The Fall of the Athenian Empire-(A New History of the Peloponnesian War) Donald Kagan - (1987)

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIVE THOUSAND 199
do not know how many ships he took with him, but when he arrived
at Eretria, the Athenian fleet reached a total of thirty-six.
Waiting for him some seven miles away across the strait at Oropus
were Agesandridas and the Peloponnesian fleet. Agesandridas had the
advantage not only of numbers and more experienced crews but also
of good preparation, a rehearsed plan of battle, the element of surprise,
and the collaboration of the Eretrians. The Athenians arrived and went
at once to seek a meal in Eretria. They could not obtain food in the
marketplace, as they had expected, but had to seek it in private houses
at some distance from the shore. This was part of the plan concocted
by the Eretrians and the Spartans: when the Athenians were scattered
and away from their ships, the Eretrians raised a signal, and Agesandridas
attacked at once. The Athenians were forced to race for their
ships and put to sea immediately, as soon as they were manned, without
having time to arrange an effective formation. Even so, they fought
well for a time but after a while were routed and driven to shore. Still
unaware of the Eretrian treachery, many sought safety in the city but
were killed by the citizens. Some escaped to safety in Chalcis and some
to an Athenian fort in Eretrian territory. The Athenians lost twentytwo
ships and their crews, and the Peloponnesians set up a trophy of
victory." Soon the entire island joined in the rebellion, except for
Histiaea at the northern end, which had been held by Athenian colonists
since the Eu boean rebellion of 446. 33
The news from Euboea frightened the Athenians even more than
the news of the Sicilian disaster, for their situation was considerably
worse than it had been in 413· Their treasury was about empty, and
of their fleet, only the twenty ships that had escaped from Euboea
remained. Since the defeat in Sicily, they had lost access to most of
Attica, and now they had lost Euboea, which had been a substitute
for it. Beyond that, they were divided among themselves, with dissension
at Athens and the entire city separated from the fleet at Samos.
At any time, open warfare might break out in the city, or the force
on Samos might attack the people in Athens. In a rare demonstration
of sympathetic understanding, Thucydides asks, "was it not natural
12
Diodorus tells the story of the battle differently (1]·34·2-], ]6.]-4). His version
provides the Athenians with forry ships under two unnamed generals who quarrel with
one another and lose the battle. There is no reason to prefer him to Thucydides here.
H8·95·3-7· Thucydides refers to Histiaea as Oreus here (95·4). Presumably, the
Athenians who colonized the area in the form of a cleruchy changed its name. See
HCTV, 320.