Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/341

 ABYDOS FAITHFUL TO SPARTA. 31., station of Sparta for her northern Asiatic warfare, during the last twenty years. It was in the satrapy of Pharnabazus, and had been made the chief place of arms by Derkyllidas and Agesilaus, for their warfare against that satrap as well as for the command of the strait. Accordingly, while it was a main object with Phar- nabazus to acquire possession of Abydos, there was nothing which the Abydenes dreaded so much as to become subject to him. In this view they were decidedly disposed to cling to Lacedaemo- nian protection ; and it happened by a fortunate accident for Spar- ta, that the able and experienced Derkyllidas was harmost in the town at the moment of the battle of Knidus. Having fought in the battle of Corinth, he had been sent to announce the news to Agesilaus, whom he had met on his march at Amphipolis, and who had sent him forward into Asia to communicate the victory to the allied cities ; ' neither of them at that moment anticipating the great maritime defeat then impending. The presence in Aby- dos of such an officer, who had already acquired a high military reputation in that region, and was at marked enmity with Pharna- bazus, combined with the standing apprehensions of the Aby- denes, was now the means of saving a remnant at least of mari- time ascendency to Sparta. During the general alarm which succeeded the battle of Knidus, when the harmosts were every- where taking flight, and when anti-Spartan manifestations often combined with internal revolutions to overthrow the dekarchs or their substitutes, were spreading from city to city, Derkyllidas assembled the Abydenes, heartened them up against the reigning contagion, and exhorted them to earn the gratitude of Sparta by remaining faithful to her while others were falling off; assuring them that she would still be found capable of giving them protec- tion. His exhortations were listened to with favor. Abydos re mained attached to Sparta, was put hi a good state of defence, and became the only harbor of safety for the fugitive harmosts out of the other cities, Asiatic and European. Having secured his hold upon Abydos, Derkyllidas crossed the strait to mak 3 sure also of the strong place of Sestos, on the Eu- thcncs in the Athenian assembly (cont. ArisJokrat. c. 39, p. 672; compare c. 52, p. 688). 1 Xen Hellen. iv. 3, 2.