History of the Peloponnesian War

For information had been brought them that there was a festival in honour of the Malean Apollo outside the city, at which all the people of the Mytilenaeans kept holyday; and there was reason to hope that by coming with all speed they would thus fall upon them by surprise. If then the attempt should succeed, [all would be well]; if not, they [*]( i. e. the commanders. The infinitive seems to depend upon ἐκέλευον or some such word, understood) should charge the Mytilenaeans to deliver up their fleet and dismantle their walls;

and if they did not obey, should make war upon them. So the ships set sail; but the ten triremes of the Mytilenaeans, which had come to them as a reinforcement, according to the terms of their alliance, were detained by the Athenians, and the crews of them were put in prison.