Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/128

 12 WAR BETWEEN CHALCIS AND ERETRIA [l and in expectation of the Barbarian, even these ships with which they fought at Salamis were not completely decked <=. 15 So inconsiderable were the Hellenic navies in recent as The chief power of Well as in more ancient times. And i Hellas maritime. Wars yet those who applied their energies to by land inconsiderable, ^j^^ ^^^ obtained a great accession of strength by the increase of their revenues and thej extension of their dominion. For they attacked and sub- jugated the islands, especially when the pressure of population was felt by them. Whereas by land, no conflict of any kind which brought increase of power ever occurred; what wars they had were mere border feuds. Foreign and distant expeditions of conquest the Hellenes never under- took; for they were not as yet ranged under the command of the great states, nor did they form voluntary leagues or make expeditions on an equal footing. Their wars were only the wars of the several neighbouring tribes with one another. The conflict in which the rest of Hellas was most divided, allying itself with one side or the other, was the ancient war between the Chalcidians and Eretrians^ 16 There were different impediments to the progress of the Impediments to pro- different States. The lonians had at- S''^^^ • tained great prosperity when Cyrus and B.C. 546. the Persians, having overthrown Croesus and subdued the (i) The rising power Countries between the river Halys and of the Persians. ^^ ggj^^ made War against them and en- B.C. 493. slaved the cities on the mainland. Some time afterwards, ■ '^^' '^- Darius, strong in the possession of the Phoenician fleet, conquered the islands also. 17 Nor again did the tyrants of the Hellenic cities extend (2) The petty aims their thoughts beyond their own in- and cautions natures terest, that is, the Security of their per- of the tyrants. SOUS, and the aggrandisement of them- selves and their families. They were extremel}' cautious in the administration of their government, and nothing " Herod. V. 99.