The Atheni ans have the

better on

Shore.

Gallies in the

Haven.

force their

Paffage.

his Men, and all his Ships fell into the Hands of the Enemy. The News of this Misfortune drove the Athenians almost to Defpair, fo that being now lefs able to refift the Fury of the Syracufans, they were foon forced to retire in fo great Confufion, that they fplit feveral of their Gallies against the Rocks, and ran many of them aground. As they were landing their Men near the Place where Gylippus lay with the Troops, Sicanus, one of the Syracufan Admirals, filled an old Hulk with Faggots, and other combustible Matter, and fetting fire to it, fent her afore the Wind toward the Athenian Gallies; but they took fuch effectual Care to keep her off, that his Defign had no Effect; mean while they got the better of the Syracufan Troops afhore under Gylippus, and forced them to retire into the Town.

In this Engagement the Athenians are faid to have lost thirty three Gallies, and the Syracufans, thus encouraged, were meditating greater Matters, for they began to reflect what Glory they should acquire to themselves, not only among the Greeks, who would be univerfally obliged to them for freeing them from the Ufurpations of Athens, but also among other Nations, if they could not only withstand, as they had hitherto done, but likewife totally destroy fo powerful a Fleet and Army, which they refolved, if poffible, to Difpofition of compafs. To this End, they placed in the Mouth of the Haven, the Syracufan which was there about a Mile over, fuch a Number of Gallies, Head Mouth of the and Stern together, as took up the whole Space, and thus deprived the Athenians of all Means of Escape, unless they could force their The Atheni- way through. Nicias, finding himself under a Neceffity of attemptans refolve to ing to break this Chain, embarked the Seamen and Troops on board a hundred and ten Gallies, in order thereunto, refolving, if they fucceeded, to repair home, but if they fhould be repulfed, to difembark again, fet the Gallies on fire, and make the beft of their way by Land to fome confederate City in Sicily. They attacked the Syracufans with great Vigour, and were as warmly received by them, fo that never was any Battel fought with greater Obftinacy and Fury on both fides, and confidering the Narrowness of the Space there was not room for retreating and attacking again, but the Gallies lay close with their Broadfides together, fo that the Men fought hand to hand as if they had been engaged on fhore: And befides the Nature of the Place which made it neceffary fo to do, Nicias, Nicias's Stra- to prevent the Enemy's making ufe of the Barks of their Ships fo sagem eluded, effectually as they had done in the former Engagement, ordered a Number of grappling Irons to be flung out of each of his Gallies, in order to bring them with their Broadfides to thofe of the Enemy, and fo elude the Stroke of the Beaks; but to hinder the Succefs of this Stratagem, the Syracufans covered their Gallies with Hides, in which the grappling Irons taking no hold, cafily flipped off. In this Engagement the Valour of the Syracufans far exceeded either their Art or their good Fortune. They laid the Athenian Gallies aboard, and pouring in Numbers of Men, committed great Slaughter among them, and at length forced them back, in the utmost Diforder, to their old Station. Demofthenes would have again attempt

ed

lies taken, or

ed, the next Morning, to force the Syracufan Line with fixty Gallies which yet remained in good Condition, but the Seamen were fo difpirited with their former ill Succefs, that they unanimously refufed to go aboard; upon which the Generals came to a Refolution to decamp the next Night; mean while the Syracufans made another Attempt on the Athenian Gallies, fome of which they took and all the Aand carried off, others they burnt: And having Intelligence of the thenian GalEnemy's Defign to retire by Land, feized all the Paffes, in order to turnt. cut off their Retreat. Eurymedon was already flain in the Engagement at Sea, and Nicias and Demofthenes were only remaining, who having thus loft all their Fleet, left their Dead unburied, and their Wounded to the Mercy of the Enemy, and fled with Precipitation, but after making several fruitless Attemps to escape, furren- And being alder'd themselves Prisoners at Difcretion, together with the whole overcome on Shore, furrenArmy under their Command, whereupon they were both put to der. Death, and the Men either condemned to the Mines, or fold into Slavery.

CHA P. VIII.

Of the Naval Wars of the Grecians, from the Overthrow of the Athenians in Sicily, to the Victory obtained over them by Lyfander, the Spartan General, at Egos-potamos, and the end of the Peloponnefian War.

W

HEN the News of this terrible Disaster reached Athens, they would give no Credit to it, but having it foon confirm'd beyond Contradiction, they were filled with Terrour, Amazement and The People of Defpair, fearing nothing less than that the victorious Enemy would Athens much immediately repair to their City and level it with the Ground; and these dismal Apprehenfions were the more increased, for that they had neither a Fleet, an Army, nor Money.

terrified.

chief the A

In the mean time the Peloponnefians, under the Command of A- The Pelopongis, laid waste the Country about OEta, raifed great Contributions nefians mifamong the Theffalians, and received into their Protection the thenians. Inlands Eubea and Lesbos, which now revolted from the Athenians; who in the midst of these Misfortunes, made a fhift to fit out twenty Gallies. Thefe were no fooner got out into the Gulph, than they fell in with Alcamenes, one of the Lacedæmonian Admirals, just Lacedæmothen come out of Cenchrea, a Port of the Corinthians, and defeat- nians beaten ed them in two Engagements, in the latter of which he was flain but Alcibiades, now in the Spartan Service, foon revenged his Death, by procuring the Revolt of Chios and Clazomene from the Places revolt Athenians, which was foon after followed by that of the Milefians, from Athens. and a League Offensive and Defenfive was ftruck up between the Lace

;

at Sea.

The Atheni ans have the

better at Sea, and take Chios,

but

afterwards lofe fome Ships.

Athenians.

Lacedæmonians and Tiffaphernes, one of the Persian Governours of the Leffer Afia. In Purfuance of which, the Lacedæmonian Fleet being increafed by the Acceffion of feveral Ships of his, reduced to their Obedience the Cities of Teos, Lebedus, and Era.

A little before these things were done in Ionia, a Squadron of twenty feven Sail from Athens, which cruifed off Leucadia, fell in with the Enemy's Fleet coming from Sicily, having on board Gylippus, with the Troops returning from that Ifland, and chafed them into the very Port of Corinth. The Athenians alfo, near Boliffus, defeated the Fleet of Chios, and, in confequence of that Victory, recovered the whole Ifland, fifteen hundred of whose Inhabitants they embarked on board the Fleet, made fail for Miletus, and invefted that Place, and foon after laid fiege to Samos: But about the fame time feven Athenian Ships falling in with Aftyockus, off Cyme, they were all taken, or destroyed.

The Lacedæmonians now began to grow jealous of Alcibiades, by means of Agis, whofe Wife he had debauched, and he becoming as weary of them, retired to Tiaphernes, infinuated himself into Alcibiades re- his Favour, and was foon after reconciled to the Athenians, who conciled to the putting him at the Head of their Fleet, their Affairs would foon have flourished again, had they not fallen out among themfelves about altering the Form of their Government. However an end was at length put to thefe Diffenfions, by the Power of Alcibiades, and the Enemy's coming before Piraus with a Fleet under the Command of Hegefandridas, when they embarked on board the Ships in a very diforderly manner, and going out to engage them, off EThe Atheni- retria, received a fignal Overthrow, lofing two and twenty Sail. ans beaten at This Misfortune, together with the Revolt of Byzantium and EuSea near E- bæa, brought the Athenians to an Agreement among themselves, as knowing their Affairs would be otherwife entirely ruined; and accordingly the Oligarchy was abolished, and the Government of the People again fet up, who immediately paffed a Decree that Alcibiades, and thofe who were in Exile with him, fhould be called home.

retria.

the Hellef

spont

Thrafylus, on the Coafts of Afia, coming from Samos to Lesbos, An Action in Mindarus, the Peloponnefian Admiral, to avoid meeting with him, repaired with the Fleet under his Command toward the Hellefpont, touching by the way at Cape Sigeum: And there being at Seftos, within the Hellefpont, two and twenty Athenian Ships, which upon notice of the Enemy's Approach, by the Fires made in the Watch-Towers along the Coaft, were at break of Day making toward Eleus, just without the Mouth of that Streight, that fo they might have room to escape, if the Enemy should not pafs by without discovering them, they were no fooner in fight, than the Athenians crouded from them with all the Sail they could make, and got between the fafe to Lemnos, except the four ftern-most of the Squadron, one of and Lacedæ- which split against the Rocks, two others were funk, and the fourth was burnt near Imbros: And now Thrafylus, who lay before Erefus in Lesbos, hearing of the Enemy's Departure for the Hellef

Athenians

monians;

:

pont,

pont, raised the Siege of that Place, and repaired to the Affistance of the Athenians, who in his way received into his Protection fome Ships of that Republick, to which the Lacedæmonians were giving Chace, and took two of their Gallies: And now he thought it proper, if poffible, to bring them to an Engagement, which he effected after spending five Days in Preparations for it. The Athenian Fleet failed along not far from Seftos, while the Peloponnefians came down the Hellefpont, on the other fide, near Abydus, and when they were oppofite to each other, they drew up in a Line of Battel, the Lacedæmonians ftretching along the Afiatick Shore from Abydus to Dardanus, and the Athenians along the European from Didacus to Arrhiana. In the Right of the Lacedæmonians were the Syracufans, and their Left was commanded by Mindarus. Thrafylus had the Left Wing, and Thrafybulus the Right of the Athenians, which latter, in the beginning of the Fight, was worfted by the Peloponnefians, and almost forced afhore near Cynos-fema. Thrafylus, in the Left Wing, not only defeated the Syracufans wherein the which were oppofed to him, but alfo the Lacedæmonians, whom he have the Addrove into the Mouth of the Pydius, and fome under the Protecti- vantage. on of Abydus, taking two and twenty Ships, but with the Lofs of fifteen of the Athenians; and this Victory over the Lacedæmonians was of very great Importance, for that it raised the dejected Spirits. of the People, and put new Life into their Affairs.

Athenians

routs the Pe

Not long after another Engagement happened near Abydus, which had lafted from Morning till Night, and was ftill dubious, when Al- Alcibiades the Enemy to flight, loponnefian cibiades arriving with eighteen Sail, foon put the Enemy to flight, although Pharnabazus, the Perfian Governour of Hellefpontus, Fleet. came down to their Affiftance by Land, and did what he could to cover the Ships as they lay under the Shore. The Athenians not only recovered their own Gallies they had loft in the last Fight, but took thirty of the Enemy's, and erected a Trophy; and Alcibiades, after this Victory, went to vifit Tiffaphernes, who now, to recover Alcibiades the good Opinion of the Peloponnefians, whofe Cause he had feem- goes to Tiffaed for fome time to abandon, feized on his Perfon, and confined him, phernes. but he luckily escaping in few Days, got again on board the Athenian Fleet, with which he went in Queft of the Enemy, then riding in the Port of Cyzicus. With twenty of his beft Ships he The Peloponbroke through the Peloponnefian Fleet, purfted thofe who abandon- nefians beaten ed their Ships and fled to Land, and made a great Slaughter of them, and that Place among whom fell Mindarus himfelf; and the taking of all the E- taken, nemy's Gallics, together with the Surrender of Cyzicus, which had and receiv'd a Peloponnefian Garrifon, was the Reward of the Victory. Alcibiades, after this, ravaged the Coasts of the Leffer Afia with his Alcibiades Fleet, won feveral Battels, and being every where a Conqueror, re- being flushed duced thofe Cities which had revolted, took others, and united them succeffes, he to the Athenian Government. Thus, having vindicated the anci- returns to Aent Glory of his Countrymen by Sea, and crowned the fame with feveral Victories by Land, he returned to Athens, where he was impatiently expected by the whole City. In thefe Engagements he had taken two hundred Ships, and a very great Booty from the E

at Cyzicus,

with other

thens.

nemy.

The Lacedæ

Lyfander

Battel off of
Ephefus.

nemy, and People of all Ages and Conditions went out to meet this triumphant Army, admiring the Gallantry of all the Soldiers in general, but especially of Alcibiades, a Perfon who was of himself fo confiderable a Weight in the Balance, that he fubverted a most flourishing Government, and again reftored it by his own Power, Victory ftill attending him, whatfoever fide he efpoufed, and Fortune feeming not fo much his Miftrefs as his Slave. Him they therefore received not only with human, but divine Honours; fo that 'tis difficult to fay whether they more contumelioufly expelled, or more honourably recalled him: And thofe very Gods they brought to congratulate his Return, to whofe Execrations they had before devoted him. Such was the Reception of Alcibiades, who never knew a Medium either in the Dilpleasure or Affections of the Athenians.

While this happened at Athens, the Lacedæmonians made Lymonians make fander their General both by Sea and Land, and Darius, the fetheir General, cond King of Perfia of that Name, conftituted his Son Cyrus Governor of Ionia and Lydia, who affifted the Lacedæmonians with Men and Money, and put them in hopes of retrieving their Affairs. Lyfander entered upon his Office with great Pleasure on this account, and receiving from Cyrus a Month's Pay for the Troops and Seamen, repaired on board the Fleet, confifting of eighty Sail, then lyAlcibiades of- ing at Ephefus. Alcibiades was near that Place with the Athenian fers Lylander Fleet, with which he offered the Enemy Battel, but they declining it, and his Presence being at that time neceffary at Clazomena, to fix that City in his Country's Interest, which was then in diforder, and wavering in its Fidelity, he left the Command of the Fleet to Antiochus, with pofitive Orders not to come to an Engagement with the Enemy on any account whatsoever. But fo far was he from complying, that with two Gallies he stood in for Ephesus, and at the very Mouth of the Harbour used the highest Provocations poffible to draw out the Enemy. Lyfander at first fent out a few Ships to give him Chace, but the whole Athenian Fleet then advancing to the Relief of the two Gallies, he alfo drew up his in good order, and gained an entire Victory, fifteen Athenian Gallies being taken, and fuch great Numbers flain, (among whom was Antiochus himself) that the Athenians received a greater Blow by this fence of Alci- fingle Defeat, than they gave the Enemy in all the former Engagements. This threw the whole City into fuch a Despair, that they immediately created Conon their General in the room of Alcibiades; for they concluded that they owed this Defeat not fo much to the Fortune of War, as to the Treachery of their Commander, whom they fuppofed to refent his former ill Ufage more nearly, than he did the late Honours they had loaded him with: That the reason why he was fo fuccefsful in the laft Campaign, was only to let the Enemy fee what a General they had despised, as alfo to fell his Victory fo much the dearer to his Countrymen: And indeed his intriguing bufy Genius, joined to his irregular way of living, made every thing which was faid of him be believed. Thus,

The Atheni

ans routed at Sea in the Ab

biades.

fearing