Chapter L

FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
DOWN TO THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMOTIONS AT KORKYRA.

Fourth year of the war—internal suffering at Athens.—Renewed
invasion of Attica.—Revolt of Mitylênê and most part of Lesbos
from Athens.—Proceedings of Athens—powerful condition of
Mitylênê—Athenian fleet sent thither under Kleïppidês.—Kleïppidês
fails in surprising Mitylênê—carries on an imperfect blockade.—He
receives reinforcements, and presses the siege with greater
vigor—want of resolution on the part of the Mitylenæans.—The
Mitylenæan envoys address themselves to the Spartans at the
Olympic festival, entreating aid.—Tone and topics of their
address.—Practical grounds of complaint on the part of the
Mitylenæans against Athens few or none.—The Peloponnesians
promise assistance to Mitylênê—energetic demonstrations of the
Athenians.—Asôpius son of Phormio in Akarnania.—The accumulated
treasure of Athens exhausted by her efforts—necessity for her
to raise a direct contribution.—Outbreak of the Platæans from
their blockaded town.—Their plan of escape—its extraordinary
difficulty and danger. Half of the garrison of Platæa escapes to
Athens.—Blockade of Mitylênê closely carried on by the Athenian
general Pachês—the Mitylenæans are encouraged to hold out by
the Lacedæmonians, who send thither Salæthus.—Mitylênê holds
out till provisions are exhausted—Salæthus arms all the people
of Mitylênê for a general sally—the people refuse to join—the
city is surrendered to Athens, at discretion.—The Peloponnesian
fleet under Alkidas arrives off the coast of Ionia—astonishment
and alarm which its presence creates.—Pachês, after the
capture of Mitylênê, pursues the fleet of Alkidas, which
returns to Peloponnesus without having done anything.—Pachês
at Notium—he captures the place—his perfidy towards Hippias,
the leader of the garrison.—Notium recolonized from Athens
as a separate town.—Pachês sends to Athens about a thousand
Mitylenæan prisoners, the persons chiefly concerned in the
late revolt, together with Salæthus.—Important debate in the
Athenian assembly upon the treatment of the prisoners.—First
mention of Kleon by Thucydidês—new class of politicians to
which he belonged.—Eukratês, Kleon, Lysiklês, Hyperbolus,
etc.—Character of Kleon.—Indignation of the Athenians against
Mitylênê—proposition of Kleon to put to death the whole male
population of military age is carried and passed.—Repentance
of the Athenians after the decree is passed. A fresh assembly
is convened to reconsider the decree.—Account of the second
assembly given by Thucydidês—speech of Kleon in support of the
resolution already passed.—Remarks on the speech of Kleon.—Speech
of Diodotus in opposition to Kleon—second decree mitigating
the former. Rapid voyage of the trireme which carries the
second decree to Mitylênê—it arrives just in time to prevent
the execution of the first.—Those Mitylenæans whom Pachês had
sent to Athens are put to death—treatment of Mitylênê by the
Athenians.—Enormities committed by Pachês at Mitylênê—his
death before the Athenian dikastery.—Surrender of Platæa to
the Lacedæmonians.—The Platæan captive garrison are put upon
their trial before Lacedæmonian judges.—Speech of the Platæan
deputies to these judges on behalf of themselves and their
comrades.—Reply of the Thebans.—The Platæans are sentenced to
death by the Lacedæmonian judges, and all slain.—Reason of the
severity of the Lacedæmonians—cases of Platæa and Mitylênê
compared.—Circumstances of Korkyra—the Korkyræan captives are
sent back from Corinth, under agreement to effect a revolution in
the government and foreign politics of the island.—Their attempts
to bring about a revolution—they prosecute the democratical
leader Peithias—he prosecutes five of them in revenge—they
are found guilty.—They assassinate Peithias and several other
senators, and make themselves masters of the government—they
decree neutrality—their unavailing mission to Athens.—The
oligarchical party at Korkyra attack the people—obstinate battle
in the city—victory of the people—arrival of the Athenian admiral
Nikostratus.—Moderation of Nikostratus—proceedings of the people
towards the vanquished oligarchs.—Arrival of the Lacedæmonian
admiral Alkidas, with a fleet of fifty-three triremes. Renewed
terror and struggle in the island.—Naval battle off Korkyra
between Nikostratus and Alkidas.—Confusion and defenceless
state of Korkyra—Alkidas declines to attack it—arrival of the
Athenian fleet under Eurymedon—flight of Alkidas.—Vengeance
of the victorious Demos in Korkyra against the prostrate
oligarchs—fearful bloodshed.—Lawless and ferocious murders—base
connivance of Eurymedon.—Band of oligarchical fugitives escape to
the mainland—afterwards land again on the island and establish
themselves on Mount Istônê.—Political reflections introduced by
Thucydidês on occasion of the Korkyræan massacre.—The political
enormities of Korkyra were the worst that occurred in the whole
war.—How these enormities began and became exaggerated. Conduct
of the opposing parties.—Contrast between the bloody character
of revolutions at Korkyra and the mild character of analogous
phenomena at Athens.—Bad morality of the rich and great men
throughout the Grecian cities. 221-285