XIX. CHAP. those who had been serving under Alcibiades refused to rank with those newly arrived under Thrasyllus they had been always conquerors; those under Thrasyllus were tainted with the disgrace of defeat. Alcibiades seems not to have opposed a prejudice, dangerous only under weak command, and from which, on the contrary, abilities might derive advantage. He quartered them separately, and employed them separately on the fortifications. Xen. Hel 6. 12. From Lampsacus an extent of territory, subject to Persia, was open to inroad; but, in the neighboring city of Abydus, Pharnabazus had his winter residence, attended by a large force of cavalry. Alcibiades led his army toward Abydus, purposely to invite a battle. The satrap unadvisedly met him; was defeated, and, being pursued by the small body of Athenian cavalry, led by Alcibiades, was saved only by the swiftness of his horse and the darkness of supervening night. After this action, in which the soldiers under Thrasyllus had their equal share, the rest of the army saluted them as cleared from dishonor, and no longer refused to join them in arms in the field, or associate with them in quarters. The victory deterring opposition from the enemy, several incursions were made into the country during the winter, with some profit to the Athenians, and extensive injury to those whom the power of the Persian empire ought to have protected. Meanwhile the Lacedæmonian government was 1. 1. c. 2. distracted by domestic disturbance. A rebellion had taken place among the Helots; a large body of whom, getting possession of some strong posts among the mountains, toward the Malean promontory, defended themselves with such successful obstinacy, that a capitulation was at length granted, allowing them to go and settle themselves any IX. where out of the Lacedæmonian territory. While SECT. such was the derangement at home, able attention to distant concerns could hardly be. The pride of command, however, and the jealousy of their prerogative over the republics of their confederacy, did not cease among the Lacedæmonians. Little. as they were able to support their colony of the Trachinian Heracleia, they were dissatisfied with that interference of the Thebans, which had probably saved it from utter ruin. They sent thither a new governor, who, in conjunction with the Thessalian Achaians, led the whole force of the colony against the Etæans, its perpetual enemies. The Achaians betrayed their allies, the governor was killed with seven hundred of his people, and the colony was thus reduced to a weaker state than when the Thebans interfered for its preservation. SECTION X. Important Successes of Alcibiades. Friendly Communication opened with the Satrap Pharnabazus. Embassies to the King of Persia. Return of Alcibiades to Athens. THE successes of Thrasybulus and Alcibiades having restored superiority to the Athenian arms, the next, and a most important object, was to restore to the commonwealth a revenue equal to the expences of a war, which, long as it had lasted, was not yet likely to be soon concluded. Through the measures already taken, something accrued from the trade of the Euxine: but, to secure this, a large force must be constantly SECT. X. XIX. CHAP. employed at great expence, and yet the enemy, -from Byzantium and Chalcedon, could interrupt the collectors and share the profit. Alcibiades therefore resolved to direct his next measures against those two towns. They being recovered, the whole revenue from the trade of the Euxine would accrue to Athens, and her dominion, on the shores of the Propontis and Hellespont, would be restored to nearly its former extent. A decisive superiority on the Hellespontine coasts might induce Pharnabazus to treat; Tissaphernes would become alarmed for his Ionian towns, naturally the next objects for the Athenian arms; and thus an opening might be gained for counterworking the negotiations of Lacedæmon, and stopping those supplies from Persia, which alone inabled the Peloponnesian confederacy to maintain its fleet. P. W. 24. March. Xen. Hel. 1. 1. c. 3. s. 1. B.C.408. With these views, in the twenty-fourth spring Olt of the war24, Alcibiades led his whole force to the After 25th iland of Proconnesus. The Chalcedonians had suspected that attack would soon approach them, and this movement confirmed the suspicion. Immediately they stripped their country of every moveable of value; which, however, they would not trust within their city, but committed all to the care of their neighbors the Bithynians, a Thracian hord. Intelligence of this being carried to Alcibiades, he put himself immediately at the head of his cavalry, directed a select body of heavy-armed infantry to follow, and the fleet at the same time to attend his motions; and, going 24 Or the twenty-fifth; as observed in a marginal reading of Leunclavius, in the Paris edition of 1625, which seems founded on the matter noticed in the twenty-third note of this chapter. X. to the Bithynian frontier, he threatened fire and SECT. sword to the country, if all the Chalcedonian property was not surrendered to him, together with hostages and pledges to insure peaceful conduct from the Bithynians themselves. His demands were complied with, and he then directly formed the siege of Chalcedon. 1. 1. c. 3. 4, 5, 6. Hippocrates, a Lacedæmonian, commanded in Xen. Hel. that city. He had sent information of his danger. to Pharnabazus, who hastened to his relief with an army strong in cavalry; but the Athenians were so rapid with their works that they completed a contravallation, from sea to sea, except where a river interfered. Nevertheless Hippocrates, aware of the satrap's approach, sallied with the whole garrison, while the Persians endevored to force a passage through the works, by the bed of the river. Thrasyllus opposed Hippocrates, and a fierce conflict was long equally maintained between them. Alcibiades in the meantime compelled Pharnabazus to retire, and then led his cavalry, with a small body of heavyarmed, to the assistance of Thrasyllus. Hippocrates was thus overpowered, himself killed, and his surviving troops fled into the town. After this successful action, Alcibiades com- s. 7. mitted the conduct of the siege to the generals under him, and passed himself to the Hellespont, to prepare for other enterprize, and at the same time to promote that business which was unceasingly requiring his attention, often to the interruption of enterprize, the collection of supplies. Meanwhile Pharnabazus, finding himself unable to relieve Chalcedon, sent proposals to the generals commanding the siege. His connection with the Peloponnesians had not answered his expec XIX. CHAP. tation they had been defeated in every action they had attempted; several of the Grecian towns which acknowleged his dominion and their alliance, were already taken; the fate of Chalcedon was sure, if not prevented by a treaty; if the maritime towns of Æolis should next be attacked, he was unable to protect them; and to judge of the future by the past, the Lacedæmonians were equally unable. His overtures were accepted by the Athenian generals, and an accommodation was shortly concluded on the following terms; 'that Pharnabazus should pay twenty talents, about four thousand pounds, as ransom for 'Chalcedon : that the Chalcedonians should in 'future pay tribute to Athens as formerly, and 'should also pay all the arrears of tribute that 'Pharnabazus should conduct ambassadors from 'Athens to the king: that till the return of the 'ambassadors, the Athenians should commit no 'hostilities against the Chalcedonians.' Apparently Chalcedon was to be considered still within the satrapy and under the protection of Pharnabazus ; as formerly we have seen Potidæa tributary to Athens, while under the sovereinty of Corinth. Xen. Hel, 1. 1. c. 3. s. 8. Meanwhile Alcibiades, having assembled the whole Grecian military force of the Chersonese, and a body of Thracian foot, with between three and four hundred horse, (for he had property in the Chersonese, and great personal interest among both Greeks and Thracians there) he made himself master of Selymbria, on the northern coast of the Propontis, and was taking measures to form the siege of Byzantium. Pharnabazus, informed of his approach, sent to require his ratification of the agreement concerning Chalcedon. That agreement seems |