196 HISTOBY OF GREECE. be its number ever so great, could possibly contend against them with success. 1 Accordingly, the Corinthian admirals, Machaon and his trvo colleagues, were surprised to observe that Phormio with his small Athenian squadron, instead of keeping safe in Naupaktus, was moving in parallel line with them and watching their progress until they should get out of the Corinthian gulf into the more open sea. Having advanced along the northern coast of Peloponnesus as far as Patrse in Achaia, they then altered their course, and bore to the northwest in order to cross over towards the .SCtolian coast, in their way to Akarnania. In doing this, however, they perceived that Phormio was bearing down upon them from Chalkis and the mouth of the river Euenus, and they now discovered for the first time that Le was going to attack them. Disconcerted by this incident, and not inclined for a naval combat in the wide and open sea, they altered their plan of passage, returned to the coast of Pelopon- nesus, and brought to for the night at some point near to Rhium, the narrowest breadth of the strait. Their bringing to was a mere feint intended to deceive Phormio, and induce him to go back for the night to his own coast : for, during the course of the night, they left their station, and tried to get across the breadth of the gulf, where it was near the strait, and comparatively nar- row, before Phormio could come down upon them : and if the Athenian captain had really gone back to take night-station on his own coast, they would probably have got across to the JEtolian or northern coast without any molestation in the wide sea : but he watched their movements closely, kept the sea all night, and was thus enabled to attack them in mid-channel, even 1 Thucyd. ii, 88. irporepov HEV -yap a el avrolf ?. eye (Phormio) /ca2 irpoirapOKi>a& rug yvufias, uf oiidev avrolf jrA^i?of VEUV roaovrov, ijv inur^-ey, 6, TL 011% inro/tevereov avroif sari' KOI oi ffTpariurai LK xoM.ov it vQiatv avrolf TTJV at;iuaiv raiiTijv elluiQeaav, fi^deva bx'kov 'A $ 77 v a Z o / ovref HeXoTTOWi) ffiuv veuv VTro^opetv. This passage is not only remarkable as it conveys the striking persuasion entertained by the Athenians of their own naval superiority, but also as it discloses the frank and intimate communication between the Athenian cap- tain and his seamen, so strongly pervading and determining the feel tags of the latter. Compare what is told respecting the Syracusan Hermo
Krites, Xenpph. Hellen. i, 1, 30.
