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

SPARTA'S RIPOSTE 8 5
riously, but meanwhile the situation at Chios grew worse. The Athenian
fort at Delphinium had an effect on the Chians similar to that
which the Spartan fort at Decelea had on the Athenians." The Chians
possessed a vast population of slaves whose very number caused them
to be treated harshly.'' Naturally, they were quick to flee to the safety
of the Athenian fort and to assist their liberators with their knowledge
of the terrain. Once the fortifications at Delphinium and around the
Athenian camp and ships were completed, the position of the Chians
would be far worse than that of the Athenians troubled by the Spartans
at Decelea, for the Athenians ruled the sea. In these circumstances,
the Chians made one more appeal to Astyochus, begging him "not to
look on while the greatest of the allied cities in Ionia was shut off from
the sea and devastated by raids on land" but to come immediately with
his entire fleet before the fortifications were completed, while there
was still hope."
Astyochus was still reluctant to comply because of his quarrel with
the Chians, according to Thucydides, but for even more sordid motives
in the view of others. 69 However, Astyochus had an excellent reason
for holding back. To aid the Chians he must not only sail past the 74
Athenian ships at Samos but also sail toward the 2 7 triremes blockading
Chios. Thus his 90 or so ships would need to confront 101 of the
enemy's superior ships. In the understated words of a sage historian,
"the outcome would have been very doubtful. " 7 "
But the allied forces with Astyochus were moved by the appeals of
the Chians, and he could not ignore the pressure of their eagerness to
sail, so "he set out to prepare to give aid. " 7 ' Perhaps he was also moved
by the knowledge of Pedaritus' complaints to the Spartans at home
and the need at least to seem responsive to the needs of the Chians.
Ironically, the response to Pedaritus' letter of complaint provided Astyochus
with an excuse for not going to the aid of Chios, for as he was
preparing to go, word came that a Spartan fleet of twenty-seven ships
under the command of Antisthenes had arrived at Caunus carrying
66
Thc similarity is pointed out by Busolt (GG lll:z, 1446).
67 Thucydides says that Chios had a more numerous slave population than any state
except Sparta. Andrewes (HCT V, 86-87) is surely right in saying that the Athenians
must have had more slaves than the Chians. His suggestion that Thucydides is referring
to the proportion of slaves to free is attractive.
688.40.
m van de Maele, Phoenix XXV ( 197 I), 42-4 3' attributes Astyochus' refusal to treason.
70 Busolt, GG lll:2, 1447, n. 2.
71 8.40-3: Wp..., TJTO e~ 70 Ej30'fi6ECV. I believe my €translation is justified by the imperfect
of Wpf.L'fiTO and by Astyochus' previous and subsequent behavior.