Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/461

 TRUCE BROKEN IN THRACE. 439 Fresh intelligence soon arrived, carrying exasperation at A.thens yet farther, of the revolt of Mende, the adjoining town V) Skione. Those Mendseans, who had laid their measures for secretly introducing Brasidas, were at first baffled by the arrival of the truce-commissioners ; but they saw that he retained his hold on Skione, in spite of the provisions of the truce, and they ascertained that he was willing still to protect them if they revolted, though he could not be an accomplice, as originally projected, in the surprise of the town. Being, moreover, only a small party, with the sentiment of the population against them, they were afraid, if they now relinquished their scheme, of being detected and punished for the partial steps already taken, when the Athenians should come against Skione. They therefore thought it on the whole the least dangerous course to persevere. They proclaimed their revolt from Athens, constraining the reluc tant citizens to obey them :' the government seems before to have been democratical, but they now found means to bring about an oligarchical revolution along with the revolt. Brasidas immedi- ately accepted their adhesion, and willingly undertook to protect them, professing to think that he had a right to do so, because they had revolted openly after the truce had been proclaimed. But the truce upon this point was clear, which he himself virtually admitted, by setting up as justification certain alleged matters in which the Athenians had themselves violated it. He immediately made preparation for the defence both of Mende and Skione against the attack, which was now rendered more certain than before, conveying the women and children of those two towns across to the Chalkidic Olynthus, and sending thither as garrison 1 Thucyd. iv, 123. Aid KOL ol WievSaloi fj.uM.ov erofyz^ffav, rqv re rov "Spaa- !6ov yvupriv dpuvrtf erolprjv, Kaluga ruv irpaaaovruv otyiaiv ohiyuv re dvruv, KOI wf rare gfieMijaav ovKen avevrav, uTika Kara/3iaffafievuv rrapii yvufiriv rotif 7ro/l/lovf, iv, 130. 6 6^uof etitfDf uva^a^uv rH orrAa Trepiopyrjs f^wpet kiri re HeXonovvr/aiovf nal roi)f rii kvavria afyiai per' aiiruv irpa!; avraf, etc. The Athenians, after the conquest of the place, desire the Mendaeans rm^irsveiv tiairep eiufteoav. Mende is another case in which the bulk of the citizens were avers? to jv.volt from Athens, in spite of neighboring example.