History of the Peloponnesian War

Thucydides

Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.

The Lacedaemonians, however, acceded with a very decided preference to the application of the Chians and Tissaphernes. For Alcibiades was also co-operating with them, being the hereditary and very intimate friend of Endius, one of the ephors; for which reason also his family had a Lacedaemonian name, in consequence of this friendship; [*]( That is, Alcibiades was the distinguishing family name of this Endius, borne by the members of his house in every alternate generation; so that Alcibiades was the surname to every Endius, and Endius the surname to every Alcibiades. —Arnold.)

for Endius was called

the son of Alcibiades.

However, the Lacedaemonians first sent to Chios Phrynis, one of the Perioeci, to ascertain whether they had as many ships as they said, and whether their city corresponded with the representations of its high character: and when he brought them word back that what they heard was true, they straightway took the Chians and Erythraeans into alliance, and resolved to send them forty ships, as there were already there (according to the statement of the Chians) not less than sixty.

Of these they themselves at first intended to send ten, with Melancridas, who was their high admiral; but afterwards, an earthquake having occurred, instead of Melancridas they determined to send Chalcideus, and instead of the ten ships to equip but five in Laconia. And thus the winter ended, and the nineteenth year of this war of which Thucydides wrote the history.

The following summer, when the Chians straightway urged them to despatch the fleet, and were afraid that the Athenians might get intelligence of their measures, (for all parties sent their embassies without their knowledge,) the Lacedaemonians sent three Spartans to Corinth, to haul the ships as quickly as possible across the isthmus, from the opposite sea to that on the side of Athens, and to give orders for them all to sail to Chios, both those which Agis was preparing for Lesbos, and the rest. Now the total number of the ships belonging to the allied states that were there was thirty-nine.