Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/75

 ATHENS BEFORE THE PELOPONNESIAN WAn. gg of a protecting military force, Corinthian, Leukadiao, and Ambrakiotic : which combined body, in order to avoid opposi tion from the powerful Korkyraean navy, was marchad by land as far as Apollonia, and transported from thence by sea to Epi- damnus. 1 The arrival of such a reinforcement rescued the city for the moment, but drew upon it a formidable increase of peril from the Korkyneans, who looked upon the interference of Corinth as an infringement of their rights, and resented it in the strongest manner. Their feelings were farther inflamed by the Epidam- nian oligarchical exiles, who, coming to the island with petition for succor, and appeals to the tombs of their Korkyraean ances- tors, found a ready sympathy. They were placed on board a fleet of twenty-five triremes, afterwards strengthened by a farther reinforcement, which was sent to Epidamnus with the insulting requisition that they should be forthwith restored, and the new- comers from Corinth dismissed. No attention being paid to these demands, the Korkyrasans commenced the blockade of the city with forty ships, and with an auxiliary land-force of Illyrians, making proclamation that any person within, citizen or not, might depart safely if he chose, but would be dealt with as an enemy if he remained. How many persons profited by this permission we do not know : but at least enough to convey to Corinth the news that their troops in Epidamnus were closely besieged. The Corinthians immediately hastened the equipment of a second expedition, sufficient not only for the rescue of the place, but to surmount that resistance which the Korkyrceans were sure to offer. In addition to thirty triremes, and three thousand hoplites, of their own, they solicited aid both in ships and money from many of their allies : eight ships fully manned were furnished by Megara, four by Pales, in the island of Keph- allenia, five by Epidaurus, two by Trojzen, one by Hermione, ten by Leukas, and eight by Ambrakia, together with pecu- niary contributions from Thebes, Phlius, and Elis. They farther proclaimed a public invitation for new settlers to Epidamn is, promising equal political rights to all ; an option being allowed to any one who wished to become a settler without being ready 1 Thucyd. i, 26.