Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/65

 MARITIME POWER 43 obtain both access to Peirajus and protection from the Athenian triremes against that swarm of pirates, who showed themselves after the peace of Antalkidas, when there was no predominant maritime state ; besides which, the market of Peiraeus was often supplied with foreign corn from the Crimea, through the prefer- ence shown by the princes of Bosphorus to Athens, at a time when vessels from other places could obtain no cargo. 1 A mode- rate tribute paid to Athens would secure to the tributary island greater advantages than if paid to Sparta, with at least equal protection. Probably, the influence of Athens over these island- ers was farther aided by the fact, that she administered the festi- vals, and lent out the funds, of the holy temple at Delos. We know by inscriptions remaining, that large sums were borrowed at interest from the temple-treasure, not merely by individual islanders, but also by the island-cities collectively, Naxos, Andros, Tenos, Siphnos, Seriphos. The Amphiktyonic council who dispensed these loans (or at least the presiding members) were Athenians named annually at Athens. 9 Moreover, these islanders rendered religious homage and attendance at the Delian festivals, and were thus brought within the range of a central Athenian influence, capable, under favorable circumstances, of being strengthened and rendered even politically important. By such helps, Athens was slowly acquiring to herself a second maritime confederacy, which we shall presently find to be of con- siderable moment, though never approaching the grandeur of her former empire ; so that in the year 380 B. c., when Isokrates pub- lished his Panegyrical Discourse (seven years after the peace of Antalkidas), though her general power was still slender compared with the overruling might of Sparta, 3 yet her navy had already 1 Isokrates, Orat. xvii, (Trapezit. ) s. 71. tains the accounts rendered by the annual Amphiktyons at Delos, from 377-373 B.C. Boeckh, Staatshaushaltung der Athener, vol. ii, p. 214, ed. 1 ; vol. ii, p. 78 ae<]., ed. 2nd. The list of cities and individuals who borrowed money from the temple is given in these accounts, together with the amount of interest either paid by them, or remaining in arrear. 3 This is the description which Isokrates himself gives (Orat. xv, (Permn- tat.) s. 61) of the state of the Grecian world when he published his Pne-
 * See the valuable inscription called the Marmor Sandvicense, which con-