upon this pretext, alleging the refusal of their adversaries to sail
with them as a proof of the hollowness of their intentions, and took
their arms out of their houses, and would have dispatched some whom
they fell in with, if Nicostratus had not prevented it. The rest of
the party, seeing what was going on, seated themselves as suppliants
in the temple of Hera, being not less than four hundred in number;
until the commons, fearing that they might adopt some desperate
resolution, induced them to rise, and conveyed them over to the island
in front of the temple, where provisions were sent across to them.
At this stage in the revolution, on the fourth or fifth day after
the removal of the men to the island, the Peloponnesian ships
arrived from Cyllene where they had been stationed since their
return from Ionia, fifty-three in number, still under the command of
Alcidas, but with Brasidas also on board as his adviser; and
dropping anchor at Sybota, a harbour on the mainland, at daybreak made
sail for Corcyra.
The Corcyraeans in great confusion and alarm at the state of
things in the city and at the approach of the invader, at once
proceeded to equip sixty vessels, which they sent out, as fast as they
were manned, against the enemy, in spite of the Athenians recommending
them to let them sail out first, and to follow themselves afterwards
with all their ships to. gether. Upon their vessels coming up to the
enemy in this straggling fashion, two immediately deserted: in
others the crews were fighting among themselves, and there was no
order in anything that was done; so that the Peloponnesians, seeing
their confusion, placed twenty ships to oppose the Corcyraeans, and
ranged the rest against the twelve Athenian ships, amongst which
were the two vessels Salaminia and Paralus.
While the Corcyraeans, attacking without judgment and in small
detachments, were already crippled by their own misconduct, the
Athenians, afraid of the numbers of the enemy and of being surrounded,
did not venture to attack the main body or even the centre of the
division opposed to them, but fell upon its wing and sank one
vessel; after which the Peloponnesians formed in a circle, and the
Athenians rowed round them and tried to throw them into disorder.
Perceiving this, the division opposed to the Corcyraeans, fearing a
repetition of the disaster of Naupactus, came to support their
friends, and the whole fleet now bore down, united, upon the
Athenians, who retired before it, backing water, retiring as leisurely
as possible in order to give the Corcyraeans time to escape, while the
enemy was thus kept occupied. Such was the character of this
sea-fight, which lasted until sunset.
The Corcyraeans now feared that the enemy would follow up their
victory and sail against the town and rescue the men in the island, or
strike some other blow equally decisive, and accordingly carried the
men over again to the temple of Hera, and kept guard over the city.
The Peloponnesians, however, although victorious in the sea-fight, did
not venture to attack the town, but took the thirteen Corcyraean
vessels which they had captured, and with them sailed back to the
continent from whence they had put out. The next day equally they
refrained from attacking the city, although the disorder and panic
were at their height, and though Brasidas, it is said, urged
Alcidas, his superior officer, to do so, but they landed upon the
promontory of Leukimme and laid waste the country.
Meanwhile the commons in Corcyra, being still in great fear of the
fleet attacking them, came to a parley with the suppliants and their
friends, in order to save the town; and prevailed upon some of them to
go on board the ships, of which they still manned thirty, against
the expected attack. But the Peloponnesians after ravaging the country
until midday sailed away, and towards nightfall were informed by
beacon signals of the approach of sixty Athenian vessels from
Leucas, under the command of Eurymedon, son of Thucles; which had been
sent off by the Athenians upon the news of the revolution and of the
fleet with Alcidas being about to sail for Corcyra.