Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/160

142 142 HISTOKY OF GEKKCE: and were enrolled as Syracusan citizens. To them the operation was exceedingly profitable, since they became masters of the properties of the exiled Demos in addition to their own. Pres- ently, however, some of them, dissatisfied with their residence in Syracuse, returned to the abandoned city, and fitted up a portion of it called Phokeis, together with a neighboring strong post called Brikinnies. Here, after being joined by a considerable number of the exiled Demos, they contrived to hold out for some time against the efforts of the Syracusans to expel them from their fortifications. The new enrolment of citizens, projected by the Leontine democracy, seems to date during the year succeeding the pacifi- cation of Gela, and was probably intended to place the city in a more defensible position in case of renewed attacks from Syra- cuse, thus compensating for the departure of the Athenian auxil- iaries. The Leontine Demos, in exile and suffering, doubtless bitterly repenting that they had concurred in dismissing these auxiliaries, sent envoys to Athens with complaints, and renewed prayers for help. 1 But Athens was then too much pressed to attend to their call ; her defeat at Delium and her losses in Thrace had been followed by the truce for one year ; and even during that truce, she had been called upon for strenuous efforts in Thrace to check the progress of Brasidas. After the expiration of that truce, she sent Phaeax and two colleagues to Sicily (B.C. 422) with the modest force of two triremes. He was directed to try and organize an anti- Syracusan party in the island, for the purpose of reestablish- ing the Leontine Demos. In passing along the coast of Italy, he concluded amicable relations with some of the Grecian cities, of new citizens as the substantive and primary resolution, actually taken by the Leontines ; the redivision of the lands, as a measure consequent and subsidiary to this, and as yet existing only in project (kirevoei). Mr. Mit- ford states the fresh and equal division to have been the real object of desire, and the enrolment of new citizens to have been proposed with a view to attain it. His representation is greatly at variance with that of Thucydides. 1 Justin (iv, 4) surrounds the Sicilian envoys at Athens with all the in- signia of misery and humiliation, while addressing the Athenian assembly: ' Sordid< vcste, capillo barbaque promissis, et omni squaloris habitn ad roisericoriiam commovcndam conquisito, concionem deformes adcunt."