Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/409

391 ASTYOCHUS AT CHIOS. O 91 drawn among the generals, Strombichides with two others were assigned to the command. The other seventy-four triremes, remaining masters of the sea, made descents near Miletus, and in vain tried to provoke the Peloponnesian fleet out of that harbor. It was some time before Astyochus actually went thither to assume his new command, being engaged in operations near to Chios, which island had been left comparatively free by the recall of the Athenian fleet to the general muster at Samos. Going forth with twenty triremes, ten Peloponnesian and ten Chian, he made a fruitless attack upon Pteleus, the Athenian fortified post in the Erythraean territory ; after which he sailed to Klazomena?, recently retransferred from the continent to the neighboring islet. He here in conjunction with Tamos, the Persian general of the district enjoined the Klazomenians again to break with Athens, to leave their islet, and to take up their residence inland atDaphnus, where the philo-Peloponnesian party among them still remained established since the former revolt. This demand being rejected, he attacked Klazomena?, but was repulsed, although the town was unfortified, and was presently driven off by a severe storm, from which he found shelter at Kyme and Phokrea. Some of his ships sheltered them- selves during the same storm on certain islets near to and belong- ing to Klazomena; ; on which they remained eight days, destroying and plundering the property of the inhabitants, and then rejoined Astyochus. That admiral was now anxious to make an attempt on Lesbos, from which he received envoys promising revolt from Athens. But the Corinthians and others in his fleet were so averse to the enterprise, that he was forced to relinquish it and sail back to Chios ; his fleet, before it arrived there, being again dispersed by the storms, frequent in the month of November. 1 Meanwhile Pedaritus, despatched by land from Miletus, at the head of the mercenary force made prisoners at lasus, as well as of five hundred of the Peloponnesian seamen who had origi- nally crossed the sea with Chalkideus, and since served as hop- lites, had reached Erythrce and from thence crossed the channel to Chios. To him and to the Chians, Astyochus now proposed to undertake the expedition to Lesbos ; but he experi- 1 Thucyd. viii, 31, 32.