Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/240

124 DEVASTATION OF MEGARA [ll Cranians, Samaeans, and Pronnaeans. Soon afterwards the fleet proceeded on its voyage homewards. 31 About the end of the summer the enth-e Athenian force, TiuAii,e>,ia„suuder including the metics, invaded the the command of Pericles territory of. Megara, under the com- march into the Megarid n^^nd of Pericles the son of Xanthippus. and ravage the country, ,-^, . . . „ 11 1 1 » 1 he Athenian lleet had reached Aegina on its way home, and when the commanders heard that the whole armed force of the city was in Megara, they sailed thither and joined them. This was the largest army which the Athenians ever had in one place; for the city was still in her full strength, and had not as yet suffered from the plague. The Athenians themselves numbered not less than ten thousand hoplites, exclusive of the remaining three thousand who were engaged at Potidaea. A force of metic hoplites amounting to at least three thousand took part in the invasion, and also a large number of light-armed troops. After ravaging the greater part of the country they retired. They repeated the invasion, sometimes with cavalry, sometimes with the whole Athenian army, every year during the war until Nisaea was taken ^ 32 At the end of this summer the island of Atalante, which The Athenians fortify lies off the coast of the Opuntian the island of Atalante. Locrians and had hitherto been unin- habited, was fortified and made a guard-station by the Athenians. They wanted to prevent pirates sailing from Opus and other places in Locris and plundering Euboea. Such were the events which occurred during the remainder of the summer after the Peloponnesians had retired from Attica. 33 The CoriniMans re- DuHngthe following winter, Evarchus store the tyrant Evar- the Acarnanian, desiring to be restored chus to Astacus. On ^^ Astacus, persuaded the Corinthians their return they attack '■ CephaUenia,butarede- to Sail with forty ships and fifteen feated. hundred hoplites and reinstate him, he " Cp. iv. 66 init.. 69 fin.