History of the Peloponnesian War

He then gave up Notium to the Colophonians, excepting the Median party; and the Athenians subsequently sent out colonists, and settled the place according to their own laws; having collected all the Colophonians, wherever there was one in any of the cities.

On his arrival at Mytilene Paches reduced Pyrrha an Eresus, and having seized Salaethus the Lacedaemonian in the city, where he was hiding, he despatched him to Athens, and with him the Mytilenaeans at Tenedos, whom he had deposited there, and whomever else he thought implicated in the revolt. He also sent back the greater part of his forces.

With the remainder he stayed there, and settled the affairs of Mytilene and the rest of Lesbos, as he thought proper.

On the arrival of the men with Salaethus, the Athenians immediately put the latter to death, though he held out certain promises, and amongst others, that he would obtain the retreat of the Peloponnesians from Plataea (for it was still being besieged):

but respecting the former they deliberated what to do; and in their anger they determined to put to death, not only those that were there, but all the Mytilenaeans also that were of age; and to make slaves of the women and children. For they both urged against them [the aggravated character of] their revolt in other respects, namely, that they had executed it without being subject to their dominion, like the rest; and the fact of the Peloponnesian ships having dared to venture over to Ionia to assist them, contributed also no little to their wrath;

for they thought it was with no short premeditation that they had revolted. They sent therefore a trireme to Paches with intelligence of their resolution, and commanded him to despatch the Mytilenaeans as quickly as possible.

The next day they felt immediately a degree of repentance, and reflected that the resolution they had passed was a cruel and sweeping one, to put a whole city to the sword, instead of those who were guilty.