being only commander for the interim, until the junction with Astyochus, was indifferent to the rate at which the men were paid (a miserable jealousy which marks the low character of many of these Spartan officers): but the Syracusan Hermokratês remonstrated so loudly against the reduction, that he obtained from Tissaphernês the promise of a slight increase above the half drachma, though he could not succeed in getting the entire drachma continued'. For the present, however, the seamen were in good spirits; not merely from having received the high rate of pay, but from the plentiful booty recently acquired at Iasus2; while Astyochus and the Chians were also greatly encouraged by the arrival of so large a fleet. Nevertheless the Athenians on their side were also reinforced by 35 fresh triremes, which reached Samos under Strombichidês, Charminus, and Euktêmon. The Athenian fleet from Chios was now recalled to Samos, where the commanders mustered their whole naval force, with a view of redividing it for ulterior operations. Considering that in the autumn of the precefleet at ding year, immediately after the Syracusan disunexpected aster, the navy of Athens had been no less scanty renovation in number of ships than defective in equipment Powerful Samos of the navy of Athens. 1 Thucyd. viii. 29. What this new rate of pay was, or by what exact fraction it exceeded the half drachma, is a matter which the words of Thucydidês do not enable us to make out. None of the commentators can explain the text without admitting some alteration or omission of words: nor does any of the explanations given appear to me convincing. On the whole, I incline to consider the conjecture and explanation given by Paulinier and Dobree as more plausible than that of Dr. Arnold and Göller, or of Poppo and Hermann. 2 Thucyd. viii. 36. we read with amazement, that she had now at Samos no less than 104 triremes in full condition and disposable for service, besides some others specially destined for the transport of troops. Indeed the total number which she had sent out, putting together the separate squadrons, had been 128'. So energetic an effort, and so unexpected a renovation of affairs from the hopeless prostration of last year, was such as no Grecian state except Athens could have accomplished; nor even Athens herself, had she not been aided by that reserve fund, consecrated twenty years before through the long-sighted calculation of Periklês. at Chios coast. The Athenians resolved to employ 30 triremes Astyochus in making a landing, and establishing a fortified and on the post, in Chios; and lots being drawn among the opposite generals, Strombichidês with two others were assigned to the command. The other 74 triremes, remaining masters of the sea, made descents near Milêtus, trying in vain to provoke the Peloponnesian fleet out of that harbour. It was some time before Astyochus actually went thither to assume his new command-being engaged in operations near to Chios, which island had been left comparatively free by the recall of the Athenian fleet to the general muster at Samos. Going forth with twenty triremes-ten Peloponnesian and ten Chian -he made a fruitless attack upon Pteleus, the Athenian fortified post in the Erythræan territory; after which he sailed to Klazomenæ, recently retransferred from the continent to the neighbouring 1 1 Thucyd. viii. 30: compare Dr. Arnold's note. Pedaritus, nian go vernor at Chios-dis between islet. He here (in conjunction with Tamôs, the Persian general of the district) enjoined the Klazomenians again to break with Athens, to leave their islet, and to take up their residence inland at Daphnûs, where the philo-Peloponnesian party among them still remained established since the former revolt. This demand being rejected, he attacked Klazomenæ, but was repulsed, although the town was unfortified; and was presently driven off by a severe storm, from which he found shelter at Kymê and Phokaa. Some of his ships sheltered themselves during the same storm on certain islets near to and belonging to Klazomenæ; on which they remained eight days, destroying and plundering the property of the inhabitants, and then rejoined Astyochus. That admiral was now anxious to make an attempt on Lesbos, from which he received envoys promising revolt from Athens. But the Corinthians and others in his fleet were so averse to the enterprise, that he was forced to relinquish it and sail back to Chios; his fleet, before it arrived there, being again dispersed by the storms, frequent in the month of November1. Meanwhile Pedaritus, despatched by land from Lacedæmo- Milêtus (at the head of the mercenary force made prisoners at Iasus, as well as of 500 of the Peloagreement ponnesian seamen who had originally crossed the him and sea with Chalkideus and since served as hoplites), Astyochus. had reached Erythræ, and from thence crossed the channel to Chios. To him and to the Chians, Astyochus now proposed to undertake the expedi 1 Thucyd. viii. 31, 32. tion to Lesbos; but he experienced from them the same reluctance as from the Corinthians-a strong proof that the tone of feeling in Lesbos had been found to be decidedly philo-Athenian on the former expedition. Pedaritus even peremptorily refused to let him have the Chian triremes for any such purpose an act of direct insubordination in a Lacedæmonian officer towards the admiral-in-chief, which Astyochus resented so strongly, that he immediately left Chios for Milêtus, carrying away with him all the Peloponnesian triremes, and telling the Chians, in terms of strong displeasure, that they might look in vain to him for aid, if they should come to need it. He halted with his fleet for the night under the headland of Korykus (in the Erythræan territory), on the north side; but while there, he received an intimation of a supposed plot to betray Erythræa by means of prisoners sent back from the Athenian station at Samos. Instead of pursuing his voyage to Milêtus, he therefore returned on the next day to Erythræ to investigate this plot, which turned out to be a stratagem of the prisoners themselves in order to obtain their liberation'. abandons Milêtus The fact of his thus going back to Erythræ, Astyochus instead of pursuing his voyage, proved, by accident, Chios and the salvation of his fleet. For it so happened that returns to on that same night the Athenian fleet under accident Strombichidês-30 triremes accompanied by some escaped the triremes carrying hoplites-had its station on the fleet. southern side of the same headland. Neither knew 1 Thucyd. viii. 32, 33. whereby he Athenian The Athenians esta blish a fortified post in Chios, to island. of the position of the other, and Astyochus, had he As soon as weather permitted, they pursued their voyage to Lesbos, from which island they commenced their operations of invading Chios and ravage the establishing in it a permanent fortified post. Having transported their land-force across from Lesbos, they occupied a strong maritime site called Delphinium, seemingly a projecting cape having a sheltered harbour on each side, not far from the city of Chios. They bestowed great labour and time in fortifying this post, both on the land and the sea-side, during which process they were 1 Thucyd. viii. 33, 34. 2 Thucyd. viii. 34-38. Δελφίνιον-λιμένας ἔχον, &c. That the Athenians should select Lesbos on this occasion as the base of their operations, and as the immediate scene of last preparations, against Chios-was only repeating what they had once done before (c. 24), and what they again did afterwards (c. 100). I do not feel the difficulty which strikes Dobree and Dr. Thirlwall. Doubtless Delphinium was to the north of the city of Chios. |