Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/390

372 372 HISTORY OF GREECE. wards by Klazomenae, determined by three triremes from Chio? The Klazomenians had hitherto dwelt upon an islet close to tin- continent ; on which latter, however, a portion of their town, called Polichne, was situated, which they now resolved, in anticipation of attack from Athens, to fortify as their main resi- dence. Both the Chians and Erythrzeans also actively employed themselves in fortifying their towns and preparing for war. 1 In reviewing this account of the revolt of Chios, we find oc- casion to repeat remarks already suggested by previous revolts of other allies of Athens, Lesbos, Akanthus, Torone, Mende, Amphipolis, etc. Contrary to what is commonly intimated by historians, we may observe first, that Athens did not systemati- cally interfere to impose her own democratical government upon her allies ; next, that the empire of Athens, though upheld mainly by an established belief in her superior force, was nevertheless by no means odious, nor the proposition of revolting from her acceptable to the general population of her allies. She had at this moment no force in Ionia ; and the oligarchical government of Chios, wishing to revolt, was only prevented from openly declaring its intention by the reluctance of its own population, a reluctance which it overcame partly by surprise arising from the sudden arrival of Alkibiades and Chalkideus, partly by the fallacious assurance of a still greater Peloponnesian force ap- proaching. 2 Nor would the Chian oligarchy themselves have determined to revolt, had they not been persuaded that such was now the safer course, inasmuch as Athens was now ruined, and 1 Thucyd. viii, 14. l-vvEitoTef, T 6 re ir7i.^-&of oi) ftovhoftevoi iru IT ohe piov irpiv TL not lo%vpbv %uj3uai, xal roi>( Ilf/loTrovvj/fftovf OVKETL KpooS iieiv, on durpifiov. Also viii, 14. 'O 6e 'A%Kij3iudqf KOI 6 Xa/UJetf irpovyyev6fjevot raw ^v^nrpaaaovruv Xtuv r<o7, nal KS^-CVOVTUV KaranTielv fir) irpoenrovraf ff TJJV TToXiv, uQiKvovvrai aifvifiioi rolf Xioif. Kal ol pev ?ro?uAoi ev & av f.iar i TJOCLV K al k Kirhr/!- e f roZf de 6Atyoif TT ap E a K.ev- auro uare Pavt.rjv re rv^eiv ^v^eyonivijv, teal yevofiivuv "Koyuv UTTO TI TOV 'AX/ct/^tarfov, cif uAAai re v^ef ffoAAn? npoairhsovffi, icai TU irepl Tf/f iro- riJv EV TLeipaiu vsuv ov dr/^-uauvTuv, u^iaravrai Xloi, Kai
 * Thucyd. viii, 9. Amov <T tyevero -nyf inroaTol.qc TUV vediv, ol fiev
 * roAAo2 TUV Xiuv OVK el6oTEf TU IT paaao [lEva, ol 6' bhiyoi