Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/88

8o ALARM OF THE ATHENIANS [iV Amphipolis ; the place was very useful to them, and sup- The Atheuia.s are PJ'^^ ^^em with a revenue, and with alarmed at the revolt of timber which they imported for ship- Amphipolis because it building. As far as the Strymon the opens the ivay to their j j • 111 1 /,, ,,• 7., Lacedaemonians could always have otiier allies in 1 hrace. -' The revolting cities mis- found a way to the allies of Athens, if calculated, but it was the Thessalians allowed them to pass ; natural that they should 1 . ,-i ^.u • j • c ,.- , ■ „ ,' 1 .1 but until they gained possession 01 the be injluenced by the -' ® '^ character of Brasidas. bridge they could proceed no further, Jealousy of his enter- because, for a long way above, the pnses a pa) a. river forms a large lake, and below, towards Eion, there were triremes on guard. All difficulty seemed now to be removed, and the Athenians feared that more of their allies would revolt. For Brasidas in all his actions showed himself reasonable, and whenever he made a speech lost no opportunity of declaring that he was sent to emancipate Hellas. The cities which were subject to Athens, when they heard of the taking of Amphipolis and of his promises and of his gentleness, were more impatient than ever to rise, and privately sent embassies to him, asking him to come and help them, every one of them wanting to be first. They thought that there was no danger, for they had under-estimated the Athenian power, which afterwards proved its greatness and the magnitude of their mistake ; they judged rather by their own illusive wishes than by the safe rule of prudence. For such is the manner of men ; what they like is always seen by them in the light of unreflecting hope, what they dislike they peremptorily set aside by an arbitrary conclusion. Moreover, the Athenians had lately received a blow in Boeotia, and Brasidas told the allies what was likely to attract them, but untrue, that at Nisaea the Athenians had refused to fight with his unassisted forces". And so they grew bold, and were quite confident that no army would ever reach them. Above all, they were influenced by the • Cp. iv. 73, 85 fin.