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370 370 HISTORY OF GUEECE. ponnesian land-force arrived in sufficient numbers to defend them So inconvenient, however, was their station on this desert spot, that they at first determined to burn the vessels and depart. Nor was it without difficulty that they were induced, partly by the instances of king Agis, to guard the ships until an opportu- nity could be found for eluding the blockading Athenian fleet ; a part of which still kept watch off the shore, while the rest were stationed at a neighboring islet. 1 The Spartan ephors had directed Alkamenes, at the moment of his departure from Kenchrasa, to despatch a messenger to Sparta, in order that the five triremes under Chalkideus and Alkibiades might leave Laconia at the same moment. And these latter appear to have been actually under way, when a second messenger brought the news of the defeat and death of Alka- menes at Peirajum. Besides the discouragement arising from such a check at the outset of their plans against Ionia, the ephors thought it impossible to begin operations with so small a squad- ron as five triremes, so that the departure of Chalkideus was for the present countermanded. This resolution, perfectly natural to adopt, was only reversed at the strenuous instance of the Athe- nian exile Alkibiades, who urged them to permit Chalkideus and himself to start forthwith. Small as the squadron was, yet as it would reach Chios before the defeat at Peiraum became public, it might be passed off as the precursor of the main fleet ; while he (Alkibiades) pledged himself to procure the revolt of Chios and the other Ionic cities, through his personal connection with the leading men, who would repose confidence in his assurances of the helplessness of Athens, as well as of the thorough deter- mination of Sparta to stand by them. To these arguments, Alkibiades added an appeal to the personal vanity of Endius ; whom he instigated to assume for himself the glory of liberating Ionia as well as of first commencing the Persian alliance, instead of leaving this enterprise to king Agis. 1 By these arguments assisted doubtless by his personal influ- ence, since his advice respecting Gylippus and respecting Deke- leia had turned out so successful Alkibiades obtained the con- sent of the Spartan ephors, and sailed along with Chalkideus ic 1 Thucvd. viii, 11. * Thucyd. viii, 12