m to surrender
the Acropolis and to march with them upon Messina. This town afterwards
also submitted upon the approach of the Athenians and their allies, and
gave hostages and all other securities required.

The same summer the Athenians sent thirty ships round Peloponnese under
Demosthenes, son of Alcisthenes, and Procles, son of Theodorus, and
sixty others, with two thousand heavy infantry, against Melos, under
Nicias, son of Niceratus; wishing to reduce the Melians, who, although
islanders, refused to be subjects of Athens or even to join her
confederacy. The devastation of their land not procuring their
submission, the fleet, weighing from Melos, sailed to Oropus in the
territory of Graea, and landing at nightfall, the heavy infantry started
at once from the ships by land for Tanagra in Boeotia, where they were
met by the whole levy from Athens, agreeably to a concerted signal,
under the command of Hipponicus, son of Callias, and Eurymedon, son of
Thucles. They encamped, and passing that day in ravaging the Tanagraean
territory, remained there for the night; and next day, after defeating
those of the Tanagraeans who sailed out against them and some Thebans
who had come up to help the Tanagraeans, took some arms, set up a
trophy, and retired, the troops to the city and the others to the ships.
Nicias with his sixty ships coasted alongshore and ravaged the Locrian
seaboard, and so returned home.

About this time the Lacedaemonians founded their colony of Heraclea in
Trachis, their object being the following: the Malians form in all three
tribes, the Paralians, the Hiereans, and the Trachinians. The last
of these having suffered severely in a war with their neighbours
the Oetaeans, at first intended to give themselves up to Athens; but
afterwards fearing not to find in her the security that they sought,
sent to Lacedaemon, having chosen Tisamenus for their ambassador. In
this embassy joined also the Dorians from the mother country of the
Lacedaemonians, with the same request, as they themselves also suffered
from the same enemy. After hearing them, the Lacedaemonians determined
to send out the colony, wishing to assist the Trachinians and Dorians,
and also because they thought that the proposed town would lie
conveniently for the purposes of the war against the Athenians. A fleet
might be got ready there against Euboea, with the advantage of a short
passage to the island; and the town would also be useful as a statio