Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/200

182 182 HISTORY OF GREECE. against Sicily Intimation had indeed reached Syracuse, from several quarters, of the resolution taken by the Athenians in the preceding March to assist Egesta and Leontini, and of the prep- arations going on in consequence. There was, however, a pre- vailing indisposition to credit such tidings. Nothing in the state of Sicily held out any encouragement to Athenian ambition : the Leontines could give no aid, the Egestaeans very little, and that little at the opposite corner of the island ; while the Syracusans considered themselves fully able to cope with any force which Athens was likely to send. Some derided the intelligence as mere idle rumor ; others anticipated, at most, nothing more serious than the expedition sent from Athens ten years before. 1 No one could imagine the new eagerness and obstinacy with which she had just thrown herself into the scheme of Sicilian conquest, nor the formidable armament presently about to start. Nevertheless, the Syracusan generals thought it their duty to make preparations, and strengthen the military condition of the state. 2 Hermokrates, however, whose information Avas more complete, judged these preparations insufficient, and took advantage of a public assembly held seemingly about the time that the Athe- nians were starting from Peirseus to impress such conviction on his countrymen, as well as to correct their incredulity. He pledged his own credit that the reports which had been circulated were not merely true, but even less than the full truth ; that the Athenians were actually on their way, with an armament on the largest scale, and vast designs of conquering all Sicily. While he strenuously urged that the city should be put in immediate 1 Thucyd. vi, 32-35. Mr. Mitford observes : " It is not specified by his- torians, but the iiccount of Thucydides makes it evident, that there had been a revolution in the government of Syracuse, or at least a great change in its administration, since the oligarchical Leontines were admitted to the rights of Syracustm citizens (ch. xviii, sect, iii, vol. iv, p. 46). The demo- cratical party now bore the sway," etc. I cannot imagine upon what passage of Thucydides Mr. Mitford foundi this conjecture, which appears to me pure fancy. He had spol en of tha government as a democracy before, he continues to speak of it a," a democ- racy now, in the same unaltered vituperative strain.
 * Thncvd. vi. 41. TU 6e Kal lTri/j.f/iE^.ii/i&a 7/6?}, etc.