History of the Peloponnesian War

Word of this reaching Athens, and the Athenians learning that the Mitylenians were masters of the country and their own soldiers unable to hold them in check, they sent out about the beginning of autumn Paches, son of Epicurus, to take the command, and a thousand Athenian heavy infantry;

who worked their own passage, and arriving at Mitylene, built a single wall all round it, forts being erected at some of the strongest points.