Their victory was however so complete, as to reopen easy
communication with the country, to procure sufficient temporary
supplies, and to afford a certainty of holding out until
reinforcement from Athens should arrive. Such reinforcement, indeed,
was already on its way, and had been announced as approaching to
Hypermenês (second under the deceased Mnasippus), who had now
succeeded to the command. Terrified at the news, he hastened to sail
round from his station,—which he had occupied with the fleet to
block up the harbor,—to the fortified camp. Here he first put the
slaves, as well as the property, aboard of his transports, and sent
them away; remaining himself to defend the camp with the soldiers
and marines,—but remaining only a short time, and then taking these
latter also aboard the triremes. He thus completely evacuated the
island, making off for Leukas. But such had been the hurry,—and so
great the terror lest the Athenian fleet should arrive,—that much
corn and wine, many slaves, and even many sick and wounded soldiers,
were left behind. To the victorious Korkyræans, these acquisitions
were not needed to enhance the value of a triumph which rescued them
from capture, slavery, or starvation.[310]
[310] Xen. Hellen. vi, 2, 18-26; Diodor. xv, 47.
The Athenian fleet had not only been tardy in arriving, so as to
incur much risk of finding the island already taken,—but when it
did come, it was commanded by Iphikrates, Chabrias, and the orator
Kallistratus,[311]—not by Timotheus, whom the original vote of the
people had nominated. It appears that Timotheus,—who (in April
373 B.C.), when the Athenians first learned that the formidable
Lacedæmonian fleet had begun to attack Korkyra, had been directed to
proceed thither forthwith with a fleet of sixty triremes,—found a
difficulty in manning his ships at Athens, and therefore undertook
a preliminary cruise to procure both seamen and contributory funds,
from the maritime allies. His first act was to transport the six
hundred peltasts under Stesiklês to Thessaly, where he entered into
relations with Jason of Pheræ. He persuaded the latter to become
the ally of Athens, and to further the march of Stesiklês with
his division by land across Thessaly over the passes of Pindus, to
Epirus; where Alketas, who was at once the ally of Athens, and the
dependent of Jason, conveyed them by night across the strait from
Epirus to Korkyra. Having thus opened important connection with the
powerful Thessalian despot, and obtained from him a very seasonable
service, together (perhaps) with some seamen from Pagasæ to man his
fleet,—Timotheus proceeded onward to the ports of Macedonia, where he
also entered into relations with Amyntas, receiving from him signal
marks of private favor,—and then to Thrace as well as the neighboring
islands. His voyage procured for him valuable subsidies in money and
supplies of seamen, besides some new adhesions and deputies to the
Athenian confederacy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account