Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/463

 N1KIAS RETAKES MENDE. J4l nians, sailing round on the morrow to the suburb on the side of Skione, ravaged the neighboring lands ; and Nikias on the ensu- ing day carried his devastations still farther, even to the border of the Skionaean territory. But dissensions had already commenced within the walls, and the Skionaean auxiliaries, becoming mistrustful of their situation, took advantage of the night to return home. The revolt of Mende had been brought about against the will of the citizens by the intrigues and for the benefit of an oligarchical faction : more- over, it does not appear that Brasidas personally visited the town, as he had visited Skione and the other revolted towns : had he come, his personal influence might have done much to soothe the offended citizens, and create some disposition to adopt the revolt as a fact accomplished, after they had once been compromised with Athens. But his animating words had not been heard, and the Peloponnesian troops whom he had sent to Mende, were mere instruments to sustain the newly erected oligarchy and keep out the Athenians. The feelings of the citizens generally towards them were soon unequivocally displayed. Nikostratus with half of the Athenian force was planted before that gate of Mende which opened towards Potidaea : in the neighborhood of that gate, within the city, was the place of arms and the chief station both of the Peloponnesians and of the citizens ; and Polydamidas, intending to make a sally forth, was marshalling both of them in battle order, when one of the Mendasan Demos, manifesting with angry vehemence a sentiment common to most of them, told him, " that he wxild not sally forth, and did not choose to take part in the contest." Polydamidas seized hold of the man to punish him, when the mass of the armed Demos, taking part with their com- rade, made a sudden rush upon the Peloponnesians. The latter, unprepared for such an onset, sustained at first some loss, and were soon forced to retreat into the acropolis ; the rather, as they saw some of the Mendaeans open the gates to the besiegers with- out, which induced them to suspect a preconcerted betrayal. No such concert, however, existed, though the besieging generals, when they saw the gates thus suddenly opened, soon compre- hended the real position of affairs. But they found it impossible to restrain their soldiers, who pushed in forthwith, from plunder* 19*