History of the Peloponnesian War

Meanwhile the Mytilenaeans, seeing that the fleet had not arrived from the Peloponnesus but was loitering on the way, and that their food was exhausted, were compelled to make terms with the Athenians by the following circumstances.

Salaethus, who himself no longer expected the fleet to come, equipped the commons with heavy armour,[*](With shield and spears and breast-plate. The lightarmed troops wore no defensive armour and carried spear or bow.) instead of their former light arms, intending to attack the Athenians;

but the commons, as soon as they had got arms, would no longer obey their commanders, but gathered in groups and ordered the aristocrats to bring out whatever food there was and distribute it to all; otherwise, they said, they would come to terms with the Athenians independently and deliver up the city.