their allegiance to Athens. Help was expected from Sparta, and the
Boeotians, who were of the same race as the Lesbians, were also in the
plot. This statement was confirmed by envoys from Methymna, the second
city of Lesbos, which stood apart from the conspiracy, and by certain
citizens of Mytilene, who had turned informers from motives of private
revenge.

Among the Athenians at this time there was a general feeling of
despondency and exhaustion. The full hardship of the war pressed
heavily upon them, and their population was thinned by the ravages of
the plague. In such a mood the thought of undertaking a campaign
against a great island like Lesbos, then at the height of her power,
filled them with dismay. Was it possible that a favoured and
privileged ally had taken up arms against them in the hour of their
distress? It was a slander, they could not, they would not believe it.
At any rate, before proceeding to extremities, they would try the
effect of a friendly remonstrance. So they sent envoys with a pacific
message to the Mytilenaeans, hoping by fair words to deter them from
their purpose. In this, however, they were disappointed, and being at
last convinced that the Lesbians were on the brink of revolt, they
sent off forty triremes without delay, in order, if possible, to catch
them unawares. For they had been informed that the Mytilenaeans were
about to celebrate the festival of Apollo, in which the whole
population took part, outside the city walls; and if the triremes
arrived in time, there would be a fine opportunity for a surprise. At
the same time they took possession of ten Mytilenaean triremes, which
had been sent to serve in the Athenian fleet, and imprisoned the
crews.

But now was seen one of the weaknesses inherent in the nature of the