Miletos must soon have fallen but for Alkibiades. He got out of the town as soon as it was dark, and eluding the besiegers, rode as hard as he could go all night, and in the morning reached Teichioussa, a small fortified place on the north coast of the Gulf of Iasos. There he found the long-expected fleet from Sparta under Theramenes. He put before him the critical position of Miletos, and induced him to dare to sail at once, in spite of the Athenian fleet, to its relief. They arrived at Miletos that same day, and the Athenians, acting on the unvalorous advice of Phrynichos, when they heard of their approach, although they had a larger fleet, and that fleet manned by Athenian sailors, drew off their ships and their besieging forces and retired to Samos. Thus Miletos was saved by the energy and persuasion of Alkibiades. Athens, although her generals were showing the unaccustomed sight of an Athenian fleet retiring before Spartans—Athens at home was still working with the utmost vigour, sending forth armament after armament, as fast as she could get them ready. She now had, partly at Samos, partly investing Chios, a fleet of no less than one hundred and twenty ships of war—a large array for a people supposed by their enemies and those who did not know them to be at their last gasp. The Lakedaimonians were also working, doing something for themselves and expecting more from others. They sent forward some ships they had received from Thurii and Syrakuse and twenty-seven of their own. But what they counted on more than anything was the promised naval aid from Persia. Tissaphernes had undertaken to bring an enormous fleet of three hundred sail, now lying off the Phœnikian coast, and only waiting orders from the Great King. With these the Spartans hoped to sweep the Athenians from the sea, and take from her her islands and dependencies. Those which had been formerly under the tyranny of the Persian kings were, by the treaty, to return to that dominion. With the others, if there were any, Sparta might do as she listed. With the last squadron of thirty-seven ships from Lakedaimôn were sent eleven commissioners as a council of war, with full powers over the admirals, and instructions to get fresh concessions from the Persian ally, and to press Tissaphernes to bring his great fleet into Ionian waters without delay. The commissioners brought with them another secret order for Astyochos, the admiral-in-chief.