also called an Assembly of the Toronaeans and spake vnto them as hee had done before to the Acanthians adding That there was no iust cause why either they that had practised to put the Citie into his hands should be the worse thought of or accounted Traitors for it seeing that they did it with no intent to bring the Citie into seruitude nor were hired therevnto with money but for the benefit and libertie of the Citie or that they which were not made acquainted with it should thinke that themselues were not to reape as much good by it as the others For he came not to destroy either City or man But had therefore made that Proclamation touching those that fled with the Athenians because he thought them neuer the worse for that friendship and made account when they had made tryall of the Lacedaemonians they would shew as much good will also vnto them or rather more in as much as they would behaue themselues with more equity and that their present feare was onely vpon want of tryall Withall he wished them to prepare themselues to be true Confederates for the future and from hence forward to looke to haue their faults imputed For for what was past he thought they had not done any wrong but suffered it rather from other men that were too strong for them and therefore were to be pardoned if they had in ought beene against him When he had thus said and put them againe into heart the Truce being expired he made diuers assaults vpon Lecythus The Athenians fought against them from the Wall though a bad one and from the houses such as had Battlements and for the first day kept them off But the next day when the enemies were to bring to the Wall a great Engine out of which they intended to cast fire vpon their Woodden Fences and that the Army was now comming vp to the place where they thought they might best apply the Engine and which was easiest to be assaulted The Athenians hauing vpon the top of the building erected a Turret of Wood and carried vp many Buckets of Water and many men being also gone vp into it the building ouercharged with weight fell suddenly to the ground and that with so huge a noyse that though those which were neere and saw it were grieued more then afraid yet such as stood further off especially the farthest of all supposing the place to be in that part already taken fled as fast as they could towards the Sea and went aboord their Gallies Brasidas when he perceiued the Battlements to be abandoned and saw what had happened came on with his Army and presently got the Fort and slew all that he found within it But the rest of the Athenians which before abandoned the place with their Boats and Gallies put themselues into Pallene There was in Lecythus a Temple of MYNERVA And when Brasidas was about to giue the assault hee had made Proclamation that whosoeuer first sealed the wall should haue 30 Minae of siluer for a reward Brasidas now conceiuing that the place was won by meanes not humane gaue those 30 minae to the Goddesse to the vse of the Temple And then pulling downe Lecythus he built it anew and consecrated vnto her the whole place The rest of this Winter he spent in assuring the places he had already gotten and in contriuing the conquest of more Which Winter ending ended the eighth yeere of this Warre The Lacedaemonians and Athenians in the Spring of the Summer following made a cessation of Armes presently for a yeere hauing reputed with themselues the Athenians that Brasidas should by this meanes cause no more of their Cities to reuolt but that by this leasure they might prepare to secure them and that if this suspension liked them they might afterwards make some agreement for a longer time The Lacedaemonians that the Athenians fearing what they feared would vpon the taste of this intermission of their miseries and weary-life be the willinger to compound and with the restitution of their men to conclude a Peace for a longer time For they would faine haue recouered their men whilest Brasidas his good fortune continued and whilest if they could not recouer them they might yet Brasidas prospering and setting them equall with the Athenians try it out vpon euen termes and get the victory Whereupon a suspension of Armes was concluded comprehending both themselues and their Confederates in these words Concerning the Temple and Oracle of Apollo Pythius it seemeth good vnto vs that whosoeuer will may without fraud and without feare aske counsell thereat according to the Lawes of his Countrey The same also seemeth good to the Lacedaemonians and their Confederates here present and they promise moreouer to send Ambassadors to the Boeotians and Phoceans and doe their best to perswade them to the same That concerning the treasure belonging to the god we shall take care to find out those that haue offended therein both wee and you proceeding with right and equity according to the Lawes of our seuerall States And that whosoeuer else will may doe the same euery one according to the Law of his owne Countrey If the Athenians will accord that each side shall keepe within their owne bounds retaining what they now possesse the Lacedaemonians and the rest of the Confederates touching the same thinke good thus That the Lacedaemonians in Coryphasium stay within the mountaines of Buphras and Tomeus and the Athenians in Cythera without ioyning together in any League either we with them
could not send an Army against it without breach of the Truce and vpon Brasidas his word challenged the City to belong vnto them offering themselues to the decision of Law But the Athenians would by no meanes put the matter to iudgement But meant with all the speed they could make to send an Army against it Being angry at the heart that it should come to this passe that euen Ilanders durst reuolt trust to the vnprofitable helpe of the strength of the Lacedaemonians by Land Besides touching the time of the reuolt the Athenians had more truth on their side then themselues alleadged For the reuolt of the Scioneans was after the Truce two dayes Whereupon by the aduice of Cleon they made a Decree to take them by force and to put them all to the Sword And forbearing Warre in all places else they prepared themselues onely for that In the meane time reuolted also Menda in Pallene a Colony of the Eretrians These also Brasidas receiued into protection holding it for no wrong because they came in openly in time of Truce And somewhat there was also which he charged the Athenians with about breach of the Truce For which cause the Mendaeans had also beene the bolder as sure of the intention of Brasidas which they might guesse at by Scione in as much as he could not be gotten to deliuer it Withall the Few were they which had practised the reuolt who being once about it would by no meanes giue it ouer but fearing lest they should bee discouered forced the multitude contrary to their owne inclination to the same The Athenians being hereof presently aduertised and much more angry now then before made preparation to Warre vpon both and Brasidas expecting that they would send a Fleet against them receiued the women and children of the Scionaeans and Mendaeans into Olynthus in Chalcidea and sent ouer thither 500 Peloponnesian men of Armes and 300 Chalcidean Targettiers and for Commander of them all Polydamidas And those that were left in Scione and Menda ioyned in the administration of their affaires as expecting to haue the Athenian Fleet immediately with them In the meane time Brasidas and Perdiccas with ioynt forces march into Lyncus against Arrhibaeus the second time Perdiccas led with him the power of the Macedonians his subiects and such Grecian men of Armes as dwelt among them Brasidas besides the Peloponnesians that were left him led with him the Chalcideans Acanthians and the rest according to the Forces they could seuerally make The whole number of the Grecian men of Armes were about 3000. The horsemen both Macedonians and Chalcideans somewhat lesse then 1000 but the other Rabble of Barbarians was great Being entred the Territory of Arrhibaeus and finding the Lyncesteans encamped in the field they also sate downe opposite to their Campe. And the Foot of each side being lodged vpon a hil and a Plain lying betwixt them both the horsemen ran downe into the same and a skirmish followed first betweene the Horse onely of them both but afterwards the men of Armes of the Lyncesteans comming downe to aide their Horse from the hill and offring battell first Brasidas and Perdiccas drew downe their Army likewise and charging put the Lyncestians to flight many of which being slaine the rest retired to the hill top and lay still After this they erected a Trophy and stayed two or three dayes expecting the Illyrians who were comming to Perdiccas vpon hire and Perdiccas meant afterwards to haue gone on against the Villages of Arrhibaeus one after another and to haue sitten still there no longer But Brasidas hauing his thoughts on Menda lest if the Athenians came thither before his returne it should receiue some blow seeing withall that the Illyrians came not had no liking to doe so but rather to retire Whilest they thus varied word was brought that the Illyrians had betrayed Perdiccas ioyned themselues with Arrhibaeus So that now it was thought good to retyre by them both for feare of these who were a warlike people but yet for the time when to march there was nothing cōcluded by reason of their variance The next night the Macedonians and multitude of Barbarians as it is vsuall with great Armies to be terrified vpon causes vnknowne being suddenly affrighted and supposing them to be many more in number then they were and euen now vpon them betooke themselues to present flight went home And Perdiccas who at first knew not of it they constrained when he knew before he had spoken with Brasidas their Campes being farre asunder to be gone also Brasidas betimes in the morning when hee vnderstood that the Macedonians were gone away without him and that the Illyrians and Arrhibaeans were comming vpon him putting his men of Armes into a square forme and receiuing the multitude of his light-armed into the middest intended to retire likewise The youngest men of his Souldiers he appointed to run out vpon the enemy when they charged the Army any where with shot and he himselfe with three hundred chosen men marching in the Rere intended as he retyred to sustaine the formost of the enemy fighting if they came close vp But before the enemie approached hee encouraged his Souldiers as the shortnesse of time gaue him leaue with words to this effect THE ORATION OF BRASIDAS to his Souldiers MEN of Peloponnesus If I did not mistrust in respect you are thus abandoned by the Macedonians and that the Barbarians which come vpon you are many that you were afraid I should not at this time instruct you and encourage you as I doe But now against this desertion of your companions and the multitude of your enemies I will endeuour with a short instruction and hortatiue to giue you encouragement to the full For to be good Souldiers is vnto you naturall not by the presence of any Confederates but by your owne valour and not to feare others for the number seeing you are not come from a Citie where the Many beare rule ouer the Few but the Few ouer Many and haue gotten this for power by no other meanes then by ouercomming in fight And as these Barbarians whom through ignorance you feare you may take notice both by the former battels fought by vs against them before in fauour of the Macedonians and also by what I my selfe coniecture and haue heard by others that they haue no great danger in them For when any enemy whatsoeuer maketh shew of strength being indeed weake the truth once knowne doth rather serue to embolden the other side whereas against such as haue valour indeed a man will bee the boldest when hee knoweth the least These men here to such as haue not tryed them doe indeed make terrible offers for the sight of their number is fearefull the greatnesse of their cry intolerable and the vaine shaking of their weapons on high is not without signification of menacing But they are not
battell and gaue out he went vp principally to see the place And stayed for greater forces not to secure him in case he should be compelled to fight but that he might therewith enuiron the Citie on all sides at once and in that manner take it by force So he went vp and set his Army down on a strong hill before Amphipolis standing himselfe to view the Fens of the riuer Strymon and the scituation of the Citie towards Torace and thought he could haue retired againe at his pleasure without battell For neither did any man appeare vpon the walls nor come out of the Gates which were all fast shut insomuch as he thought he had committed an errour in comming without Engines because he thought he might by such meanes haue wonne the Citie as being without defendants Brasidas as soone as he saw the Athenianâ— remoue came downe also from Cerdylium and put himselfe into Amphipolis He would not suffer them to make any sally nor to face the Athenians in order of battell mistrusting his owne Forces which he thought inferiour not in number for they were in a manner equall but in worth for such Athenians as were there were pure and the Lemnians and Imbrians which were amongst them were of the very ablest but prepared to set vpon them by a wile For if he should haue shewed to the enemy both his number and their Armour such as for the present they were forced to vse he thought that thereby he should not so soone get the victory as by keeping them out of sight and out of their contempt till the very point Wherefore chusing to him selfe 150 men of Armes and committing the charge of the rest to Clearidas he resolued to set suddenly vpon them before they should retire as not expecting to take them so alone another time if their succours chanced to arriue And when he had called his Souldiers together to encourage them and to make knowne vnto them his designe he said as followeth THE ORATION OF BRASIDAS to his Souldiers MEN of Peloponnesus as for your Countrey how by valour it hath euer retained her liberty and that being Dorians you are now to fight against Ionians of whom you were euer wont to get the victory let it suffice that I haue touched it thus briefly But in what manner I intend to charge that I am now to enforme you of lest the venturing by few at once and not altogether should seeme to proceed from weaknesse and so dishearten you I doe coniecture that it was in contempt of vs and as not expecting to bee fought withall that the enemy both came vp to this place and that they haue now betaken themselues carelesly and out of order to view the Countrey But he that best obseruing such errours in his enemies shall also to his strength giue the onset not alwayes openly and in ranged battell but as is best for his present aduantage shall for the most part attaine his purpose And these wiles carry with them the greatest glory of all by which deceiuing most the enemy a man doth most benefit his friends Therefore whilest they are secure without preparation and intend for ought I see to steale away rather then to stay I say in this their loosnesse of resolution and before they put their minds in order I for my part with those I haue chosen will if I can before they get away fall in vpon the midst of their Army running And you Clearidas afterwards as soone as you shall see me to haue charged and as it is probable to haue put them into affright take those that are with you both Amphipolitans and all the rest of the Confederates and setting open the Gates runne out vpon them and with all possible speed come vp to stroke of hand for there is great hope this way to terrifie them seeing they which come after are euer of more terrour to the enemy then those that are already present and in fight And be valiant as is likely you should that are a Spartan and you Confederates follow manfully and beleeue that the parts of a good Souldier are willingnesse sense of shame and obedience to his Leaders and that this day you shall either gaine your selues liberty by your valour and to be called Confederates of the Lacedaemonians or else not onely to serue the Athenians your selues and at the best if you be not led Captiues nor put to death to be in greater seruitude then before but also to be the hinderers of the liberty of the rest of the Grecians But be not you cowards seeing how great a matter is at stake and I for my part will make it appeare that I am not more ready to perswade another then to put my selfe into action When Brasidas had thus said he both prepared to goe out himselfe and also placed the rest that were with Clearidas before the Gates called the Thracian Gates to issue forth afterwards as was appointed Now Brasidas hauing been in sight when he came downe from Cerdylium and againe when he sacrificed in the City by the Temple of Pallas which place might be seene from without it was told Cleon whilst Brasidas was ordering of his men for he was at this time gone off a little to looke about him that the whole Army of the enemies was plainly to be discerned within the Towne and that the feet of many men and horses ready to come forth might be discerned from vnder the Gate Hearing this he came to the place and when he saw it was true being not minded to fight vntill his aides arriued and yet making no other account but that his retreat would be discouered he commanded at once to giue the signall of retreat and that as they went the left Wing should march formost which was the only meanes they had to withdraw towards Eion But when he thought they were long about it causing the right Wing to wheel about and lay open their disarmed parts to the enemy hee led away the Army himselfe Brasidas at the same time hauing spied his opportunity and that the Army of the Athenians remoued said to those about him and the rest These men stay not for vs it is apparant by the wagging of their Speares and of their heads For where such motion is they vse not stay for the charge of the enemy Therefore open me some body the Gates appointed and let vs boldly and speedily sally forth vpon them Then hee went out himselfe at the Gate towards the Trench and which was the first Gate of the Long-wall which then was standing and at high speed tooke the straightway in which as one passeth by the strongest part of the Towne there standeth now a Trophy And charging vpon the midst of the Athenian Army which was terrified both with their owne disarray and the valour of the man forced them to flie And Clearidas as was appointed hauing issued out by the Thracian Gates was withall comming
then in Lacedaemon whom they had sent about the Truce and applied themselues to the Athenians with this thought that if they should haue Warre they should by this meanes be backed with a City that had been their ancient friend gouerned like their owne by Democracy and of greatest power by Sea Whereupon they presently sent Ambassadours to Athens to make a League and together with theirs went also the Ambassadors of the Eleans and Mantineans Thither also with all speed came the Lacedaemonian Ambassadors Philocharidas Leon and Endius persons accounted most gracious with the Athenians for feare lest in their passion they should make a League with the Argiues and withall to require the restitution of Pylus for Panactum and to excuse themselues concerning their League with the Boeotians as not made for any harme intended to the Athenians Now speaking of these things before the Councell and how that they were come thither with full power to make agreement concerning all Controuersies betwixt them they put Alcibiades into feare lest if they should say the same before the people the multitude would be drawne vnto their side and so the Argiue League fall off But Alcibiades deuiseth against them this plot He perswadeth the Lacedaemonians not to confesse their plenary power before the people and giueth them his faith that then Pylus should be rendred for he said he would perswade the Athenians to it as much as he now opposed it and that the rest of their differences should be compounded This he did to alienate them from Nicias and that by accusing them before the people as men that had no true meaning nor euer spake one and the same thing he might bring on the league with the Argiues Eleans Mantineans And it came to passe accordingly For when they came before the people and to the question whether they had full power of concluding had contrary to what they had said in Councell answered no the Athenians would no longer endure them but gaue eare to Alcibiades that exclaimed against the Lacedaemonians farre more now then euer and were ready then presently to haue the Argiues and those others with them brought in and to make the League But an Earthquake happening before any thing was concluded the assembly was adiourned In the next dayes meeting Nicias though the Lacedaemonians had been abused and he himselfe also deceiued touching their comming with full power to conclude yet he persisted to affirme that it was their best course to be friends with the Lacedaemonians and to deferre the Argiues businesse till they had sent to the Lacedaemonians againe to be assured of their intention saying that it was honour vnto themselues and dishonour to the Lacedaemonians to haue the Warre put off For for themselues being in estate of prosperity it was best to preserue their good fortune as long as they might whereas to the other side who were in euill estate it should be in place of gaine to put things as soone as they could to the hazzard So he perswaded them to send Ambassadours whereof himselfe was one to require the Lacedaemonians if they meant sincerely to render Panactum standing and also Amphipolis and if the Boeotians would not accept of the Peace then to vndoe their League with them according to the Article That the one should not make league with any without the consent of the other They willed him to say further That they themselues also if they had had the will to doe wrong had ere this made a league with the Argiues who were present then at Athens for the same purpose And whatsoeuer they had to accuse the Lacedaemonians of besides they instructed Nicias in it and sent him and the other his fellow Ambassadours away When they were arriued and had deliuered what they had in charge and this last of all That the Athenians would make League with the Argiues vnlesse the Lacedaemonians would renounce their League with the Boeotians if the Boeotians accepted not the Peace the Lacedaemonians denyed to renounce their league with the Boeotians for Xenares the Ephore and the rest of that faction carried it but at the request of Nicias they renued their former Oath For Nicias was afraid he should returne with nothing done and be carped at as after also it fell out as author of the Lacedaemonian Peace At this returne when the Athenians vnderstood that nothing was effected at Lacedaemon they grew presently into choler and apprehending iniury the Argiues and their Confederates being there present brought in by Alcibiades they made a Peace and a League with them in these words The Athenians and Argiues and Mantineans and Eleans for themselues and for the Confederates commanded by euery of them haue made an accord for 100 yeeres without fraud or dammage both by Sea and Land It shall not be lawfull for the Argiues nor Eleans nor Mantineans nor their Confederates to beare Armes against the Athenians or the Confederates vnder the command of the Athenians or their Confederates by any fraud or machination whatsoeuer And the Athenians Argiues and Mantineans haue made League with each other for 100 yeeres on these termes If any enemy shall inuade the Territory of the Athenians then the Argiues Eleans and Mantineans shall goe vnto Athens to assist them according as the Athenians shall send them word to doe in the best manner they possibly can But if the enemy after hee haue spoyled the Territory shall be gone backe then their Citie shall be held as an enemy to the Argiues Eleans Mantineans and Athenians and Warre shall be made against it by all those Cities And it shall not be lawfull for any of those Cities to giue ouer the Warre without the consent of all the rest And if an enemy shall inuade the Territory either of the Arâ—giues or of the Eleans or of the Mantineans then the Athenians shall come vnto Argos Elis and Mantinea to assist them in such sort as those Cities shall send them word to doe in the best manner they possibly can But if the enemy after he hath wasted their Territory shall be gone backe then their Citie shall be held as an enemy both to the Athenians and also to the Argiues Eleans and Mantineans and Warre shall be made against it by all those Cities and it shall not be lawfull for any of them to giue ouer the Warre against that Citie without the consent of all the rest There shall no armed men be suffered to passe through the Dominions either of themselues or of any the Confederates vnder their seueuerall commands to make Warre in any place whatsoeuer vnlesse by the suffrage of all the Cities Athens Argos Elis and Mantinea their passage be allowed To such as come to assist any of the other Cities that Citie which sendeth them shal giue maintenance for thirtie dayes after they shal arriue in the Citie that sent for them and the like at their going away But if they
Lacedaemonians appeared to be the greater But what the number was either of the particulars of either side or in generall I could not exactly write For the number of the Lacedaemonians agreeable to the secrecy of that State was vnknowne and of the other side for the ostentation vsuall with all men touching the number of themselues was vnbeleeued Neuerthelesse the number of the Lacedaemonians may be attained by computing thus Besides the Sciritae which were 600. there fought in all seuen Regiments in euery Regiment were foure Companies in each Company were foure Enomatiae and of euery Enomatia there stood in Front foure but they were not ranged all alike in File but as the Captaines of Bands thought it necessary But the Army in generall was so ordered as to be eight men in depth and the first Ranke of the whole besides the Sciritae consisted of 448 Souldiers Now when they were ready to ioyne the Commanders made their hortatines euery one to those that were vnder his owne command To the Mantineans it was said That they were to fight for their Territory and concerning their liberty and seruitude that the former might not be taken from them and that they might not againe taste of the later The Argiues were admonished That whereas anciently they had the leading of Peloponnesus and in it an equall share they should not now suffer themselues to be depriued of it for euer and that withall they should now reuenge the many iniuries of a City their neighbour and enemy To the Athenians it was remembred how honourable a thing it would be for them in company of so many and good Confederates to be inferior to none of them and that if they had once vanquished the Lacedaemonians in Peloponnesus their owne Dominion would become both the more assured and the larger by it and that no other would inuade their Territory hereafter Thus much was said to the Argiues and their Confederates But the Lacedaemonians encouraged one another both of themselues and also by the manner of their Discipline in the Warres taking encouragement being valiant men by the commemoration of what they already knew as being well acquainted that a long actuall experience conferred more to their safety then any short verball exhortation though neuer so well deliuered After this followed the battell The Argiues and their Confederates marched to the charge with great violence and fury But the Lacedaemonians slowly and with many Flutes according to their Military Discipline not as a point of Religion but that marching euenly and by measure their Rankes might not be distracted as the greatest Armies when they march in the face of the Enemy vse to be Whilest they were yet marching vp Agis the King thought of this course All Armies doe thus In the Conflict they extend their right Wing so as it commeth in vpon the Flanke of the left Wing of the enemy and this happeneth for that that euery one through feare seeketh all he can to couer his vnarmed side with the Shield of him that standeth next him on his right hand conceiuing that to be so locked together is their best defence The beginning hereof is in the leader of the first File on the right hand who euer striuing to shift his vnarmed side from the enemy the rest vpon like feare follow after And at this time the Mantineans in the right Wing had farre encompassed the Sciritae and the Lacedaemonians on the other side and the Tegeates were come in yet farther vpon the Flanke of the Athenians by as much as they had the greater Army Wherfore Agis fearing lest his left Wing should be encompassed supposing the Mantineans to be come in farre signified vnto the Sciritae and Brasidians to draw out part of their Bands and therewith to equalize their left Wing to the right Wing of the Mantineans and into the void space he commanded to come vp Hipponoidas and Aristocles two Colonels with their Bands out of the right Wing and to fall in there and make vp the breach Conceiuing that more then enough would be still remaining in their right Wing and that the left Wing opposed to the Mantineans would be the stronger But it happened for he commanded it in the very onset and on the sodaine both that Aristocles and Hipponoidas refused to go to the place commanded for which they were afterwards banished Sparta as thought to haue disobeyed out of cowardise and that the enemy had in the meane time also charged And when those which he commanded to goe to the place of the Sciritae went not they could no more reunite themselues nor cloze againe the empty space But the Lacedaemonians though they had the worst at this time in euery point for skill yet in valour they manifestly shewed themselues superior For after the fight was once begun notwithstanding that the right Wing of the Mantineans did put to flight the Sciritae Brasidians and that the Mantineans together with their Confederates and those 1000 chosen men of Argos falling vpon them in Flanke by the breach not yet clozed vp killed many of the Lacedaemonians and put to flight and chased them to their Carriages slaying also certaine of the elder sort left there for a guard so as in this part the Lacedaemonians were ouercome But with the rest of the Army and especially the middle battell where Agis was himselfe and those which are called the 300 horsemen about him they charged vpon the eldest of the Argiues and vpon those which are named the fiue Cohorts and vpon the Cleonaeans and Orneates and certaine Athenians aranged amongst them and put them all to flight In such sort as many of them neuer strooke stroake but as soone as the Lacedaemonians charged gaue ground presently and some for feare to be ouertaken were trodden vnder foot As soone as the Army of the Argiues and their Confederates had in this part giuen ground they began also to breake on either side The right Wing of the Lacedaemonians and Tegeates had now with their surplusage of number hemmed the Athenians in so as they had the danger on all hands being within the circle pend vp and without it already vanquished And they had been the most distressed part of all the Army had not their horsemen come in to helpe them Withall it fell out that Agis when he perceiued the left Wing of his owne Army to labour namely that which was opposed to the Mantineans and to those thousand Argiues commanded the whole Army to goe and relieue the part ouercome By which meanes the Athenians and such of the Argiues as together with them were ouerlaid whilst the Army passed by and declined them saued themselues at leasure And the Mantineans with their Confederates and those chosen Argiues had no more mind now of pressing vpon their enemies but seeing their side was ouercome and the Lacedaemonians approaching them presently turned their backs Of the Mantineans the greatest part
are farthest off and which least come to giue proofe of the opinion conceiued of them And this Athenians is your owne case now with the Lacedaemonians and their Confederates whom because beyond your hope you haue ouercome in those things for which at first you feared them you now in contempt of them turne your Armes vpon Sicily But we ought not to be puft vp vpon the misfortunes of our enemies but to bee confident then onely when we haue mastered their designes Nor ought wee to thinke that the Lacedaemonians set their mindes on any thing else but how they may yet for the late disgrace repaire their reputation if they can by our ouerthrow and the rather because they haue so much and so long laboured to win an opinion in the vvorld of their valour The question with vs therfore if we be well aduised will not be of the Egestaeans in Sicily but how we may speedily defend our Citie against the insidiation of them that fauour the Oligarchy Wee must remember also that we haue had now some short recreation from a late great Plague and great Warre and thereby are improued both in men and money which it is most meet we should spend here vpon our selues and not vpon these Outlawes which seeke for aide Seeing it maketh for them to tell vs a specious lye who contributing onely words whilest their friends beare all the danger if they speed well shal be disobliged of thankes if ill vndoe their friends for company Now if there be any man here that for ends of his owne as being glad to be Generall especially being yet too yong to haue charge in chiefe shall aduise the expedition to the end he may haue admiration for his expence vpon horses and helpe from his place to defray that expence suffer him not to purchase his priuate honour and splendor with the danger of the publike fortune Beleeue rather that such men though they robbe the publique doe neuerthelesse consume also their priuate wealth Besides the matter it selfe is full of great difficulties such as it is not fit for a yong man to consult of much lesse hastily to take in hand And I seeing those now that sit by and abette the same man am fearefull of them and doe on the other side exhort the elder sort if any of them sit neere those other not to be ashamed to deliuer their minds freely as fearing that if they giue their voyce against the Warre they should be esteemed cowards nor to doate as they doe vpon things absent knowing that by passion the fewest actions and by reason the most doe prosper but rather for the benefit of their Countrey which is now cast into greater danger then euer before to hold vp their hands on the other side and decree That the Sicilians within the limits they now enioy not misliked by you and with liberty to saile by the shoare in the Ionian Gulfe and in the maine of the Sicilian Sea shall possesse their owne and compound their differences within themselues And for the Egestaeans to answer them in particular thus That as without the Athenians they had begun the War against the Selinuntians so they should without them likewise end it And that we shall no more hereafter as wee haue vsed to doe make such men our Confederates as when they doe iniury we must maintaine it and when we require their assistance cannot haue it And you the President if you thinke it your office to take care of the Common-wealth and desire to be a good member of the same put these things once more to the question and let the Athenians speake to it againe Thinke if you be afraid to infringe the orders of the Assembly that before so many witnesses it will not be made a crime but that you shall be rather thought a Physitian of your Country that hath swallowed down euill councell And he truely dischargeth the duty of a President who laboureth to doe his Countrey the most good or at least will not willingly doe it hurt Thus spake Nicias But the most of the Athenians that spake after him were of opinion that the voyage ought to proceed the Decree already made not to be reuersed Yet some there were that said to the contrary But the expediton was most of all pressed by Alcibiades the sonne of Clinias both out of desire he had to crosse Nicias with whom he was likewise at oddes in other points of State and also for that he had glanced at him inuidiously in his Oration but principally for that he affected to haue charge hoping that himselfe should be the man to subdue both Sicily and Carthage to the State of Athens and withall if it succeeded to increase his owne priuate wealth and glory For being in great estimation with the Citizens his desires were more vaste then for the proportion of his estate both in maintaining of horses and other his expences was meet Which proued afterwards none of the least causes of the subuersion of the Athenian Common-wealth For most men fearing him both for his excesse in things that concerned his person and forme of life and for the greatnesse of his spirit in euery particular action he vndertooke as one that aspired to the Tyranny they became his enemy And although for the publique he excellently managed the Warre yet euery man priuately dipleased with his course of life gaue the charge of the Warres to others and thereby not long after ouerthrew the State Alcibiades at this time stood forth and spake to this effect THE ORATION OF ALCIBIADES MEN of Athens It both belongeth vnto me more then to any other to haue this charge and withall I thinke my selfe for I must needs begin with this as hauing beene touched by Nicias to be worthy of the same For those things for which I am so much spoken of doe indeed purchase glory to my progenitors and my selfe but to the Common-wealth they conferre both glory and profit For the Grecians haue thought our Citie a mighty one euen aboue the truth by reason of my braue appearance at the Olympian Games whereas before they thought easily to haue warred it downe For I brought thither seuen Chariots and not onely wonne the first second and fourth prize but carried also in all other things a magnificence worthy the honour of the victory And in such things as these as there is honour to be supposed according to the Law so is there also a power conceiued vpon sight of the thing done As for my expences in the Citie vpon setting forth of shewes or whatsoeuer else is remarkeable in me though naturally it procure enuy in other Citizens yet to Strangers this also is an Argument of our greatnesse Now it is no vnprofitable course of life when a man shall at his priuate cost not onely benefit himselfe but also the Common-wealth Nor doth he that beareth himselfe high vpon his owne worth and refuseth to make himselfe fellow with
leauied with exceeding great choice and euery man endeuoured to excell his fellow in the brauery of his Armes and vtenciles that belonged to his person Insomuch as amongst themselues it begate quarrell about precedencie but amongst other Grecians a conceit that it was an ostentation rather of their power and riches then a preparation against an Enemie For if a man enter into account of the expence as well of the publike as of priuate men that went the voyage namely of the publike what was spent already in the businesse and what was to be giuen to the Commanders to carry with them and of priuate men what euery one had bestowed vpon his person and euery Captaine on his Gallie besides what euery one was likely ouer and aboue his allowance from the State to bestow on prouision for so long a Warfare and what the Merchant carried with him for Traffique he will finde the whole summe carrried out of the Citie to amount to a great many Talents And the Fleet was no lesse noysed amongst those against whom it was to goe for the strange boldnesse of the attempt and gloriousnesse of the show then it was for the excessiue report of their number for the length of the voyage and for that it was vndertaken with so vast future hopes in respect of their present power After they were all aboard and all things laid in that they meant to carry with them silence was commanded by the Trumpet and after the Wine had beene carried about to the whole Army and All aswell the Generals as the Souldiers had drunke a health to the Voyage they made their prayers such as by the Law were appointed for before their taking Sea not in euery Galley apart but all together the Herald pronouncing them And the company from the shoare both of the Citie and whosoeuer else wished them well prayed with them And when they had sung the Paean and ended the Health they put forth to Sea And hauing at first gone out in a long File Gally after Gally they after went a vie by Aegina Thus hasted these to be at Corcyra to which place also the other Armie of the Confederates were assembling At Syracuse they had aduertisement of the Voyage from diuers places neuerthelesse it was long ere any thing would be beleeued Nay an Assembly beeing there called Orations were made such as follow on both parts aswell by them that beleeued the report touching the Athenian Armie to be true as by others that affirmed the contrary And Hermocrates the sonne of Hermon as one that thought hee knew the certainety stood forth and spake to this effect THE ORATION OF HERMOCRATES COncerning the truth of this Inuasion though perhaps I shall bee thought as well as other men to deliuer a thing incredible and though I know that such as bee either the Authors or relaters of matter incredible shall not onely not perswade but bee also accounted fooles neuerthelesse I will not for feare thereof hold my tongue as long as the Common wealth is in danger being confident that I know the truth heereof somewhat more certainely then others doe The Athenians are bent to come euen against vs which you verily wonder at and that vvith great Forces both for the Sea and Land vvith pretence indeed to ayde their Confederates the Egestaeans and to replant the Leontines but in truth they aspire to the dominion of all Sicily and especially of this Citie of ours vvhich obtained they make account to get the rest vvith ease Seeing then they will presently bee vpon vs aduise vvith your present means how you may vvith most honour make head against them that you may not bee taken vnprouided through contempt nor be carelesse through incredulity and that such as beleeue it may not be dismayed with their audaciousnes and power For they are not more able to doe hurt vnto vs then we be vnto them neither indeed is the greatnes of their Fleet without some aduantage vnto vs. Nay it will be much the better for vs in respect of the rest of the Sicilians for being terrified by them they will the rather league with vs. And if we either vanquish or repulse them without obtaining what they come for for I feare not at all the effecting of their purpose verily it will bee a great honour to vs and in my opinion not vnlikely to come to passe For in truth there haue beene few great Fleets whether of Grecians or Barbarians sent far from home that haue not prospered ill Neither are these that come against vs more in number then our selues and the neighbouring Cities for surely we shall all hold together vpon feare And if for want of necessaries in a strange Territorie they chance to miscarry the honour of it will be left to vs against whom they bend their councels though the greatest cause of their ouerthrow should consist in their owne errours Which was also the case of these very Athenians who raised themselues by the misfortune of the Medes though it happened for the most part contrary to reason because in name they went only against the Athenians And that the same shall now happen vnto vs is not without probability Let vs therefore with courage put in readinesse our owne fortes let vs send to the Siculi to confirme those we haue and to make peace and league with others and let vs send Ambassadors to the rest of Sicily to shew them that it is a common danger and into Italy to get them into our League or at least that they receiue not the Athenians And in my iudgement it were our best course to send also to Carthage for euen they are not without expectation of the same danger Nay they are in a continuall feare that the Athenians will bring the Warre vpon them also euen to their Citie So that vpon apprehension that if they neglect vs the trouble will come home to their owne doore they will perhaps either secretly or openly or some way assist vs. And of all that now are they are the best able to doe it if they please For they haue the most gold and siluer by which both the Wars and all things else are the best expedited Let vs also send to Lacedaemon and to Corinth praying them not onely to send their succours hither with speed but also to set on foot the Warre there But that which I thinke the best course of all though through an habit of sitting still you will hardly be brought to it I will neuerthelesse now tell you what it is If the Sicilians all together or if not all yet if wee and most of the rest would draw together our whole Nauie and with 2. moneths prouision goe and meet the Athenians at Tarentum and the Promontory of Iapygia and let them see that they must fight for their passage ouer the Ionian Gulfe before they fight for Sicily it would both terrifie them the most and also put them into a consideration That
them against the Halbardiers Now the Conspirators for their better security were not many for they hoped that such also as were not priuie to it if they saw it once vndertaken being vpon this occasion armed would assist in the recouery of their owne liberty When this Holiday was come Hippias was gone out of the Citie into the place called Ceramicum with his guard of Halbardiers was ordering the procession how it was to goe And Harmodius and Aristogiton with each of them a Dagger proceeded to the fact But when they saw one of the Conspirators familiarly talking with Hippias for Hippias was very affable to all men they were afraid and beleeued that they were discouered and must presently haue beene apprehended They resolued therefore if it were possible to be reuenged first vpon him that had done them the wrong and for whose sake they had vndergone all this danger and furnisht as they were ran furiously into the Citie and finding Hipparchus at a place called Leocorium without all regard of themselues fell vpon him and with all the anger in the world one vpon iealousie the other vpon disgrace strooke and slew him Arâ—stogiton for the present by meanes of the great confluence of people escaped thorow the Guard but taken afterwards was vngently handled but Harmodius was slaine vpon the place The newes being brought to Hippias in the Ceramicum he went not towards the place where the fact was committed but presently vnto those that were armed for the solemnity of the shewes and were farre off that he might be with them before they heard of it and composing his countenance as well as he could to dissemble the calamity pointed to a certaine place and commanded them to repaire thither without their Armes Which they did accordingly expecting that he would haue told them somewhat But hauing commanded his Guard to take those Armes away he then fell presently to picking out of such as he meant to question and whosoeuer else was found amongst them with a Dagger For with Shields and Speares to be in the head of the Procession was of custome Thus was the enterprize first vndertaken vpon quarrell of Loue and then vpon a sudden feare followed this vnaduised aduenture of Harmodius and Aristogiton And after this time the Tyranny grew sorer to the Athenians then it had been before And Hippias standing more in feare not onely put many of the Citizens to death but also cast his eye on the States abroad to see if he might get any security from them in this alteration at home Hee therefore afterwards though an Athenian and to a Lampsacen gaue his daughter Archedice vnto Aeantidas the sonne of Hippocles Tyrant of Lampsacus knowing that the Lampsacens were in great fauour with King Darius And her Sepulchre is yet to be seene with this Inscription Archedice the Daughter of King Hippias who in his time Of all the Potentates of Greece was prime this dust doth hide Daughter Wife Sister Mother vnto Kings she was yet free from pride And Hippias after he had raigned three yeeres more in Athens and was in the fourth deposed by the Lacedaemonians and the exiled Alemaeonides went vnder Truce to Sigeum and to Aeantidas at Lampsacus and thence to King Darius from whence twenty yeeres after in his old age he came to Marathon with the Medan Army The People of Athens bearing this in minde and remembring all that they had heard concerning them were extremely bitter and full of iealousie towards those that had been accused of the Mysteries and thought all to haue been done vpon some Oligarchicall or Tyrannicall Conspiracy And whilest they were passionate vpon this surmise many worthy men had already been cast in prison and yet they were not likely so to giue ouer but grew daily more saluage and sought to apprehend more still Whilest they were at this passe a prisoner that seemed most to be guilty was perswaded by one of his fellow prisoners to accuse some body whether it were true or not true for it is but conjecturall on both sides nor was there euer then or after any man that could say certainly who it was that did the deed who brought him â—o it by telling him that though he had not done it yet he might be sure to saue his owne life and should deliuer the City from the present suspition And that he should be more certaine of his owne safety by a free confession then by comming to his tryall if he denied it Hereupon he accused both himselfe and others for the Mercuries The people of Athens gladly receiuing the certainty as they thought of the fact and hauing been much vexed before to thinke that the Conspirators should neuer perhaps be discouered to their Multitude presently set at liberty the accuser and the rest with him whom he had not appeached but for those that were accused they appointed Iudges and all they apprehended they executed And hauing condemned to dye such as fled they ordayned a summe of money to be giuen to those that should slay them And though it were all this while vncertaine whether they suffered iustly or vniustly yet the rest of the Citie had a manifest ease for the present But touching Alcibiades the Athenians tooke it extreme ill through the iustigation of his enemies the same that had opposed him before he went And seeing it was certaine as they thought for the Mercuries the other crime also concerning the Mysteries whereof he had beene accused seemed a great deale the more to haue bin committed by him vpon the same reason and conspiracy against the people For it fell out withall whilest the City was in a tumult about this that an Army of the Lacedaemonians was come as fâ—rre as the Isthmus vpon some designe against the Boeotians These therefore they thought were come thither not against the Boeotians but by appointment of him and that if they had not first apprehended the persons appeached the Citie had been betrayed And one night they watched all night long in their Armes in the Temple of Theseus within the Citie And the friends of Alcibiades in Argos were at the same time suspected of a purpose to set vpon the People there whereupon the Athenians also deliuered vnto the Argiue People those Hostages which they held of theirs in the Ilands to be slaine And there were presumptions against Alcibiades on all sides Insomuch as purposing by Law to put him to death they sent as I haue said the Gally called Salaminia into Sicily both for him and the rest with him that had been accused But gaue command to those that went not to apprehend him but to bid him follow them to make his purgation because they had a care not to giue occasion of stirre either amongst their owne or the enemies Souldiers but especially because they desired that the Mantineans and the Argiues who they thought followed the Warre by his perswasion might not
would haue imposed the same condition vpon vs. For these causes vvee tooke vpon vs our dominion ouer them both as worthy of the same in that wee brought the greatest Fleet and promptest courage to the seruice of the Grecians whereas they with the like promptnesse in fauour of the Medes did vs hurt and also as being desirous to procure our selues a strength against the Peloponnesians And follow any other wee will not seeing wee alone haue pulled downe the Barbarian and therefore haue right to command or at least haue put our selues into danger more for the liberty of the Peloponnesians then of all the rest of Greece and our owne besides Now to seeke meanes for ones owne preseruation is a thing vnblameable And as it is for our owne safeties cause that vvee are now heere so also wee finde that the same will be profitable for you Which vvee will make plaine from those very things which they accuse and you as most formidable suspect vs of being assured that such as suspect vvith vehement feare though they may be wonne for the present with the sweetnesse of an Oration yet vvhen the matter comes to performance will then doe as shall be most for their turne Wee haue told you that wee hold our Dominion yonder vpon feare and that vpon the same cause wee come hither now by the helpe of our friends to assure the Cities heere and not to bring you into subiection but rather to keepe you from it And let no man obiect that we be sollicitous for those that are nothing to vs. For as long as you be preserued and able to make head against the Syracusians wee shall be the lesse annoyed by their sending of Forces to the Peloponnesians And in this point you are very much vnto vs. For the same reason it is meete also that vvee replant the Leontines not to subiect them as their kindred in Euboea but to make them as puissant as wee can that being neere they may from their owne Territory weaken the Syracusians in our behalfe For as for our Warres at home wee are a match for our enemies without their helpe And the Chalcidean whom hauing made a slaue yonder the Syracusian said wee absurdly pretend to vindicate into liberty heere is most beneficiall to vs there without Armes paying money onely but the Leontines and other our friends heere are the most profitable to vs when they are most in liberty Now to a Tyrant or Citie that raigneth nothing can bee thought absurd if profitable nor any man a friend that may not bee trusted to Friend or Enemy he must bee according to the seuerall occasions But here it is for our benefit not to vveaken our friends but by our friends strength to weaken our enemies This you must needs beleeue in as much as yonder also wee so command ouer our Confederates as euery of them may bee most vsefull to vs. The Chians and Methymnaeans redeeme their liberty with prouiding vs some Gallies the most of the rest with a Tribute of money somewhat more pressing Some againe of our Confederates are absolutely free notwithstanding that they be Ilanders and easie to be subdued The reason whereof is this they are scituate in places commodious about Peloponnesus It is probable therefore that heere also we will so order our affaires as shall be most for our owne turne and most according to our feare as we told you of the Syracusians For they affect a dominion ouer you and hauing by aduantage of your suspicion of vs drawne you to their side will themselues by force or if we goe home without effect by your want of friends haue the sole command of Sicily Which if you ioyne with them must of necessity come to passe For neither will it be easie for vs to bring so great Forces againe together nor will the Syracusians want strength to subdue you if we bee absent Him that thinketh otherwise the thing it selfe conuinceth for when you called vs in to ayde you at the first the feare you pretended was onely this that if we neglected you the Syracusians would subdue you and we thereby should participate of the danger And it were vniust that the argument you would needs haue to preuaile then with vs should now haue no effect with your selues or that you should be iealous of the much strength we bring against the power of the Syracusians when much rather you should giue the lesse eare vnto them We cannot so much as stay here without you and if becomming perfidious we should subdue these States yet we are vnable to hold them both in respect of the length of the voyage and for want of meanes of guarding them because they be great and prouided after the manner of the Continent Whereas they not lodged neeâ—â— you in a Campe but inhabiting neere you in a Citie of greater power then this of ours will be alwayes watching their aduantages against you And when an opportunity shall be offered against any of your Cities will be sure not to let it slip This they haue already made to appeare both in their proceedings against the Leontines and also otherwise And yet haue these the face to moue you against vs that hinder this and that haue hitherto kept Sicily from falling into their hands But we on the otherside inuite you to a farre more reall safety and pray you not to betray that safety which we both of vs hold from one another at this present but to consider that they by their owne number haue way to you alwayes though without Confederates whereas you shall seldome haue so great an ayde againe to resist them Which if through your iealousie you suffer to goe away without effect or if it miscarry you will hereafter wish for the least part of the same when their comming can no more doe you good But Camarinaeans bee neither you nor others moued with their calumnies We haue told you the very truth why wee are suspected and summarily wee will tell it you againe clayming to preuaile with you thereby We say we command yonder lest else we should obey and we assert into liberty the Cities here lest else we should be harmed by them Many things vvee are forced to be doing because many things vve haue to bevvare of And both novv and before vve came not vncalled but called as Confederates to such of you as suffer vvrong Make not your selues Iudges of vvhat vve doe nor goe about as Censors vvhich vvere novv hard to doe to diuert vs but as farre as this busie humour and fashion of ours may be for your ovvne seruice so farre take and vse it And thinke not the same hurtfull alike to all but that the greatest part of the Grecians haue good by it For in all places though vve be not of any side yet both he that looketh to be wronged and hee that contriueth to doe the wrong by the obuiousnesse of the hope that the one hath of our ayd and of
into the great Hauen from Thapsus but the Syracusians were masters of the places neere the Sea and the Athenians brought their prouision to the Army from Thapsus by land The Syracusians when they thought both their Palizadoe and wall sufficient and considering that the Athenians came not to empeach them in the worke as they that feared to diuide their Army and to be therby the more easie to be fought withall that also hasted to make an end of their owne wall wherewith to encompasse the Citie left one squadron for a guard of their workes and retyred with the rest into the Citie And the Athenians cut off the Pipes of their Conduits by which their water to drinke was conueyed vnder-ground into the Towne And hauing obserued also that about noone the Syracusians kept within their Tents and that some of them were also gone into the Citie and that such as were remaining at the Palizado kept but negligent watch they commanded three hundred chosen men of Armes and certaine other picked out and Armed from amongst the vnarmed to runne suddenly to that Counterwall of the Syracusians The rest of the Army diuided in two went one part with one of the Generals to stop the succour which might be sent from the Citie and the other with the other Generall to the Palizado next to the Gate of the Counterwall The three hundred assaulted and tooke the Palizado the guard whereof forsaking it fled within the wall into the Temple ground and with them entred also their pursuers but after they were in were beaten out againe by the Syracusians and some slaine both of the Argiues and Athenians but not many Then the whole Army went backe together and pulled downe the wall and plucked vp the Palizado the Pales whereof they carried with them to their Campe and erected a Trophie The next day the Athenians beginning at their Circular wall built onwards to that Cragge ouer the Marishes which on that part of Epipolae looketh to the great Hauen and by which the way to the Hauen for their wall to come through the Plaine and Marish was the shortest As this was doing the Syracusians came out againe and made another Palizado beginning at the Citie through the middle of the Marish and a Ditch at the side of it to exclude the Athenians from bringing their wall to the Sea But the Athenians when they had finished their worke as farre as to the Cragge assaulted the Palizado and Trench of the Syracusians againe And hauing commanded their Gallies to be brought about from Thapsus into the great Hauen of Syracusa about breake of day went straight downe into the Plaine and passing through the Marish where the ground was Clay and firmest and partly vpon Boards and Planckes won both the Trench and Palizado all but a small part betimes in the morning and the rest not long after And here also they fought and the victory fell to the Athenians The Syracusians those of the Right-wing fled to the City and they of the Left to the Riuer The three hundred chozen Athenians desiring to cut off their passage marched at high speed towards the Bridge but the Syracusians fearing to be preuented for most of the Horsemen were in this number set vpon these three hundred and putting them to flight draue them vpon the right Wing of the Athenians and following affrighted also the formost guard of the Wing Lamachus seeing this came to aide them with a few Archers from the left Wing of their owne and with all the Argiues and passing ouer a certaine Ditch hauing but few with him was deserted and slaine with some sixe or seuen more These the Syracusians hastily snatched vp and carried into a place of safety beyond the Riuer And when they saw the rest of the Athenian Army comming towards them they departed In the meane time they that fled at first to the Citie seeing how things went tooke heart againe and reimbattailed themselues against the same Athenians that stood ranged against them before and withall sent a certaine portion of their Armie against the circular Fortification of the Athenians vpon Epipolae supposing to finde it without defendants and so to take it And they tooke and demolished the out-worke tenne Plethers in length but the Circle it selfe was defended by Nicias who chanced to be left within it for infirmity For he commanded his seruants to set fire on all the Engines and whatsoeuer woodden matter lay before the Wall knowing there was no other possible meanes to saue themselues for want of men And it fell out accordingly For by reason of this fire they came no neerer but retired For the Athenians hauing by this time beaten backe the Enemie below were comming vp to relieue the Circle and their Gallies withall as is before mentioned were going about from Thapsus into the great Hauen Which they aboue perceiuing speedily made away they and the whole Armie of the Syracusians into the Citie with opinion that they could no longer hinder them with the strength they now had from bringing their Wall through vnto the Sea After this the Athenians erected a Trophie and deliuered to the Syracusians their dead vnder Truce and they on the other side deliuered to the Athenians the body of Lamachus and of the rest slaine with him And their whole Armie both Land and Sea-forces being now together they began to incloze the Syracusians with a double Wall from Epipolae and the Rockes vnto the Sea-side The necessaries of the Army were supplyed from all parts of Italy and many of the Siculi who before stood aloofe to obserue the way of Fortune tooke part now with the Athenians to whom came also three Penteconteri long-boates of 50. Oares apiece from Hetruria and diuers other wayes their hopes were nourished For the Syracusians also when there came no helpe from Peloponnesus made no longer account to subsist by Warre but conferred both amongst themselues and with Nicias of composition for Lamachus being dead the sole command of the Armie was in him And though nothing were concluded yet many things as was likely with men perplexed and now more straitely besieged then before were propounded vnto Nicias and more amongst themselues And the present ill successe had also bred some iealousie amongst them one of another And they discharged the Generals vnder whose conduct this hapned as if their harme had come either from their vnluckinesse or from their perfidiousnesse and chose Heraclides Eucles and Tellias in their places Whilest this passed Gylippus of Lacedaemon and the Corinthian Gallies were already at Leucas purposing with all speed to goe ouer into Sicily But when terrible reports came vnto them from all hands agreeing in an vntruth That Syracuse was already quite enclosed Gylippus had hope of Sicily no longer but desiring to assure Italy he and Pythen a Corinthian with two Laconicke and two Corinthian Gallies with all speede crossed the Ionique Sea to Tarentum
And the Corinthians were to man tenne Gallies of their owne two of Leucas and three of Ambracia and come after Gylippus went first from Tarentum to Thuria as Ambassadour by his Fathers right who was free of the Citie of Tarentum but not winning them to his side hee put out againe and sailed along the Coast of Italy Passing by the Terinaean Gulfe hee was put from the shore by a wind which in that quarter bloweth strongly against the North and driuen into the maine Sea and after another extreme Tempest brought in againe into Tarentum where he drew vp such of his Gallies as had beene hurt by the weather and repaired them Nicias hearing that hee came contemned the small number of his Gallies as also the Thurians had before supposing them furnished as for Piracie and appointed no Watch for them yet About the same time of this Summer the Lacedaemonians inuaded the Territory of Argos they and their Confederates and wasted a great part of their Land And the Athenians ayded the Argiues with thirty Gallies which most apparantly broke the Peace betweene them and the Lacedaemonians For before they went out from Pylus with the Argiues and Mantineans but in the nature of Free-booters and that also not into Laconia but other parts of Peloponnesus Nay when the Argiues haue often entreated them but onely to Land with their Armes in Laconia and hauing wasted neuer so little of their Territory to returne they would not But now vnder the Conduct of Pythodorus Laespodius and Demaratus they landed in the Territory of Epidaurus Limera and in Prasia and there and in other places wasted the Countrey and gaue vnto the Lacedaemonians a most iustifiable cause to fight against the Athenians After this the Athenians being departed from Argos with their Gallies and the Lacedaemonians gone likewise home the Argiues inuaded Phliasia and when they had wasted part of their Territory and killed some of their men returned THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF THVCYDIDES The principall Contents Gylippus arriueth at Syracuse checketh the fortune of the Athenians and cutteth off their workes with a Counterwall The Lacedaemonians inuade Attica and fortifie Decelea The Confederates of each side are sollicited for supplies to be sent to Syracuse Two battels fought in the great Hauen in the first of which the Syracusians are beaten in the second superiour Demosthenes arriueth with a new Army and attempting the workes of the enemy in Epipolae by night is repulsed with great slaughter of his men They fight the third time and the Syracusians hauing the Victory blocke vp the Hauen with Boats A Catalogue of the Confederates on each side They fight againe at the Barres of the Hauen where the Athenians losing their Gallies prepare to march away by land In their march they are afflicted beaten and finally subdued by the Syracusians The death of Nicias and Demosthenes and misery of the Captiues in the Quarry which hapned in the ninteenth yeere of this Warre GYlippus and Pythen hauing repaired their Gallies from Tarentum went along the Coast to Locri Epizephyrij And vpon certaine intelligence now that Syracuse was not wholly enclozed but that comming with an Army there was entrance still by Epipolae they consulted whether it were better to take Sicily on their right hand and aduenture into the Towne by Sea or on the left and so first to goe to Himera and then taking along both them and as many other as they could get to their side to goe into it by Land And it was resolued to goe to Himera the rather because the foure Attique Gallies which Nicias though he contemned them before had now when he heard they were at Locri sent to wait for them were not arriued yet at Rhegium Hauing preuented this guard they crossed the Streight and touching at Rhegium and Messaâ—a by the way came to Himera Being there they preuailed so farre with the Himeraeans that they not onely followed them to the War themselues but also furnished with Armour such of Gylippus and Pythens Mariners as wanted For at Himera they had drawne their Gallies to Land They likewise sent to the Selâ—â—untians to meet them at a place assigned with their whole Army The Gâ—loans also and other of the Siculi promised to send them Forces though not many being much the willinger to come to the side both for that Archonidas was lately dead who raigning ouer some of the Siculi in those parts and being a man of no meane power was friend to the Athenians and also for that Gylippus seemed to come from Lacedaemon with a good will to the businesse Gylippus taking with him of his owne Mariners and Sea-Souldiers for whom he had gotten Armes at the most 700. and Himeraeans with Armour and without in the whole 1000. and â—00 Horse and some Light-armed Selinuntians with some few Horse of the Gâ—loans and of the Siculi in all about 1000. marched with these towards Syracuse In the meane time the Corinthians with the rest of their Gallies putting to Sea from Leucas made after as they were euery one with what speed he could and Gongyâ—â—â— one of the Corinthian Commanders though the last that set forth arriued first at Syracuse with one Gallie and but a little before the comming of Gylippus And finding them ready to call an Assembly about an end of the Warre he hindred them from it and put them into heart relating both how the rest of the Gallies were comming and also Gylippus the sonne of Cleandridas for Generall sent vnto them by the Lacedaemonians With this the Syracusians were reconfirmed and went presently out with their whole Army to meet him for they vnderstood now that he was neere He hauing taken Iëgas a Fort in his way as he passed through the Territory of the Siculi and imbattelled his men commeth to Epipolae and getting vp by Euryalus where also the Athenians had gotten vp before marched together with the Syracusians towards the wall of the Athenians At the time when he arriued the Athenians had finished a double wall of seuen or eight furlongs towards the great Hauen saue onely a little next the Sea which they were yet at worke on And on the other side of their Circle towards Trogilus and the other Sea the Stones were for the most part laid ready vpon the place and the worke was left in some places halfe and in some wholly finished So great was the danger that Sycrause was now brought into The Athenians at the sodaine comming on of Gylippus though somewhat troubled at first yet put themselues in order to receiue him And he making a stand when he came neere sent a Herald to them saying That if they would abandon Sicily within fiue dayes with bagge and baggage he was content to giue them Truce Which the Athenians contemning sent him away without any answer After this they were putting themselues into order of battell one against another but Gylippus finding the Syracusians
troubled and not easily falling into their rankes led backe his Army in a more open ground Nicias led not the Athenians out against him but lay still at his owne Fortification And Gylippus seeing he came not vp withdrew his Army into the top called Temenites where he lodged all night The next day he drew out the greatest part of his Army and imbattelled them before the Fortification of the Athenians that they might not send succour to any other place but a part also they sent to the Fort of Labdalum and tooke it and slew all those they found within it For the place was out of sight to the Athenians The same day the Syracusians tooke also an Athenian Gally as it entred into the great Hauen After this the Syracusians and their Confederates began a wall through Epipolae frō the City towards the single crosse wall vpwards that the Athenians vnlesse they could hinder it might be excluded frō bringing their owne wall any further on And the Athenians by this time hauing made an end of their wall to the Sea were come vp againe and Gylippus for some part of the wall was but weake rising with his Army by night went to assault it but the Athenians also knowing it for they lodged all night without the wall went presently to releeue it which Gylippus perceiuing againe retired And the Athenians when they had built it higher kept the watch in this part themselues and diuided the rest of the Wall to the charge of their Confederates Also it seemed good to Nicias to fortifie the place called Plemmyrium it is a Promontory ouer ouer against the Citie which shooting into the entrance of the great Hauen streightneth the mouth of the same which fortified he thoght would facilitate the bringing in of necessaries to the Army For by this meanes their Gallies might ride neerer to the Hauen of the Syracusians and not vpon euery motion of the Nauy of the enemies to be to come out against them as they were before from the bottome of the great Hauen And he had his mind set chiefly now vpon the Warre by Sea seeing his hopes by Land deminished since the arriuall of Gylippus Hauing therefore drawne his Army and Gallies to that place he built about it three Fortifications wherein he placed his baggage and where now also lay at Road both his great vessels of Carriage and the nimblest of his Gallies Hereupon principally ensued the first occasion of the great losse of his Sea-Souldiers For hauing but little water and that farre to fetch and his Mariners going out also to fetch in wood they were continually intercepted by the Syracusian Horsemen that were masters of the Field For the third part of the Syracusian Cauallery were quartered in a little Towne called Olympieum to keepe those in Plemmyrium from going abroad to spoyle the Countrey Nicias was aduertized moreouer of the comming of the rest of the Corinthian Gallies and sent out a guard of twenty Gallies with order to wait for them about Locri and Rhegium and the passage there into Sicily Gylippus in the meane time went on with the wall through Epipolae vsing the Stones laid ready there by the Athenians and withall drew out the Syracusians and their Confederates beyond the point of the same and euer as hee brought them forth put them into their order and the Athenians on the other side imbattelled themselues against them Gylippus when he saw his time began the battell and being come to hands they fought betweene the Fortifications of them both where the Syracusians and their Confederates had no vse at all of their Horsemen The Syracusians and their Confederates being ouercome and the Athenians hauing giuen them Truce to take vp their dead and erected a Trophie Gylippus assembled the Armie and told them That this was not theirs but his owne fault who by pitching the Battell so farre within the Fortifications had depriued them of the vse both of their Cauallery and Darters and that therefore hee meant to bring them on againe and wished them to consider that for Forces they were nothing inferiour to the Enemie and for courage it were a thing not to be endured that being Peloponnesians and Doriens they should not master and driue out of the Countrey Ionians Ilanders and a rabble of mixed Nations After this when he saw his opportunity hee brought on the Armie againe Nicias and the Athenians who thought it necessary if not to beginne the Battell yet by no meanes to set light by the Wall in hand for by this time it wanted little of passing the point of theirs and proceeding would giue the Enemie aduantage both to winne if hee fought and not to fight vnlesse hee listed did therefore also set forth to meete the Syracusians Gylippus when hee had drawne his men of Armes further without the Walles than hee had done before gaue the onset His Horsemen and Darters hee placed vpon the Flanke of the Athenians in ground enough to which neither of their Walles extended And these Horsemen after the fight was begunne charging vpon the left Wing of the Athenians next them put them to flight by which meanes the rest of the Armie was by the Syracusians ouercome likewise and driuen headlong within their Fortifications The night following the Syracusians brought vp their Wall beyond the Wall of the Athenians so as they could no longer hinder them but should bee vtterly vnable though masters of the Field to encloze the City After this the other 12 Gallies of the Corinthians Ambraciotes and Leucadians vndescryed of the Athenian Gallies that lay in waite for them entred the Hauen vnder the Command of Erasinedes a Corinthian and helped the Syracusians to finish what remained to the crosse Wall Now Gylippus went vp and downe Sicily raysing Forces both for Sea and Land and solliciting to his side all such Cities as formerly either had not beene forward or had wholly abstained from the Warre Other Ambassadours also both of the Syracusians and Corinthians were sent to Lacedaemon and Corinth to procure new Forces to be transported either in Ships or Boats or how they could because the Athenians had also sent to Athens for the like In the meane time the Syracusians both manned their Nauie and made tryall of themselues as intending to take in hand that part also and were otherwise exceedingly encouraged Nicias perceiuing this and seeing the strength of the Enemie and his owne necessities dayly increasing hee also sent Messengers to Athens both at other times and often vpon the occasion of euery action that passed and now especially as finding himselfe in danger and that vnlesse they quickly sent for those away that were there already or sent a great supply vnto them there was no hope of safety and fearing lest such as hee sent through want of vtterance or iudgement or through desire to please the Multitude should deliuer things otherwise then they were
hee wrote vnto them a Letter Conceauing that thus the Athenians should best know his minde whereof no part could now be suppressed by the Messenger and might therefore enter into deliberation vpon true grounds With these Letters and other their instructions the Messengers tooke their Iourney and Nicias in the meane time hauing a care to the well guarding of his Campe was wary of entring into any voluntarie dangers In the end of this Summer Euetion Generall for the Athenians with Perdiccas together with many Toâ—acians warring against Amphipolis tooke not the Citie but bringing his Gallies about into Strymon besieged it from the Riuer lying at Imeraeum And so this Summer ended The next Winter the Messengers from Nicias arriued at Athens and hauing spoken what they had in charge and answered to such questions as they were asked they presented the Letter which the Clerke of the Citie standing foorth read vnto the Athenians containing as followeth THE LETTER OF NICIAS to the People of Athens ATHENIANS You know by many other my Letters what hath passed formerly nor is it lesse needfull for you to bee informed of the state we are in and to take counsell vpon it at this present When we had in many Battels beaten the Syracusians against whom we were sent and had built the Walles within which we now lye came Gylippus a Lacedaemonian with an Armie out of Peloponnesus and also out of some of the Cities of Sicily and in the first Battell was ouercome by vs but in the second forced by his many Horsemen and Darters we retired vvithin our Workes Whereupon giuing ouer our vvalling vp of the Citie for the multitude of our enemies we now sit still Nor can vve indeed haue the vse of our vvhole Army because some part of the men of Armes are employed to defend our Walles And they haue built a single Wall vp to vs so that now vve haue no more meanes to encloze it except one should come with a great Army and vvinne that crosse-wall of theirs by assault And so it is that wee vvho seemed to besiege others are besieged our selues for so much as concerneth the Land For wee cannot goe farre abroad by reason of their Cauallery They haue also sent Ambassadours for another Armie into Peloponnesus and Gylippus is gone amongst the Cities of Sicily both to sollicite such to ioyne with him in the Warre as haue not yet stirred and of others to get if he can both more Land-souldiers and more munition for their Nauie For they intend as I haue beene informed both to assault our Wall by Land with their Armie and to make tryall what they are able to doe with their Nauy by Sea For though our Fleet vvhich they also haue heard were vigorous at first both for soundnesse of the Gallies and entirenesse of the men yet our Gallies are now soaked with lying so long in the water and our men consumed For vve vvant the meanes to hale aland our Gallies and trim them because the Gallies of the Enemie as good as ours and more in number doe keepe vs in a continuall expectation of assault which they manifestly endeuour And seeing it is in their owne choice to attempt or not they haue therefore liberty to dry their Gallies at their pleasure For they lye not as we in attendance vpon others Nay vve could hardly doe it though we had many Gallies spare and vvere not constrained as now to keepe watch vpon them vvith our whole number For should we abate though but a little of our obseruance vve should want prouision vvhich as vve are being to passe so neere their Citie is brought in with difficulty and hence it is that our Mariners both formerly haue beene and are now wasted For our Mariners fetching wood and water and forraging farre off are intercepted by the Horsemen and our Slaues now wee are on equall termes runne ouer to the Enemie As for strangers some of them hauing come aboard by constraint returne presently to their Cities and others hauing beene leuied at first with great wages and thinking they came to enrich themselues rather then to fight now they see the Enemie make so strong resistance both otherwise beyond their expectation and especially with their Nauie partly take pretext to bee gone that they may serue the Enemie and partly Sicily beeing large shift themselues away euery one as hee can Some there are also who hauing bought heere Hyccarian slaues haue gotten the Captaines of Gallies to accept of them in the roome of themselues and thereby destroyed the purity of our Nauall strength To you I write who know how small a time any Fleet continueth in the height of vigour and how few of the Mariners are skilfull both how to hasten the course of a Gallie and how to containe the Oare But of all my greatest trouble is this that being Generall I can neither make them doe better for your natures are hard to be gouerned nor get Mariners in any other place which the Enemy can doe from many places but must of necessity haue them from whence wee brought both these we haue and those we haue lost For our now Confederate Cities Naxus and Catana are not able to supply vs. Had the Enemie but this one thing more that the Townes of Italy that now send vs prouision seeing what estate we are in and you not helpe vs would turne to them the Warre were at an end and wee expugned without another stroke I could haue written to you other things more pleasing then these but not more profitable seeing it is necessary for you to know certainely the affaires heere when you goe to councell vpon them withall because I know your natures to bee such as though you loue to heare the best yet afterwards when things fall not out accordingly you will call in question them that write it I thought best to write the truth for my owne safeties sake And now thinke thus that though we haue carried our selues both Captaines and Souldiers in that for which we came at first hither vnblameably yet since all Sicily is vnited against vs and another Army expected out of Peloponnesus you must resolue for those we haue here are not enow for the Enemies present forces eyther to send for these away or to send hither another Army both of Land and Sea-souldiers no lesse theâ— the former and money not a little and also a Generall to succeed me who am able no longer to stay heere being troubled with the stone in the Kidney I must craue your pardon I haue done you many good seruices in the conducts of your Armies when I had my health What you will doe doe in the very beginning of Spring and delay it not For the Enemie will soone haue furnished himselfe of his Sicilian aydes And though those from Peloponnesus will bee later yet if you looke not to it they will get hither partly vnseene as before and partly by preuenting you with
wonne Plemmyrium and that in the Battell by Sea they were not ouercome by the strength of the Enemie but by their own disorder and also to shew what hope they were in in other respects and to intreat their ayd both of Sea and Land-forces forsomuch as the Athenians expecting another Army if they would send ayde before it came whereby to ouerthrow that which they had now there the Warre would be at an end Thus stood the affaires of Sicily Demosthenes as soone as his forces which he was to carry to the succour of those in Sicily were gotten together put to Sea from Aegina and sayling into Peloponnesus ioyned with Charicles and the 30. Gallies that were with him And hauing taken aboord some men of Armes of the Argiues came to Laconia and first wasted part of the Territory of Epidaurus Limera From thence going to that part of Laconia which is ouer against the Iland Cythera where is a Temple of Apollo they wasted a part of the Countrey and fortified an Isthmus there both that the Helots might haue a refuge in it running away from the Lacedaemonians and that Freebooters from thence as from Pylus might fetch in Prizes from the Territory adioyning As soone as the place was taken in Demosthenes himselfe went on to Corcyra to take vp the Confederates there with intent to goe thence speedily into Sicily And Charicles hauing staid to finish and put a Garrison into the Fortification went afterwards with his thirty Gallies to Athens and the Argiues also went home The same Winter also came to Athens a thousand and three hundred Targettiers of those called Machaerophori of the race of them that are called Dij and were to haue gone with Demosthenes into Sicily But comming too late the Athenians resolued to send them backe againe into Thrace as being too chargeable a matter to entertaine them onely for the Warre in Decelea for their pay was to haue beene a Drachma a man by the day For Decelea being this Summer fortified first by the whole Army theÌ„ by the seueral Cities maintained with a Garrison by turnes much endamaged the Athenians and weakned their estate both by destroying their commodities and consuming of their men so as nothing more For the former inuasions hauing beene short hindred them not from reaping the benefit of the earth for the rest of the time but now the Enemy continually lying vpon them and sometimes with greater forces sometimes of necessity with the ordinary Garrison making incursions and fetching in bootie Agis the King of Lacedaemon being alwayes there in person and diligently prosecuting the Warre the Athenians were thereby very grieuously afflicted for they were not onâ—ly depriued of the fruit of the Land but also aboue twenty thousand of their slaues fled ouer to the Enemy wherâ—â— the greatest part were Artificers 〈…〉 lost all their Sheepe and Oxen. And by the 〈◊〉 going out of the Athenian Horsemen making 〈…〉 and defending the Countrey their 〈…〉 partly lamed through incessant labour in ruggâ—â— grounds partly wounded by the Enemy And their proâ—â—â—on which formerly they vsed to bring in from 〈◊〉 by Oropus the shortest way through Decelea by Lanâ— they were now forced to fetch in by Sea at great cost about the Promontory of Sunium And whatsoeuer the City was wont to be serued withall from without it now wanted and in stead of a Citie was become as it were a Fort. And the Athenians watching on the Battlements of the Wall in the day time by turnes but in the night both Winter and Summer all at once except the Horsemen part at the Walles and part at the Armes were quite tyred But that which pressed them most was that they had two Warres at once And yet their obstinacie was so great as no man would haue beleeued till now they saw it For being besieged at home from the Fortification of the Peloponnesians no man would haue imagined that they should not onely not haue recalled their Armie out of Sicily but haue also besieged Syracuse there a Citie of it selfe no lesse then Athens and therein so much haue exceeded the expectation of the rest of the Grecians both in power and courage who in the beginning of this Warre conceiued if the Peloponnesians inuaded their Territory some of them that they might hold out two yeeres others three no man more as that in the seuenteenth yeere after they were first inuaded they should haue vndertaken an expeditioÌ„ into Sicily being euery way weakned already by the former Warre haue vndergone another not inferiour to that which they had before with the Peloponnesians Now their Treasure being by these Warres and by the detriment sustained from Decelea and other great expences that came vpon them at a very low ebbe about this time they imposed on such as were vnder their dominion a twentieth part of all goods passing by Sea for a Tribute by this meanes to improue their commings in For their expences were not now as before but so much greater by how much the Warre was greater and their reuenue besides cut off The Thracians therefore that came too late to goe with Demosthenes they presently sent backe as being vnwilling to lay out money in such a scarcity and gaue the charge of carrying them backe to Dijtrephes with command as he went along those Coasts for his way was through the Euripus if occasion serued to do somewhat against the Enemie He accordingly landed them by Tanagra and hastily fetched in some small booty Then going ouer the Euripus from Chalcis in Euboea he disbarqued againe in Boeotia and led his Souldiers towards Mycalessus and lay all night at the Temple of Mercury vndiscouered which is distant from Mycalessus about sixteene furlongs The next day he commeth to the City being a very great one and taketh it For they kept no Watch nor expected that any man would haue come in and assaulted them so farre from the Sea Their Walles also were but weake in some places falne downe and in others low built and their Gates open through security The Thracians entring into Mycalessus spoiled both Houses and Temples slew the people without mercy on old or young but killed all they could light on both women and children yea and the labouring Cattell and whatsoeuer other liuing thing they saw For the Nation of the Thracians where they dare are extreme bloody equall to any of the Barbarians Insomuch as there was put in practise at this time besides other disorder all formes of slaughter that could be imagined They likewise fell vpon the Schoolehouse which was in the Citie a great one and the children newly entred into it and killed them euery one And the calamity of the whole City as it was as great as euer befell any so also was it more vnexpected and more bitter The Thebans hearing of it came out to helpe them and ouertaking the Thracians before they were gone farre both recouered the booty
gone backe to Naupactus the Corinthians presently set vp a Trophie as victors in regard that more of the Athenian Gallies were made vnseruiceable than of theirs and thought themselues not to haue had the worse for the same reason that the others thought themselues not to haue had the better For the Corinthians thinke they haue the better when they haue not much the worse and the Athenians thinke they haue the worse when they haue not much the better And when the Peloponnesians were gone and their Armie by Land dissolued the Athenians also set vp a Trophie in Achaia as if the victorie had beene theirs distant from Erineus where the Peloponnesians rid about twenty Furlongs This was the successe of that battell by Sea Demosthenes and Eurymedon after the Thurians had put in readinesse to goe with them 700. men of Armes and 300. Darters coÌ„manded their Gallies to go along the Coast to Croton and conducted their Land-souldiers hauing first taken a muster of them all vpon the side of the Riuer Sycaris through the Territory of the Thurians But comming to the Riuer Hylias vpon word sent them from the men of Croton that if the Army went thorow their Territory it should be against their will they marched downe to the Sea side and to the mouth of the Riuer Hylias where they stayed all that night and were met by their Gallies The next day imbarking they kept along the shoâ—e and touched at euery Towne sauing Locri till they ariued at Petra in the Territory of Rhegium The Syracusians in the meane time vpon intelligence of their comming on resolued to try againe what they could doe with their Nauy and with their new supply of Land-men which they had gotten together on purpose to fight with the Athenians before Demosthenes and Eurymedon should arriue And they furnished their Nauie both otherwise according to the aduantages they had learnt in the last battell and also made shorter the heads of their Gallies and thereby stronger and made beakes to them of a great thicknesse which they also strengthned with rafters fastned to the sides of the Gallies both within and without of 6 cubits long in such manner as the Corinthians had armed their Gallies a-head to fight with those before Naupactus For the Syracusians made account that against the Athenian Gallies not so built but weake before as not vsing so much to meet the Enemie a-head as vpon the side by fetching a compasse they could not but haue the better and that to fight in the great Hauen many Gallies in not much roome was an aduantage to them for that vsing to direct encounter they should breake with their firme and thicke beakes the hollow and infirme foreparts of the Gallies of their Enemies and that the Athenians in that narrow roome would want meanes both to goe about and to goe through them which was the point of Art they most relyed on For as for their passing through they would hinder it themselues as much as they could and for fetching compasse the straightnesse of the place would not suffer it And that fighting a-head which seemed before to be want of skill in the Masters to doe otherwise was it they would now principally make vse of for in this would bee their principall aduantage For the Athenians if ouercome would haue no retiring but to the Land which was but a little way off and little in compasse neere their owne Campe and of the rest of the Hauen themselues should be Masters and the Enemie being prest could not choose thronging together into a little roome and all into one the same place but disorder one another which was indeed the thing that in all their battells by Sea did the Athenians the greatest hurt hauing not as the Syracusians had the liberty of the whole Hauen to retire vnto and to goe about into a place of more roome they hauing it in their power to set vpon them from the maine Sea and to retire againe at pleasure they should neuer be able especially hauing Plemmyrium for enemy and the Hauens mouth not being large The Syracusians hauing deuised thus much ouer and aboue their former skill and strength and far more confident now since the former Battell by Sea assaulted them both with their Army and with their Nauy at once The Landmen from the City Gylippus drew sooner out a little and brought them to the Wall of the Athenians Campe vpon the side towards the Citie and from Olympieum the men of Armes all that were there and the Horsemen and light-armed of the Syracusians came vp to the Wall on the other side And by and by after came sailing forth also the Gallies of the Syracusians and their Confederates The Athenians that thought at first they would haue made the attempt only with their Landmen seeing also the Gallies on a sudden comming towards them were in confusion and some of them put themselues in order vpon and before the Walles against those that came from the Citie and others went out to meete the Horsemen and Darters that were comming in great numbers and with speed from Olympieum and the parts without Others againe went aboord and withall came to ayde those ashore but when the Gallies were manned they put off being 75. in number and those of Syracuse about 80. Hauing spent much of the day in charging and retiring and trying each other and performed nothing worth the mentioning saue that the Syracusians sunke a Gallie or two of the Athenians they parted againe and the Land-souldiers retired at the same time from the Wall of the Athenian Campe. The next day the Syracusians lay still without shewing any signe of what they meant to doe Yet Nicias seeing that the Battell by Sea was with equality and imagining that they would fight againe made the Captaines to repaire their Gallies such as had beene torne and 2 great Ships to be mored without those Piles which he had driuen into the Sea before his Gallies to bee instead of a Hauen inclozed These Ships he placed about 2 acres breadth asunder to the end if any Gally chanced to bee pressed it might safely runne in and againe goe safely out at leasure In performing of this the Athenians spent a whole day from morning vntill night The next day the Syracusians assaulted the Athenians againe with the same Forces both by Sea and Land that they had done before but begunne earlier in the morning and being opposed Fleet against Fleet they drew out a great part of the day now againe as before in attempting vpon each other without effect Till at last Ariston the sonne of Pyrrhichus a Corinthian the most expert Master that the Syracusians had in their Fleet perswaded the Commanders of the Nauie to send to such in the Citie as it belonged to and command that the Market should bee speedily kept at the Sea-side and to compell euery man to bring thither whatsoeuer hee had fit for meate
their Campes but because the attempt was vnexpected and in the night they charged the Athenians timorously and were euen at first forced to retire But as the Athenians aduanced more out of order chiefly as hauing already gotten the victory but desiring also quickly to passe through all that remained yet vnfoughten with lest through their remissenesse in following they might againe rally themselues the Boeotians withstood them first and charging forced them to turne their backs And here the Athenians were mightily in disorder and perplexed so that it hath been very hard to be informed of any side in what manner each thing passed For if in the day time when things are better seene yet they that are present cannot tell how all things goe saue onely what euery man with much adoe seeth neere vnto himselfe How then in a battell by night the onely one that hapned betweene great Armies in all this Warre can a man know any thing for certaine For though the Moone shined bright yet they saw one another no otherwise then as by Moone-light was likely so as to see a body but not be sure whether it were a friend or not And the men of Armes on both sides being not a few in number had but little ground to turne in Of the Athenians some were already ouercome others went on in their first way Also a great part of the rest of the Army was already part gotten vp and part ascending and knew not which way to march For after the Athenians once turned their backes all before them was in confusion and it was hard to distinguish of any thing for the noyse For the Syracusians and their Confederates preuailing encouraged each other and receiued the assailants with exceeding great shouts for they had no other meanes in the night to expresse themselues And the Athenians sought each other and tooke for Enemies all before them though friends and of the number of those that fled And by often asking the Word there being no other meanes of distinction all asking at once they both made a great deale of stirre amongst themselues and reuealed the Word to the Enemie But they did not in like manner know the Word of the Syracusians because these beeing victorious and vndistracted knew one another better So that when they lighted on any number of the Enemie though they themselues were more yet the Enemy escaped as knowing the Watch-word but they when they could not answer were slaine But that which hurt them most was the tune of the Paean which being in both Armies the same draue them to their wits end For the Argiues and Corcyraeans and all other of the Dorique Race on the Athenians part when they sounded the Paean terrified the Athenians on one side and the Enemy terrified them with the like on the other side Wherefore at the last falling one vpon another in diuers parts of the Armie friends against friends and Countreymen against Countreymen they not onely terrified each other but came to hand-strokes and could hardly againe be parted As they fled before the Enemie the way of the descent from Epipolae by which they were to goe backe being but straite many of them threw themselues downe from the Rockes and dyed so and of the rest that gate downe safely into the Plaine though the greatest part and all that were of the old Armie by their knowledge of the Countrey escaped into the Campe yet of these that came last some lost their way and straying in the Fields when the day came on were cut off by the Syracusian Horsemen that ranged the Countrey about The next day the Syracusians erected two Trophies one in Epipolae at the ascent and another where the first checke was giuen by the Boeotians The Athenians receiued their dead vnder Truce and many there were that dyed both of themselues and of their Confederates But the Armes taken were more then for the number of the slaine for of such as were forced to quit their Bucklers and leape downe from the Rockes though some perished yet some there also were that escaped After this the Syracusians hauing by such vnlooked for prosperity recouered their former courage sent Sicanus with fifteene Gallies to Agrigentum being in sedition to bring that Citie if they could to their obedience And Gylippus went againe to the Sicilian Cities by Land to raise yet another Army as being in hope to take the Campe of the Athenians by assault considering how the matter had gone in Epipolae In the meane time the Athenian Generals went to Councell vpon their late ouerthrow and present generall weaknesse of the Army For they saw not onely that their designes prospered not but that the Souldiers also were weary of staying For they were troubled with sicknesse proceeding from a double cause this being the time of the yeere most obnoxious to diseases and the place where they lay moorish and noysome And all things else appeared desperate Demosthenes thought fit to stay no longer and since the execution of his Designe at Epipolae had failed deliuered his opinion for going out of the Hauen whilest the Seas were open and whilest at least with this addition of Gallies they were stronger then the Army of the Enemy For it was better hee said for the Citie to make Warre vpon those which fortifie against them at home then against the Syracusians seeing they cannot now be easily ouercome and there was no reason why they should spend much money in lying before the City This was the opinion of Demosthenes Nicias though he also thought their estate bad yet was vnwilling to haue their weaknesse discouered and by decreeing of their departure openly with the Votes of many to make knowne the same to the enemy For if at any time they had a minde to bee gone they should then bee lesse able to doe it secretly Besides the estate of the Enemie in as much as hee vnderstood it better then the rest put him into some hope that it might yet grow worse then their owne in case they pressed the Siege especially beeing already Masters of the Sea farre and neere with their present Fleet. There was moreouer a party for the Athenians in Sycrause that desired to betray the State into their hands and that sent messengers vnto him and suffered him not to rise and be gone All which hee knowing though hee were intruth doubtfull what opinion to be of and did yet consider neuerthelesse openly in his speech hee was against the withdrawing of the Armie and said That he was sure the People of Athens would take it ill if hee went thence without their order For that they were not to haue such Iudges as should giue sentence vpon their owne sight of things done rather then vpon the report of Calumniators but such as would beleeue whatsoeuer some fine speaker should accuse them of That many nay most of the Souldiers heere who now cry out vpon their misery will there
as Confederates in loue to Demosthenes and for good will to the State of Athens And thus many within the bound of the Ionian Gulfe Then of Italians fallen into the same necessity of seditious times there went with them to this Warre the Thurians and Metapontians Of Greeke Sicilians the Naxians and Catanaeans Of Barbarian the Egestaeans who also drew with them the most of those Greeke Sicilians Without Sicily there went with them some Thuscans vpon quarrels betweene them and the Syracusians and some Iäpygian Mercenaries These were the Nations that followed the Army of the Athenians On the other side there opposed them on the part of the Syracusians the Camarinaeans their borderers And beyond them againe the Gelans And then the Agrigentines not stirring beyond them againe the same way the Seliâ—â—ntians These inhabite the part of Sicily that lyeth opposite to Africke Then the Himeraeans on the side that lyeth to the Terrhen sea where dwel only Grecians of which these also onely ayded them These were their Confederates of the Greeke Nation within Sicily all Doreans and free States Then of the Barbarians there they had the Siculi all but what reuolted to the Athenians For Grecians without Sicily the Laecedaemonians sent them a Spartan Commander with some Helotes and the rest Freed-men Then ayded them both with Gallies and with Land-men the Corinthians onely and for kindreds sake the Leucadians and Ambraciotes Out of Arcadia those Mercenaries sent by the Corinthians And Sicyonians on constraint And from without Peloponnesus the Boeotians To the forraigne aydes the Sicilians themselues as being great Cities added more in euery kinde then as much againe for they got together men of Armes Gallies and Horses great store and other number in abundance And to all these againe the Syracusians themselues added as I may say aboue as much more in respect of the greatnesse both of their Citie and of their danger These were the succours assembled on either part and which were then all there and after them came no more neither to the one side nor the other No maruell then if the Syracusians thought it a noble mastery if to the victorie by Sea already gotten they could adde the taking of the whole Athenian Armie so great as it was and hinder their escape both by Sea and Land Presently therefore they fall in hand with stopping vp the mouth of the great Hauen beeing about eight Furlongs wide with Gallies laid crosse and Lighters and Boats vpon their Anchors and withall prepared whatsoeuer else was necessary in case the Athenians would hazard another Battell meditating on no small matters in any thing The Athenians seeing the shutting vp of the Hauen and the rest of the Enemies designes thought good to goe to councell vpon it and the Generals and Commanders of Regiments hauing met and considered their present want both otherwise and in this that they neither had prouision for the present for vpon their resolution to bee gone they had sent before to Catana to forbid the sending in of any more nor were likely to haue for the future vnlesse their Nauy got the vpper hand they resolued to abandon their Campe aboue and to take in some place no greater then needs they must neere vnto their Gallies with a Wall and leauing some to keepe it to goe aboard with the rest of the Armie and to man euery Gallie they had seruiceable and lesse seruiceable and hauing caused all sorts of men to goe aboord and fight it out if they gat the victory to goe to Catana if not to make their retreat in order of Battell by Land hauing first set fire on their Nauy the neerest way vnto some amicable place either Barbarian or Grecian that they should best be able to reach vnto before the Enemy As they had concluded so they did for they both came downe to the shore from their Campe aboue and also manned euery Gallie they had and compelled to goe aboord euery man of age of any ability whatsoeuer So the whole Nauie was manned to the number of a hundred and tenne Gallies vpon which they had many Archers and Darters both Acarnanians and other strangers and all things else prouided according to their meanes and purpose And Nicias when almost euery thing was ready perceiuing the Souldiers to bee deiected for beeing so farre ouercome by Sea contrary to their custome and yet in respect of the scarcity of victuall desirous as soone as could be to fight called them together and encouraged them then the first time with words to this effect THE ORATION OF NICIAS SOuldiers Athenians and other our Confederates though the tryall at hand will be common to all alike and will concerne the safety and Countrey no lesse of each of vs then of the Enemiâ— For if our Gallies get the victory we may euery one see his 〈…〉 againe yet ought wee not to bee discouraged like men of no experience who failing in their first aduentures euer after carry a 〈◊〉 sutable to their misfortunes But you Athenians heere present hauing bad experience already of many Wars and you our Confederates that haue alwayes gone along with our Armies remember how often the euent falleth out otherwise in Warr then one would thinke and in hope that Fortune will once also be of our side prepare your selues to fight againe in such manner as shall be worthy the number you see your selues to bee What 〈◊〉 thought would be helpes in the narrownesse of the Hauen against â—uch a multitude of Gallies as will be there and against the prouision of thâ— Enemie vpon their Deckes whereby wee were formerly 〈…〉 we haue with the Masters now considered them all and as well as our present meanes will permit made them ready For many Archers and Darters shall goe aboord and that multitude which if wee had beene to fight in the maine Sea wee would not haue vsed because by slugging the Gallies it would take away the vse of Skill will neuerthelesse bee vsefull heere where wee are forced to make a Land-fight from our Gallies Wee haue also deuised instead of vvhat should haue beene prouided for in the building of our Gallies against the thicknesse of the beakes of theirs which did most hurt vs to lash their Gallies vnto ours with Iron Grapnels whereby if the men of Armes doe their part wee may keepe the Gallies which once come close vp from falling backe againe For we are brought to a necessity now of making it a Land-fight vpon the Water and it will be the best for vs neither to fall backe our selues nor to suffer the Enemie to doe so Especially when except what our men on Land shall make good the shore is altogether hostile Which you remembring must therefore fight it out to the vtmost and not suffer your selues to bee beaten backe vnto the shore But when Gallie to Gallie shall once be falne close neuer thinke any cause worthy to
at this time of the yeere being now neere Autumne which further disheartened the Athenians who thought that also this did tend to their destruction Whilst they lay still Gylippus and the Syracusians sent part of their Army to raise a Wall at their backs in the way they had come but this the Athenians hindred by sending against them part of theirs After this the Athenians retiring with their whole Army into a more Champaigne ground lodged there that night and the next day went forward againe And the Syracusians with their Darts from euery part round about wounded many of them and when the Athenians charged they retired and when they retired the Syracusians charged and that especially vpon the hindmost that by putting to flight a few they might terrifie the whole Army And for a good while the Athenians in this manner withstood them and afterwards being gotten fiue or six Furlongs forward they rested in the Plaine and the Syracusians went from them to their owne Campe. This night it was concluded by Nicias and Demosthenes seeing the miserable estate of their Army and the want already of all necessaries and that many of their men in many assaults of the Enemy were wounded to lead away the Army as farre as they possible could not the way they purposed before but toward the Sea which was the contrary way to that which the Syracusians guarded Now this whole iourney of the Army lay not towards Catana but towards the other side of Sicily Camarina and Gela and the Cities as well Grecian as Barbarian that way When they had made many fires accordingly they marched in the night and as vsually it falleth out in all Armies and most of all in the greatest to be subiect to affright and terrour especially marching by night and in hostile ground and the enemy neere were in confusion The Army of Nicias leading the way kept together and got farre afore but that of Demosthenes which was the greater halfe was both seuered from the rest and marched more disorderly Neuerthelesse by the morning betimes they got to the Sea side and entring into the Helorine way they went on towards the Riuer Cacyparis to the end when they came thither to march vpwards along the Riuers side through the heart of the Countrey For they hoped that this way the Siculi to whom they had sent would meet them When they came to the Riuer here also they found a certaine guard of the Syracusians stopping their passage with a Wall and with Pyles When they had quickly forced this guard they passed the Riuer and againe marched on to another Riuer called Erineus for that was the way which the Guides directed them In the meane time the Syracusians and their Confederates as soone as day appeared and that they knew the Athenians were gone most of them accusing Gylippus as if he had let them go with his consent followed them with speed the same way which they easily vnderstood they were gone and about dinner time ouertooke them When they were come vp to those with Demosthenes who were the hindmost and had marched more slowly and disorderly then the other part had done as hauing been put into disorder in the night they fell vpon them and fought And the Syracusian Horsemen hemmed them in and forced them vp into a narrow compasse the more easily now because they were diuided from the rest Now the Army of Nicias was gone by this time 150 Furlongs further on For he led away the faster because he thought not that their safety consisted in staying and fighting voluntarily but rather in a speedy retreat and then onely fighting when they could not choose But Demosthenes was both in greater and in more continuall toyle in respect that he marched in the Reere and consequently was pressed by the Enemy And seeing the Syracusians pursuing him he went not on but put his men into order to fight till by his stay he was encompassed and reduced he and the Athenians with him into great disorder For being shut vp within a place enclosed round with a Wall and which on either side had a way open amongst abundance of Oliue trees they were charged from all sides at once with the Enemies shot For the Syracusians assaulted them in this kind and not in close battell vpon very good reason For to hazzard battell against men desperate was not so much for theirs as for the Athenians aduantage Besides after so manifest successes they spared themselues somewhat because they were loth to weare themselues out before the end of the businesse and thought by this kind of fight to subdue and take them aliue Whereupon after they had plyed the Athenians their Confederates all day long from euery side with shot and saw that with their wounds and other annoyance they were already tired Gylippus and the Syracusians and their Confederates first made Proclamation that if any of the Ilanders would come ouer to them they should be at liberty And the men of some few Cities went ouer And by and by after they made agreement with all the rest that were with Demosthenes That they should deliuer vp their Armes and none of them be put to death neither violently nor by bonds nor by want of the necessities of life And they all yeelded to the number of 6000 men and the siluer they had they laid it all downe casting it into the hollow of Targets and filled with the same foure Targets And these men they carried presently into the Citie Nicias and those that were with him attained the same day to the Riuer Erineus which passing he caused his Armie to sit downe vpon a certaine ground more eleuate then the rest where the Syracusians the next day ouertooke and told him That those with Demosthenes had yeelded themselues and willed him to do the like But he not beleeuing it tooke Truce for a Horseman to enquire the truth Vpon returne of the Horseman and word that they had yeelded he sent a Herald to Gylippus and the Syracusians saying That he was content to compound on the part of the Athenians to repay whatsoeuer money the Syracusians had laid out so that his Army might be suffered to depart And that till payment of the money were made he would deliuer them Hostages Athenians euery Hostage rated at a Talent But Gylippus and the Syracusians refusing the condition charged them and hauing hemmed them in plyed them with shot as they had done the other Army from euery side till euening This part of the Armie was also pinched with the want both of victuall and other necessaries Neuerthelesse obseruing the quiet of the night they were about to march But no sooner tooke they their Armes vp then the Syracusians perceiuing it gaue the Alarme Whereupon the Athenians finding themselues discouered sate downe againe all but 300 who breaking by force through the guards marched as farre as they could that night And Nicias when it was day led his
Army forward the Syracusians and their Confederates still pressing them in the same manner shooting and darting at them from euery side The Athenians hasted to get the Riuer Asinarus not onely because they were vrged on euery side by the assault of the many Horsemen and other multitude and thought to be more at ease when they were ouer the Riuer but out of wearinesse also and desire to drinke When they were come vnto the Riuer they rushed in without any order euery man striuing who should first get ouer But the pressing of the Enemy made the passage now more difficult For being forced to take the Riuer in heaps they fell vpon and trampled one another vnder their feet and falling amongst the Speares and vtensiles of the Armie some perished presently and others catching hold one of another were carried away together downe the streame And not only the Syracusians standing along the farther banke being a steepe one killed the Athenians with their shot from aboue as they were many of them greedily drinking and troubling one another in the hollow of the Riuer but the Peloponnesians came also downe and slew them with their Swords and those especially that were in the Riuer And suddenly the water was corrupted Neuerthelesse they drunke it foule as it was with blood and mire and many also fought for it In the end when many dead lay heaped in the Riuer and the Armie was vtterly defeated part at the Riuer and part if any gat away by the Horsemen Nicias yeelded himselfe vnto Gylippus hauing more confidence in him then in the Syracusians To be for his owne person at the discretion of him and the Lacedaemonians and no further slaughter to be made of the Souldiers Gylippus from thenceforth commanded to take prisoners So the residue except such as were hidden from them which were many they carried aliue into the Citie They sent also to pursue the 300. which brake through their guards in the night and tooke them That which was left together of this Armie to the publike was not much but they that were conueyed away by stealth were very many and all Sicily was filled with them because they were not taken as those with Demosthenes were by composition Besides a great part of these were slaine for the slaughter at this time was exceeding great none greater in all the Sicilian Warre They were also not a few that dyed in those other assaults in their March Neuerthelesse many also escaped some then presently and some by running away after seruitude the Rendez-uous of whom was Catana The Syracusians and their Confederates being come together returned with their prisoners all they could get and with the spoile into the Citie As for all other the prisoners of the Athenians and their Confederates they put them into the Quarries as the safest custodie But Nicias and Demosthenes they killed against Gylippus his will For Gylippus thought the victory would be very honourable if ouer and aboue all his other successe he could carry home both the Generals of the Enemy to Lacedaemon And it fell out that the one of them Demosthenes was their greatest Enemy for the things he had done in the Iland and at Pylus and the other vpon the same occasion their greatest friend For Nicias had earnestly laboured to haue those prisoners which were taken in the Iland to bee set at liberty by perswading the Athenians to the Peace For which cause the Lacedaemonians were inclined to loue him And it was principally in confidence of that that he rendred himselfe to Gylippus But certaine Syracusians as it is reported some of them for feare because they had beene tampering with him lest being put to the torture hee might bring them into trouble whereas now they were well enough and others especially the Corinthians fearing he might get away by corruption of one or other being wealthy and worke them some mischiefe afresh hauing perswaded their Confederates to the same killed him For these or for causes neere vnto these was hee put to death being the man that of all the Grecians of my time had least deserued to be brought to so great a degree of misery As for those in the Quarries the Syracusians handled them at first but vngently For in this hollow place first the Sunne and suffocating ayre being without roofe annoyed them one way and on the other side the nights comming vpon that heate autumnall and cold put them by reason of the alteration into strange diseases Especially doing all things for want of roome in one and the same place and the Carkasses of such as dyed of their wounds or change of ayre or other like accident lying together there on heaps Also the smell was intollerable besides that they were afflicted with hunger and thirst For for eight moneths together they allowed them no more but to euery man a Cotyle of water by the day and two Cotiles of Corne. And whatsoeuer misery is probable that men in such a place may suffer they suffered Some 70 dayes they liued thus thronged Afterwards retaining the Athenians and such Sicilians and Italians as were of the Army with them they sold the rest How many were taken in all it is hard to say exactly but they were 7000 at the fewest And this was the greatest action that hapned in all this Warre or at all that we haue heard of amongst the Grecians being to the Victors most glorious and most calamitous to the vanquicted For being wholly ouercome in euery kinde and receiuing small losse in nothing their Army and Fleet and all that euer they had perished as they vse to say with an vniuersall destruction Few of many returned home And thus passed the businesse concerning Sicily THE EIGHTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIE OF THVCYDIDES The principall Contents The Reuolt of the Athenian Confederates and the Offers made by Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus the Kings Lieutenants of the lower Asia draw the Lacedaemonians to the Warre in Ionia and Hellespont First in Ionia and the Prouinces of Tissaphernes who by the Councell of Alcibiades and conniuence of Astyochus hindereth their proceedings Alcibiades in the meane while to make way for his returne into his countrey giueth occasion of sedition about the gouernment whence ensued the authority of the 400 vnder the pretext of the 5000 the recalling of Alcibiades by the Army and at length by his countenance the deposing againe of the 400 and end of the Sedition But in the meane time they lose Euboea Mindarus Successor of Astyochus finding himselfe abused by Tissaphernes carrieth the Warre to Pharnabazus into Hellespont and there presently loseth a Battell to the Athenians before Abydus being then Summer and the 21 yeere of the Warre WHen the newes was told at Athens they beleeued not a long time though it were plainly related and by those very Souldiers that escaped from the defeat it selfe that all was so vtterly lost at it was When they knew it they were mightily offended with
refuge and moderator of the others insolence This he said hee was certaine that the Cities thought in that they had learned the same by the actions themselues And that therefore what was yet propounded by Alcibiades he by no meanes approued But those of the Conspiracy there assembled not onely approued the present proposition but also made preparation to send Pisander and others Ambassadours to Athens to negotiate concerning the reduction of Alcibiades the dissolution of the Democracie and the procuring vnto the Athenians the friendship of Tissaphernes Now Phrynichus knowing that an ouerture was to bee made at Athens for the restoring of Alcibiades and that the Athenians would embrace it and fearing lest being recalled he should doe him a mischiefe in regard hee had spoken against it as one that would haue hindred the same betooke himselfe to this course He sends secret Letters to Astyochus the Lacedaemonian Generall who was yet about Miletus and aduertised him that Alcibiades vndid their affaires and was procuring the friendship of Tissaphernes for the Athenians writing in plaine termes the whole businesse and desiring to bee excused if hee rendred euill to his enemy with some disaduantage to his Countrey Astyochus had before this laid by the purpose of reuenge against Alcibiades especially when he was not in his owne hands And going to him to Magnesia and to Tissaphernes related vnto them what aduertisement he had receiued from Samos and made himselfe the appeacher For he adhered as was said to Tissaphernes for his priuate lucre both in this and in diuers other matters which was also the cause that concerning the pay when the abatement was made hee was not so stout in opposing it as hee ought to haue beene Hereupon Alcibiades sendeth Letters presently to those that were in office at Samos accusing Phrynichus of what hee had done and requiring to haue him put to death Phrynichus perplexed with this discouery brought into danger indeed sends againe to Astyochus blaming what was past as not well concealed and promised now to be ready to deliuer vnto him the whole Armie at Samos to be destroyed writing from point to point Samos being vnwalled in what manner he would doe it and saying that since his life was brought in danger they could not blame him though he did this or any other thing rather then be destroyed by his most deadly enemies This also Astyochus reuealed vnto Alcibiades But Phrynichus hauing had notice betimes how he abused him and that Letters of this from Alcibiades were in a manner come he anticipates the newes himselfe and tels the Armie That whereas Samos was vnwalled and the Gallies rid not all within the Enemy meant to come and assault the Harbour That hee had sure intelligence hereof and that they ought therefore with all speed to raise a Wall about the Citie and to put Garrisons into other places thereabouts Now Phrynichus was Generall himselfe and it was in his owne power to see it done They then fell to walling wherby Samos which they meant to haue done howsoeuer was so much the sooner walled in Not long after came Letters from Alcibiades that the Army was betrayed by Phrynichus and that the Enemy purposed to inuade the Harbour where they lay But now they thought not Alcibiades worthy to be beleeued but rather that hauing foreseene the designe of the enemy he went about out of malice to fasten it vpon Phrynichus as conscious of it likewise So that he did him no hurt by telling it but bare witnesse rather of that which Phrynichus had told them of before After this Alcibiades endeuoured to encline and perswade Tissaphernes to the friendship of the Athenians for though Tissaphernes feared the Peloponnesians because their Fleete was greater then that of the Athenians yet if hee had beene able he had a good will to haue beene perswaded by him especially in his anger against the Peloponnesians after the dissension at Cnidus about the League made by Theramenes for they were already falne out the Peloponnesians being about this time in Rhodes wherein that which had beene before spoken by Alcibiades how that the comming of the Lacedaemonians was to restore all the Cities to their liberty was now verifyed by Lichas in that he said it was an Article not to be suffered that the King should hold those Cities which he and his Ancestors then or before had holden Alcibiades therefore as one that laboured for no trifle with all his might applyed himselfe to Tissaphernes The Athenian Ambassadours sent from Samos with Pisander being arriued at Athens were making their propositions to the People And related vnto them summarily the points of their businesse and principally this That if they would call home Alcibiades and not suffer the Gouernment to remaine in the hands of the People in such manner as it did they might haue the King for their Confederate and get the victory of the Peloponnesians Now when many opposed that point touching the Democracie and the enemies of Alcibiades clamoured withall that it would bee a horrible thing hee should return by forcing the Gouernmēt when the Eumolpidae and Ceryces bare witnesse against him concerning the Mysteries for which he fled and prohibited his returne vnder their curse Pisander at this great opposition and querimony stood out and going amongst them tooke out one by one those that were against it and asked them Whether now that the Peloponnesians had as many Gallies at Sea to oppose them as they themselues had and Confederate Cities more then they and were furnished with money by the King and Tissaphernes the Athenians being without they had any other hope to saue their State but by perswading the King to come about to their side And they that were asked hauing nothing to answer then in plaine termes hee said vnto them This you cannot now obtaine except wee administer the State with more moderation and bring the power into the hands of a Few that the King may rely vpon vs. And wee deliberate at this time not so much about the forme as about the preseruation of the State for if you mislike the forme you may change it againe hereafter And let vs recall Alcibiades who is the onely man that can bring this to passe The People hearing of the Oligarchy tooke it very haynously at first But when Pisander had proued euidently that there was no other way of safety in the end partly for feare and partly because they hoped againe to change the Gouernment they yeelded thereunto So they ordered that Pisander and tenne others should goe and treate both with Tissaphernes and with Alcibiades as to them should seeme best Withall vpon the accusation of Pisander against Phrynichus they discharged both Phrynichus and Scironidas his fellow-Commissioner of their Command and made Diomedon and Leon Generals of the Fleet in their places Now the cause why Pisander accused Phrynichus and said he had betrayed Iäsus
enquirie made after the deed doers nor Iustice prosecuted against any that was suspected But the People were so quiet and so afraid that euery man thought it gaine to escape violence though he said neuer a word Their hearts failed them because they thought the Conspirators more then indeed they were and to learne their number in respect of the greatnesse of the Citie and for that they knew not one another they were vnable For the same cause also was it impossible for any man that was angry at it to bemone himselfe whereby to be reuenged on them that conspired For he must haue told his mind either to one he knew not or to one he knew trusted not For the Populars approached each other euery one with iealousie as if they thought him of the plot For indeed there were such amongst them as no man would haue thought would euer haue turned to the Oligarchy and those were they that caused in the Many that diffidence and by strengthning the iealousie of the populars one against another conferred most to the security of the Few During this opportunity Pisander and they that were with him comming in fell in hand presently with the remainder of the businesse And first they assembled the People and deliuered their opinion for tenne men to bee chosen with power absolute to make a draught of Lawes and hauing drawne them to deliuer their opinion at a day appointed before the People touching the best forme of gouernment for the Citie Afterwards when that day came they summoned the Assembly to Colonus which is a place consecrated to Neptune without the City about two Furlongs off And they that were appointed to write the Lawes presented this and onely this That it should be lawfull for any Athenian to deliuer whatsoeuer opinion hee pleased imposing of great punishments vpon whosoeuer should eyther accuse any that so spake of violating the Lawes or otherwise do him hurt Now here indeed it was in plaine termes propounded That not any Magistracy of the forme before vsed might any longer be in force nor any Fee belong vnto it but that fiue Prytanes might be elected and these fiue choose a hundred and euery one of this hundred take vnto him three others And these 400 entring into the Councell-house might haue absolute authority to gouerne the State as they thought best and to summon the 5000 as oft as to them should seeme good He that deliuered this opinion was Pisander who was also otherwise openly the forwardest to put downe the Democracie But he that contriued the whole businesse how to bring it to this passe and had long thought vpon it was Antiphon a man for vertue not inferiour to any Athenian of his time and the ablest of any man both to deuise well and also to expresse well what he had deuised And though he came not into the assemblies of the People nor willingly to any other debatings because the Multitude had him in iealousie for the opinion they had of the power of his eloquence yet when any man that had occasion of suite eyther in the Courts of Iustice or in the Assembly of the People came to him for his counsell this one man was able to help him most The same man when afterwards the gouernment of the Foure hundred went downe and was vexed of the People was heard pleade for himselfe when his life was in question for that businesse the best of any man to this day Phrynichus also shewed himselfe an earnest man for the Oligarchy and that more eminently then any other because he feared Alcibiades and knew him to be acquainted with all his practices at Samos with Astyochus and thought in all probability that he would neuer returne to liue vnder the gouernment of the Few And this man in any matter of weight appeared the most sufficient to bee relyed on Also Theramenes the sonne of Agnon an able man both for elocution and vnderstanding was another of the Principall of those that ouerthrew the Democracie So that it it is no maruell if the businesse tooke effect being by many and wise men conducted though it were a hard one For it went sore with the Athenian People almost a hundred yeeres after the expulsion of the Tyrants to be now depriued of their liberty hauing not onely not beene subiect to any but also for the halfe of this time beene enured to dominion ouer others When the Assembly after it had passed these things no man contradicting was dissolued then afterwards they brought the Foure hundred into the Councell-house in this manner The Athenians were euermore partly on the Walles and partly at their Armes in the Campe in regard of the Enemie that lay at Decelea Therefore on the day appointed they suffered such as knew not their intent to goe forth as they were wont But to such as were of the Conspiracy they quietly gaue order not to goe to the Campe it selfe but to lagge behind at a certaine distance and if any man should oppose what was in doing to take Armes and keepe them backe They to whom this charge was giuen were the Andrians Tenians three hundred Carystians and such of the Colonie of Aegina which the Athenians had sent thither to inhabite as came on purpose to this action with their owne Armes These things thus ordered the Foure hundred with euery man a secret Dagger accompanyed with one hundred and twenty yong men of Greece whom they vsed for occasions of shedding bloud came in vpon the Counsellors of the Beane as they sate in the Counsell-house and commanded them to take their Salary and be gone which also they brought ready with them for the whole time they were behind and payed it to them as they went out And the rest of the Citizens mutined not but rested quiet The 400 being now entred into the Counsell-house created Prytanes amongst themselues by lot and made their prayers and sacrifices to the Gods all that were before vsuall at the entrance vpon the Gouernment And afterwards receding farre from that course which in the administration of the State was vsed by the People sauing that for Alcibiades his sake they recalled not the Outlawes in other things they gouerned the Common-wealth imperiously And not onely slew some though not many such as they thought fit to be made away and imprisoned some and confined others to places abroad but also sent Heralds to Agis King of the Lacedaemonians who was then at Decelea signifying that they would come to composition with him and that now he might better treat with them then he might before with the vnconstant People But he not imagining that the Citie was yet in quiet nor willing so soone to deliuer vp their ancient liberty but rather that if they saw him approach with great forces they would be in tumult not yet beleeuing fully but that some stirre or other would arise amongst them gaue no answer at all to
the other the Army to an Oligarchy And presently there was an Assembly of the Souldiers called wherein they depriued the former Commanders and such Captaines of Gallies as they had in suspition of their charge and chose others both Captaines of Gallies and Commanders in their places of which Thrasybulus and Thrasyllus were two And they stood vp and encouraged one another both otherwise and with this That they had no cause to be deiected for the Cities reuolting from them For they at Athens being the lesser part had forsaken them who were not onely the greater part but also euery way the better prouided For they hauing the whole Nauy could compell the rest of the cities subiect vnto them to pay in their mony as well now as if they were to set out from Athens it selfe And that they also had a Citie namely Samos no weake one but euen such a one aâ— when they were enemies wanted little of taking the Dominion of the Sea from the Athenians That the seat of the Warre was the same it was before and that they should be better able to prouide themselues of things necessary hauing the Nauie then they should be that were at home in the City And that they at Athens were Masters of the entrance of Piraeus both formerly by the fauour of them at Samos and that now also vnlesse they restore them the Gouernment they shall againe bee brought to that passe that those at Samos shall bee better able to barre them the vse of the Sea then they shall bee to barre it them of Samos That it was a trifle and worth nothing which was conferred to the ouercomming of the Enemy by the Citie and a small matter it would be to lose it seeing they had neither any more Siluer to send them for the Souldiers shifted for themselues nor yet good direction which is the thing for which the Citie hath the command of the Armies Nay that in this point they erred which were at Athens in that they had abrogated the Lawes of their Countrey whereas they at Samos did both obserue the same themselues and endeuour to constraine the other to doe so likewise So that such of them in the Campe as should giue good councell were as good as they in the Citie And that Alcibiades if they would decree his security and his returne would with all his heart procure the King to bee their Confederate And that which is the maine thing if they fayled of all other helpes yet with so great a Fleet they could not faile of many places to retire to in which they might finde both Citie and Territorie When they had thus debated the matter in the Assembly and encouraged one another they made ready as at other times whatsoeuer was necessary for the Warre And the tenne Ambassadours which were sent to Samos from the Foure-hundred hearing of this by the way at Delos whither they were come already stayed still there About the same time also the Souldiers of the Peloponnesian Fleet at Miletus murmured amongst themselues that Astyochus and Tissaphernes ouerthrew the state of their Affaires Astyochus in refusing to fight both before when their owne Fleete was stronger and that of the Athenians but small and also now whilest they were said to bee in sedition and their Fleet diuided and in expecting the Phoenician Fleet in fame not in fact to come from Tissaphernes And Tissaphernes in that hee not onely brought not in that Fleete of his but also impaired theirs by not giuing them their pay neither fully nor continually And that they therefore ought no longer to delay time but to hazard battell This was vrged principally by the Syracusians Astyochus and the Confederates when they heard of the murmur and had in Counsell resolued to fight especially after they were informed that Samos was in a tumult putting forth with their whole Fleet to the number of 121 Sayle with order giuen to the Milesians to march by Land to the same place went to Mycale But the Athenians being come out from Samos with their Fleet of 82 Gallies and riding now at Glauce of the Territory of Mycale for in this part toward Mycale Samos is but a little way from the Continent when they descryed the Peloponnesian Fleet comming against them put in againe to Samos as not esteeming themselues a sufficient number to hazard their whole fortune on the Battell Besides they stayed for the comming of Strombichides from Hellespont to their ayde for they saw that they of Miletus had a desire to fight with those Gallies that went from Chius against Abydus for they had sent vnto him before So these retired into Samos And the Peloponnesians putting in at Mycale there encamped as also did the Land-forces of the Milesians and others of the Countrey thereabouts The next day when they meant to haue gone against Samos they receiued newes that Strombichides with his Gallies was arriued out of Hellespont and thereupon returned presently to Miletus Then the Athenians on the other side with the addition of these Gallies went to Miletus being now one hundred and eight Sayle intending to fight but when no body came out against them they likewise went backe to Samos Immediately after this the same Summer the Peloponnesians who refused to come out against the Enemy as holding themselues with their whole Fleete too weake to giue them Battell and were now at a stand how to get Money for the maintenance of so great a number of Gallies sent Clearchus the sonne of Rhamphias with fortie Gallies according to the order at first from Peloponnesus to Pharnabazus For not onely Pharnabazus himselfe had sent for and promised to pay them but they were aduertised besides by Ambassadours that Byzantium had a purpose to reuolt Hereupon these Peloponnesian Gallies hauing put out into the maine Sea to the end that they might not be seene as they passed by and tossed with Tempests part of them which were the greatest number and Clearchus with them got into Delos and came afterwards to Miletus againe but Clearchus went thence againe into the Hellespont by Land and had the command there and part vnder the charge of Elixus a Megarean which were tenne Sayle went safely through into the Hellespont and caused Byzantium to reuolt And after this when they of Samos heard of it they sent certaine Gallies into Hellespont to oppose them and to be a guard to the Cities thereabouts and there followed a small fight betweene them of eight Gallies to eight before Byzantium In the meane time they that were in authority at Samos and especially Thrasybulus who after the forme of Gouernment changed was still of the minde to haue Alcibiades recalled at length in an Assembly perswaded the Souldiers to the same And when they had decreed for Alcibiades both his returne and his security he went to Tissaphernes and fetched Alcibiades to Samos accounting it their onely meanes of safety to winne Tissaphernes from the
Peloponnesians to themselues An Assembly being called Alcibiades complained of and lamented the calamity of his owne exile and speaking much of the businesse of the State gaue them no small hopes of the future time hyperbolically magnifying his own power with Tissaphernes to the end that both they which held the Oligarchy at home might the more feare him and so the Conspiracies dissolue and also those at Samos the more honour him and take better heart vnto themselues and withall that the Enemy might obiect the same to the vtmost to Tissaphernes and fall from their present hopes Alcibiades therefore with the greatest boast that could bee affirmed that Tissaphernes had vndertaken to him that as long as he had any thing left if hee might but trust the Athenians they should neuer want for maintenance no though hee should bee constrained to make Money of his owne bed and that he would fetch the Phoenician Fleet now at Aspendus not to the Peloponnesians but to the Athenians And that then onely hee would rely vpon the Athenians when Alcibiades called home should vndertake for them Hearing this and much more they chose him presently for Generall together with those that were before and commited vnto them the whole gouernment of their affaires And now there was not a man that would haue sold his present hopes both of subsisting themselues and being reuenged of the Foure-hundred for any good in the world and were ready euen then vpon those words of his contemning the Enemie there present to set sayle for Piraeus But he though many pressed it by all meanes forbade their going against Piraeus being to leaue their Enemies so neere but since they had chosen him Generall he was he said to goe to Tissaphernes first and to dispatch such businesse with him as concerned the Warre And as soone as the Assembly brake vp he tooke his iourney accordingly to the end that he might seeme to communicate euery thing with him and for that he desired also to bee in more honour with him and to shew that hee was Generall and a man capable to doe him good or hurt And it happened to Alcibiades that he awed the Athenians with Tissaphernes and Tissaphernes with the Athenians When the Peloponnesians that were at Miletus heard that Alcibiades was gone home whereas they mistrusted Tissaphernes before now they much more accused him For it fell out that when at the comming of the Athenians with their Fleet before Miletus they refused to giue them Battell Tissaphernes became therby a great deale slacker in his payment besides that he was hated by them before this for Alcibiades sake the Souldiers now meeting in Companies apart reckoned vp one to another the same matters which they had noted before and some also men of value and not the common Souldier alone recounted this withall how they had neuer had their full stipend that the allowance was but small and yet not continually paid and that vnlesse they either fought or went to some other place where they might haue maintenance their men would abandon the Fleet and that the cause of all this was in Astyochus who for priuate lucre gaue way to the humour of Tissaphernes Whilest these were vpon this consideration there happened also a certaine tumult about Astyochus For the Mariners of the Syracusians and Thurians by how much they were a multitude that had greater liberty then the rest with so much the stouter importunity they demaunded their pay And he not onely gaue them somewhat an insolent answer but also threatned Dorieus that amongst the rest spake for the Souldiers vnder himselfe and lift vp his staffe against him When the Souldiers saw that they tooke vp a cry like Seamen indeed all at once and were running vpon Astyochus to haue stricken him But foreseeing it he fled to an Altar and was not stricken but they were parted againe The Milesians also tooke in a certaine Fort in Miletus built by Tissaphernes hauing priuily assaulted it and cast out the Garrison that was within it These things were by the rest of the Confederates and especially by the Syracusians well approued of but Lichas liked them not saying it behoued the Milesians and the rest dwelling within the Kings Dominion to haue obeyed Tissaphernes in all moderate things and till such time as the Warre should haue been well dispatched to haue courted him And the Milesians for this and other things of this kind were offended with Lichas and afterwards when hee dyed of sickenesse would not permit him to bee buried in that place where the Lacaedaemonians then present would haue had him Whilest they were quarrelling about their businesse with Astyochus and Tissaphernes Mindarus commeth in from Lacedaemon to succeed Astyochus in his charge of the Fleet. And as soone as he had taken the Command vpon him Astyochus departed But with him Tissaphernes sent a Carian named Cauleites one that spake both the Languages both to accuse the Milesians about the Fort and also to make an Apologie for himselfe Knowing that the Milesians went principally to exclaime vpon him and that Hermocrates went with them and would bewray how Tissaphernes vndid the businesse of the Peloponnesians with Alcibiades and dealt on both hands For he was continually at enimity with him about the payment of the Souldiers wages and in the end when Hermocrates was banished from Syracuse and other Commanders of the Syracusian Fleet namely Potamis Miscon and Demarchus were arriued at Miletus Tissaphernes lay more heauy vpon him being an Outlaw then before and accused him amongst other things that he had asked him mony and because he could not haue it became his Enemie So Astyochus and Hermocratâ—s and the Milesians went their way to Lacedaemon Alcibiades by this time was come backe from Tissaphernes to Samos And those Ambassadours of the Foure-hundred which had beene sent out before to mollifie and to informe those of Samos came from Delos now whilest Alcibiades was present An Assembly being called they were offering to speake but the Souldiers at first would not heare them but cryed out to haue them put to death for that they had deposed the People yet afterwards with much adoe they were calmed and gaue them hearing They declared That the change had beene made for the preseruation of the City not to destroy it nor to deliuer it to the Enemy for they could haue done that before now when the Enemy during their gouernment assaulted it That euery one of the 5000 was to participate of the Gouernment in their turnes And their friends were not as Chaereas had laid to their charge abused nor had any wrong at all but remained euery one quietly vpon his owne Though they deliuered this and much more yet the Souldiers beleeued them not but raged still and declared their opinions some in one sort some in another most agreing in this to goe against Piraeus And now Alcibiades appeared to be the first
and principall man in doing seruice to the Common-wealth For when the Athenians at Samos were carried headlong to inuade themselues in which case most manifestly the Enemy had presently possessed himselfe of Ionia and Hellespont it was thought that hee was the man that kept them from it Nor was there any man at that time able to haue held in the Multitude but himselfe He both made them to desist from the voyage and rated off from the Ambassadors those that were in their owne particular incensed against them whom also he sent away giuing them their answer himselfe That he opposed not the gouernment of the 5000 but willed them to remoue the 400 and to establish the Councell that was before of 500. That if they had frugally cut off any expence so that such as were employed in the Warres might be the better maintained he did much commend them for it And withall hee exhorted them to stand out and giue no ground to their Enemies for that as long as the City held out there was great hope for them to compound but if eyther part miscarry once eyther this at Samos or the other at Athens there would none be left for the Enemy to compound withall There chanced to be present also the Ambassadors of the Argiues sent vnto the Popular faction of the Athenians in Samos to assist them These Alcibiades commended and appointed to be ready when they should be called for and so dismissed them These Argiues came in with those of the Paralus that had beene bestowed formerly in the military Gally by the Foure-hundred to goe about Euboea and to conuoy Lespodias Aristophon and Melesias Ambassadors from the Foure-hundred to Lacedaemon These as they sayled by Argos seazed on the Ambassadours and deliuered them as principall men in deposing of the People to the Argiues and returned no more to Athens but came with the Gallie they then were in to Samos and brought with them these Ambassadours from the Argiues The same Summer Tissaphernes at the time that the Peloponnesians were offended with him most both for the going home of Alcibiades and diuers other things as now manifestly Atticizing with purpose as indeed it seeemed to cleere himselfe to them concerning his accusations made ready for his iourney to Aspendus for the Phoenician Fleet and willed Lichas to goe along with him saying that he would substitute Tamos his Deputy Lieutenant ouer the Army to pay the Fleet whilest himselfe was absent This matter is diuersly reported and it is hard to know with what purpose he went to Aspendus and yet brought not the Fleet away with him For it is knowne that 147 Sayle of Phoenicians were come forward as far as Aspendus but why thy came not thorow the coniectures are various Some thinke it was vpon designe as hee formerly intended to weare out the Peloponnesian Forces for which cause also Tamos who had that charge made no better but rather worse payment then himselfe Others that hauing brought the Phoenicians as far as Aspendus he might dismisse them for money for he neuer meant to vse their seruice Some againe said it was because they exclaimed so against it aâ— Lacedaemon and that it might not bee said he abused them but that hee went openly to a Fleete really set out For my owne part I thinke it most cleare that it was to the end to consume and to ballance the Grecians that he brought not those Gallies in Consuming them in that he went thither and delayed the time and equalizing them in that bringing them to neither he made neither party the stronger For if he had had a mind to end the Warre it is manifest hee might haue beene sure to haue done it For if he had brought them to the Lacedaemonians in all reason he had giuen them the victory who had a Nauie already rather equall then inferiour to that of their Enemies But that which hurt them most was the pretence hee alledged for not bringing the Fleet in for he said they were not so many sayle as the King had ordained to be gotten together But sure he might haue ingratiated himselfe more in this businesse by dispatching it with lesse of the Kings Money then by spending more But whatsoeuer was his purpose Tissaphernes went to Aspendus and was with the Phoenicians and by his owne appointment the Peloponnesians sent Philip a Lacedaemonian with him with two Gallies as to take charge of the Fleet. Alcibiades when he heard that Tissaphernes was gone to Aspendus goes after him with thirteene Gallies promising to those at Samos a safe and great benefit which was that he would either bring those Phoenician Gallies to the seruice of the Athenians or at least hinder their comming to the Peloponnesians knowing as is likely the minde of Tissaphernes by long acquaintance that hee meant not to bring them on and desiring as much as he could to procure him the ill will of the Peloponnesians for the friendship shewne to himselfe and to the Athenians that hee might thereby the better engage him to take their part So hee presently put to Sea holding his course for Phaselis and Caunus vpwards The Ambassadours of the Foure-hundred being returned from Samos to Athens and hauing related what they had in charge from Alcibiades how that he exhorted them to hold out and not giue ground to the Enemy and that he had great hopes to reconcile them to the army and to ouercome the Peloponnesians whereas many of the sharers in the Oligarchy were formerly discontented and would gladly if they could haue done it safely haue quitted the businesse they were now a great deale more confirmed in that minde And already they had their meetings apart and did cast aspersions on the Gouernment and had for their ring-leaders some of the heads of the Oligarchicals and such as bare Office amongst them as Theramenes the sonne of Agnon and Aristocrates the sonne of Sicelias and others who though they were partakers with the foremost in the affaires of State yet feared as they said Alcibiades and the Armie at Samos and ioyned in the sending of Ambassadours to Lacedaemon because they were loth by singling themselues from the greater number to hurt the State not that they dismissed the State into the hands of a very few But said that the 5000 ought in fact to be assigned and not in voice onely and the Gouernment to be reduced to a greater equality And this was indeede the forme pretended in words by the 400. But the most of them through priuate ambition fell vpon that by which an Oligarchy made out of a Democracy is chiefly ouerthrowne For at once they claymed euery one not to be equall but to bee farre the chiefe Whereas in a Democracie when election is made because a man is not ouercome by his equals he can better brooke it But the great power of Alcibiades at Samos and the opinion they had that the Oligarchy was not like to
beene any thing aduenturous they might easily haue done it and then had they stayed there and besieged them they had not onely encreased the Sedition but also compelled the Fleet to come away from Ionia to the ayde of their kinred and of the whole City though Enemies to the Oligarchy and in the meane time gotten the Hellespont Ionia the Ilands and all places euen to Euboea and as one may say the whole Athenian Empire into their power But the Lacedaemonians not onely in this but in many other things were most commodious enemies to the Athenians to Warre withall For being of most different humours the one swift the other slow the one aduenturous the other timerous the Lacedaemonians gaue them great aduantage especially when their greatnesse was by Sea This was euident in the Syracusians who being in condition like vnto them warred best against them The Athenians vpon this newes made ready notwithstanding twenty Gallies and called an Assembly one then presently in the place called Pnyx where they were wont to assemble at other times in which hauing deposed the Foure-hundred they decreed the Soueraignety to the Fiue-thousand of which number were all such to bee as were charged with Armes and from that time forward to Salariate no man for Magistracy with a penalty on the Magistrate receiuing the Salary to be held for an execrable person There were also diuers other Assemblies held afterwards wherein they elected Law-makers and enacted other things concerning the Gouernment And now first at least in my time the Athenians seeme to haue ordered their State aright which consisted now of a moderate temper both of the Few and of the Many And this was the first thing that after so many misfortunes past made the City againe to raise her head They decreed also the recalling of Alcibiades and those that were in exile with him and sending to him and to the Army at Samos willed them to fall in hand with their businesse In this change Pisander and Alexicles and such as were with them and they that had beene principall in the Oligarchy immediately withdrew themselues to Decelea Onely Aristarchus for it chanced that hee had charge of the Souldiers tooke with him certaine Archers of the most Barbarous and went with all speede to Oenoe This was a Fort of the Athenians in the Confines of Boeotia and for the losse that the Corinthians had receiued by the Garrison of Oenoe was by voluntary Corinthians and by some Boeotians by them called in to ayde them now besieged Aristarchus therefore hauing treated with these deceiued those in Oenoe and told them that the City of Athens had compounded with the Lacaedaemonians and that they were to render vp the place to the Boeotians for that it was so conditioned in the Agreement Whereupon beleeuing him as one that had authority ouer the Souldiery and knowing nothing because besieged vpon security for their passe they gaue vp the Fort. So the Boeotians receiue Oenoe and the Oligarchy and Sedition at Athens cease About the same time of this Summer when none of those whom Tissaphernes at his going to Aspendus had substituted to pay the Peloponnesian Nauie at Miletus did it and seeing neither the Phoenician Fleet nor Tissaphernes came to them and seeing Philip that was sent along with him and also another one Hippocrates a Spartan that was lying in Phaselis had written to Mindarus the Generall That the Fleete was not to come at all and in euery thing Tissaphernes abused them seeing also that Pharnabazus had sent for them and was willing vpon the comming to him of their Fleete for his owne part also as well as Tissaphernes to cause the rest of the Cities within his owne Prouince to reuolt from the Athenians Then at length Mindarus hoping for benefit by him with good order and sudden warning that the Athenians at Samos might not bee aware of their setting foorth went into the Hellespont with seauenty three Gallies besides sixteene which the same Summer were gone into the Hellespont before and had ouer-runne part of Chersonnesus But tossed with the Winds hee was forced to put in at Icarus and after hee had staid there through ill weather some fiue or sixe dayes he arriued at Chios Thrasyllus hauing beene aduertised of his departure from Miletus hee also puts to Sea from Samos with fiue and fifty Sayle hasting to bee in the Hellespont before him But hearing that hee was in Chios and conceiuing that hee would stay there hee appointed Spyes to lye in Lesbos and in the Continent ouer against it that the Fleet of the Enemy might not remoue without his knowledge and hee himselfe going to Methymna commanded prouision to bee made of Meale and other necessaries intending if they stayed there long to goe from Lesbos and inuade them in Chios Withall because Eressus was reuolted from Lesbos he purposed to goe thither with his Fleet if hee could to take it in For the most potent of the Methymnaean Exiles had gotten into their society about fifty men of Armes out of Cyme and hired others out of the Continent and with their whole number in all three hundred hauing for their Leader Anaxarchus a Theban chosen in respect of their descent from the Thebans first assaulted Methymna but beaten in the attempt by the Athenian Garrison that came against them from Mitylene and againe in a Skirmish without the Citie driuen quite away they passed by the way of the Mountaine to Eressus and caused it to reuolt Thrasyllus therefore intended to goe thither with his Gallies and to assault it At his comming hee found Thrasybulus there also before him with fiue Gallies from Samos For hee had beene aduertised of the Out-lawes comming ouer but beeing too late to preuent them hee went to Eressus and lay before it at Anchor Hither also came two Gallies of Methymna that were going home from the Hellespont so that they were in all threescore and seuen Sayle out of which they made an Armie intending with Engines or any other way they could to take Eressus by assault In the meane time Mindarus and the Peloponnesian Fleet that was at Chios when they had spent two dayes in victualling their Gallies and had receiued of the Chians three Chian Tessaracostes a man on the third day put speedily off from Chius and kept farre from the shore that they might not fall amongst the Gallies at Eressus And leauing Lesbos on the left hand went to the Continent side and putting in at a Hauen in Craterei belonging to the Territory of Phocaea and there dining passed along the Territory of Cyme and came to Arginusae in the Continent ouer against Mitylene where they supped From thence they put forth late in the night and came to Harmatus a place in the Continent ouer against Methymna and after dinner going a great pace by Lectus Larissa Hamaxitus and other the Townes in those parts came before midnight to
Rhaetium this now is in Hellespont But some of his Gallies put in at Sigeum and other places thereabouts The Athenians that lay with eighteene Gallies at Sestus knew that the Peloponnesians were entring into the Hellespont by the Fires both those which their owne Watchmen put vp by the many which appeared on the Enemies shore and therefore the same night in all haste as they were kept the shore of Chersonnesus towards Elaeus desiring to get out into the wide Sea and to decline the Fleete of the Enemie and went out vnseene of those sixteene Gallies that lay at Abydus though these had warning before from the Fleete of their friends that came on to watch them narrowly that they went not out but in the morning beeing in sight of the Fleete with Mindarus and chased by him they could not all escape but the most of them got to the Continent and into Lemnos onely foure of the hindmost were taken neere Elaeus whereof the Peloponnesians tooke one with the men in her that had run her selfe a-ground at the Temple of Protesilaus and two other without the men and set fire on a fourth abandoned vpon the shoare of Imbrus After this they besieged Elaeus the same day with those Gallies of Abydus which were with them and with the rest being now all together fourescore and sixe Sayle But seeing it would not yeeld they went away to Abydus The Athenians who had beene deceiued by their Spyes and not imagining that the Enemies Fleete could haue gone by without their knowledge and attended at leasure the assault of Eressus when now they knew they were gone immediately left Eressus and hasted to the defence of Hellespont By the way they tooke two Gallies of the Peloponnesians that hauing ventured into the Maine more boldly in following the Enemy then the rest had done chanced to light vpon the Flett of the Athenians The next day they came to Elaeus and stayed and thither from Imbrus came vnto them those other Gallies that had escaped from the Enemy Heere they spent fiue dayes in preparation for a Battell After this they fought in this manner The Athenians went by the shore ordering their Gallies one by one towards Sestus The Peloponnesians also when they saw this brought out their Fleet against them from Abydus Beeing sure to fight they drew out their Fleetâ— in length the Athenians along the shoare of Chersonnesus beginning at Idacus and reaching as farre as Arrhianae threescore and sixe Gallies And the Peloponnesians from Abydus to Dardanus fourescore and sixe Gallies In the right Wing of the Peloponnesians were the Syracusians in the other Mindarus himselfe and those Gallies that were nimblest Amongst the Athenians Thrasyllus had the left Wing and Thrasybulus the right and the rest of the Commanders euery one the place assigned him Now the Peloponnesians laboured to giue the first onset and with their left Wing to ouer-reach the right Wing of the Athenians and keepe them from going out and to driue those in the middle to the shore which was neere The Athenians who perceiued it where the Enemy went about to cut off their way out put foorth the same way that they did and out-went them The left Wing of the Athenians was also gone forward by this time beyond the point called Cynos-sema by meanes whereof that part of the Fleet which was in the middest became both weake and diuided especially when theirs was the lesse Fleet and the sharpe and angular figure of the place about Cymos-sema tooke away the sight of what passed there from those that were on the other side The Peloponnesians therefore charging this middle part both draue their Gallies to the dry Land and beeing farre superiour in fight went out after them and assaulted them vpon the shore And to helpe them neither was Thrasibulus able who was in the right Wing for the multitude of the Enemies that pressed him nor Thrasyllus in the left Wing both because hee could not see what was done for the Promontory of Cynos-sema and because also hee was kept from it by the Syracusians and others lying vpon his hands no fewer in number then themselues Till at last the Peloponnesians bold vpon their victory chasing some one Gally some another fell into some disorder in a part of their Armie And then those about Thrasybulus hauing obserued that the opposite Gallies sought now no more to go beyond them turned vpon them and fighting put them presently to flight And hauing also cut off from the rest of the Fleet such Gallies of the Peloponnesians of that part that had the victory as were scattered abroad some they assaulted but the greatest number they put into affright vnfoughten The Syracusians also whom those about Thrasyllus had already caused to shrinke when they saw the rest fly fled out-right This defeat being giuen and the Peloponnesians hauing for the most part escaped first to the Riuer Pydius and afterwards to Abydus though the Athenians tooke but few of their Gallies for the narrownesse of the Hellespont afforded to the Enemy a short retreat yet the Victory was the most seasonable to them that could be For hauing till this day stood in feare of the Peloponnesian Nauie both for the losse which they had receiued by little and little and also for their great losse in Sicily they now ceased eyther to accuse themselues or to thinke highly any longer of the Nauall power of their Enemies The Gallies they tooke were these eight of Chios fiue of Corinth of Ambracia two of Leucas Laconia Syracuse and Pellene one apiece Of their owne they lost fifteene When they had set vp a Trophie in the Promontory of Cynos-sema and taken vp the wreckes and giuen truce to the Enemies to fecth away the bodies of their dead they presently sent away a Gally with a Messenger to carry newes of the Victory to Athens The Athenians vpon the comming in of this Gally hearing of their vnexpected good fortune were encouraged much after their losse in Euboea and after their sedition and conceiued that their estate might yet keepe vp if they plyed the businesse couragiously The fourth day after this Battell the Athenians that were in Sestus hauing hastily prepared their Fleet went to Cyzicus which was reuolted and espying as they past by the eight Gallies come from Byzantium riding vnder Harpagium and Priapus set vpon them and hauing also ouercome those that came to their ayde from the Land tooke them Then comming to Cyzicus being an open Towne they brought it againe into their owne power and leauied a summe of Money amongst them The Peloponnesians in the meane time going from Abydus to Elaeus recouered as many of their Gallies formerly taken as remained whole The rest the Eleusians had burnt They also sent Hippocrates and Epicles into Euboea to fetch away the Fleet that was there About the same time also returned Alcibiades to Samos with his thirteene Gallies
Siege The Corcyraeans haue the victory at Sea and on the same day take the Citty * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turning particularly turning the backe Trophies Monuments in remembrance of hauing made the Enemy turne their backes These were vsuall in those times now out of date Santa Maura now an Iland then a Peninâ—ula The Corcyraeans Masters of the Sea Thesprotis part of Albania The Corinthians prepare a greater Name Both Corcyraeans and Corinthians send their Ambassadours to Athens * Aâ— Cephalonia * This which was done against the Corinthians by the Athenians that ayded Megara is related afterwards in this first Booke A League defensiue made betweene the Athenians and Corcyraeans They ayde Corcyra with tenne Gallies The Corinthian Fleet. * Cestrine the Territory of Cestria part of Chaonia The Corcyraean Fleet. The Corinthians set forward * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gallies stood all one by one in a row and the right wing were those that were on the right hand from the middest and the left wing those on the left hand Megara * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Picture or Image hâ—â—d vp as the Eaâ—le amongst the Romanes The Battell The Corinthians haue the better The Athenians and Corinthians fight Sybota of the Continent a Hauen * Paean a Hymne to Mars in the beginning of fight to Apollo after the victory A supply of 20. Sayle from Athens The Corinthians fall off * viz. more behind their backes The Corcyraeans offer Battell againe The Corinthians expostulate with the Athenians to â—ound their purpose The answer of the Athenians The Corinthians goe home Both the Corcyraeans and Corinthians challenge the victory and both set vp Trophies The Corinthians in their way home take Anactorium and keepe â—50 of the best men prisoners being Corcyraeans and vse them well The second pretext of the Warre Potidaea suspected Potidaea commanded to giue Hostages and to pull downe part of their Wall * King of Macedonia The Athenians giue order to the Generals they were sending against Perdiccas to secure their Cities in those parts The Potidaeans seeke the protection of the Lacedaemonians The reuolt of Potidaea Bottiea and Chalcidâ—â—a from the Athenians The Athenian Fleet finding Potidaea and other Cities already lost goe into Macedonia The Corinthians send their Forces to Potidaea to defend it * Archers darters and the like that wore not Armour on their bodies and were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked The Athenians send forces against Potidaea Therme after called Thessalonica now Salonichi * or scarce honourable Veria The Athenians and those with Aristaeus prepare themselues for Battell * The Isthmus of Pallene where they were The Victory falleth to the Athenians The Athenians beginne to besiege Potidaea The Athenians send Phormio with 6000. men of Armes to Potidaea Potidaea straightly besieged on all sides The aduice of Aristaeus to carry all the people but 500. men out of the City that their victuall might the better hold out refused Aristaeus getteth out of the Citty vnseene of the Athenians And staying in Chalcidica slew certaine of the City of Sermyla by ambushment Phormio wasteth the Territories of the Chalcideans and Bottieans The sollicitation of the Warre by the Corinthians and other Confederates of the Lacedaemonians Complaints exhibited against the Athenians in the Councell of Sparta * Of the Ephori those that had the Soueraignety that is to say before the Aristocratie The Athenian Ambassadours residing in Lacedaemon vpon their businesse desire to make answer to the Oration of the Corinthians * Of Salamis * The Athenians at the comming in of the Persian when they put themselues into their Gallies left their Citie to the Army of the Persians by Land and sent their Wiues and children into Aegina mis and Traezena * That is when Pausanias King of Lacedaemon pursuing the Reliques of the Persian Warre through his pride and insolent Command procured the hatred of the Confederates so farre as the Lacedaemonian State calling 〈◊〉 home they put themselues vnder the leading of the Athenians * Meaning the Jmperious and tyranicall â—ommand of Pausanias The Lacedaemonians amongst themselues take counsell how to proceed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Properly lapillus Calculus A little stone or ball which hee that gaue his voyce put into a Box eyther on the affirmatiue or negatiue part as he pleased The Athenians vsed Beanes white and blacke The Venetians now vse Balls and the distinction is made by the Box inscribed with yea and no. The Lacedaemonians by question conclude that the Athenians had broken the Peace Negroponte The true cause of this Warre being the feare the Lacedaemonians had of the power of Athens the Author digresseth to shew how that power grew first vp The meanes by which the Athenians came to haue the command of the common Forces of Greece against the Persian by which they raiâ—ed their Empire * A Promâ—â—torie in 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 of Xerxes â—leet wâ—s defâ—ated the same day 〈…〉 Land-forces were 〈◊〉 defâ—ated by Pausanias 〈…〉 with the slaughter of Mâ—â—donius their Generall and 〈◊〉 most their whole 〈◊〉 of 300000. men * Of Persia. The Athenians returne to their City * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the State That is they made Athens againe the Seate of their gouernment whereas before it was in the Fleet and Campe still remouing They repaire their Citie and wall it The Lacedaemonians advise them to the contrary for their owne ends pretending the Common good Themistocles adviseth them to build on His subtilty in deluding the Lacedaemonians The building hastened Themistocles goeth to Lacedaemon Ambassadour He adviseth the Lacedaemonians to send Ambassadours to see if the Wall went vp or not He sendeth Letters to Athens secretly to haue those Ambassadours stayed till the returne of himselfe and his fellowes from Lacedaemon And hearing that the Walles were finished he iustifieth it The Lacedaemonians dissemble their dislike The Walles of Athens built in haste * The Walles of Athens made of Chappels Tombes Cor Nepos in vita Themist * This was before a Village and now made the Athenian Arsenall * The Gouernour of the Citie for that yeere Themistocles author to the Athenians of assuming the dominion of the Sea and of fortifying Peiraeus The reason why Themistocles was most addicted to affaires by Sea Pausanias sent Generall of the Greekes to pursue the reliques of the Persian Warre * Constantinople Pausanias growing insolent the Jonians offended desire the protection of the Athenians * The Ionians were all Colonies of the people of Athens Pausanias sent for home to answer to certaine accusations In his absence the Grecians giue the Athenians the leading of them Pausanias acquit but sent Generall no more The Grecians refuse the command of Dorcis sent from Sparta to be their Generall The Athenians assesse their Confederates for the sustaining of the Warre * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The originall of the Tribute paid to the Athenians * 86250. pound
surprize of Piraeus * It may be hence gathered that in the Gallies of old there was but one man to one Oare * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece of Leather wherein their Oare turned The Peloponnesians dare not execute their designe but turne to Salamis * Fires lifted vp if they were stiâ—l signified friends comming if waued enemies Scholiastes The King of Thrace maketh Warre on the King of Macedon The description of Thrace * A ship that vseth onely Sailes of the round forme of building and seruing for burthen in distinction to Gallies and all other vessels of the long forme of building seruing for the Warres * 75000. pound sterling * The Adriatique Sea Mar Maggiore The great power of the Scythians The beginning of the Kingdome of Macedonia The Macedonian Kings descended of the Temenidae a Family in Argos of the Peloponnesians The Macedonians retire into their walled towns Archelaus the sonne of Perdiccas the ninth King of Macedon of the Family of the Temenidae Sitalces and Perdiccas come to a conference about the motiues of the Warre The Grecians at the comming of this Army stand vpon their Guard fearing they were called in by the Athenians to subdue them Seuthes corrupted by Perdiccas perswadeth Sitalces to returne Phormio putteth suspected persons out of Stratus and Corontae The course of the Riuer Achelous The Fable of Alcmaeon Acarnania whence so called The end of the third yeere of the Warre THE FOVRTH YEERE The Peloponnesians inuade Attica The Reuolt of Lesbos The intention of the Lesbians to reuolt discouered to the Athenians The Athenians send 40. Gallies to Lesbos The Athenians imprison such of Mitylene as were at Athens and stay their Gallies The Athenians giue the Mitylenians time to purge themselues at Athens The Mitylenians sent to Lacedaemon for ayde * This Malea seemeth not to be the Promontory of Malea ofâ—itylene â—itylene but some other neerer place on the North side of the Citie The Mitylean Ambassadors speed not at Athens They sally out vpon the Athenians but without successe They lye still expecting helpe from Peloponnesus The Athenians send for the aydes of their Confederates The Athenians send Asopius the sonne of Phormio with 20. Gallies about Peloponnesus * Lepanto Asopius slaine The Mitylenian Ambassadours sent to Lacedaemon are appointed to attend the generall Assembly of the Grecians at Olympia * Olympiade 88. The Mitylenians takeÌ„ into the Lacedaemonian league The Lacedaemonians prepare for the inuasion of Attica both by Sea and Land The Athenians to make shew of their power and to deterre the enemy from their enterprize send 100 Gallies not so much to waste Peloponnesus as to confute the opinion which the Lesbian Ambassadors had put into the Lacedaemonians of their weakenesse * A degree estimated by their wealth as if one should say men that had 500 Chaldrons reueâ—ue as they reckon in Scotland * Horsemen such as kept a Horse to serue the State and were valued at 300 Chaldrons The greatnesse of the Athenian Nauy occasion of their great expence of money * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man Armes had double pay for himselfe and for a seruant The Mitylenians goe with a power to Methymne hoping to haue it betrayed The Athenians send Pachesâ—â—th â—â—th 1000 men of Armes to Mitylene The end of the fourth Summer * 37500 pound sterling The description of the fortification of the Peloponnesians about Plataea The description of the Plataeans going ouer the Enemies Walles * There is no mention of these 300. where the Author relateth the laying of the siege But it must be vnderstood â—alaethus a Lacedaemonian entreth secretly into Mitylene and confirmeth them with hope of speedy aide THE FIFTH YEERE * It should be 40. Attica the fourth time inuaded Pausanias King of Lacedaemon Salaethus armes the Commons for a Sally They mutiny and giue vp the Towne Some of the Mitylenians fearing the worst take Sanctuary Whom Paches perswadeth to rise And sendeth them to bee in custody at Tenedos The voyage of Alcidas with 40 Gallies into Ionia Alcidas with his Fleet at Embatus is assured of the losse of Mitylene The aduise of Teutiaplus in the Councell of Warre The aduice of certaine Outlawes of Ionia and Lesbos The cowardly resolution of Alcidas He killeth his prisoners The Samians sharpely reprehend him Alcidas maketh hast from Ephesus homeward * The names of two Gallâ—es of Athens Paches pursueth the Peloponnesians and is glad he ouer taketh them not * Jn distinction to Latmus the Mountaine But I can finde no mention of thâ—â— Latmus the Iland in any of the Geographers Paches restoreth Notium to the Colophonians driuen out by sedition * The City of Colophon 2. miles higher into the Land Paches parlieth with Hippias His equiuocation with Hippias whom he put to death contrary to promise Paches taketh Pyrrha and Eressus He apprehendteh Salaethus in Mitylene The Athenians slay Salaethâ—◠〈…〉 to 〈…〉 the siege of 〈◊〉 The cruell decree of the Athenians in their passion against the Mityleans The Athenians repent of their decree and consult anew Cleon most popular and most violent The nature of the multitude in counsell liuely set forth Aggrauation of the Reuolt of the Mitylenians * Meaning that the Orators are bribed and hired to giue counsell to the Common-wealth according to the desire of other States The Sentenâ—◠〈…〉 A Gallie sent 〈…〉 the former with a Sentence of mercy The speed oâ— this latter Galâ—â—e to ouertake thâ— former that carried the Decree of death The Commons of 〈◊〉 very neere 〈◊〉 Aboue a thousand principall authors of the Reuolt executed * 6 pound 5 shillings sterling Nicias taketh Minoâ— an â—â—land adâ—â—cen to 〈◊〉 The Plataeans yeeld the City The Lacedaemonians refuse to take Plataea by force but wâ—ll haue it by voluntary surrender Vniust proceeding of the Lacedaemonians * It doth not appeare by any thing in the time of this 〈◊〉 that the Lacedaemonians deserued any reputation for Iustâ—ce but contâ—â—â—â—ly they appearâ— by this 〈…〉 other actios not to 〈◊〉 â—â—teemed of iustice at â—ll 〈…〉 their owne interest or passion The Lacedaemonians proceed with their question The Plataeans are put to death 25 Athenians slaine with them Plataea pulled downe The Lacedaemonians in their sentence vpon the Plataeans haue more respect to their owne profit then to the merit of the cause The 40 Gallies with Alcidas come weather-beaten home The sedition of Corcyra occasioned by the Captiues that came from Corinth Who perswade the renouncing of their league with Athens Pithias one of the Athenian faction accused and absolued accuseth some of the other faction * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stakes either for Vine props which are particulary called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for other profane vse * Of our mony about 15 shillings 7 pence halfe-penny Pithias and others slaine in the Senate The Lacedaemonian faction assayle the Commons * Arrowes Darts Stones and the like missile weapons The Commons ouercome the
the same time Lamentations Shouts That they won That they lost and whatsoeuer else a great Army in great danger is forced differently to vtter They also that were aboord suffered the same till at last the Syracusians and their Confederates after long resistance of the other side put them to flight manifestly pressing chased them with great clamor encouragement of their owne to the Shoare And the Sea-forces making to the Shore some one way and some another except only such as were lost by being far from it escaped into the Harbour And the Army that was vpon the Land no longer now of different passions with one and the same vehemence all with shrikes and sighes vnable to sustaine what befell ran part to saue the Gallies part to the defence of the Campe and the residue who were far the greatest number fell presently to consider euery one of the best way to saue himselfe And this was the time wherein of all other they stood in greatest feare and they suffered now the like to what they had made others to suffer before at Pylus For the Lacedaemonians then besides the losse of their Fleet lost the men which they had set ouer into the Iland and the Athenians now without some accident not to be expected were out of all hope to saue them selues by Land After this cruell battell and many Gallies and men on either side consumed the Syracusians and their Confederates hauing the victory tooke vp the wrecke and bodies of their dead and returning into the City erected a Trophy But the Athenians in respect of the greatnesse of their present losse neuer thought vpon asking leaue to take vp their dead or wreck but fell immediately to consultation how to bee gone the same night And Demosthenes comming vnto Nicias deliuered his opinion for going once againe aboard and forcing the passage if it were possible betimes the next morning saying that their Gallies which were yet remaining and seruiceable were more then those of the Enemy for the Athenians had yet left them about 60 and the Syracusians vnder 50. But when Nicias approued the aduice and would haue manned out the Gallies the Mariners refused to goe aboord as being not onely deiected with their defeat but also without opinion of euer hauing the vpper hand any more Whereupon they now resolued all to make their retreat by Land But Hermocrates of Syracuse suspecting their purpose and apprehending it as a matter dangerous that so great an Army going away by Land and sitting downe in some part or other of Sicily should there renue the War repayred vnto the Magistrates and admonished them that it was not fit through negligence to suffer the Enemy in the night time to goe their wayes alledging what he thought best to the purpose but that all the Syracusians and their Confederates should goe out and fortifie in their way and prepossesse all the narrow passages with a guard Now they were all of them of the same opinion no lesse then himselfe and thought it fit to be done but they conceaued withall that the Souldier now ioyfull and taking his ease after a sore battell being also holiday for it was their day of sacrifice to Hercules would not easily be brought to obey For through excesse of ioy for the victory they would most of them being holiday be drinking and looke for any thing rather then to be perswaded at this time to take Armes againe and goe out But seeing the Magistrates vpon this consideration thought it hard to be done Hermocrates not preuailing of his own head contriued this Fearing lest the Athenians should passe the worst of their way in the night and so at ease out-goe them as soone as it grew darke he sent certaine of his friends and with them certaine Horsemen to the Athenian Campe who approaching so neere as to be heard speake called to some of them to come forth as if they had beene friends of the Athenians for Nicias had some within that vsed to giue him intelligence and bade them to aduise Nicias not to dislodge that night for that the Syracusians had beset the waies but that the next day hauing had the leasure to furnish their Armie they might march away Vpon this aduertisement they abode that night supposing it had beene without fraud And afterwards because they went not presently they thought good to stay there that day also to the end that the Souldiers might packe vp their necessaries as commodiously as they could and be gone leauing all things else behind them saue what was necessary for their bodies But Gylippus and the Syracusians with their land-forces went out before them and not only stopped vp the waies in the Countrey about by which the Athenians were likely to passe and kept a guard at the foords of brookes and riuers but also stood embattelled to receiue and stop their Army in such places as they thought conuenient And with their Gallies they rowed to the Harbour of the Athenians and towed their Gallies away from the shore some few whereof they burnt as the Athenians themselues meant to haue done but the rest at their leasure as any of them chanced in any place to driue ashore they afterwards haled into the City After this when euery thing seemed vnto Nicias and Demosthenes sufficiently prepared they dislodged being now the third day from their fight by Sea It was a lamentable departure not onely for the particulars as that they marched away with the losse of their whole Fleet that in stead of their great hopes they had endangered both themselues and the State but also for the dolorous obiects which were presented both to the eye and minde of euery of them in particular in the leauing of their Campe. For their dead lying vnburyed when any one saw his friend on the ground it strooke him at once both with feare and griefe But the liuing that were sicke or wounded both grieued them more then the dead and were more miserable For with intreaties and lamentations they put them to a stand pleading to bee taken along by whomsoeuer they saw of their fellowes or familiars and hanging on the neckes of their Camerades and following as farre as they were able And when the strength of their bodies failed that they could goe no further with Ay-mees and imprecations were there left Insomuch as the whole Armie filled with teares and irresolute could hardly get away though the place were hostile and they had suffered already and feared to suffer in the future more then with teares could bee expressed but hung downe their heads and generally blamed themselues For they seemed nothing else but euen the people of some great City expugned by siege and making their escape For the whole number that marched were no lesse one with another then 40000. men Of which not onely the ordinary sort carried euery one what he thought he should haue occasion to vse but also the men of Armes
or Cities the King possesseth and his Ancestors haue possessed the same are to remaine the Kings Whatsoeuer money or other profit redounded to the Athenians from their Cities the King and the Lacedaemonians are ioyntly to hinder so as the Athenians may receiue nothing from thence neither money nor other thing The King and the Lacedaemonians and their Confederates are to make ioynt Warre against the Athenians And without consent of both parts it shall not be lawfull to lay downe the Warre against the Athenians neither for the King nor for the Lacedaemonians and their Confederates If any shall reuolt from the King they shall be enemies to the Lacedaemonians and their Confederates And if any shall reuolt from the Lacedaemonians and their Confedetates they shall in like manner be enemies to the King This was the League Presently after this the Chians set out ten Gallies more and went to Anaea both to hearken what became of the businesse at Miletus and also to cause the Cities there abouts to reuolt But word being sent them from Chalcideus to goe backe and that Amorges was at hand with his Army they went thence to the Temple of Iupiter Being there they descryed 16 Gallies more which had beene sent out by the Athenians vnder the charge of Diomedon after the putting to Sea of those with Thrasycles vpon sight of whom they fled one Gally to Ephesus the rest towards Teos Foure of them the Athenians tooke but empty the men being gotten on Shore the rest escaped into the City of Teos And the Athenians went away againe towards Samos The Chians putting to Sea againe with the remainder of their Fleet and with the Land-forces caused first Lebedus to reuolt and then Erae And afterwards returned both with their Fleet and Land-men euery one to his owne About the same time the twenty Gallies of Peloponnesus which the Athenians had formerly chased into Peiraeus and against whom they now lay with a like number suddenly forced their passage and hauing the victory in fight tooke foure of the Athenian Gallies and going to Câ—nchreae prepared afresh for their voyage to Chius and Ionia At which time there came also vnto them from Lacedaemon for Commander Astyochus who was now Admirall of the whole Nauy When the Land-men were gone from Teos Tissaphernes himselfe came thither with his Forces and he also demolished the Wall as much as was left standing and went his way againe Not long after the going away of him came thither Diomedon with tenne Gallies of Athens and hauing made a Truce with the Teians that he might also bee receiued he put to Sea againe and kept the shore to Erae and assaulted it but failing to take it departed It fell out about the same time that the Commons of Samos together with the Athenians who were there with three Gallies made an insurrection against the great men and slew of them in all about two hundred And hauing banished foure hundred more and distributed amongst themselues their Lands and Houses the Athenians hauing now as assured of their fidelity decreed them their liberty they administred the affaires of the Citie from that time forward by themselues no more communicating with the Geâ—mori nor permitting any of the Common people to marry with them After this the same Summer the Chians as they had begunne perseuering in their earnestnesse to bring the Cities to reuolt euen without the Lacedaemonians with their single forces and desiring to make as many fellowes of their danger as they were able made Warre by themselues with thirteene Gallies against Lesbos which was according to what was concluded by the Lacedaemonians namely to goe thither in the second place and thence into the Hellespont And withall the Land-forces both of such Peloponnesians as were present and of their Confederates thereabouts went along by them to Clazomenae and Cyme These vnder the command of Eualas a Spartan and the Gallies of Deiniadas a man of the parts thereabouts The Gallies putting in at Methymna caused that Citie to reuolt first **************************** Now Astyochus the Lacedaemonian Admirall hauing set forth as he intended from Cenchreae arriued at Chius The third day after his comming thither came Leon and Diomedon into Lesbos with 25 Gallies of Athens for Leon came with a supply of tenne Gallies more from Athens afterwards Astyochus in the euening of the same day taking with him one Gally more of Chius tooke his way toward Lesbos to helpe it what he could and put in at Pyrrha and the next day at Eressus Here he heard that Mitylene was taken by the Athenians euen with the shout of their voyces For the Athenians comming vnexpected entred the Hauen and hauing beaten the Gallies of the Chians disbarked and ouercame those that made head against them and wonne the Citie When Astyochus heard this both from the Eressians and from those Chian Gallies that came from Methymna with Eubulus which hauing beene left there before as soone as Mitylene was lost fled and three of them chanced to meete with him for one was taken by the Athenians he continued his course for Mitylene no longer but hauing caused Eressus to reuolt and armed the Souldiers he had aboord made them to march toward Antissa and Methymna by Land vnder the conduct of Eteonicus and he himselfe with his owne Gallies and those 3. of Chius rowed thither along the shore hoping that the Methymnaeans vpon sight of his Forces would take heart and continue in their reuolt But when in Lesbos all things went against him he reimbarqued his Army and returned to Chios And the Landmen that were aboord and should haue gone into Hellespont went againe into their Cities After this came to them sixe Gallies to Chios of those of the Confederate Fleet at Cenchreae The Athenians when they had reestablished the State of Lesbos went thence and tooke Polichna which the Clazomenians had fortifyed in the Continent and brought them all backe againe into the Citie which is in the Iland saue onely the authors of the reuolt for these got away to Daphnus and Clazomenae returned to the obedience of the Athenians The same Summer those Athenians that with twenty Gallies lay in the I le of of Lada before Miletus landing in the Territory of Miletus at Panormus slew Chalcideus the Lacedaemonian Commander that came out against him but with a few and set vp a Trophie and the third day after departed But the Milesians pulled downe the Trophie as erected where the Athenians were not Masters Leon and Diomedon with the Athenian Gallies that were at Lesbos made Warre vpon the Chians by Sea from the Iles called Oinussae which lye before Chius and from Sidussa and Pteleum Forts they held in Erythraea and from Lesbos They that were aboard were men of Armes of the Roll compelled to serue in the Fleet. With these they landed at Cardamyle and hauing ouerthrowne the Chians that made head in
a Battell at Bolissus and slaine many of them they recouered from the Enemy all the places of that quarter And againe they ouercame them in another Battell at Phanae and in a third at Leuconium After this the Chians went out no more to fight by which meanes the Athenians made spoile of their Territory excellently well furnished For except it were the Lacedaemonians the Chians were the onely men that I haue heard of that had ioyned aduisednesse to prosperity and the more their Citie increased had carried the more respect in the administration thereof to assure it Nor ventured they now to reuolt lest any man should thinke that in this act at least they regarded not what was the safest till they had many and strong Confederates with whose helpe to try their fortune nor till such time as they perceiued the People of Athens as they themselues could not deny to haue their estate after the defeat in Sicily reduced to extreme weaknesse And if through humane misreckoning they miscarryed in ought they erred with many others who in like manner had an opinion that the State of the Athenians would quickly haue beene ouerthrowne Beeing therefore shut vp by Sea and hauing their Lands spoyled some within vndertooke to make the Citie returne vnto the Athenians Which though the Magistrates perceiued yet they themselues stirred not but hauing receiued Astyochus into the City with foure Gallies that were with him from Erythrae they tooke aduice together how by taking Hostages or some other gentle way to make them giue ouer the Conspiracy Thus stood the businesse with the Chians In the end of this Summer a thousand fiue hundred men of Armes of Athens and a thousand of Argos for the Athenians had put Armour vpon fiue hundred Light-armed of the Argiues and of other Confederates a thousand more with forty eight Gallies reckoning those which were for transportation of Souldiers vnder the conduct of Phrynichus Onomacles and Scironidas came in to Samos and crossing ouer to Miletus encamped before it And the Milesians issued forth with eight hundred men of Armes of their owne besides the Peloponnesians that came with Chalcideus and some auxiliar strangers with Tissaphernes Tissaphernes himselfe being also there with his Cauallery and fought with the Athenians and their Confederates The Argiues who made one Wing of themselues aduancing before the rest and in some disorder in contempt of the enemie as being Ionians and not likely to sustaine their charge were by the Milesians ouercome and lost no lesse then 300 of their men But the Athenians when they had first ouerthrowne the Peloponnesians and then beaten backe the Barbarians and other multitude and not fought with the Milesians at all for they after they were come from the chase of the Argiues and saw their other Wing defeated went into the Towne sate downe with their Armes as being now masters of the Field close vnder the Wall of the Citie It fell out in this Battell that on both sides the Ioniques had the better of the Doriques For the Athenians ouercame the opposite Peloponnesians and the Milesians the Argiues The Athenians after they had erected their Trophy the place being an Isthmus prepared to take in the Towne with a Wall supposing if they got Miletus the other Cities would easily come in In the meane time it was told them about twi-light that the fiue and fifty Gallies from Peloponnesus and Sicily were hard by and onely not already come For there came into Peloponnesus out of Sicily by the instigation of Hermocrates to helpe to consummate the subuersion of the Athenian State twenty Gallies of Syracuse and two of Selinus And the Gallies that had beene preparing in Peloponnesus beeing then also ready they were both these and the other committed to the charge of Theramenes to bee conducted by him to Astyochus the Admirall And they put in first at Eleus an Iland ouer against Miletus and beeing aduertised there that the Athenians lay before the Towne they went from thence into the Gulfe of Iäsus to learne how the affaires of the Milesians stood Alcibiades comming a horsebacke to Teichiussa of the Territory of Miletus in which part of the Gulfe the Peloponnesian Gallies lay at Anchor they were informed by him of the Battell for Alcibiades was with the Milesians and with Tissaphernes present in it And he exhorted them vnlesse they meant to lose what they had in Ionia and the whole businesse to succour Miletus with all speed and not to suffer it to be taken in with a Wall According to this they concluded to goe the next morning and relieue it Phrynichus when hee had certaine word from Derus of the arriuall of those Gallies his Colleagues aduising to stay and fight it out with their Fleet said that he would neither do it himselfe nor suffer them to doe it or any other as long as he could hinder it For seeing he might fight with thē hereafter when they should know against how many Gallies of the Enemy with what addition to their owne sufficiently and at leasure made ready they might do it he would neuer he said for feare of being vpbraided with basenesse for it was no basenesse for the Athenians to let their Nauy giue way vpon occasion but by what meanes soeuer it should fall out it would be a great basenesse to be beaten be swayed to hazard battell against reason and not only to dishonour the State but also to cast it into extreme danger Seeing that since their late losses it hath scarce beene fit with their strongest preparation willingly no nor vrged by precedent necessity to vndertake how then without constraint to seeke out voluntary dangers Therefore he commanded them with all speede to take aboord those that were wounded and their Land men and whatsoeuer Vtensiles they brought with them but to leaue behind whatsoeuer they had taken in the territory of the Enemy to the end that their Gallies might be the lighter and to put off for Samos and thence when they had all their Fleete together to make out against the Enemy as occasion should be offered As Phrynichus aduised this so he put it in execution and was esteemed a wise man not then onely but afterwards nor in this onely but in whatsoeuer else he had the ordering of Thus the Athenians presently in the euening with their victory vnperfect dislodged from before Miletus From Samos the Argiues in haste and in anger for their ouerthrow went home The Peloponnesians setting forth betimes in the morning from Teichiussa put in at Miletus and stayed there one day The next day they tooke with them those Gallies of Chius which had formerly been chased together with Chalcideus and meant to haue returned to Teichiussa to take aboord such necessaries as they had left a Shore But as they were going Tissaphernes came to them with his Land-men and perswaded them to set vpon Iäsus where Amorges the Kings Enemy then lay Whereupon they
assaulted Iasus vpon a sodaine and they within not thinking but they had been the Fleet of the Athenians tooke it The greatest praise in this action was giuen to the Syracusians Hauing taken Amorges the bastard sonne of Pissuthnes but a Rebell to the King the Peloponnesians deliuered him to Tissaphernes to carry him if he would to the King as he had order to doe The City they pillaged wherein as being a place of ancient riches the Army got a very great quantity of money The auxiliary Souldiers of Amorges they receiued without doing them hurt into their owne Army being for the most part Peloponnesians The Towne it selfe they deliuered to Tissaphernes with all the prisoners as well free as bond vpon composition with him at a Darique stater by the poll And so they returned to Miletus And from hence they sent Paedaritus the sonne of Leon whom the Lacedaemonians had sent hither to to be Gouernour of Chius to Erythrae and with him the bands that had ayded Amorges by Land and made Philip Gouernour there in Miletus And so this Summer ended The next Winter Tissaphernes after he had put a Garrison into Iasus came to Miletus and for one moneths pay as was promised on his part at Lacedaemon he gaue vnto the Souldiers through the whole Fleet after an Attique Drachma a man by the day But for the rest of the time he would pay but 3 oboles till he had asked the Kings pleasure and if the King commanded it then he said he would pay them the full Drachma Neuerthelesse vpon the contradiction of Hermocrates Generall of the Syracusians for Theramenes was but slacke in exacting pay as not being Generall but onely to deliuer the Gallies that came with him to Astyochus It was agreed that but for the fiue Gallies that were ouer and aboue they should haue more then 3 oboles a man For to 55 Gallies he allowed three Talents a moneth and to as many as should be more then that number after the same proportion The same Winter the Athenians that were at Samos for there were now come in 35 Gallies more from home with Charminus Strombichides and Euctemon their Commanders hauing gathered together their Gallies as well those that had been at Chius as all the rest concluded distributing to euery one his charge by Lot to goe lye before Miletus with a Fleet but against Chius to send out both a Fleet and an Army of Landmen And they did so For Strombichides Onomacles and Euctemon with thirty Gallies and part of those 1000 men of Armes that went to Miletus which they caried along with them in vessels for transportation of Souldiers according to their Lot went to Chius and the rest remaining at Samos with 74 Gallies were Masters of the Sea and went to Miletus Astyochus who was now in Chius requiring Hostages in respect of the Treason after he heard of the Fleet that was come with Theramenes and that the Articles of the League with Tissaphernes were mended gaue ouer that busines and with 10 Gallies of Peloponnesus and 10 of Chius went thence and assaulted Pteleum but not being able to take it he kept by the Shore to Clazomenae There hee summoned those within to yeeld with offer to such of them as fauoured the Athenians that they might go vp and dwell at Daphnus And Tamos the Deputy Lieutenant of Ionia offered them the same But they not hearkning thereunto he made an assault vpon the Citie being vnwalled but when he could not take it he put to Sea againe and with a mighty Wind was himselfe carried to Phocaea and Cyme but the rest of the Fleet put in at Marathusa Pele and Drimyssa Ilands that lye ouer against Clazomenae After they had stayed there 8 dayes in regard of the Winds spoyling and destroying and partly taking aboord whatsoeuer goods of the Clazomenians lay without they went afterwards to Phocaea and Cyme to Astyochus While Astyochus was there the Ambassadours of the Lesbians came vnto him desiring to reuolt from the Athenians and as for him they preuailed with him but seeing the Corinthians and the other Confederates were vnwilling in respect of their former ill successe there hee put to Sea for Chius Whither after a great Tempest his Gallies some from one place and some from another at length arriued all After this Paedaritus who was now at Erythrae whither he was come from Miletus by Land came ouer with his Forces into Chius Besides those Forces hee brought ouer with him he had the Souldiers which were of the fiue Gallies that came thither with Chalcideus and were left there to the number of fiue hundred and Armour to Arme them Now some of the Lesbians hauing promised to reuolt Astyochus communicated the matter with Paedaritus and the Chians alleaging how meete it would be to goe with a Fleet and make Lesbos to reuolt for that they should eyther get more Confederates or fayling they should at least weaken the Athenians But they gaue him no eare and for the Chian Gallies Paedaritus told him plainely he should haue none of them Whereupon Astyochus taking with him fiue Gallies of Corinth a sixth of Megara one of Hermione and those of Laconia which he brought with him went towards Miletus to his Charge mightily threatning the Chians in case they should neede him not to helpe them When he was come to Corycus in Erythraea hee stayed there and the Athenians from Samos lay on the other side of the point the one not knowing that the other was so neere Astyochus vpon a Letter sent him from Pedaritus signifying that there were come certaine Erythraean Captiues dismissed from Samos with designe to betray Erythrae went presently backe to Erythrae so little he missed of falling into the hands of the Athenians Paedaritus also went ouer to him and hauing narrowly enquired touching these seeming Traytors and found that the whole matter was but a pretence which the men had vsed for their escape from Samos they acquitted them and departed one to Chius the other as hee was going before towards Miletus In the meane time the Army of the Athenians beeing come about by Sea from Corycus to Argenum lighted on three long Boats of the Chians which when they saw they presently chased But there arose a great Tempest and the long Boats of Chius with much adoe recouered the Harbour But of the Athenian Gallies especially such as followed them furthest there perished three driuen ashore at the Citie of Chius and the men that were aboord them were part taken and part slaine the rest of the Fleet escaped into a Hauen called Phoenicus vnder the Hill Mimas from whence they got afterwards to Lesbos and there fortifyed The same Winter Hippocrates setting out from Peloponnesus with tenne Gallies of Thurium commanded by Dorieus the sonne of Diagoras with two others and with one Gallie of Laconia and one of Syracuse went to Cnidus This City was now reuolted from Tissaphernes