a smaller history of greece-第37章

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h　victory　began　to　declare　for　the　Athenians。　　The　Lacedaemonians；　after　losing　77　vessels；　retreated　with　the　remainder　to　Chios　and　Phocaea。　　The　loss　of　the　Athenians　was　25　vessels。

The　battle　of　Arginusae　led　to　a　deplorable　event；　which　has　for　ever　sullied　the　pages　of　Athenian　history。　　At　least　a　dozen　Athenian　vessels　were　left　floating　about　in　a　disabled　condition　after　the　battle；　but；　owing　to　a　violent　storm　that　ensued；　no　attempt　was　made　to　rescue　the　survivors；　or　to　collect　the　bodies　of　the　dead　for　burial。　　Eight　of　the　ten　generals　were　summoned　home　to　answer　for　this　conduct；　Conon；　by　his　situation　at　Mytilene；　was　of　course　exculpated；　and　Archestratus　had　died。　Six　of　the　generals　obeyed　the　summons；　and　were　denounced　in　the　Assembly　by　Theramenes；　formerly　one　of　the　Four　Hundred；　for　neglect　of　duty。　　The　generals　replied　that　they　had　commissioned　Theramenes　himself　and　Thrasybulus；　each　of　whom　commanded　a　trireme　in　the　engagement；　to　undertake　the　duty；　and　had　assigned　48　ships　to　them　for　that　purpose。　　This；　however；　was　denied　by　Theramenes。　　There　are　discrepancies　in　the　evidence；　and　we　have　no　materials　for　deciding　positively　which　statement　was　true；　but　probability　inclines　to　the　side　of　the　generals。　Public　feeling；　however；　ran　very　strongly　against　them；　and　was　increased　by　an　incident　which　occurred　during　their　trial。　After　a　day's　debate　the　question　was　adjourned；　and　in　the　interval　the　festival　of　the　APATURIA　was　celebrated；　in　which；　according　to　annual　custom；　the　citizens　met　together　according　to　their　families　and　phratries。　　Those　who　had　perished　at　Arginusae　were　naturally　missed　on　such　an　occasion；　and　the　usually　cheerful　character　of　the　festival　was　deformed　and　rendered　melancholy　by　the　relatives　of　the　deceased　appearing　in　black　clothes　and　with　shaven　heads。　　The　passions　of　the　people　were　violently　roused。　　At　the　next　meeting　of　the　Assembly；　Callixenus；　a　senator；　proposed　that　the　people　should　at　once　proceed　to　pass　its　verdict　on　the　generals；　though　they　had　been　only　partially　heard　in　their　defence；　and；　moreover；　that　they　should　all　be　included　in　one　sentence；　though　it　was　contrary　to　a　rule　of　Attic　law；　known　as　the　psephisma　of　Canonus；　to　indict　citizens　otherwise　than　individually。　　The　Prytanes；　or　senators　of　the　presiding　tribe；　at　first　refused　to　put　the　question　to　the　Assembly　in　this　illegal　way；　but　their　opposition　was　at　length　overawed　by　clamour　and　violence。　　There　was；　however；　one　honourable　exception。　　The　philosopher　Socrates；　who　was　one　of　the　Prytanes；　refused　to　withdraw　his　protest。　　But　his　opposition　was　disregarded；　and　the　proposal　of　Callixenus　was　carried；　The　generals　were　condemned；　delivered　over　to　the　Eleven　for　execution；　and　compelled　to　drink　the　fatal　hemlock。　Among　them　was　Pericles；　the　son　of　the　celebrated　statesman。

In　the　following　year　（B。C。　405）；　through　the　influence　of　Cyrus　and　the　other　allies　of　Sparta；　Lysander　again　obtained　the　command　of　the　Peloponnesian　fleet；　though　nominally　under　Aracus　as　admiral；　since　it　was　contrary　to　Spartan　usage　that　the　same　man　should　be　twice　NAVARCHUS。　　His　return　to　power　was　marked　by　more　vigorous　measures。　　He　sailed　to　the　Hellespont；　and　laid　siege　to　Lampsacus。　　The　Athenian　fleet　arrived　too　late　to　save　the　town；　but　they　proceeded　up　the　strait　and　took　post　at　AEgospotami；　or　the　〃Goat's　River；〃　a　place　which　had　nothing　to　recommend　it；　except　its　vicinity　to　Lampsacus；　from　which　it　was　separated　by　a　channel　somewhat　less　than　two　miles　broad。　　It　was　a　mere　desolate　beach；　without　houses　or　inhabitants；　so　that　all　the　supplies　had　to　be　fetched　from　Sestos；　or　from　the　surrounding　country；　and　the　seamen　were　compelled　to　leave　their　ships　in　order　to　obtain　their　meals。　　Under　these　circumstances　the　Athenians　were　very　desirous　of　bringing　Lysander　to　an　engagement。　　But　the　Spartan　commander；　who　was　in　a　strong　position；　and　abundantly　furnished　with　provisions；　was　in　no　hurry　to　run　any　risks。　　In　vain　did　the　Athenians　sail　over　several　days　in　succession　to　offer　him　battle；　they　always　found　his　ships　ready　manned；　and　drawn　up　in　too　strong　a　position　to　warrant　an　attack；　nor　could　they　by　all　their　manoeuvres　succeed　in　enticing　him　out　to　combat。　　This　cowardice；　as　they　deemed　it；　on　the　part　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　begat　a　corresponding　negligence　on　theirs；　discipline　was　neglected　and　the　men　allowed　to　straggle　almost　at　will。　　It　was　in　vain　that　Alcibiades；　who　since　his　dismissal　resided　in　a　fortress　in　that　neighbourhood；　remonstrated　with　the　Athenian　generals　on　the　exposed　nature　of　the　station　they　had　chosen；　and　advised　them　to　proceed　to　Sestos。　　His　counsels　were　received　with　taunts　and　insults。　　At　length；　on　the　fifth　day；　Lysander；　having　watched　an　opportunity　when　the　Athenian　seamen　had　gone　on　shore　and　were　dispersed　over　the　country；　rowed　swiftly　across　the　strait　with　all　his　ships。　　He　found　the　Athenian　fleet；　with　the　exception　of　10　or　12　vessels；　totally　unprepared；　and　he　captured　nearly　the　whole　of　it；　without　having　occasion　to　strike　a　single　blow。　　Of　the　180　ships　which　composed　the　fleet；　only　the　trireme　of　Conon　himself；　the　Paralus；　and　8　or　10　other　vessels　succeeded　in　escaping。　　Conon　was　afraid　to　return　to　Athens　after　so　signal　a　disaster；　and　took　refuge　with　Evagoras；　prince　of　Salamis　in　Cyprus。

By　this　momentous　victory　（September；　B。C。　405）　the　Peloponnesian　war　was　virtually　brought　to　an　end。　　Lysander；　secure　of　an　easy　triumph；　was　in　no　haste　to　gather　it　by　force。　　The　command　of　the　Euxine　enabled　him　to　control　the　supplies　of　Athens；　and　sooner　or　later；　a　few　weeks　of　famine　must　decide　her　fall。　　He　now　sailed　forth　to　take　possession　of　the　Athenian　towns；　which　fell　one　after　another　into　his　power　as　soon　as　he　appeared　before　them。　　About　November　he　arrived　at　AEgina；　with　an　overwhelming　fleet　of　150　triremes；　and　proceeded　to　devastate　Salamis　and　blockade　Piraeus。　　At　the　same　time　the　whole　Peloponnesian　army　was　marched　into　Attica　and　encamped　in　the　precincts　of　the　Academus；　at　the　very　gates　of　Athens。　　Famine　soon　began　to　be　felt　within　the　walls；　and　at　the　end　of　three　months　it　became　so　dreadful；　that　the　Athenians　saw　themselves　compelled　to　submit　to　the　terms　of　the　conqueror。　　These　terms　were：　　That　the　long　walls　and　the　fortifications　of　Piraeus　should　be　demolished；　that　the　Athenians　should　give　up　all　their　foreign　possessions；　and　confine　themselves　to　their　own　territory；　that　they　should　surrender　all　their　ships　of　war；　that　they　should　readmit　all　their　exiles；　and　that　they　should　become　allies　of　Sparta。

It　was　about　the　middle　or　end　of　March；　B。C。　404；　that　Lysander　sailed　into　Piraeus；　and　took　formal　possession　of　Athens；　the　war；　in　singular　conformity　with　the　prophecies　current　at　the　beginning　of　it；　having　lasted　for　a　period　of　thrice　nine；　or　27　years。　　The　insolence　of　the　victors　added　another　blow　to　the　feelings　of　the　conquered。　　The　work　of　destruction；　at　which　Lysander　presided；　was　converted　into　a　sort　of　festival。　　Female　flute…players　and　wreathed　dancers　inaugurated　the　demolition　of　the　strong　and　proud　bulwarks　of　Athens；　and　as　the　massive　walls　fell　piece　by　piece　exclamations　arose　from　the　ranks　of　the　Peloponnesians　that　freedom　had　at　length　begun　to　dawn　upon　Greece。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　THIRTY　TYRANTS；　AND　THE　DEATH　OF　SOCRATES；　B。C。　404…399。

The　fall　of　Athens　brought　back　a　host　of　exiles；　all　of　them　the　enemies　of　her　democratical　constitution。　　Of　these　these　most　distinguished　was　Critias；　a　man　of　wealth　and　family；　the　uncle　of　Plato；　and　once　the　intimate　friend　of　Socrates；　distinguished　both　for　his　literary　and　political　talents；　but　of　unmeasured　ambition　and　unscrupulous　conscience。　　Critias　and　his　companions　soon　found　a　party　with　which　they　could　co…operate；　and　supported　by　Lysander　they　proposed　in　the　assembly　that　a　committee　of　thirty　should　be　named　to　draw　up　laws　for　the　future　government　of　the　city；　and　to　undertake　its　temporary　administration。　　Among　the　most　prominent　of　the　thirty　names　were　those　of　Critias　and　Theramenes。　　The　proposal