intolerable that
within sixteen months after Athens surrendered to Sparta they were
deposed and democratic rule was restored to the Athenians.]

[Footnote 26: From Book II of the "History of the Peloponnesian War."
Translated by Benjamin Jowett.]

[Footnote 27: One of the larger islands of the AEgean Sea, its area
being about one hundred and eighty square miles.]

III

THE SAILING OF THE ATHENIAN FLEET FOR SICILY[28] (413 B.C.)

About the middle of summer the expedition started for Sicily. Orders
had been previously given to most of the allies, to the corn-ships,
the smaller craft, and generally to the vessels in attendance on the
armament that they should muster at Corcyra, whence the whole fleet
was to strike across the Ionian Gulf to the promontory of Iapygia.[29]
Early in the morning of the day appointed for their departure, the
Athenians and such of their allies as had already joined them went
down to the Piraeus and began to man the ships. The entire population
of Athens accompanied them, citizens and strangers alike. The citizens
came to take farewell, one of an acquaintance another of a kinsman,
another of a son; the crowd as they passed along were full of hope and
full of tears; hope of conquering Sicily, tears because they doubted
whether they would ever see their friends again, when they thought of
the long voyage on which they were sending them. At the moment of
parting, the danger was nearer; and terrors which had never occurred
to them when they were voting the expedition now entered into their
souls. Nevertheless their spirits revived at the sight of the armament
in all its strength and of the abundant provision which they had made.
The strangers and the rest of the multitude came out of curiosity,
desiring to witness an enterprise of which the greatness exceeded
belief.

No armament so magnificent or costly had ever been sent out by any
single Hellenic power, tho in mere number of ships and hoplites that
which sailed to Epidaurus under Pericles and afterward under Hagnon to
Potidaea was not inferior. For that expedition consisted of a hundred
Athenian and fifty Chian and Lesbian triremes, conveying four thousand
hoplites, all Athenian citizens, three hundred cavalry, and a
multitude of allied troops. Still the voyage was short and the
equipments were poor, whereas this expedition was intended to be long
absent, and was thoroughly provided both for sea and land service,
wherever its prese