Page:History of Greece Vol VIII.djvu/242

 20 HISTORY OF GREECE. rinthian and Andrian trireme, had put the crews to death by hurt- ing them headlong from a precipice. It was not difficult, in Grecian warfare, for each of the belligerents to cite precedents of cruelty against the other ; but in this debate, some speakers affirmed that the Athenians had deliberated what they should do with their prisoners, in case they had been victorious at -ZEgos- potami ; and that they had determined chiefly on the motion of Philokles, but in spite of the opposition of Adeimantus that they would cut off the right hands of all who were captured. What- ever opinion Philokles may have expressed personally, it is high- ly improbable that any such determination was ever taken by the Athenians. 1 In this assembly of the allies, however, besides all that could be said against Athens with truth, doubtless the most extravagant falsehoods found ready credence. All the Athenian prisoners captured at jEgospotami, three thousand or four thou- sand in number, were massacred forthwith, Philokles himself at their head. 2 The latter, taunted by Lysander with his cruel ex- ecution of the Corinthian and Andrian crews, disdained to return any answer, but placed himself in conspicuous vestments at the head of the prisoners led out to execution. If we may believe. Pausanias, even the bodies of the prisoners were left unburied. Never was a victory more complete in itself, more overwhelm ing in its consequences, or more thoroughly disgraceful to the defeated generals, taken collectively, than that of JEgospotami. Whether it was in reality very glorious to Lysander, is doubtful ; for it was the general belief afterwards, not merely at Athens, but seemingly in other parts of Greece also, that the Athenian fleet was sold to perdition by the treason of some of its own commanders. Of this suspicion both Konon and Philokles stand clear. Adeimantus was named as the chief traitor, and Tydeus along with him. 3 Konon even preferred an accusation against 1 Xenoph. Hellcn. ii, 1, 31. This story is given with variations in Plu tarch, Lysand. c. 9, and by Cicero de Offic. iii, 11. It is there the right thumb which is to be cut off, and the determination is alleged to have been taken in reference to the JEginetans. 8 Xenoph. Hellen. ii, 1, 32 ; Pausan. ix, 32, 6 ; Plutarch, Lysand. c. 13. x, 9, 5 ; Isokrates ad Philipp. Or. v, sect. 70. Lysias, in his Aoyof 'Eirtrw ftof (s. 58). speaks of the treason, yet not as a matter of certainty.
 * Xenoph. Hellen. ii, 1, 32 : Lysias cont. Alkib. A. s. 38 ; Pausan. iv, 17, 2