t prince at Sardis, he
was dismissed not only without money, but even without an audience.
Callicratidas, however, had too much energy to be daunted by such
obstacles. Sailing with his fleet from Ephesus to Miletus, he laid
before the assembly of that city, in a spirited address, all the ill
they had suffered at the hands of the Persians, and exhorted them to
bestir themselves and dispense with the Persian alliance. He succeeded
in persuading the Milesians to make him a large grant of money, whilst
the leading men even came forward with private subscriptions. By means
of this assistance he was enabled to add 50 triremes to the 90
delivered to him by Lysander; and the Chians further provided him with
ten days' pay for the seamen.

The fleet of Callicratidas was now double that of Conon. The latter
was compelled to run before the superior force of Callicratidas. Both
fleets entered the harbour of Mytilene at the same time, where a battle
ensued in which Conon lost 30 ships, but he saved the remaining 40 by
hauling them ashore under the walls of the town. Callicratidas then
blockaded Mytilene both by sea and land; but Conon contrived to
despatch a trireme to Athens with the news of his desperate position.

As soon as the Athenians received intelligence of the blockade of
Mytilene; vast efforts were made for its relief; and we learn with
surprise that in thirty days a fleet of 110 triremes was equipped and
despatched from Piraeus. The armament assembled at Samos, where it was
reinforced by scattered Athenian ships, and by contingents from the
allies, to the extent of 40 vessels. The whole fleet of 150 sail then
proceeded to the small islands of Arginusae, near the coast of Asia,
and facing Malea, the south-eastern cape of Lesbos. Callicratidas, who
went out to meet them, took up his station at the latter point, leaving
a squadron of 50 ships to maintain the blockade of Mytilene. He had
thus only 120 ships to oppose to the 150 of the Athenians, and his
pilot advised him to retire before the superior force of the enemy.
But Callicratidas replied that he would not disgrace himself by flight,
and that if he should perish Sparta would not feel his loss. The
battle was long and obstinate. All order was speedily lost, and the
ships fought singly with one another, In one of these contests,
Callicratidas, who stood on the prow of his vessel ready to board the
enemy, was thrown overboard by the shock of the vessels as th