Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/382

 330 HISTORY OF GREECE. the manner above described ; the interval being filled by mutuhl atrocities and retaliation, wnerein of course the victors had most opportunity of gratifying their vindictive passions. Eurymedon, after the termination of these events, proceeded onward with the Athenian squadron to Sicily : what he did there will be described in a future chapter devoted to Sicilian affairs exclusively. The complete prostration of Ainbrakia during the campaign of the preceding year had left Anaktorium without any defence against the Akarnanians and Athenian squadron from Naupak tus. They besieged and took it during the course of the present summer ; l expelling the Corinthian proprietors, and repeopling the town and its territory with Akarnanian settlers from all the townships in the country. Throughout the maritime empire of Athens matters continued perfectly tranquil, except that the inhabitants of Chios, during the course of the autumn, incurred the suspicion of the Athe- nians from having recently built a new wall to their city, as if it were done with the intention of taking the first opportunity to revolt. 2 They solemnly protested their innocence of any such designs, but the Athenians were not satisfied without exacting the destruction of the obnoxious wall. The presence on the opposite continent of an active band of Mitylenaean exiles, who captured both Rhoeteium and Antandrus during the ensuing spring, probably made the Athenians more anxious and vigilant on the subject of Chios. 3 The Athenian regular tribute-gathering squadron circulated among the maritime subjects, and captured, during the course of the present autumn, a prisoner of some importance and singularity. It was a Persian ambassador, Artaphernes, seized at Eion on the Strymon, in his way to Sparta with despatches from the Great King. He was brought to Athens, and his despatches, which were at some length, and written in the Assyrian character, were translated and made public. The Great King told the Lacedae- monians, in substance, that he could not comprehend what they meant ; for that among the numerous envoys whom they had sent, no two told the same story. Accordingly he desired them, if they wished to make themselves understood, to send some envoys 1 Thucyd. iv, 49. * Thucyd. iv, 51. 3 Thucyd. iv. 52