Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/320

 204 RETURN OF ALCIDAS [ill men who were not his enemies and were not lifting a hand against him, but were allies of Athens from necessity : if he went on in this way he would convert few of his enemies into friends, and many of his friends into enemies. He was convinced by them, and allowed such of the Chian prisoners as he had not yet put to death and some others to go free. They had been easily taken, because, when people saw the ships, instead of flying, they came close up to them under the idea that they were Athenian ; the thought never entered into their minds that while the Athenians were masters of the sea, Peloponnesian ships would find their way across the Aegean to the coast of Ionia. 33 From Ephesus Alcidas sailed away in haste, or rather He sails from Ephe- ^^^d ; for while he was at anchor near sus direct for Peio- Clarus he had been sighted by the ponnesus havir^ been Athenian sacred vessels, Paralus and srghtea by the Farahts. ' and Saianiinia, and is Salaminia, which happened to be on pursued as far as Fat- a voyage from Athens. In fear of mosbyFaches. pursuit he hurried through the open sea, determined to stop nowhere, if he could help it, until he reached Peloponnesus. News of him and his fleet was brought to Paches from the country of Erythrae, and indeed kept coming in from all sides. For Ionia not being fortified, there was great apprehension lest the Pelopon- nesians, as they sailed along the coast, might fall upon the cities and plunder them, even though they had no intention of remaining. And the Paralus and Salaminia reported that they had themselves seen him at Clarus. Paches eagerly gave chase and pursued him as far as the island of Patmos, but, seeing that he was no longer within reach, he returned. Not having come up with the fleet of the Peloponnesians upon the open sea, he congratulated him- self that they had not been overtaken somewhere near land, where they would have been forced to put in and fortify themselves on shore, and the Athenians would have had the trouble of watching and blockading them.