a smaller history of greece-第28部分

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s　that　had　yet　been　fought　in　the　Peloponnesian　war。　　Although　the　Athenians　had　fought　on　the　side　of　the　Argives　at　Mantinea；　the　peace　between　Sparta　and　Athens　continued　to　be　nominally　observed。

In　B。C。　416　the　Athenians　attacked　and　conquered　Melos；　which　island　and　Thera　were　the　only　islands　in　the　AEgean　not　subject　to　the　Athenian　supremacy。　　The　Melians　having　rejected　all　the　Athenian　overtures　for　a　voluntary　submission；　their　capital　was　blockaded　by　sea　and　land；　and　after　a　siege　of　some　months　surrendered。　　On　the　proposal；　as　it　appears；　of　Alcibiades；　all　the　adult　males　were　put　to　death；　the　women　and　children　sold　into　slavery；　and　the　island　colonized　afresh　by　500　Athenians。　This　horrible　proceeding　was　the　more　indefensible；　as　the　Athenians；　having　attacked　the　Melians　in　full　peace；　could　not　pretend　that　they　were　justified　by　the　custom　of　war　in　slaying　the　prisoners。　　It　was　the　crowning　act　of　insolence　and　cruelty　displayed　during　their　empire；　which　from　this　period　began　rapidly　to　decline。

The　event　destined　to　produce　that　catastrophethe　intervention　of　the　Athenians　in　the　affairs　of　Sicilywas　already　in　progress。　　A　quarrel　had　broken　out　between　Egesta　and　Selinus；　both　which　cities　were　seated　near　the　western　extremity　of　Sicily；　and　Selinus；　having　obtained　the　aid　of　Syracuse；　was　pressing　very　hard　upon　the　Egestaeans。　　The　latter　appealed　to　the　interests　of　the　Athenians　rather　than　to　their　sympathies。　They　represented　how　great　a　blow　it　would　be　to　Athens　if　the　Dorians　became　predominant　in　Sicily；　and　joined　the　Peloponnesian　confederacy；　and　they　undertook；　if　the　Athenians　would　send　an　armament　to　their　assistance；　to　provide　the　necessary　funds　for　the　prosecution　of　the　war。　　Their　most　powerful　advocate　was　Alcibiades；　whose　ambitious　views　are　said　to　have　extended　even　to　the　conquest　of　Carthage。　　The　quieter　and　more　prudent　Nicias　and　his　party　threw　their　weight　into　the　opposite　scale。　　But　the　Athenian　assembly；　dazzled　by　the　idea　of　so　splendid　an　enterprise；　decided　on　despatching　a　large　fleet　under　Nicias；　Alcibiades；　and　Lamachus；　with　the　design　of　assisting　Egesta；　and　of　establishing　the　influence　of　Athens　throughout　Sicily；　by　whatever　means　might　be　found　practicable。

For　the　next　three　months　the　preparations　for　the　undertaking　were　pressed　on　with　the　greatest　ardour。　　Young　and　old；　rich　and　poor；　all　vied　with　one　another　to　obtain　a　share　in　the　expedition。　　Five　years　of　comparative　peace　had　accumulated　a　fresh　supply　both　of　men　and　money；　and　the　merchants　of　Athens　embarked　in　the　enterprise　as　in　a　trading　expedition。　　It　was　only　a　few　of　the　wisest　heads　that　escaped　the　general　fever　of　excitement；　The　expedition　was　on　the　point　of　sailing；　when　a　sudden　and　mysterious　event　converted　all　these　exulting　feelings　into　gloomy　foreboding。

At　every　door　in　Athens；　at　the　corners　of　streets；　in　the　market　place；　before　temples；　gymnasia；　and　other　public　places；　stood　Hermae；　or　statues　of　the　god　Hermes；　consisting　of　a　bust　of　that　deity　surmounting　a　quadrangular　pillar　of　marble　about　the　height　of　the　human　figure。　　When　the　Athenians　rose　one　morning　towards　the　end　of　May；　415　B。C。；　it　was　found　that　all　these　figures　had　been　mutilated　during　the　night；　and　reduced　by　unknown　hands　to　a　shapeless　mass。　　The　act　inspired　political；　as　well　as　religious；　alarm。　　It　seemed　to　indicate　a　widespread　conspiracy；　for　so　sudden　and　general　a　mutilation　must　have　been　the　work　of　many　hands。　　The　sacrilege　might　only　be　a　preliminary　attempt　of　some　powerful　citizen　to　seize　the　despotisn；　and　suspicion　pointed　its　finger　at　Alcibiades。　Active　measures　were　taken　and　large　rewards　offered　for　the　discovery　of　the　perpetrators。　　A　public　board　was　appointed　to　examine　witnesses；　which　did　not；　indeed；　succeed　in　eliciting　any　facts　bearing　on　the　actual　subject　of　inquiry；　but　which　obtained　evidence　respecting　similar　acts　of　impiety　committed　at　previous　times　in　drunken　frolics。　　In　these　Alcibiades　himself　was　implicated；　and　though　the　fleet　was　on　the　very　eve　of　departure；　a　citizen　rose　in　the　assembly　and　accused　Alcibiades　of　having　profaned　the　Eleusinian　mysteries　by　giving　a　representation　of　them　in　a　private　house；　producing　in　evidence　the　testimony　of　a　slave。　　Alcibiades　denied　the　accusation；　and　implored　the　people　to　have　it　investigated　at　once。　　His　enemies；　however；　had　sufficient　influence　to　get　the　inquiry　postponed　till　his　return；　thus　keeping　the　charge　hanging　over　his　head；　and　gaining　time　to　poison　the　public　mind　against　him。

The　Athenian　fleet；　consisting　of　100　triremes；　and　having　on　board　1500　chosen　Athenian　hoplites；　as　well　as　auxiliaries；　at　length　set　sail；　and　proceeded　to　Corcyra；　where　it　was　joined　by　the　other　allies　in　the　month　of　July；　415　B。C。　　Upon　arriving　at　Rhegium　the　generals　received　the　discouraging　news　that　Egesta　was　unable　to　contribute　more　than　thirty　talents。　　A　council　of　war　was　now　held；　and　it　was　finally　resolved　to　gain　as　many　allies　as　they　could　among　the　Greek　cities　in　Sicily；　and；　having　thus　ascertained　what　assistance　they　could　rely　upon；　to　attack　Syracuse　and　Selinus。

Naxos　joined　the　Athenians；　and　shortly　afterwards　they　obtained　possession　by　surprise　of　the　important　city　of　Catana；　which　was　now　made　the　head…quarters　of　the　armament。　　Here　an　unwelcome　message　greeted　Alcibiades。　　after　his　departure　from　Athens；　Thessalus；　the　son　of　Cimon；　preferred　an　indictment　against　him　in　consequence　of　his　profanation　of　the　Eleusinian　mysteries。　The　Salaminian；　or　state；　trireme　was　despatched　to　Sicily；　carrying　the　decree　of　the　assembly　for　Alcibiades　to　come　home　and　take　his　trial。　　The　commander　of　the　Salaminia　was；　however；　instructed　not　to　seize　his　person；　but　to　allow　him　to　sail　in　his　own　trireme。　　Alcibiades　availed　himself　of　this　privilege　to　effect　his　escape。　　When　the　ships　arrived　at　Thurii　in　Italy；　he　absconded；　and　contrived　to　elude　the　search　that　was　made　after　him；　Nevertheless；　though　absent；　he　was　arraigned　at　Athens；　and　condemned　to　death；　his　property　was　confiscated；　and　the　Eumolpidae；　who　presided　ever　the　celebration　of　the　Eleusinian　mysteries；　pronounced　upon　him　the　curses　of　the　gods。　　On　hearing　of　his　sentence　Alcibiades　is　said　to　have　exclaimed；　〃I　will　show　them　that　I　am　still　alive。〃

Three　months　had　now　been　frittered　away　in　Sicily；　during　which　the　Athenians　had　done　little　or　nothing；　if　we　except　the　acquisition　of　Naxos　and　Catana。　　Nicias　now　resolved　to　make　an　attempt　upon　Syracuse。　　By　a　false　message　that　the　Catanaeans　were　ready　to　assist　in　expelling　the　Athenians；　he　induced　the　Syracusans　to　proceed　thither　in　great　force；　and　he　availed　himself　of　their　absence　to　sail　with　his　whole　fleet　into　the　Great　Harbour　of　Syracuse；　where　he　landed　near　the　mouth　of　the　Anapus。　　The　Syracusans；　when　they　found　that　they　had　been　deceived　at　Catana；　marched　back　and　offered　Nicias　battle　in　his　new　position。　　The　latter　accepted　it；　and　gained　the　victory；　after　which　he　retired　to　Catana；　and　subsequently　to　Naxos　into　winter　quarters。

The　Syracusans　employed　the　winter　in　preparations　for　defence。　They　also　despatched　envoys　to　Corinth　and　Sparta　to　solicit　assistance；　in　the　latter　of　which　towns　they　found　an　unexpected　advocate。　　Alcibiades；　having　crossed　from　Thurii　to　Cyllene　in　Peloponnesus；　received　a　special　invitation　to　proceed　to　Sparta。　Here　he　revealed　all　the　plans　of　Athens；　and　exhorted　the　Lacedaemonians　to　frustrate　them。　　For　this　purpose　he　advised　them　to　send　an　army　into　Sicily；　under　the　command　of　a　Spartan　general；　and；　by　way　of　causing　a　diversion；　to　establish　a　fortified　post　at　Decelea　in　the　Attic　territory。　　The　Spartans　fell　in　with　these　views；　and　resolved　to　send　a　force　to　the　assistance　of　Syracuse　in　the　spring；　under　the　command　of　Gylippus。

Nicias；　having　received　reinforcements　from　Athens；　recommenced　hostilities　as　soon　as　the　season　allowed　of　it；　and　resolved　on　besieging　Syracuse。　　That　town　consisted　of　two　partsthe　inner　and　the　outer　city。　　The　former　of　thesethe　original　settlement　was　comprised　in　the　island　of　Ortygia；　the　latter　afterwards　known　by　the　name　of　Achradina；　covered　the　high　ground　of　the　peninsula　north　of　Ortygia；　and　was　completely　separate　from　the　inner　city。　　The　island　of　Ortygia；　to　which　the　modern　city　is　now　confined；　is　of　an　oblong　shape；　about　two　miles　in　circumference；　lying　between　the　Great　Harbour　on　the　west；　and　the　Little　Harbour　on　the　east；　and　separated　from　the　mainland　by　a　narrow　channel。　　The　Great　Harbour　is　a　splendid　bay；　about　five　miles　in　circumference；　and　the　Little　Harbour　was　spacious　enough　to　receive　a　large　fleet　of　ships　of　war。　　The　outer　city　was　surrounded　on　the　north　and　east　by　the　sea　and　by　sea…walls　which　rendered　an　assault　on　that　side　almost　impracticable。　　On　the　land　side　it　was　defended　by　a　wall；　and　partly　also　by　the　nature　of　the　ground；　which　in　some　part　was　very　steep。　　West　and　north…west　of　the　wall　of　the　outer　city　stood　two　unfortified　suburbs；　which　were　at　a　later　time　included　within　the　walls　of　Syracuse　under　the　names　of　Tyche　and　Neapolis。　Bet