Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/136

 20 EMBASSY FROM CORCYRA TO CORINTH [l safety, but that all who remained would be treated as enemies. This had no effect, and the Corcyraeans pro- ceeded to invest the city, which is built upon an isthmus. 27 When the news reached the Corinthians that Epidamnus The Corinthians pre- was besieged, they equipped an army pare for war and pro- ^nd proclaimed that a colony was to be caim a f^o oiiy o pi- thither; all who wished might go aainnus. Megara and ' ... other friendly cities fur- and enjoy equal rights of citizenship; nish ships. jjut any one who was unwilling to sail at once might remain at Corinth, and, if he made a deposit of fifty Corinthian drachmae, might still have a share in the colony ''»■. Many sailed, and many deposited the money. The Corinthians also sent and requested the Megarians to assist them with a convoy in case the Corcyraeans should intercept the colonists on their voyage. The Megarians accordingly provided eight ships, and the Cephallenians of Pale four ; the Epidaurians, of whom they made a similar request, five ; the Hermionians one ; the Troezenians two ; the Leucadians ten ; and the Ambraciots eight. Of the Thebans and Phliasians they begged money, and of the Eleans money, and ships without crews. On their own account they equipped thirty ships and three thousand hoplites. 28 When the Corcyraeans heard of their preparations they TheCorcyraeanspro- ^^"^^ to Corinth, taking with them Lace- posearbityatioii,offeying daemonian and Sicyonian envoys, and 7iniil a decision be given summoned the Corinthians to withdraw to withdraiv their troops . . ., . ... if the Corinthians with, ^he troops and the colonists, telling draiv theirs, or to alloiv them that they had nothing to do with both to remain at Epi- Epidamnus. If they made any claim daynnus by agreement. , •. ,. ^. . , to It, the Corcyraeans expressed them- selves willing to refer the cause for arbitration to such Peloponnesian states as both parties should agree upon, and their decision was to be final ; or, they were willing "■ The sum would amount to ^"2 155. s,d., or to £ 25. 6d., according to the two systems of reckoning discussed in the note on iii. 70, q.v.