Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/419

 97-98] THE TRAITOR ARISTARCHUS 411 to receive pay for holding any office, on pain of falling under a curse. In the numerous other assemblies which were afterwards held they appointed Nomothetae, and by a series of decrees established a constitution. This government during its early days was the best which the Athenians ever enjoyed within my memory. Oligarchy and Democracy were duly attempered. And thus after the miserable state into which she had fallen, the city was again able to raise her head. The people also passed a vote recalling Alcibiades and others from exile, and sending to him and to the army in Samos exhorted them to act vigorously. When this new revolution began, Peisander, Alexicles, 98 and the other leaders of the oligarchy Betrayal of Omoi to stole away to Decelea ; all except the Pcloponnesians by Aristarchus, who, being one of the -^"staychus. generals at the time, gathered round him hastily a few archers of the most barbarous sort and made his way to Oenoe. This was an Athenian fort on the borders of Boeotia which the Corinthians'^, having called the Boeot- ians to their aid, were now besieging on their own account, in order to revenge an overthrow inflicted by the garrison of Oenoe upon a party of them who were going home from Decelea. Aristarchus entered into communication with the besiegers, and deceived the garrison by telling them that the Athenian government had come to terms with the Lacedaemonians, and that by one of the con- ditions of the peace they were required to give up the place to the Boeotians. They, trusting him, whom they knew to be a general, and being in entire ignorance of what had happened because they were closely invested, capitulated and came out. Thus Oenoe was taken and occupied by the Boeotians ; and the oligarchical revolution at Athens came to an end. '^ Or, ' which Corinthian volunteers,' omitting ' on their own ac- count.'