It seems scarcely credible that these unproved, unfounded accusations could have been listened to and believed by a people like the Athenians, who had often shown clearness of vision in the management of their own affairs. In answer to the charge of delay it must have been pointed out that, as they had not provided pay for their large armament, the general was obliged to seek money where he could, and, while seeking it, could not blockade the enemy with all his force at Ephesos. The second charge refuted the first. He went to Phokaia, to begin with the subjugation of that important city the reduction of the faithless Ionian towns. He could not do more than leave as many ships as he could spare to keep up the blockade of the enemy at Ephesos. He could not do more than appoint one on whose obedience and discretion he had good reason to suppose he could rely to keep that fleet quietly on the watch while he was absent, and it was not his fault that his orders to that effect were not obeyed. And if a general was to be judged in his absence, without an opportunity of being heard, on the unsupported tale of a private soldier in his army, who had some fancied grievance, some dislike, occasioned by the necessary discipline of war, it might be asked, what general could long remain at his post or carry out his duties? We hear only of these complaints, nothing of the answers which must have been made by the friends of Alkibiades. His enemies even dared to rake up the old stupid stories about the mutilation of the images and the profanation of the mysteries of Eleusis by him who had a few months before done such great service to both deities, and permitted the people to renew their solemn observances in their honour. As an instance of the kind of charges that were brought against him, we may notice it was seriously said that he was guilty of impiety in having dared to return in pomp to Athens on the day that the statues of Athene were being washed. Such were the kind of accusations the enemy could find to bring, such the charges to which the fickle people listened. They decreed the deposition of the warrior and statesman whom they had lately made absolute strategos of their forces; they elected ten others in his place, and ordered them straightway to Samos to assume their functions. The new generals, with Konon at their head, found Alkibiades in the midst of busy preparations, determined, as soon as possible, and in spite of every obstacle, to wipe off the slight disgrace which, in his absence, the Athenian fleet had suffered. On showing their credentials, he at once handed over his command to Konon, and immediately left Samos, and with him departed the fortune, the glory, and the liberty of Athens, as though she had become unworthy of these blessings. They did not deign to visit her again.