a smaller history of greece-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pate。　　The　whole　population　of　Athens　flocked　down　to　Piraeus　to　welcome　him；　and　escorted　him　to　the　city。　　He　seemed　to　be　in　the　present　juncture　the　only　man　capable　of　restoring　the　grandeur　and　the　empire　of　Athens：　　he　was　accordingly　named　general　with　unlimited　powers；　and　a　force　of　100　triremes；　1500　hoplites；　and　150　cavalry　placed　at　his　disposal。　　Before　his　departure　he　took　an　opportunity　to　atone　for　the　impiety　of　which　he　had　been　suspected。　　Although　his　armament　was　in　perfect　readiness；　he　delayed　its　sailing　till　after　the　celebration　of　the　Eleusinian　mysteries　at　the　beginning　of　September。　　For　seven　years　the　customary　procession　across　the　Thriasian　plain　had　been　suspended；　owing　to　the　occupation　of　Decelea　by　the　enemy；　which　compelled　the　sacred　troop　to　proceed　by　sea。　　Alcibiades　now　escorted　them　on　their　progress　and　return　with　his　forces；　and　thus　succeeded　in　reconciling　himself　with　the　offended　goddesses　and　with　their　holy　priests；　the　Eumolpidae。

Meanwhile　a　great　change　had　been　going　on　in　the　state　of　affairs　in　the　East。　　We　have　already　seen　that　the　Great　King　was　displeased　with　the　vacillating　policy　of　Tissaphernes；　and　had　determined　to　adopt　more　energetic　measures　against　the　Athenians。　　During　the　absence　of　Alcibiades；　Cyrus；　the　younger　son　of　Darius；　a　prince　of　a　bold　and　enterprising　spirit；　and　animated　with　a　lively　hatred　of　Athens；　had　arrived　at　the　coast　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　out　the　altered　policy　of　the　Persian　court；　and　with　that　view　he　had　been　invested　with　the　satrapies　of　Lydia；　the　Greater　Phrygia；　and　Cappadocia。　　The　arrival　of　Cyrus　opens　the　last　phase　of　the　Peloponnesian　war。　　Another　event；　in　the　highest　degree　unfavourable　to　the　Athenian　cause；　was　the　accession　of　Lysander；　as　NAVARCHUS；　to　the　command　of　the　Peloponnesian　fleet。　　Lysander　was　the　third　of　the　remarkable　men　whom　Sparta　produced　during　the　war。　　In　ability；　energy；　and　success　he　may　be　compared　with　Brasidas　and　Gylippus；　though　immeasurably　inferior　to　the　former　in　every　moral　quality。　　He　was　born　of　poor　parents；　and　was　by　descent　one　of　those　Lacedaemonians　who　could　never　enjoy　the　full　rights　of　Spartan　citizenship。　　His　ambition　was　boundless；　and　he　was　wholly　unscrupulous　about　the　means　which　he　employed　to　gratify　it。　　In　pursuit　of　his　objects　he　hesitated　at　neither　deceit；　nor　perjury；　nor　cruelty；　and　he　is　reported　to　have　laid　it　down　as　one　of　his　maxims　in　life　to　avail　himself　of　the　fox's　skin　where　the　lion's　failed。

Lysander　had　taken　up　his　station　at　Ephesus；　with　the　Lacedaemonian　fleet　of　70　triremes；　and　when　Cyrus　arrived　at　Sardis；　in　the　spring　of　407　B。C。；　he　hastened　to　pay　his　court　to　the　young　prince；　and　was　received　with　every　mark　of　favour。　A　vigrorous　line　of　action　was　resolved　on。　　Cyrus　at　once　offered　500　talents；　and　affirmed　that；　if　more　were　needed；　he　was　prepared　even　to　coin　into　money　the　very　throne　of　gold　and　silver　on　which　he　sat。　　In　a　banquet　which　ensued　Cyrus　drank　to　the　health　of　Lysander；　and　desired　him　to　name　any　wish　which　he　could　gratify。　　Lysander　immediately　requested　an　addition　of　an　obolus　to　the　daily　pay　of　the　seamen。　　Cyrus　was　surprised　at　so　disinterested　a　demand；　and　from　that　day　conceived　a　high　degree　of　respect　and　confidence　for　the　Spartan　commander。　　Lysander　on　his　return　to　Ephesus　employed　himself　in　refitting　his　fleet；　and　in　organising　clubs　in　the　Spartan　interest　in　the　cities　of　Asia。

Alcibiades　set　sail　from　Athens　in　September。　　Being　ill　provided　with　funds　for　carrying　on　the　war；　he　was　driven　to　make　predatory　excursions　for　the　purpose　of　raising　money。　　During　his　absence　he　intrusted　the　bulk　of　the　fleet　at　Samos　to　his　pilot；　Antiochus；　with　strict　injunctions　not　to　venture　on　an　action。　　Notwithstanding　these　orders；　however；　Antiochus　sailed　out　and　brought　the　Peloponnesian　fleet　to　an　engagement　off　Notium；　in　which　the　Athenians　were　defeated　with　the　loss　of　15　ships；　and　Antiochus　himself　was　slain。　　Among　the　Athenian　armament　itself　great　dissatisfaction　was　growing　up　against　Alcibiades。　　Though　at　the　head　of　a　splendid　force；　he　had　in　three　months　time　accomplished　literally　nothing。　　His　debaucheries　and　dissolute　conduct　on　shore　were　charged　against　him；　as　well　as　his　selecting　for　confidential　posts　not　the　men　best　fitted　for　them；　but　those　who；　like　Antiochus　were　the　boon　companions　and　the　chosen　associates　of　his　revels。　　These　accusations　forwarded　to　Athens；　and　fomented　by　his　secret　enemies；　soon　produced　an　entire　revulsion　in　the　public　feeling　towards　Alcibiades。　　The　Athenians　voted　that　he　should　be　dismissed　from　his　command；　and　they　appointed　in　his　place　ten　new　generals；　with　Conon　at　their　head。

The　year　of　Lysander's　command　expired　about　the　same　time　as　the　appointment　of　Conon　to　the　Athenian　fleet。　　Through　the　intrigues　of　Lysander；　his　successor　Callicratidas　was　received　with　dissatisfaction　both　by　the　Lacedaemonian　seamen　and　by　Cyrus。　　Loud　complaints　were　raised　of　the　impolicy　of　an　annual　change　of　commanders。　　Lysander　threw　all　sorts　of　difficulties　into　the　way　of　his　successor；　to　whom　he　handed　over　an　empty　chest；　having　first　repaid　to　Cyrus　all　the　money　in　his　possession　under　the　pretence　that　it　was　a　private　loan。　　The　straightforward　conduct　of　Callicratidas；　however；　who　summoned　the　Lacedaemonian　commanders；　and　after　a　dignified　remonstrance；　plainly　put　the　question　whether　he　should　return　home　or　remain；　silenced　all　opposition。　　But　he　was　sorely　embarrassed　for　funds。　　Cyrus　treated　him　with　haughtiness；　and　when　he　waited　on　that　prince　at　Sardis；　he　was　dismissed　not　only　without　money；　but　even　without　an　audience。　　Callicratidas；　however；　had　too　much　energy　to　be　daunted　by　such　obstacles。　　Sailing　with　his　fleet　from　Ephesus　to　Miletus；　he　laid　before　the　assembly　of　that　city；　in　a　spirited　address；　all　the　ill　they　had　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　Persians；　and　exhorted　them　to　bestir　themselves　and　dispense　with　the　Persian　alliance。　　He　succeeded　in　persuading　the　Milesians　to　make　him　a　large　grant　of　money；　whilst　the　leading　men　even　came　forward　with　private　subscriptions。　　By　means　of　this　assistance　he　was　enabled　to　add　50　triremes　to　the　90　delivered　to　him　by　Lysander；　and　the　Chians　further　provided　him　with　ten　days'　pay　for　the　seamen。

The　fleet　of　Callicratidas　was　now　double　that　of　Conon。　　The　latter　was　compelled　to　run　before　the　superior　force　of　Callicratidas。　　Both　fleets　entered　the　harbour　of　Mytilene　at　the　same　time；　where　a　battle　ensued　in　which　Conon　lost　30　ships；　but　he　saved　the　remaining　40　by　hauling　them　ashore　under　the　walls　of　the　town。　　Callicratidas　then　blockaded　Mytilene　both　by　sea　and　land；　but　Conon　contrived　to　despatch　a　trireme　to　Athens　with　the　news　of　his　desperate　position。

As　soon　as　the　Athenians　received　intelligence　of　the　blockade　of　Mytilene；　vast　efforts　were　made　for　its　relief；　and　we　learn　with　surprise　that　in　thirty　days　a　fleet　of　110　triremes　was　equipped　and　despatched　from　Piraeus。　　The　armament　assembled　at　Samos；　where　it　was　reinforced　by　scattered　Athenian　ships；　and　by　contingents　from　the　allies；　to　the　extent　of　40　vessels。　　The　whole　fleet　of　150　sail　then　proceeded　to　the　small　islands　of　Arginusae；　near　the　coast　of　Asia；　and　facing　Malea；　the　south…　eastern　cape　of　Lesbos。　　Callicratidas；　who　went　out　to　meet　them；　took　up　his　station　at　the　latter　point；　leaving　a　squadron　of　50　ships　to　maintain　the　blockade　of　Mytilene。　　He　had　thus　only　120　ships　to　oppose　to　the　150　of　the　Athenians；　and　his　pilot　advised　him　to　retire　before　the　superior　force　of　the　enemy。　　But　Callicratidas　replied　that　he　would　not　disgrace　himself　by　flight；　and　that　if　he　should　perish　Sparta　would　not　feel　his　loss。　　The　battle　was　long　and　obstinate。　　All　order　was　speedily　lost；　and　the　ships　fought　singly　with　one　another；　In　one　of　these　contests；　Callicratidas；　who　stood　on　the　prow　of　his　vessel　ready　to　board　the　enemy；　was　thrown　overboard　by　the　shock　of　the　vessels　as　they　met；　and　perished。　　At　length　victory　began　to　declare　for　the　Athenians。　　The　Lacedaemonians；　after　losing　77　vessels；　retreate