Lysander

But there were other measures of Lysander upon which all the Greeks looked with pleasure, when, for instance, the Aeginetans, after a long time,[*](They had been expelled by the Athenians in 431 B.C.) received back their own city, and when the Melians[*](The island and city of Melos were captured and depopulated by the Athenians in the winter of 416-415 B.C.) and Scionaeans[*](The city of Scione, on the Chalcidic peninsula, was captured and depopulated by the Athenians in 421 B.C.) were restored to their homes by him, after the Athenians had been driven out and had delivered back the cities. And now, when he learned that the people of Athens were in a wretched plight from famine, he sailed into the Piraeus, and reduced the city, which was compelled to make terms on the basis of his commands.

It is true one hears it said by Lacedaemonians that Lysander wrote to the ephors thus: Athens is taken; and that the ephors wrote back to Lysander: Taken were enough; but this story was invented for its neatness’ sake.[*](To illustrate the Spartan passion for brevity of speech.) The actual decree of the ephors ran thus: This is what the Lacedaemonian authorities have decided: tear down the Piraeus and the long walls; quit all the cities and keep to your own land; if you do these things, and restore your exiles, you shall have peace, if you want it.

As regards the number of your ships, whatsoever shall be decided there, this do.[*](Cf. Xen. Hell. 2.2.20.) This edict was accepted by the Athenians, on the advice of Theramenes the son of Hagnon, who, they say, being asked at this time by Cleomenes, one of the young orators, if he dared to act and speak the contrary to Themistocles, by surrendering those walls to the Lacedaemonians which that statesman had erected in defiance of the Lacedaemonians, replied:

But I am doing nothing, young man, that is contrary to Themistocles; for the same walls which he erected for the safety of the citizens, we shall tear down for their safety. And if walls made cities prosperous, then Sparta must be in the worst plight of all, since she has none.

Lysander, accordingly, when he had taken possession of all the ships of the Athenians except twelve, and of their walls, on the sixteenth day of the month Munychion, the same on which they conquered the Barbarian in the sea-fight at Salamis, took measures at once to change their form of government.

And when the Athenians opposed him bitterly in this, he sent word to the people that he had caught the city violating the terms of its surrender; for its walls were still standing, although the days were past within which they should have been pulled down; he should therefore present their case anew for the decision of the authorities, since they had broken their agreements. And some say that in very truth a proposition to sell the Athenians into slavery was actually made in the assembly of the allies, and that at this time Erianthus the Theban also made a motion that the city be razed to the ground, and the country about it left for sheep to graze.

Afterwards, however, when the leaders were gathered at a banquet, and a certain Phocian sang the first chorus in the Electra of Euripides[*](Verses 167 f. (Kirchhoff).), which begins with:

1. 0 thou daughter of Agamemnon,
2. I am come, Electra, to thy rustic court,