war
had been entrusted to him. So Sura retired to Macedonia. [Sidenote:
Sulla lands in Epirus, 87 B.C., and marches on Athens.] Sulla had left
Brundusium in 87, and, landing on the coast of Epirus, gathered what
supplies he could from Aetolia and Thessaly, and marched straight
for Athens. It was soon seen that the foundations of the empire of
Mithridates were based on sand. The Boeotians at once submitted,
including Thebes, which had joined the king. [Sidenote: Siege of the
Piraeus and Athens.] Sulla then began two sieges, that of the Piraeus
where Archelaus was, and that of Athens defended by Aristion.
Archelaus had before shown himself an intrepid soldier, and he baffled
all Sulla's efforts with equal ingenuity and courage. After an
unsuccessful attempt to storm the walls, Sulla retired to Eleusis
and Megara, thus keeping up his communications with Thebes and the
Peloponnese, and set to work constructing catapults and other engines,
and preparing an earthwork from which he meant to attack the wall with
them. For these purposes he cut down the trees of the Academia and the
Lyceum. He was kept informed of intended sallies by two slaves inside
the town, who threw out leaden balls with words cut on them. But
as fast as the earthwork rose Archelaus built towers on the walls
opposite to it, and thence harassed the besiegers. [Sidenote: Battle
at the Piraeus. Archelaus nearly taken.] He was also reinforced by
Mithridates, and then came out and fought a battle which was for some
time doubtful; but he was forced to retire at length with the loss of
2,000 men. He himself remained till the last. The gates were shut and
he had to be drawn up by a rope over the wall.

[Sidenote: Sulla's difficulties.] The affairs of Sulla, however, were
in no flourishing condition. He had come to Greece with only 30,000
men, with no fleet, and little money. He was forced to plunder the
shrines of Epidaurus, Olympia, and Delphi. His messenger to Delphi
came back saying that he had heard the sound of a lute in the temple,
and dared not commit the sacrilege. But Sulla sent him back, saying
that he was sure the sound was a note of welcome, and that the god
meant him to have the treasure. He promised to pay it back some day,
and he kept his word, for he confiscated half the land of Thebes and
applied the proceeds to reimbursing the sacred funds. In his worst
straits he was always ready with some such mockery. [Sidenote: Sulla
sends Lucullus to Egypt.]