Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/263

 FOURTH YEAti OF THE WAR - REVOLT OF MITYLEXE. 241 greater number of them, a barbarous proceeding, which excited lively indignation among the neighboring Ionic cities to which iliey belonged; insomuch that when he reached Ephesus, the Samian exiles dwelling at Anaea, who had come forward eo actively to help him, sent him a spirited remonstrance, reminding him that the slaughter of men neither engaged in war, nor enemies, nor even connected with Athens, except by constraint, was disgraceful to one who came forth as the liberator of Greece, and that, if he persisted, he would con- vert his friends into enemies, not his enemies into friends. So keenly did Alkidas feel this animadversion, that he at once liberated the remainder of his prisoners, several of them Chians ; and then started from Ephesus, taking his course across sea towards Krete and Peloponnesus. After much delay off the coast of Krete from stormy weather, which harassed and dispersed his fleet, he at length reached in safety the harbor of Kyllene in Elis, where his scattered ships were ultimately reunited. 1 Thus inglorious was the voyage of the first Peloponnesian admiral who dared to enter that Mare clausum which passed for a portion of the territory of Athens. 2 But though he achieved little, his mere presence excited everywhere not less dismay than astonishment : for the Ionic towns were all unfortified, and Alki- das might take and sack any one of them by sudden assault, even though unable to hold it permanently. Pressing messages reached Paches from Erythrae and from several other places, while the Athenian triremes called Paralus and Salaminia, the privileged vessels which usually carried public and sacred depu- tations, had themselves seen the Peloponnesian fleet anchored at Ikarus, and brought him the same intelligence. Paches, having his hands now free by the capture of Mitylene, set forth immediately in pursuit of the intruder, whom he chased as far 1 Thucyd. iii, 32, 33-69. /eypa/tuevov kv raif cirovSali; 6iu r^f lav ruv tKuarovf ftfj lav piovt; tiiiEvai, sdaeiav Kara tfaAaercrav (AaKeiaipoviove) Trap We see that the sea is here reckoned as a portion of the Athenian terri- tory ; and even the portion of sea near to Peloponnesus, much more, that on the coast of Ionia. TOL. VI. 11 IGOC.
 * Thucyd. v, 56. 'Apyetot <5' e/ltfoiTEf Trap' 'Ai9;?vaorf ITTCKU/.OVV