Greece -- History -- Peloponnesian War, 431-404 B.C.
Accordingly he put out from Embatum and proceeded along shore; and
touching at the Teian town, Myonnesus, there butchered most of the
prisoners that he had taken on his passage. Upon his coming to anchor
at Ephesus, envoys came to him from the Samians at Anaia, and told him
that he was not going the right way to free Hellas in massacring men
who had never raised a hand against him, and who were not enemies of
his, but allies of Athens against their will, and that if he did not
stop he would turn many more friends into enemies than enemies into
friends. Alcidas agreed to this, and let go all the Chians still in his
hands and some of the others that he had taken; the inhabitants,
instead of flying at the sight of his vessels, rather coming up to
them, taking them for Athenian, having no sort of expectation that
while the Athenians commanded the sea Peloponnesian ships would venture
over to Ionia.
From Ephesus Alcidas set sail in haste and fled. He had been seen by
the Salaminian and Paralian galleys, which happened to be sailing from
Athens, while still at anchor off Clarus; and fearing pursuit he now
made across the open sea, fully determined to touch nowhere, if he
could help it, until he got to Peloponnese. Meanwhile news of him had
come in to Paches from the Erythraeid, and indeed from all quarters. As
Ionia was unfortified, great fears were felt that the Peloponnesians
coasting along shore, even if they did not intend to stay, might make
descents in passing and plunder the towns; and now the Paralian and
Salaminian, having seen him at Clarus, themselves brought intelligence
of the fact. Paches accordingly gave hot chase, and continued the
pursuit as far as the isle of Patmos, and then finding that Alcidas had
got on too far to be overtaken, came back again. Meanwhile he thought
it fortunate that, as he had not fallen in with them out at sea, he had
not overtaken them anywhere where they would have been forced to
encamp, and so give him the trouble of blockading them.
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