up to his soldiers to plunder. Meanwhile, the
Athenian fleet of a hundred and eighty triremes had just touched at
Elaius in the Chersonese, but, hearing that Lampsakus was lost,
proceeded to Sestos. Having taken in provisions at that place, they
sailed to the "Goat's Rivers," opposite to Lampsakus, where the
enemy's fleet still lay. One of the Athenian generals on this occasion
was that Philokles who once induced the people to pass a decree that
all prisoners of war should have their right thumbs cut off, so that
they might not be able to hold a spear, but yet might work at the oar.

X. Hereupon both parties rested, expecting a sea-fight on the morrow.
Lysander, however, had other intentions, but notwithstanding ordered
the sailors to man their ships at daybreak, as if he intended to
fight, and to remain quietly at their posts waiting for orders; and
the land force was similarly drawn up by the sea-side. When the sun
rose, the Athenian fleet rowed straight up to the Lacedaemonians, and
offered battle, but Lysander, although his ships were fully manned,
and had their prows pointing towards the enemy, would not let them
engage, but sent small boats to the first line of his ships with
orders not to move, but remain quietly in their places without any
noise or attempt to attack. Though the Athenians retired towards
evening, he would not let his men land before two or three triremes
which he had sent to reconnoitre, returned with the intelligence that
the enemy had disembarked. The same manoeuvres took place on the next
day, and also on the third and fourth days, so that the Athenians
began to be very bold, and to despise their enemy, who seemed not to
dare to attack them. At this time Alkibiades, who was living in his
own forts in the Chersonese, rode over to the Athenian camp and blamed
the generals for having in the first place encamped in a bad position,
on an exposed sea-beach without any harbour, and pointed out their
mistake in having to fetch all their provisions from Sestos, which was
so far off, whereas they ought to have proceeded to the harbour and
city of Sestos, where they would also be farther away from a watchful
enemy, commanded by one general only, and so well disciplined as to be
able to carry out his orders with great rapidity. These
representations of Alkibiades were not listened to by the Athenian
generals, one of whom, Tydeus, insolently replied that it was they,
not he, who were in command.

XI. As