is countrymen would
not believe that he could really fail in anything which he seriously
attempted. They expected to hear of the capture of Chios, and of the
whole Ionian coast, and were vexed at not at once receiving the news of
a complete success. They did not take into account the want of money
which Alkibiades felt, while warring against men who had the king of
Persia for their paymaster, and which made frequent absences from his
camp necessary to provide subsistence for his troops. It was one of
these expeditions, indeed, which exposed him to the last and most
important of the many charges brought against him. Lysander had been
sent by the Lacedaemonians to take the command of their fleet. On his
arrival, by means of the money paid by Cyrus, he raised the pay of his
sailors from three obols a day to four. Alkibiades, who could with
difficulty pay his men even three obols, went to Caria to levy
contributions, leaving in command of the fleet one Antiochus, a good
seaman, but a thoughtless and silly man. He had distinct orders from
Alkibiades not to fight even if the enemy attacked him, but such was his
insolent disregard of these instructions that he manned his own trireme
and one other, sailed to Ephesus, and there passed along the line of the
enemy's ships, as they lay on the beach, using the most scurrilous and
insulting language and gestures. At first Lysander put to sea with a few
ships to pursue him, but as the Athenians came out to assist him, the
action became general. The entire fleets engaged and Lysander was
victorious. He killed Antiochus, captured many ships and men, and set up
a trophy. When Alkibiades on his return to Samos heard of this, he put
to sea with all his ships, and offered battle to Lysander; but he was
satisfied with his previous victory, and refused the offer.

XXXVI. Thrasybulus, the son of Thrason, a bitter personal enemy of
Alkibiades, now set sail for Athens to accuse him, and to exasperate his
enemies in the city against him. He made a speech to the people,
representing that Alkibiades had ruined their affairs and lost their
ships by insolently abusing his authority and entrusting the command,
during his own absence, to men who owed their influence with him to deep
drinking and cracking seamen's jokes, and that he securely traversed the
provinces to raise money, indulging in drunken debauches with Ionian
courtezans, while the enemy's fleet was riding close to his own. He was
also blam