Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/244

 222 HISTORY OF GREECE. during the preceding autumn or winter ; but they thought it prudent to make ample preparations before they declared them- selves openly : and, moreover, they took measures for constraining three other towns in Lesbos Antissa, Eresus, and Pyrrha to share their fortunes, to merge their own separate governments, and to become incorporated with Mitylene. Methymna, the second town in Lesbos, situated on the north of the island, was decidedly opposed to them and attached to Athens. The Mity- ler.aeans built new ships, put their walls in an improved state of defence, carried out a mole in order to narrow the entrance of their harbor, and render it capable of being closed with a chain, despatched emissaries to hire Scythian bowmen and purchase corn in the Euxine, and took such other measures as were neces- sary for an effective resistance. Though the oligarchical charac- ter of their government gave them much means of secrecy, and above all, dispensed with the necessity of consulting the people beforehand, still, measures of such importance could not be taken without provoking attention. Intimation was sent to the Athenians by various Mitylenaean citizens, partly from private feeling, partly in their capacity of proxeni (or consuls, to use a modern word which approaches to the meaning) for Athens, especially by a Mitylenaean named Doxander, incensed with the government for having disappointed his two sons of a marriage with two orphan heiresses. 1 Not less communicative were the islanders of Tenedos, animated by ancient neighborly jealousy towards Mitylene ; so that the Athenians were thus forewarned both of the intrigues between Mitylene and the Spartans and of her certain impending revolt unless they immediately interfered. 2 1 Aristotel. Politic, v, 2, 3. The fact respecting Doxander here mentioned is stated by Aristotle, and there is no reason to question its truth. But Aristotle states it in illustration of a general position, that the private quarrels of principal citizens are often the cause of great misfortune to the commonwealth. He represents Doxander and his private quarrel as having brought upon Mitylene the resentment of the Athenians and the war with Athens A6ovr5pof %pe T^J aruaewf, Kal Trapu^vvE Tot'f 'Ai9/vaut;. TTJS Having the account of Thncydides before us, we are enabled to say thai this is an incorrect conception, as far as concerns the cause of the war, though the fact in itself may be quite true. 2 Thucyd. iii, 2.