Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/65

 75-77] DESIGNS UPON BOEOTIA 57 a Theban exile. Some of the democratical party under- took to betray Siphae, which is a seaport on the Crisaean Gulf in the Thespian territory, and certain Orchomenians were to deliver up to the Athenians Chaeronea, which is a dependency of the Boeotian, or as it was formerly called the Min^'an, Orchomenus. A body of Orchomenian exiles had a principal hand in this design and were seeking to hire a Peloponnesian force. The town of Chaeronea is at the extremity of Boeotia near the territory of Phanoteus in Phocis, and some Phocians took part in the plot. The Athenians meanwhile were to seize Delium, a temple of Apollo which is in the district of Tanagra and looks towards Euboea. In order to keep the Boeotians occupied with disturbances at home, and prevent them from marching in a body to Delium, the whole movement was to be made on a single day, which was fixed before- hand. If the attempt succeeded and Delium was fortified, even though no revolution should at once break out in the states of Boeotia, they might hold the places which they had taken and plunder the country. The partisans of democracy in the several cities would have a refuge near at hand to which in case of failure they might retreat. Matters could not long remain as they were; and in time, the Athenians acting with the rebels, and the Boeotian forces being divided, they would easily settle Boeotia in their interest. Such was the nature of the proposed attempt. Hippocrates himself with a force from the city was 77 ready to march into Boeotia when the Demosthenes with a moment came. He had sent Demo- ■fl'''^' /'<"« Naupadus sthenes beforehand with the forty ships "'"^ Hippocrates u-itk ^f r (t,i (jf-ffiy f,oni Athens to Naupactus, mtending him to collect „g,rc to invade Boeotia an army of Acarnanians and other on a fi.xed day. allies of the Athenians in that region and sail against Siphae, which was to be betrayed to them. These opera- tions were to be carried out simultaneously on the day appointed. F 2