a smaller history of greece-第26节

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　the　bad　weather　continued　for　some　time；　the　soldiers　on　board　amused　themselves；　under　the　directions　of　Demosthenes；　in　constructing　a　sort　of　rude　fortification。　　The　nature　of　the　ground　was　favourable　for　the　work；　and　in　five　or　six　days　a　wall　was　throws　up　sufficient　for　the　purposes　of　defence。　　Demosthenes　undertook　to　garrison　the　place；　and　five　ships　and　200　hoplites　were　left　behind　with　him。

This　insult　to　the　Lacedaemonian　territory　caused　great　alarm　and　indignation　at　Sparta。　　The　Peloponnesian　fleet　was　ordered　to　Pylus；　and　the　Lacedaemonian　commander；　on　arriving　with　the　fleet；　immediately　occupied　the　small　uninhabited　and　densely　wooded　island　of　Sphacteria；　which；　with　the　exception　of　two　narrow　channels　on　the　north　and　south；　almost　blocked　up　the　entrance　of　the　bay。　　Between　the　island　and　the　mainland　was　a　spacious　basin；　in　which　the　fleet　took　up　its　station。　　The　Lacedaemonians　lost　no　time　in　attacking　the　fortress；　but　notwithstanding　their　repeated　attempts　they　were　unable　to　effect　a　landing。

Whilst　they　were　preparing　for　another　assault；　they　were　surprised　by　the　appearance　of　the　Athenian　fleet。　　They　had　strangely　neglected　to　secure　the　entrances　into　the　bay：　　and；　when　the　Athenian　ships　came　sailing　through　both　the　undefended　channels；　many　of　their　triremes　were　still　moored；　and　part　of　their　crews　ashore。　　The　battle　which　ensued　was　desperate。　　Both　sides　fought　with　extraordinary　valour；　but　victory　at　length　declared　for　the　Athenians。　　Five　Peloponnesian　ships　were　captured；　the　rest　were　saved　only　by　running　them　ashore；　where　they　were　protected　by　the　Lacedaemonian　army。

The　Athenians；　thus　masters　of　the　sea；　were　enabled　to　blockade　the　island　of　Sphacteria；　in　which　the　flower　of　the　Lacedaemonian　army　was　shut　up；　many　of　them　native　Spartans　of　the　highest　families。　　In　so　grave　an　emergency　messengers　were　sent　to　Sparta　for　advice。　　The　Ephors　themselves　immediately　repaired　to　the　spot；　and　so　desponding　was　their　view　of　the　matter；　that　they　saw　no　issue　from　it　but　a　peace。　　They　therefore　proposed　and　obtained　an　armistice　for　the　purpose　of　opening　negotiations　at　Athens。　　But　the　Athenians；　at　the　instigation　of　Cleon；　insisted　upon　the　most　extravagant　demands；　and　hostilities　were　accordingly　resumed。　　They　were　not　however　attended　with　any　decisive　result。　　The　blockade　of　Sphacteria　began　to　grow　tedious　and　harassing。　　The　force　upon　it　continually　received　supplies　of　provisions　either　from　swimmers；　who　towed　skins　filled　with　linseed　and　poppy…seed　mixed　with　honey；　or　from　Helots；　who；　induced　by　the　promise　of　large　rewards；　eluded　the　blockading　squadron　during　dark　and　stormy　nights；　and　landed　cargoes　on　the　back　of　the　island。　　The　summer；　moreover；　was　fast　wearing　away；　and　the　storms　of　winter　might　probably　necessitate　the　raising　of　the　blockade　altogether。　　Under　these　circumstances；　Demosthenes　began　to　contemplate　a　descent　upon　the　island；　with　which　view　he　sent　a　message　to　Athens　to　explain　the　unfavourable　state　of　the　blockade；　and　to　request　further　assistance。

These　tidings　were　very　distasteful　to　the　Athenians；　who　had　looked　upon　Sphacteria　as　their　certain　prey。　　They　began　to　regret　having　let　slip　the　favourable　opportunity　for　making　a　peace；　and　to　vent　their　displeasure　upon　Cleon；　the　director　of　their　conduct　on　that　occasion。　　But　Cleon　put　on　a　face　of　brass。　　He　abused　the　Strategi。　　His　political　opponent；　Nicias；　was　then　one　of　those　officers；　a　man　of　quiet　disposition　and　moderate　abilities；　but　thoroughly　honest　and　incorruptible。　　Him　Cleon　now　singled　out　for　his　vituperation；　and；　pointing　at　him　with　his　finger；　exclaimed〃It　would　be　easy　enough　to　take　the　island　if　our　generals　were　MEN。　　If　I　were　General；　I　would　do　it　at　once！〃　　This　burst　of　the　tanner　made　the　assembly　laugh。　He　was　saluted　with　cries　of　〃Why　don't　you　go；　then？〃　　and　Nicias；　thinking　probably　to　catch　his　opponent　in　his　own　trap；　seconded　the　voice　of　the　assembly　by　offering　to　place　at　his　disposal　whatever　force　he　might　deem　necessary　for　the　enterprise。　　Cleon　at　first　endeavoured　to　avoid　the　dangerous　honour　thus　thrust　upon　him。　　But　the　more　he　drew　back　the　louder　were　the　assembly　in　calling　upon　him　to　accept　the　office；　and　as　Nicias　seriously　repeated　his　proposition；　he　adopted　with　a　good　grace　what　there　was　no　longer　any　possibility　of　evading；　and　asserted　that　he　would　take　Sphacteria　within　twenty　days；　and　either　kill　all　the　Lacedaemonians　upon　it；　or　bring　them　prisoners　to　Athens。

Never　did　general　set　out　upon　an　enterprise　under　circumstances　more　singular；　but；　what　was　still　more　extraordinary；　fortune　enabled　him　to　make　his　promise　good。　　In　fact；　as　we　have　seen；　Demosthenes　had　already　resolved　on　attacking　the　island；　and　when　Cleon　arrived　at　Pylus　he　found　everything　prepared　for　the　assault。　　Accident　favoured　the　enterprise。　　A　fire　kindled　by　some　Athenian　sailors；　who　had　landed　for　the　purpose　of　cooking　their　dinner；　caught　and　destroyed　the　woods　with　which　the　island　was　overgrown；　and　thus　deprived　the　Lacedaemonians　of　one　of　their　principal　defences。　　Nevertheless　such　was　the　awe　inspired　by　the　reputation　of　the　Spartan　army　that　Demosthenes　considered　it　necessary　to　land　about　10；000　soldiers　of　different　descriptions；　although　the　Lacedaemonian　force　consisted　of　only　about　420　men。　　But　this　small　force　for　a　long　while　kept　their　assailants　at　bay；　till　some　Messenians；　stealing　round　by　the　sea…shore；　over　crags　and　cliffs　which　the　Lacedaemonians　had　deemed　impracticable；　suddenly　appeared　on　the　high　ground　which　overhung　their　rear。　　They　now　began　to　give　way；　and　would　soon　have　been　all　slain；　but　Cleon　and　Demosthenes；　being　anxious　to　carry　them　prisoners　to　Athens；　sent　a　herald　to　summon　them　to　surrender。　　The　latter；　in　token　of　compliance；　dropped　their　shields；　and　waved　their　hands　above　their　heads。　　They　requested；　however；　permission　to　communicate　with　their　countrymen　on　the　mainland；　who；　after　two　or　three　communications；　sent　them　a　final　message〃to　take　counsel　for　themselves；　but　to　do　nothing　disgraceful。〃　　The　survivors　then　surrendered。　　They　were　292　in　number；　120　of　whom　were　native　Spartans　belonging　to　the　first　families。　　By　this　surrender　the　prestige　of　the　Spartan　arms　was　in　a　great　degree　destroyed。　The　Spartans　were　not；　indeed；　deemed　invincible；　but　their　previous　feats；　especially　at　Thermopylae；　had　inspired　the　notion　that　they　would　rather　die　than　yield；　an　opinion　which　could　now　no　longer　be　entertained。

Cleon　had　thus　performed　his　promise。　　On　the　day　after　the　victory　he　and　Demosthenes　started　with　the　prisoners　for　Athens；　where　they　arrived　within　20　days　from　the　time　of　Cleon's　departure。　　Altogether；　this　affair　was　one　of　the　most　favourable　for　the　Athenians　that　had　occurred　during　the　war。　The　prisoners　would　serve　not　only　for　a　guarantee　against　future　invasions；　which　might　be　averted　by　threatening　to　put　them　to　death；　but　also　as　a　means　for　extorting　advantageous　conditions　whenever　a　peace　should　be　concluded。　　Nay；　the　victory　itself　was　of　considerable　importance；　since　it　enabled　the　Athenians　to　place　Pylus　in　a　better　posture　of　defence；　and；　by　garrisoning　it　with　Messenians　from　Naupactus；　to　create　a　stronghold　whence　Laconia　might　be　overrun　and　ravaged　at　pleasure。　　The　Lacedaemonians　themselves　were　so　sensible　of　these　things；　that　they　sent　repeated　messages　to　Athens　to　propose　a　peace；　but　which　the　Athenians　altogether　disregarded。

The　eighth　year　of　the　war　（B。C。　424）　opened　with　brilliant　prospects　for　the　Athenians。　　Elate　with　their　continued　good　fortune；　they　aimed　at　nothing　less　than　the　recovery　of　all　the　possessions　which　they　had　held　before　the　Thirty　Years'　Truce。　for　this　purpose　they　planned　an　expedition　against　Boeotia。　　But　their　good　fortune　had　now　reached　its　culminatiug　point。　　They　were　defeated　by　the　Boeotians　with　great　loss　at　the　battle　of　Delium；　which　was　the　greatest　and　most　decisive　engagement　fought　during　the　first　period　of　the　war　an　interesting　feature　of　the　battle　is　that　both　Socrates　and　his　pupil　Alcibiades　were　engaged　in　it；　the　former　among　the　hoplites；　the　latter　in　the　cavalry。　　Socrates　distinguished　himself　by　his　bravery；　and　was　one　of　those　who；　instead　of　throwing　down　their　arms；　kept　together　in　a　compact　body；　and　repulsed　the　attacks　of　the　pursuing　horse。　　His　retreat　was　also　protected　by　Alcibiades。

This　disastrous　battle　was　speedily　followed　by　the　overthrow　of　the　Athenian　empire　in　Thrace。　　At　the　request　of　Perdiccas；　King　of　Macedonia；　and　of　the　Chalcidian　towns；　who　had　sued　for　help　against　the　Athenians；　Brasidas　was　sent　by　the　Lacedaemonian　government　into　Macedonia；　at　the　head　of　a　small　body　of　troops。　On　his　arrival　in　Macedonia　he　proclaimed　that　he　was　come　to　deliver　the　Grecian　cities　from　the　tyrannous　yoke　of　Athens。　His　bravery；　his　kind　and　conciliating　demeanour；　his　probity；　moderation；　and　good　faith；　soon　gained　him　the　respect　and　love　of　the　allies　of　Athens　in　that　quarter。　　Acanthus　and　Stagirus　hastened　to　open　their　gates　to　him；　and　early　in　the　ensuing　winter；　by　means　of　for