Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/74

 52 1HSTOKY OF GREECE. and the people, aggravated by attacks from the neighboring Illyrians, had crippled its power : and a recent revolution, in which the people put down the oligarchy, had reduced it still farther, since the oligarchical exiles, collecting a force and allying themselves with the Illyrians, harassed the city griev ously both by sea and land. The Epidamnian democracy was in such straits as to be forced to send to Korkyra for aid : their envoys sat down as suppliants at the temple of Here, cast them- selves on the mercy of the Korkyrseans, and besought them to act both as mediators with the exiled oligarchy and as auxiliaries against the Illyrians. Though the Korkyraans themselves, democratically governed, might have been expected to sympa- thize with these suppliants and their prayers, yet their feeling was decidedly opposite: for it was the Epidamnian oligarchy who were principally connected with Korkyra, from whence their forefathers had emigrated, and where their family burial- places as well as their kinsmen were still to be found : l while the demos, or small proprietors and tradesmen of Epidamnus, may perhaps have been of miscellaneous origin, and at any rate had no visible memorials of ancient lineage in the mother-island. Having been refused aid from Korkyra, and finding their dis- tressed condition insupportable, the Epidamnians next thought of applying to Corinth : but as this was a step of questionable propriety, their envoys were directed first to take the opinion of the Delphian god. His oracle having given an unqualified sanc- tion, they proceeded to Corinth with their mission ; describing their distress as well as their unavailing application at Korkyra, tendering Epidamnus to the Corinthians as to its cekists and chiefs, with the most urgent entreaties for immediate aid to pre- serve it from ruin, and not omitting to insist on the divine sanction just obtained. It was found easy to persuade the Corin- thians, who, looking upon Epidamnus as a joint colony from Corinth and Korkyra, thought themselves not only authorized, but bound, to undertake its defence, a resolution much prompted by their ancient feud against Korkyra. They speedily organized an expedition, consisting partly of intended new settlers, partly 1 Thucyd. i, 26. fyXdov yap if rtjv Kepnvpav ol run 'Emdafiviuv uirode.Kvvvrei; Kai Zvyyevtiav TJV Trpoioxo/tevoi Idiovro apaf Ka'd