CHAPTER XVI
‘The life of him that dependeth on another man’s table is not to be counted for a life.’—Ecclesiasticus.
‘The life of him that dependeth on another man’s table is not to be counted for a life.’—Ecclesiasticus.
Chios, the richest of all the rich, luxuriant islands of the Grecian Archipelago, celebrated for the beauty of its women and its wine, rose like a nymph from the waters of the Aigaian, bathed in the sunlight of a bright spring morning, as Alkibiades came in sight of it. Peaceful and serene, these Grecian islands off the Asiatic coast overflowed with happiness and plenty; some of them, Chios in particular, soon to be the scene of plunder and of terrible bloodshed.
The two leaders thought it prudent to put into Kasystes, a small town belonging to Teos, on the continent hard by. There they met some members of the oligarchic party of Chios; for Chios, like other Grecian States, was divided in opinion as to the respective merits of the two forms of government. The oligarchic Teians advised an immediate descent upon the island, before thepeople, who were democratic, and disliked the newly-proposed alliance with Sparta, could hear of their approach. This advice was taken, and the Lakedaimonian squadron of five triremes appeared at Chios, to the surprise of all except the oligarchs, who had been warned of their approach. A meeting of the insular assembly was held. Alkibiades addressed them, and declared that these five ships were only the advance guard of a large fleet that was coming. His eloquence gained the people to his side; no one seemed able to withstand his persuasion. The Chians of both parties declared for the Lakedaimonian alliance, and lightly threw off the gentle yoke of Athens.
Erythrai, the neighbouring town upon the coast, followed the example of the Chians. Alkibiades set off for Klazomenai, and persuaded the people there to join the new confederation against Athens. He was making up, indeed, for his late enforced inaction, everywhere at once, and was everywhere successful, serving his new friends well and faithfully, and bringing all beneath the spell of his potent personality.
But neither were his countrymen at Athens quiet. They, as he knew, possessed a treasure of ten thousand talents, laid up by his cousinPerikles, never to be used save at the last peril of the state. By law it was death to anyone who should even propose to touch this fund, unless a hostile fleet was actually approaching Athens. That law was now for the first time abrogated, and part of the money was used to equip a number of triremes. The seven ships of the Chians which had been taking part unwillingly in the blockade of the Spartan fleet were brought to the Peiræus. They were manned by Athenian sailors, and with some twelve or thirteen other ships under Strombichides were sent straightway to Ionia. Strombichides brought his ships to Teos on the mainland, hoping by this show of strength to keep the Teians faithful. Chalkideus and Alkibiades came after him with their fleet, now increased to twenty-five, by an addition of Chian ships and some more from the Peloponnesos. They were supported, too, on land by a body of soldiers from Klazomenai and by some Persian barbarians under the command of Stagès, the lieutenant of Tissaphernes. It was some time since Persian barbarians had been seen fighting in support of a Grecian state.
Strombichides, finding himself in this way attacked by sea and land, sailed off, followed by Chalkideus, who chased the Athenian ships asfar as Samos. Alkibiades, with some other of the Spartan ships, sailed for Miletos, another town of Ionian origin, on the Asiatic continent, where he had many friends. He easily persuaded the inhabitants to join the league against his country.
Many reinforcements to each side arrived, during this time, upon the scene. Slight advantages were gained by both parties. At Samos the people, staunch democrats, rose in rebellion, and treated their oligarchic landlords roughly. They slew two hundred of these political opponents, banished four hundred more of them from Samos, and shared their lands amongst themselves. A democratic government was established, with the exiled Hyperbolos at its head. He had gone there on his unsuccessful attempt to ostracize Alkibiades, and was now leader of the popular party at Samos. The new government would have naught to do with Sparta. On the other hand, the Spartan fleet, which was blockaded by the Athenians near the Peiræus, broke out, inflicting some damage as it went, and augmented by fresh ships under Astyochos, who was made Admiral of all the Peloponnesian fleet in Ionia, joined the rest of the Spartan force on the Ionian coast. Thus the two great fleets, each with itsfull force of hoplites, were drawing towards each other in the eastern Aigaian Sea.
Miletos, the most important town upon the coast, and Chios were both invested by Athenian ships. Throughout the summer many small engagements, both by sea and land, were fought between the contending powers. In one of them Chalkideus, the friend and companion of Alkibiades, was slain. As autumn approached, the war concentrated round Miletos. A further supply of ships and men under one Phrynichos, and two other leaders, arrived from Athens, and with them came fifteen hundred Argives, still true to their allegiance. The ships joined the blockade of the port, after landing some troops, including the Argives, and laid siege to Miletos.
But Alkibiades was in the town working day and night to get the Milesian militia, about eight hundred strong, in fit order to make a desperate sortie. Besides these Milesians there was a body of over a thousand Spartan hoplites and a good force from Klazomenai within the walls of Miletos. There was also another person there who was to play no unimportant part in the remainder of the life of Alkibiades—Tissaphernes had come with some Persian cavalry. It was the first time these two men had met—the first time thefinest gentleman in Greece had come into actual contact with the Persian nobleman and high official. The Persian was captivated by the pleasant manners, the wit, the varied powers, the commanding presence and personal beauty of the descendant of the ancient heroes of a race which the Persians had such good cause to hold in high respect.
The day at length arrived—it had seemed long in coming to the impatient exile—when the final effort must be made to drive the Athenians from the walls of Miletos. Much depended on that day’s work. If the Spartans and their allies could succeed in driving the Athenians to their ships, the whole fleet might be attacked at sea, while they were encumbered by the number of their troops on board, together with the wounded and the dying, after the engagement on the land. It was known, too, that another formidable Spartan squadron which had sailed some time since had been seen making for Iasos, not far off, and might soon be at Miletos. If the Athenian fleet and army were both beaten, the other islands and dependencies of Athens, which had feared up to this time to declare themselves, would rise against her domination. Thus, as far as anyone could see, this great effort might decide her fate.
At daybreak the city gates were opened. The Milesians, instructed and inspirited by Alkibiades, who led them, rushed on the Argive fifteen hundred who confronted them on the left of the Athenian siege-works. At the same time the Spartans and Klazomenians, issuing from the eastern gate, reached the Athenian right and centre works. Tissaphernes was so astonished at the way in which Alkibiades took his Milesians into action that he forgot to charge at the head of his Persian cavalry, and reserved them to pursue the enemy when the others should have put them to flight.
Thus Alkibiades, by a strange vicissitude of fortune, found himself face to face in deadly combat with his old friends the Argives, with whom he had no quarrel, whose alliance he had gained for Athens, and whom, by his influence, he had kept constant to her. These thoughts, which could not but come upon him as he led his Milesians against them, did not prevent him from doing desperate work among them. They broke and fled before him, leaving three hundred dead upon the field.
On the other side of the city other events were taking place. The Spartans and men of Klazomenai were utterly discomforted by the Athenian hoplites. On seeing this rout of their allies, theMilesians feared to pursue the Argives farther, lest the victorious Athenians might come round and outflank them, and, in spite of all their leader could do, they retired into the town by the gate from which they had rushed out. They found, when they returned, a host of Spartans and Klazomenians entering the town in terror and confusion, beaten back by those Athenians they had boasted the day before they could drive into the sea. The gates were closed, but the Athenians sat down again before the town, cutting it off almost entirely from supplies by land, while the fleet blockaded its port.
Miletos must soon have fallen but for Alkibiades. He got out of the town as soon as it was dark, and eluding the besiegers, rode as hard as he could go all night, and in the morning reached Teichioussa, a small fortified place on the north coast of the Gulf of Iasos. There he found the long-expected fleet from Sparta under Theramenes. He put before him the critical position of Miletos, and induced him to dare to sail at once, in spite of the Athenian fleet, to its relief. They arrived at Miletos that same day, and the Athenians, acting on the unvalorous advice of Phrynichos, when they heard of their approach, although they had a larger fleet, andthat fleet manned by Athenian sailors, drew off their ships and their besieging forces and retired to Samos. Thus Miletos was saved by the energy and persuasion of Alkibiades.
Athens, although her generals were showing the unaccustomed sight of an Athenian fleet retiring before Spartans—Athens at home was still working with the utmost vigour, sending forth armament after armament, as fast as she could get them ready. She now had, partly at Samos, partly investing Chios, a fleet of no less than one hundred and twenty ships of war—a large array for a people supposed by their enemies and those who did not know them to be at their last gasp.
The Lakedaimonians were also working, doing something for themselves and expecting more from others. They sent forward some ships they had received from Thurii and Syrakuse and twenty-seven of their own. But what they counted on more than anything was the promised naval aid from Persia. Tissaphernes had undertaken to bring an enormous fleet of three hundred sail, now lying off the Phœnikian coast, and only waiting orders from the Great King. With these the Spartans hoped to sweep the Athenians from the sea, and take from her her islands and dependencies. Those which had beenformerly under the tyranny of the Persian kings were, by the treaty, to return to that dominion. With the others, if there were any, Sparta might do as she listed.
With the last squadron of thirty-seven ships from Lakedaimôn were sent eleven commissioners as a council of war, with full powers over the admirals, and instructions to get fresh concessions from the Persian ally, and to press Tissaphernes to bring his great fleet into Ionian waters without delay. The commissioners brought with them another secret order for Astyochos, the admiral-in-chief.
Agis was now back in Sparta for a time. He was, perhaps, the ablest man they had, and had done good work for his country at Dekeleia, whither he had been sent at the advice of Alkibiades. On his return home he heard of nothing but the greatness, the powers, the courage, the wisdom and ability, of their new councillor. Who was this effeminate Athenian who seemed to be ruling everyone in Sparta? A traitor to his country, and one who, as like as not, would soon prove a traitor to them! Agis was consumed with jealousy. It is said he had another cause for being jealous, of a more private nature, nearer home. Be that as it may, he hated Alkibiades,his rival. The rival was away. Had he been there it might have been different, but he was away fighting and directing the battles of Lakedaimôn. He had added fresh claims to their gratitude. He had gained over many of the Athenian allies by his presence and persuasion. By his skill and courage he had defeated the Argives at Miletos, and it was now known that the whole remnant of that contingent, twelve hundred men, had gone back again to Argos disgusted when they found they had to fight against him. Then by his promptitude and zeal he had saved Miletos, and the Spartan army, which, but for him, might now have been in the hands of a victorious enemy.
But he was away. Others besides Agis hated him with the hatred of smaller minds towards a greater, a cause of hatred of which he had felt the dire effects before at home. There were others who, not hating him, thought Sparta had got all she was likely to get out of him, and wished to get rid of him, and knew of only one safe way of doing so. He had few amongst the governing Spartans to take his part. His friend and companion, the brave Chalkideus, was slain. His friend and relative Endios was no longer Ephor. By secret suspicions artfully spread amongstthose of the new Ephors who were not hostile to him, they were at length persuaded that it was necessary for the state that he should be destroyed. He had done too much for Sparta.
The Ephors had almost despotic powers. They could even imprison their kings. But their power lasted only for a year. So what they meant to do against Alkibiades they must do speedily and secretly. They resolved on his assassination. They had a simple but sure method of communicating with their commanders at the seat of war. The Ephors had a staff of office of precisely the same shape and size as the commander’s baton. Round this they rolled a sheet of parchment and wrote their deadly message on it, which doomed Alkibiades to a sudden death. This scroll was then unrolled. When it was off the staff it was illegible, and not till it was rolled round the commander’s staff could it be deciphered. It was then entrusted to one of the commissioners to carry to Astyochos at Miletos.
But there were five Ephors, and one of them was bound by strong ties to Endios. He, moreover, was doubtful of the wisdom of the murderous deed upon which his colleagues had decided. He told the secret to Endios shortly before the eleven commissioners were to set outfrom Sparta. Endios was dismayed at the disgrace which this base act would bring on his country He was horrified at the fate awaiting his kinsman, to whom he was sincerely attached, and from whom, while he was great and powerful at Athens, he had received nothing but kindness and hospitality. But what could Endios do? He saw the villainy of the plot; he knew that Agis was the chief mover in it, and that Agis hated Alkibiades. He had not much love himself for Agis, and would do anything he could to intercept his malice. Whatever was to be done to warn the object of this secret machination must be done at once. If it was discovered that Endios had betrayed the secret, it would be certain destruction to him and to the Ephor, his informant. He dared not trust it to any Lakedaimonian. All the town would hear of it at once, for the commons loved their Athenian guest; he had won their hearts, as he had won the hearts of the poor wherever he had gone. Endios dared not confide it to a Spartan.
We have seen that Agrestides was left behind by Alkibiades to attend to his private affairs when his master went with Chalkideus. Endios found him out and imparted to him the secret which he dare not put in writing. The rage ofthe faithful follower against king Agis and the Ephors could at first hardly be restrained. But he saw the necessity of departing at once to warn his master. He easily got employed on board one of the triremes which was just about to start, for the Spartan government found it was not easy to supply men enough for all the ships they had lately sent to sea. So when, at the solstice, the new squadron left the shore of Malea, with the eleven commissioners on board, carrying with them the murderous missive, there went with them one who knew its purport, and who could be as speedy as they and as silent as the grave to which the Ephors were seeking to consign his friend and master.
The fleet first made for Melos, some seventy miles from Malea. On the way they fell in with ten Athenian ships, and took three of them; the rest escaped. Fearing that their voyage to Miletos would thus be heard of by the Athenian fleet at Samos, they steered for Krete, and thence round by Kaunos, on the Karian coast. The navigation from Kaunos to Miletos was dangerous for a fleet of their small strength, with the Athenians on the watch for them. So they determined to send a message by some sailors in a small boat to Astyochos, begging him to come to convoy them.
Agrestides volunteered to go on this perilous adventure—perilous by reason of the storms to which that coast is liable, and from Athenian ships being on the look-out to prevent communication between the admiral at Miletos and his countrymen. And so, tossed about in a frail boat, and still more agitated in his mind, we must leave Agrestides for a little while.