History of the Peloponnesian War

For the following were the states on each side that repaired to Syracuse for the war, coming against Sicily, or in its behalf, to assist the one side in winning, and the other in keeping possession of the country; taking their stand with one another, not so much on the ground of right, or of kindred, but as they were each circumstanced with respect either to expediency or to necessity.

The Athenians themselves went willingly, as Ionians against the Dorians of Syracuse; and with them went, as their colonists, having the same language and institutions as themselves, the Lemnians, Imbrians, and Aeginetans, who [*]( Implying that the present were not the original inhabitants of it.) then occupied Aegina; as also the Hestiaeans, who inhabited Hestiaea, in Boeotia. Of the rest, some were serving with them as subjects;

others in consequence of their alliance, although independent; and others as mercenaries. Amongst their subjects and tributaries were the Eretrians, Chalcidians, Styrians, and Carystians, of Euboea.

From the islands were the Ceans, Andrians, and Tenians: from Ionia, the Milesians, Samnians, and Chians. Of these, the Chians joined as independent allies, not being subject to tribute, but supplying ships. All these were chiefly Ionians, and descended from the Athenians, except the Carystians, who were Dryopes; and though subject, and going from necessity, [*](῎ἴωνές γε ἐπὶ δωριέας.] That is, it was not unnatural or irksome to them to serve against their natural enemies, although it was not in a quarrel of their own. —Arnold.) still they followed at any rate as Ionians against Dorians. Besides these, there were of Aeolic race, the Methymnaeans, subject to supplying ships but not tribute; and the Tenedians and Aenians, who were tributaries. These, although Aeolians, were by compulsion fighting against Aeolians, namely, the Boeotians, their founders, who were on the Syracusan side.

But the Plataeans alone fought as Boeotians [*](καταντικρύ.] Such is perhaps the force of the word, in the absence of any instance in which Thucydides uses it for ἄντικρυς. Otherwise the meaning of absolute or downright Boeotians, would suit the passage much better, as distinguishing between the Plataeans who actually lived in the country, and those before mentioned who were only colonies from it.) right in the face of Boeotians, as might have been expected, for the hatred they bore them. Of Rhodians and Cytherians, again, both of Doric race, the Cytherians, though colonists of the Lacedaemonians, were fighting in concert with the Athenians against the Lacedaemonians with Gylippus;

while the Rhodians, who were Argives by race, were compelled to wage war against the Syracusans, who were Dorians, and the Geloans, who were even their own colonists, serving with the Syracusans. Of the islanders around the Peloponnese, the Cephallenians and Zacynthians followed, indeed, as independent allies, but still, on account of their insular position, rather by constraint, because the Athenians commanded the sea.

The Corcyraeans, though not only Dorians but even Corinthians, followed openly against the Corinthians and Syracusans, though colonists of the one and kinsmen of the other; by compulsion, according to their specious profession, but rather with good will, for the hatred they bore the Corinthians. The Messenians, too, as they are now called, at Naupactus, and also from Pylus, which was then held by the Athenians, were taken to the war. Moreover, some few Megarean exiles, owing to their misfortune, were fighting against the Selinuntines, who were Megareans.

Of the rest the service was now more of a voluntary nature. For it was not so much on account of their alliance, as out of hatred for the Lacedaemonians, and for their own individual advantage at the moment, that the Argives followed in company of the Ionian Athenians to fight as Dorians against Dorians.

While the Mantineans, and other mercenaries from Arcadia, went as being accustomed to go against the enemies who at any time were pointed out to them; and thought, for the sake of gain, that the Arcadians, who at that time came with the Corinthians, were no less than others their foes. The Cretans and Aetolians also came for consideration of pay; and it happened in the case of the Cretans, that although they had joined the Rhodians in founding Gela, they now came, not with their colonists, but against them—not by choice, but for pay. There were also some Acarnanians who served as auxiliaries, partly from motives of interest, but mainly as being allies, through their friendship with Demosthenes, and their good-will towards the Athenians.

These, then, [*](τῷ ʼιονίῳ κόλπῳ ὁριζόμενοι,] i. e. who were separated by that sea from the Greeks of Sicily and Italy. Compare VI. 13, τοὺς μὲν σικελιώτας, οἷσπερ νῦν ὅροις, χρωμένους πρὸς ἡμᾶς, οὐ μεμπτοῖς, τῷ τε ʼιονίῳ κόλπω, κ. τ. λ.) were within the boundary of the Ionian gulf.

Of the Italiots, on the other hand, the Thurians and Metapontines, as they had been overtaken by such necessities at that time, owing to those seasons of faction, joined in the expedition; and of the Siceliots, the Naxians and Catanians. Of barbarians, there were the Segestans, who indeed invited then to their aid, with the greater part of the Sicels; and of those out of Sicily, some of the Tyrrhenians, on account of a quarrel with the Syracusans, and some lapygian mercenaries. Such and so many were the nations that were serving with the Athenians.