Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/247

 FOURTH YEAR OF THE WAR -RE VOLT OF MITYLEXE. 225 reiterate the solicitation. These arrivals and despatches were carried on without the knowledge of the Athenian admiral, chiefly in consequence of the peculiar site of the town, whicl< had originally been placed upon a little islet divided from Lesbos by a narrow channel, or euripus, and had subsequently been extended across into the main island, like Syracuse, and so many other Grecian settlements. It had consequently two har- bors, one north, the other south of the town : Klei'ppides was an- chored off the former, but the latter remained unguarded. 1 During the absence of the Mitylentean envoys at Athens, reinforcements reached the Athenian admiral from Lemnos, Imbros, and some other allies, as well as from the Lesbian town of Methymna : so that when the envoys returned, as they pres- ently did, with an unfavorable reply, war was resumed with increased vigor. The Mitylenaeans, having made a general sally with their full military force, gained some advantage in the battle ; yet, not feeling bold enough to maintain the field, they retreated back behind their walls. The news of their revolt, when first spread abroad, had created an impression unfavorable to the stability of the Athenian empire : but when it was seen that their conduct was irresolute, and their achievements dispro- portionate to their supposed power, a reaction of feeling took place, and the Chians and other allies came in with increased zeal in obedience to the summons of Athens for reinforcements. Klei'ppides soon found his armament large enough to establish two separate camps, markets for provision, and naval stations, north and south of the town, so as to watch and block up both the harbors at once. 2 But he commanded little beyond the area of his camp, and was unable to invest the city by land ; especi- ally as the Mitylenaeans had received reinforcements from An- 1 Thucyd. iii, 3, 4: compare Strabo, xiii, p. 617 ; and Plchn, Lesbiaca, f p. 12-18. Thucydides speaks of the spot at the month of the northern harbor as being called Maha, which was also undoubtedly the name of the south- eastern promontory of Lesbos. We must therefore presume that there were two places on the seaboard of Lesbos which bore that name. The easternmost of the two southern promontories of Peloponnesus was also called Cape Malca. * Thucyd. iii, 6. VOL. vi. 10* 15oc-