Chapter LXV

FROM THE BATTLE OF ARGINUSÆ TO THE RESTORATION OF THE
DEMOCRACY AT ATHENS, AFTER THE EXPULSION OF THE THIRTY.

Alleged propositions of peace from Sparta to
Athens—doubtful.—Eteonikus at Chios—distress of his
seamen—conspiracy suppressed.—Solicitations from
Chios and elsewhere that Lysander should be sent out
again.—Arrival of Lysander at Ephesus—zeal of his
partisans—Cyrus.—Violent revolution at Milêtus by the
partisans of Lysander.—Cyrus goes to visit his dying
father—confides his tributes to Lysander.—Inaction of the
Athenian fleet after the battle of Arginusæ.—Operations of
Lysander.—Both fleets at the Hellespont.—Athenian fleet
at Ægospotami.—Battle of Ægospotami—surprise and capture
of the entire Athenian fleet.—Capture of the Athenian
commanders, all except Konon.—Slaughter of the captive
generals and prisoners.—The Athenian fleet supposed to
have been betrayed by its own commanders.—Distress and
agony at Athens, when the defeat of Ægospotami was made
known there.—Proceedings of Lysander.—Miserable condition
of the Athenian kleruchs, and of the friends of Athens
in the allied dependencies.—Suffering in Athens.—Amnesty
proposed by Patrokleidês, and adopted.—Oath of mutual
harmony sworn in the acropolis.—Arrival of Lysander.
Athens is blocked up by sea and land.—Resolute holding-out
of the Athenians—their propositions for capitulating are
refused.—Pretences of Theramenês—he is sent as envoy—his
studied delay.—Misery and famine in Athens—death of
Kleophon.—The famine becomes intolerable—Theramenês is
sent to obtain peace on any terms—debate about the terms
at Sparta.—Peace is granted by Sparta, against the general
sentiment of the allies.—Surrender of Athens—extreme
wretchedness—number of deaths from famine.—Lysander
enters Athens—return of the exiles—demolition of the Long
Walls—dismantling of Peiræus—fleet given up.—The exiles
and the oligarchical party in Athens—their triumphant
behavior and devotion to Lysander.—Kritias and other
exiles—past life of Kritias.—Kritias at the head of
the oligarchs at Athens.—Oligarchical leaders named
at Athens.—Seizure of Strombichidês and other eminent
democrats.—Nomination of the Thirty, under the dictation
of Lysander.—Conquest of Samos by Lysander—oligarchy
restored there.—Triumphant return of Lysander to Sparta—his
prodigious ascendency throughout Greece.—Proceedings of
the Thirty at Athens—feelings of oligarchical men like
Plato.—The Thirty begin their executions—Strombichidês
and the imprisoned generals put to death—other democrats
also.—Senate appointed by the Thirty—is only trusted to
act under their intimidation. Numerous executions without
trial.—The senate began by condemning willingly everyone
brought before them.—Discord among the Thirty—dissentient
views of Kritias and Theramenês.—Lacedæmonian garrison
introduced—multiplied executions by Kritias and the
Thirty.—Opposition of Theramenês to these measures—violence
and rapacity still farther increased—rich and oligarchical
men put to death.—Plan of Kritias to gain adherents
by forcing men to become accomplices in deeds of
blood—resistance of Sokratês.—Terror and discontent in
the city—the Thirty nominate a body of Three Thousand as
partisan hoplites.—They disarm the remaining hoplites
of the city.—Murders and spoliations by the Thirty.
Seizure of the Metics.—Seizure of Lysias the rhetor and
his brother Polemarchus. The former escapes—the latter
is executed.—Increased exasperation of Kritias and the
majority of the Thirty against Theramenês.—Theramenês
is denounced by Kritias in the Senate—speech of
Kritias.—Reply of Theramenês.—Extreme violence of Kritias
and the Thirty.—Condemnation of Theramenês.—Death of
Theramenês—remarks on his character.—Increased tyranny of
Kritias and the Thirty.—The Thirty forbid intellectual
teaching.—Sokratês and the Thirty.—Growing insecurity
of the Thirty.—Gradual alteration of feeling in Greece,
since the capture of Athens.—Demand by the allies of
Sparta to share in the spoils of the war—refused by
Sparta.—Unparalleled ascendency of Lysander.—His overweening
ambition—oppressive dominion of Sparta.—Disgust excited
in Greece by the enormities of the Thirty.—Opposition to
Lysander at Sparta—king Pausanias.—Kallikratidas compared
with Lysander.—Sympathy at Thebes and elsewhere with the
Athenian exiles.—Thrasybulus seizes Phylê—repulses the
Thirty in their attack.—Farther success of Thrasybulus—the
Thirty retreat to Athens.—Discord among the oligarchy
at Athens—seizure of the Eleusinians.—Thrasybulus
establishes himself in Peiræus.—The Thirty attack him
and are defeated—Kritias is slain.—Colloquy during the
burial-truce—language of Kleokritus.—Discouragement of
the oligarchs at Athens—deposition of the Thirty and
appointment of the Ten—the Thirty go to Eleusis.—The Ten
carry on the war against the exiles.—Increasing strength
of Thrasybulus.—Arrival of Lysander in Attica with a
Spartan force.—Straightened condition of the exiles in
Peiræus.—Spartan king Pausanias conducts an expedition into
Attica; opposed to Lysander.—His dispositions unfavorable
to the oligarchy; reaction against the Thirty.—Pausanias
attacks Peiræus; his partial success.—Peace party in
Athens—sustained by Pausanias.—Pacification granted by
Pausanias and the Spartan authorities.—The Spartans evacuate
Attica—Thrasybulus and the exiles are restored—harangue
of Thrasybulus.—Restoration of the democracy.—Capture of
Eleusis—entire reunion of Attica—flight of the survivors of
the Thirty. 210-290