Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/207

Rh appear to contest his supremacy. Notliing could be more dignified or noble than the attitude which under these circumstances he assumed towards the people. The boundless influence which he possessed was never perverted by him to sinister or unworthy purposes. So far from being a mere selfish de- magogue, he neither indulged nor courted the mul- titude. " As long as he was at the head of the state in peace he administered its afi'airs with mo- deration, and kept a safe guard over it, and it became in his time very great. Being powerful on the ground both of his reputation and of his judg- ment, and having clearly shown himself thoroughly incorruptible, he restrained the multitude with freedom, and was not so much led by it as himself led it, because he did not seek to acquire power by unworthy means, bringing forward propositions which would gratify the people, but on the ground of his high character being able to speak in oppo- sition even to its angry feelings. And so, whenever he saw them insolently confident beyond what the occasion justified, by his speeches he reduced them to a more wary temper, and when on the other hand they were unreasonably alarmed, he restored them again to confidence. And there was in name a democracy, but in reality a government in the hands of the first man" (Thucyd. ii. 65). After the ostracism of Thucydides the organized oppo- sition of the aristocratical party was broken up, though, as we shall see, the malevolence of the enemies of Pericles exposed him subsequently to some troublesome contests.

A few years after the commencement of the 30 years' truce a war broke out between Samos and Miletus about the towns of Priene and Anaea. The Milesians, being vanquished, applied for help to Athens, and were backed by the democratical party in Samos itself. So favourable an opportunity for carrying out the policy which Athens pursued towards her allies was quite sufiicient to render the intervention of Aspasia unnecessary for the purpose of inducing Pericles to support the cause of the Milesians. The Samians were commanded to desist from hostilities, and submit their dispute to the decision of an Athenian tribunal. This they showed themselves slow to do, and Pericles was sent with a fleet of 40 galleys to enforce the com- mands of the Athenians. He established a demo- cratical constitution in Samos, and took 100 hos- tages from the oligarchical party, which he lodged in Lemnos. He also levied a contribution of 80 talents. The bribe of a talent from each of the hostages, with a large sum besides from the oligar- chical party and from Pissuthnes, the satrap of Sardes, is said to have been offered to Pericles to induce him to relinquish his intention, and of course refused. He then returned, leaving a small gar- rison of Athenians in Samos. When he had left, a body of Samians, who had left the island as he approached, having concerted measures with Pis- suthnes, recovered the hostages, overpowered the Athenian garrison and their political opponents, and renounced the Athenian alliance. A Phoenician fleet was promised to assist them ; the enemies of Athens in Greece were urged, though without f-uccess, to take up the cause of the Samians ; and Byzantium was induced to join in the revolt. Pericles, with nine colleagues and a fleet of 60 vessels, returned to put down the revolt. Detach- ments were sent to get reiniorcements from the other allies, and to look out for the Phoenician fleet. With the remaining ships, amounting to 44 in number, Pericles attacked a Samian fleet of 70, as it was returning from Miletus, and gained the victory. Having received reinforcements, he landed a body of troops, drove the Samians within the walls, and proceeded to invest the town. A victory, though probably a slight one, was gained by the Samians under the command of Melissus [Melissus], and Pericles, with 60 ships, sailed to meet the Phoenician fleet. In his absence, the force which he had left behind was defeated, and the Samians exerted themselves actively in intro- ducing supplies into the town. On the return of Pericles they were again closely besieged. An ad- ditional squadron of 40 ships was sent from Athens under the command of Hagnon, Phormion, and Thucydides. The Samians, being again decisively defeated in a sea-fight, were closely blockaded. Though Pericles is said to have made use of some new kinds of battering engines, the Samians held out resolutelj"^, and murmurs were heard among the Athenian soldiers, whose dissolute habits (comp. Athen. xiii. p. 572, e.) soon rendered them weary of the tedious process of blockade. There is a story that, in order to pacify them, Pericles divided his army into eight parts, and directed them to cast lots, the division which drew a white bean being allowed to feast and enjoy themselves, while the others carried on the military operations. At the end of nine months the Samians capitulated, on condition that they should give up their ships, dis- mantle their fortifications, and pay the cost of the siege by instalments. Their submission was speedily followed by that of the Byzantines. On his return to Athens, Pericles celebrated with great magni- ficence the obsequies of those who had fallen in the war. He was chosen to deliver the customary oration. At its close the women who were present showered upon him their chaplets and garlands. Elpinice alone is said to have contrasted his hard- won triumph with the brilliant victories of her brother Cimon. Pericles had indeed good reason to be proud of his success ; for Thucydides (viii. 76) does not scruple to say that the Samians were within a very little of wresting from the Athenians their maritime supremacy. But the comparison with the Trojan War, if ever really made, was more likely to have come from some sycophantic partisan, than from Pericles himself. (Plut. /. c; Thucyd. i. 115—117 ; Died. xii. 27, 28 ; Suidas, s. V. :S,aixia}u 6 Stj/xos ; Aelian, V. H. ii. 9 ; Aristoph. Acharn. 850.)

Between the Samian war, which terminated in B. c. 440, and the Peloponnesian war, which began in B. c. 431, the Athenians were not engaged in any considerable military operations. On one occasion, though the date is uncertain, Pericles conducted a great anuament to the Euxine, ap- parently with very little object beyond that of dis- playing the power and maritime supremacy of tlie Athenians, overawing the barbarians, and strength- ening the Athenian influence in the cities in that quarter. Sinope was at the time under the power of the tyrant Timesilaus. Application was made to Pericles for assistance to expel the tyrant. A body of troops, which was left under the com- mand of Lamachus, succeeded in effecting tliis object, and a body of 600 Athenians was after- wards sent to take possession of the confiscated property of the tyrant and his partisans.

While the Samian war was a consequence of