Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/259

 FOURTH 1AR OF THE WAR -REVOLT OF MITYLENE. 237 it was only by the answer made to this request, that they learned the actual truth. The description of this memorable outbreak exhibits not less daring in the execution than skill and foresight in the design ; and is the more interesting, inasmuch as the men who thus worked out their salvation were precisely the bravest men, who best deserved it. Meanwhile, Paches and the Athenians kept Mitylene closely blocked up, the provisions were nearly exhausted, and the besieged were already beginning to think of capitulation, when their spirits were raised by the arrival of the Lacedaemo- nian envoy Salasthus, who had landed at Pyrrha on the west of Lesbos, and contrived to steal in through a ravine which obstructed the continuity of the blockading wall, about Feb- ruary 427 B.C. He encouraged the Mitylenaeans to hold out, assuring them that a Peloponnesian fleet under Alkidas was on the point of setting out to assist them, and that Attica would be forthwith invaded by the general Peloponnesian army. His own arrival, also, and his stay in the town, was in itself no small encouragement : we shall see hereafter, when we come to the siege of Syracuse by the Athenians, how much might depend upon the presence of one single Spartan. All thought of sur- render was accordingly abandoned, and the Mitylenaeans awaited with impatience the arrival of Alkidas, who started from Pelo- ponnesus at the beginning of April, with forty-two triremes ; while the Lacedaemonian az-my at the same time invaded Attica, in order to keep the attention of Athens fully employed. Their ravages on this occasion were more diligent, searching, and destructive to the country than before, and were continued the longer because they awaited the arrival of news from Lesbos, But none reached them, their stock of provisions was exhausted, and the army was obliged to break up. 1 The news, when it did arrive, proved very unsatisfactory. Salaithus and the Mitylenaeans had held out until their provis- ions were completely exhausted, but neither relief, nor tidings, reached them from" Peloponnesus. At length, even Salsethus became convinced that no relief would come; he projected, therefore, as a last hope, a desperate attack upon the Athenians Thucvd. 'ii, 25. 26.