atoned.

On the evening of the 4th, Lord Cochrane assembled the Greek captains at
Munychia, and telling them of their leader's dying message, asked
whether they were ready to obey it. For some time they made no answer.
At length, on the question being repeated, they replied that they
thought they had only been brought thither to hear from the Admiral
words of consolation for the loss they had sustained in the death of the
brave and wise Karaiskakes. Being asked a third time whether they would
obey the dying injunction of the leader for whom they now mourned so
much, they answered that they were not ready, that the army was in
disorder, that some of them were occupied in burying the slain, that
some were tending the wounded, and that all desired to stay near their
chief as long as the soul was in his body, and to have at any rate the
opportunity of kissing his body before its burial.

With some bitterness, Lord Cochrane replied that such an excess of grief
was inopportune, and that their love for Karaiskakes would be best shown
in obeying his last command. He added that, if they really refused to go
to the rescue of the Acropolis, they would not need his presence on the
coast and could not complain of his going to serve Greece elsewhere.
Having said that, he returned to his ship.

He had not been long on board, however, when a messenger followed him
with intelligence that the army would adopt his plan and be ready,
without fail, to proceed to the Acropolis on the following evening.
There was no further procrastination, and throughout the next day
preparations were being made for what one historian of the Greek
Revolution calls "a whim,"[6] and another "an insane scheme."[7]

[6] Trikoupes, vol. iv., p. 152.

[7] Gordon, vol. ii., p. 392.

"The scheme," says one who was in close attendance on Lord Cochrane all
through this time, Mr. Edward Masson, "was anything but insane. It was
one of the most sober, safe, and practicable plans ever formed. The
first and fundamental condition on which Lord Cochrane consented to
co-operate in any plan of landing troops at Cape Colias was, that the
troops landed should not expose themselves to an attack of cavalry in
the plains, but should, on being landed, proceed by a night march, in
compact order, and without halting, to a specified rocky height beyond
the temple of Jupiter Olympus, a position which, it was admitted by all,
they could hold with perfect safety during the day.