Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/246

 224 HISTORY OF GREECE. whole Mitylenaean population was in the habit of going forth to the temple : so that the town, while thus deserted, might easily be surprised and seized by the fleet. In case this calculation should be disappointed, Klei'ppides was instructed to require that the Mitylenoeans should surrender their ships of war and raze their fortifications, and, in case of refusal, to attack them imme- diately. But the publicity of debate at Athens was far too great to allow such a scheme to succeed. The Mitylengeans bad their spies in the city, and the moment the resolution was taken, one of them set off to communicate it at Mitylene. Crossing over to Geraestus in Eubcea, he got aboard a merchantman on the point of departure, and reached Mitylene with a favorable wind on the third day from Athens : so that when Klei'ppides arrived shortly afterwards, he found the festival adjourned and the government prepared for him. The requisition which he sent in was refused, and the Mitylenoean fleet even came forth from the harbor to assail him, but was beaten back with little difficulty: upon which, the Mitylenasan leaders, finding themselves attacked before their preparations were completed, and desiring still mo gain time be- fore they declared their revolt, opened negotiations with Klei'ppi- des, and prevailed on him to suspend hostilities until ambassadors could be sent to Athens, protesting that they had no serious in- tention of revolting. This appears to have been about the middle of May, soon after the Lacedaemonian invasion of Attica. Klei'ppides was induced, not very prudently, to admit this proposition, undei the impression that his armament was insufficient to cope with a city and island so powerful ; and he remained moored off' the harbor at the north of Mitylene until the envoys, among whom was included one of the very citizens of Mitylene who had sent to betray the intended revolt, but who had since changed his opinion, should return from Athens. Meanwhile the Mitylencean government, unknown to Klei'ppides, and well aware that the embassy would prove fruitless, took advantage of the truce to send secret envoys to Sparta, imploring immediate aid : and on '.he arrival of the Lacedaemonian Meleas and the Theban Iler- useondas, who had been despatched to Mitylene earlier, but had nly come in by stealth since the arrival of Klei'ppides, a second ireme was sent along with them, carrying additional envoys to