Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/59

 INSCRIPTIONS Iv TtAets (f)6pov, to have been ignorant of the fact, since in that case he would not have spoken of the Athenians as faiHng in their attempt to force Melos into the alliance (iii. 91 init.). (2) A sum of three talents (i. e. a quota of 300 drachmae) is said in the list (C. I. A. 257) for the year 427 or 426 to have been paid by the islanders of Thera; and this is raised in the estimate of the rafi? e^opov, 425 b. c, to five talents. In C. I. A. 38, a decree relating to the (^opo?, but of uncertain date or meaning, there occur the words [elea-Jro) 8e /cat 2a/xiois kol ®qpaLo[i<f, sliowing that both were under some special regulation. Yet at the beginning of the war the Theraeans as well as the Melians are ex- cepted from the list of the Athenian allies {-n-ao-ai at aAAat KwAaSes ~i]v Mr;Aou kol (drfpa-;, ii. 9 fin.), and were probably, like the Melians (v. 84), neutral. Now it seems impossible that a new tribute could have been imposed before the Pelo- ponnesian War on an island which is expressly excluded by Thucydides from the number of Athenian allies and tributaries. But it is not unlikely that at some time in the course of the war the island may have been conquered by the Athenians, or may have submitted to them, and that Thucydides may either have forgotten the fact or have not thought it worth mentioning. It is possible also that both Melos and Thera may have been original members of the Delian confederacy, and, though not included in her regular tributaries, may have made some payment to Athens. (3) In the account of the expedition against Cyprus (Thuc. i. 112) the Athenians are said to have left Citium in consequence of the death of Cimon, and also of a famine which occurred. It is observed by Kohler (p. 130) that the year of this famine (449) coincides with the year of a defalcation in the tribute money, viz. the arrears of the sixth year just discussed. But the defalcation is itself uncertain, and it is very doubtful whether there is any trace here of a real coincidence. For the famine is in Cyprus, but the supposed defalcation is about the shores