History of the Peloponnesian War

and Theramenes remarked, that it was not probable that, while on their passage to Euboea, they should have run into the bay, and be lying again at Epidaurus, unless they had been invited, and come for the purposes with which he had all along been charging them; and therefore it was not possible any longer to remain quiet.

At length, after many more seditious speeches and suspicions had been uttered, they now proceeded to business in real earnest. For the heavy-armed who were in the Piraeus, building the wall in Eetionia, amongst whom also was Aristocrates a taxiarch, with his company, arrested Alexicles, who was a general on the side of the oligarchy, and very favourably inclined to the associates, and taking him into a house confined him there. There were others who assisted them in this, and particularly one Hermon, commander of the peripoli stationed in Munychia;

and, what was of most importance, the mass of the heavy-armed were in favour of these measures.

When this news reached the Four Hundred, (who happened to be sitting together in their council-chamber,) immediately, with the exception of such as did not approve of the present government, they were prepared forthwith [*](ἐς τὰ ὅπλα ἰέναι.] To run to the spears and shields, (which in the present circumstances of the city were always kept piled in the open spaces in different parts of the town,) and so to arm themselves for battle. See ch. 69. 1, 2; VII. 28. 2. —Arnold.) to arm themselves, and threatened Theramenes and those with him. He, however, said in his defence that he was ready to go at once and assist in rescuing Alexicles; and taking with him one of the generals who held the same views with himself, he proceeded to the Piraeus; while Aristarchus and some young men of the cavalry went to the rescue. The tumult, then, was great and alarming:

for those in the city thought that the Piraeus was already taken, and the general under arrest put to death; while those in the Piraeus believed that the men in the city were all but attacking them. But when the elder men stopped those in the city who were running about, and rushing to the stands of arms;