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

38 THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE
Corinthian refusal to sail until they were completed. Here Agis inter~
vened, offering to allow the Corinthians to maintain their truce while
he "made the expedition his own business," that is, took command,
leaving the Corinthians behind. From the Corinthian point of view,
this was entirely unacceptable, for it would mean that the war would
continue during the games, making the sacred truce a sham. Combatants
from both sides would be distracted by and involved in the
war, and others would be deterred from coming to the Isthmus. The
games, which brought not only honor but also profit to the host city,
would be a failure. 53 The Corinthians, therefore, refused and, presumably,
gained enough allied support to prevent Agis from having his
way.
The delay had serious consequences, as the Chians had feared when
they had urged haste on the Spartans. The Athenians learned that a
plot was brewing and sent the general Aristocrates to confront the
Chians with the charge. When it was denied, he demanded that they
contribute some ships to the allied navy as a sign of good faith (and,
perhaps, as hostages for their good behavior). The plotters were cautious
men and had to be confronted before they were ready to act.
They were oligarchs who feared that the common people would be
hostile to their plans if they were revealed prematurely. There was
also a faction among the upper classes that was friendly to Athens.
Finally, and most important, the delay of the Peloponnesians in answering
their call had convinced them that they would not come at
all. For these reasons the Chians obeyed Aristocrates' demand and sent
seven ships to the imperial fleet. 54
Only after the Isthmian games, in July of 412, did the first detachment
of the Peloponnesian fleet sail out of Corinth's eastern port at
Cenchreae under the command of Alcamenes (see Map 2). 55 It was
soon challenged by an Athenian fleet of the same size as its twentyone
ships, for the Athenians had taken advantage of the truce to attend
the Isthmian games, where they learned more about the Chian plot
and the Peloponnesian plans for aiding it. On their return to Athens,
they set up a watch on Cenchreae and prepared a fleet to meet the
"This is how I interpret Agis' offer reported on 8.g.1, following a suggestion of
Hatzfeld's (Alcibiade, 219). He goes so far as to say that Agis secretly favored the delay,
for it gave him the chance to gain the command of the expedition.
54
8.9.2-3. For the pro-Athenian faction at Chios, see 8. 38. 3; and Andrewes, HCT
V, 22:._23.
55 8.10.2. For the date, see Andrewes, HCT V, 23-24.