[ i8 ] 



Ti'w^^o/, a thoufand in number, were tranfported to Athens, v^'htxe 

 they were all put to death, together with Salethus, the Spartan 

 General -j-. When the Athenians reduced the rebellious city of 

 Scione, on the Ifthmus of Pailene, all the males above the age of 

 puberty were put to the fword, and the women and children 

 dragged into flavery |. The Athenians^ too, having taken the 

 capital of the ifland of Melos, after an obftinate refiftance, all the 

 males above fourteen years of age fhared the fame fate with the 

 Scioneans. The women and children were condemned to perpetual 

 fervitude§. The Corcyrean feditions became proverbial, even 

 among Greeks. They began in the murder of a popular leader, 

 in the fenate houfe, together with fixty of his friends. Many 

 of the democratic party were intimidated, and withdrew them- 

 felves to Athens. The arrival of a Corinthian veffel and a Locedemo- 

 nian embaffy encouraged the ariftocracy to attempt the deftruc- 

 tion of thofe who remained. The attack was made in an hour of 

 full affembly, and the ftreets of Corcyra ftreamed with blood. 

 The flaves rofe, and reinforced the democratic party. Their 

 numbers and fury, and the generous ardour of the women, ren- 

 dered the caufe of liberty vidorious. The ariftocratic party, 

 vanquifhed in turn, fet fire to the furrounding houfes, to prevent 

 a purfuit, ^nd the moft beautiful part of the city was deftroyed 

 in one night. While the conteft raged, the altars, and the images of 

 the gods, were furrounded by crowds of wretches, whom not even 

 the terrors of a fuperftitious age could proted. The walls and pave- 

 ments of the temples were bathed in blood. Many withdrew 



them- 



t Thucydides. % Thucydides. J Thucydides. 



