Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/244

236 HERMOCRATES AT CA MARINA [vi ravaged the country and burnt the huts and the camp of the Athenians ; they then returned home. They heard that the Athenians were sending an embassy to gain over the Camarinaeans on the strength of their former aUiance, which had been made under Laches ' and they despatched a counter embassy of their own. They suspected that the Camarinaeans had not been over-zealous in sending their contingent to the first battle, and would not be willing to assist them any longer now that the Athenians had gained a victory; old feelings of friendship would revive, and they would be induced to join them. Accordingly Hermocrates came with an embassy to Camarina, and Euphemus with another embassy from the Athenians. An assembl}' of the Camarinaeans was held, at which Hermocrates, hoping to raise a prejudice against the Athenians, spoke as follows : — 76 'We are not here, Camarinaeans, because we suppose IVe fear not the that the presence of the Athenian army swords but the words will dismay you ; we are more afraid c^he Athenians. They ^^ ^j^^j^ ^^ unuttered WOrds, tO pretend to be liberators, . . but they are really en- which you may too readily lend an ear slaversof Hellas, abroad if you hear them without first hearing as well as at home the ^,g you know the pretext on which new masters whom *■ Hellas has taken in ex- they have come to Sicily, but we can change for the Persians, all guess their real intentions. If I am not mistaken they want, not to restore the Leontines to their city, but to drive us out of ours. Who can believe that they who desolate the cities of Hellas mean to restore those of Sicil}', or that the enslavers and oppressors of the Chalcidians in Euboea have any feeling of kindred towards the colonists of these Chalcidians in Leontini? In their conquests at home, and in their attempt to conquer Sicily, is not the principle upon which they act one and the same? The lonians and other colonists of theirs who were their allies, wanting to be revenged on » Cp. iii. 86.