SECTION VIII.

Sedition of Corcyra; Operations of the Athenian Fleets under Nicostratus and Eurymedon, and of the Peloponnesian under Alcidas.

FROM this scene of bloodshed and desolation, such is the tenor of Grecian history, we proceed to another still more shocking, and from which we should willingly avert our eyes, but for the more than curious information, the valuable instruction which, as from a well imagined tragic fable, may be derived from it. In the island of Corcyra, since its connexion with Athens, the democratical had been the prevailing interest. In the sea-fight with the Corinthians off Sybota, a number of Corcyræans of rank had, as we have seen1, been made prisoners; and it became immediately the policy of the Corinthian government to conciliate these, in the hope, through them, to bring over Corcyra to the Peloponnesian confederacy, which would of course restore some portion at least of the ancient influence and authority of Corinth in the island. The Corcyræan nobles readily acceded to the first idea; and possibly a less reward than the change from a dungeon, with daily fear of death, to liberty, affluence, and power, might have induced them to accede to the second; for it would be upon the whole advantageous to them to have their island in some degree subject to Corinth, rather than to be themselves under the rod of democratical rule in the hands of their fellow citizens. They were however set at liberty. It was given out that they were bound by sufficient pledges to pay a large sum for their ransom, but the real ransom appeared in the sequel. Every Corcyræan was canvassed separately for his support, in the general assembly, to a question for renouncing the Athenian alliance, and 1 Ch. xiv. sect. 3, of this History.

renewing the ancient connexion of Corcyra with Corinth its mother city. Success in this intrigue was various; but party soon became warm, and the whole island was in commotion. The leaders of the democratical party, in alarm, sent information to Athens, and the Athenian government dispatched ministers to watch over the interests of the commonwealth in Corcyra. It happened that ministers from Corinth arrived nearly at the same time. An assembly of the Corcyræan people was held in presence of both; the question concerning the alliance was discussed; and the Corinthians so far prevailed, that, though it was resolved to maintain the alliance with Athens, it was nevertheless resolved to maintain peace with Peloponnesus.

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How far it might have been possible for the aristocratical party to stop here, and preserve quiet, we have not means to judge; but that no discreet zeal directed the following measures amply appears. prosecution was commenced against Peithias, the most powerful man of the island, chief of the democratical party, and, in consequence of his own solicitation, admitted to the rights of public hospitality with the Athenian commonwealth. The crime alleged was, "subjecting his country to Athens." The aristocratical party had so ill considered their strength, or so ill concerted their measures, that he was acquitted. It was then perhaps necessary for him to ruin those who would ruin him; and the interest which had enabled him to repel the attack, would be likely to give him means of revenge. accused five of the wealthiest of the aristocratical party of a crime which appears to us extraordinary, cutting stakes in the sacred groves of Jupiter and Alcinous. The consecration of groves was indeed common among the ancients, and to cut or damage such groves of course criminal: but we are at a loss to conceive the inducement for men of wealth and

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rank to risk the penalty. In Corcyra it was a stater, about a guinea, for every stake. The five were all condemned in fines to an amount that would reduce them to indigence. Immediate payment or imprisonment were the alternative, to be avoided only by flight, if indeed that were now practicable, or by taking refuge at the altars. They chose the latter expedient, hoping that their friends might yet obtain for them at least a mitigation of the penalty. The interest of Peithias however prevented; and, more master in the supreme council in consequence of the absence of the five, he procured a resolution for proposing to the people an alliance offensive as well as defensive with Athens. The suppliants, looking upon their ruin and that of their party as complete if this should be carried, in the rage of despair quitted the altars, collected some of their adherents, armed themselves with daggers, and rushing into the council-hall, killed Peithias, with others, some counsellors, some private persons, to the number of sixty. The counsellors of the democratical party who avoided the massacre, fled for refuge to the Athenian trireme which lay in the harbour.

The five were no sooner thus masters of the council than they summoned an assembly of the people, acknowledged what they had done, and claimed merit from it, as what alone could save the commonwealth from subjection to Athens; and then immediately proposed a decree for maintaining a strict neutrality, for refusing to admit more than one ship of war at a time belonging to either of the belligerent powers, and for declaring any attempt to introduce more into any port of Corcyra an act of hostility. Their own influence was extensive, their opponents were intimidated and without a head, the decree, moderate in its purposes, was well calculated to gain in the instant the approbation of all who were not violent in party, and it was carried. Ministers were

then dispatched to Athens to apologise, as far as might be, to the Athenian government for what had passed, as no preconcerted measure, but brought on by the crisis of the moment, and to effect a reconciliation if possible with those Corcyræans who had fled thither, and prevent their exciting the Athenian government to any interference. Instead, however, of being received as deputed by due authority, those ministers were, by order of the Athenian government, apprehended as rebels, and sent in custody to Ægina.

Meanwhile the aristocratical party in Corcyra were far from being decidedly masters of the government. The arrival of a Corinthian ship with ministers from Lacedæmon encouraged them. They attacked, and in the moment overpowered their opponents, who nevertheless found refuge in the citadel and some of the higher parts of the city. Civil war was thus commenced: the democratical party collected their strength, and took possession of one of the ports of the city called the Hyllaïc. The aristocratical party held the agora and the principal port. Next day both parties sent detachments into the country to invite the peasant-slaves to their assistance, with promises of freedom. In this business the democratical party had the greater success. The nobles on the other hand obtained eight hundred Epirot auxiliaries from the continent. In the course of the day light skirmishes passed, with missile weapons.

On the next day but one matters were brought to a crisis. System was now in some degree reestablished in the conduct of the affairs of the democratical party leaders were become settled in command and influence, in the room of those who had been assassinated. They were superior in numbers, and within the city they possessed the more commanding situations. With these advantages, issuing from their quarters they attacked their opponents; and,

such was the effect of party spirit, the women took a zealous part in the action, throwing bricks and tiles from the house-tops, and supporting the tumult of battle, says Thucydides, with a resolution beyond their nature. Late in the evening the aristocratical party were compelled to yield; and fearing that their opponents, pressing upon them in their retreat, might become masters of the naval arsenal and the port, their last refuge, they set fire to all the buildings about the agora, sparing neither their own houses (for there the principal men mostly had their residence) nor those of others; so that, beside dwellings, many warehouses full of valuable merchandise were consumed; and had any wind blown toward the city, the whole would have been destroyed. The conflagration effectually checked pursuit, and prevented that immediate destruction which the aristocratical party had apprehended; but their affairs nevertheless suffered from the defection of their friends. In the night not only the greater part of the Epirot auxiliaries made their escape to the continent, but the commander of the Corinthian trireme consulted his safety by sailing away.

Early in the business, the democratical party had sent intelligence to Naupactus, where Nicostratus son of Deitrephes commanded the Athenian squadron. On the next day after the departure of the Epirot troops and the Corinthian ship, Nicostratus arrived in the harbour of Corcyra with twelve triremes and five hundred heavy-armed Messenians. His purpose of course was to support the democratical, which was the Athenian party; but, in the present circumstances, his arrival perhaps gave greater joy to the defeated nobles, who dreaded nothing so much as the unrestrained revenge of their fellow citizens. He did not deceive their expectation: proposing a treaty, he succeeded in mediating an agreement, by which it was determined that ten only, who were