living. Then, bringing his theories to a practical test, he pointed
out the gross impolicy of driving a revolted city to desperation, by
excluding all rebels from the hope of pardon. This, he said, would be
the effect on the subjects of Athens, if they passed the same sentence
on the Mytilenaeans, without distinction between the innocent and the
guilty. At present the commons in every city were loyal to Athens; and
though they might be beguiled or coerced into rebellion, they would,
if assured of fair treatment, take the first opportunity of returning
to their allegiance, as the commoners of Mytilene had done. "Do not,
therefore," concluded Diodotus, "destroy this, the strongest guarantee
of your security, but punish the ringleaders of the revolt, after due
deliberation, and leave the rest in peace."

The arguments of Diodotus were unanswerable, and it might have been
supposed that the Athenians, in their relenting mood, would have
carried the amendment by a large majority. But this was not the case.
The debate was keenly contested, and when the president called for a
show of hands, the more merciful decree was only passed by a few
votes. There was no time to be lost, for the first trireme was already
a day and a night on her voyage, and the fate of Mytilene hung by a
hair. A second trireme was launched with all speed, and the
Mytilenaeans present in Athens promised large rewards to the crew if
they arrived in time. With such inducements the rowers toiled day and
night, taking their meals, which consisted of barley-meal kneaded with
wine and oil, at the oar, and sleeping and rowing by turns. Happily
there was no contrary wind to retard their progress, and the crew of
the first vessel, bearing that savage mandate, made no efforts to
shorten their passage. As it was, they were not an hour too soon: for
when they arrived, Paches had already received the decree, and was
preparing to carry it out. Thus Mytilene escaped destruction by a