History of the Peloponnesian War

Wishing, however, to know the exact truth of the matter, they put into Embatum in the Erythraean territory seven days having elapsed from he taking of Mytilene when they did so. After hearing the exact truth, they consulted on the present state of affairs; and Teutiaplus, an Elean, addressed them as follows:

Alcidas, and the rest of my Peloponnesian colleagues in the command of the forces, my opinion is that we should sail [*]( Literally, just as we are. ) straightway to Mytilene, before we have been heard of.

For in all probability we shall find great want of watchfulness, as is usual on the part of men who have but recently taken possession of a city. By sea, indeed, where they have no thought of any enemy attacking them, and where our strength mainly lies, this will be altogether the case; and even their land-forces are likely to be dispersed through the houses too carelessly.

If then we were to fall upon them suddenly and in the night, I hope that with the aid of those in the city, (if, indeed, there be any one left who wishes us well,) [*]( Or more literally, our measures might be achieved. ) possession of the place might be gained.

And let us not shrink from the danger, but consider that the proverbial

surprises of war

are nothing else than chances such as this; which if any one should guard against in his own case, and avail himself of them, when he saw them in the case of his enemy, he would be a most successful general.

Such was his speech; but he did not persuade Alcidas. On the other hand, some of the exiles from Ionia and the Lesbians who were on board with them, advised, that since lie was afraid of that danger, he should seize one of the Ionian cities, or Cyme in Aeolia; so that having a city as the base of their operations they might excite Ionia to revolt: (and there was reason to hope this, for their arrival was unwelcome to no one.) If then they should take away from the Athenians this their chief source of revenue, [*]( The difficulties in the construction of this passage are too numerous to be even separately mentioned here. What I have given is, I think, the most probable meaning of the original, according to Arnold's text; as the position of the σφίσι seems absolutely to require that it should be taken after γίνηται, and not after ἐφορμοῦσιν Göller and Bloomfield reject it altogether as a mere gloss; and according to that reading the ἐφορμοῦσιν would, of course, refer to the Athenians. For my own part, I am far from certain that ἐφορμῶσιν, the reading which is found in all the manuscripts, has not unnecessarily been altered; whether αὐτούς or αὐτοῖς be the genuine form of the pronoun governed by it. In the former case it would mean, if they should be put to expense by exciting them to hostilities, i. e. the Ionians, understood from τὴν ʼιωνίαν the latter 'by attacking them.' For though the middle voice of the verb is more generally used in that sense, I cannot think it impossible that Thucydides might sometimes use the active also; as Euripides does, Hippol. 1270.) and if at the same time they should themselves incur the expense of keeping a fleet of observation, they thought they should prevail on Pisuthnes also to take part in the war with them.

He did not, however, accede to this proposal either; but was most strongly inclined, since he had come too late for Mytilene, to reach the Peloponnese again as quickly as possible.