G K E 
a}>ure of undivided ‘power, ten commanders were fiib- 
ftituted in his reJom ; among whom v/ere Thrafylius, 
Leon, Diomedon, Conon, and Pericles, who inherited 
the name and merit of his illuftrious father. The new 
generals failed to Samos ; and Alcibiades fought rehige 
in his Thracian fortrcls. 
They had fcarcely allumed the command, when an 
important alteration took place in the Peloponnefian 
fleet. Lyfander’s term in the command had expired, 
and Callicratidas, a Spartan of a very oppolite charac¬ 
ter, was fent to fucceed him. An univerlal clamour 
arofe, when Callicratidas difplayed his commillion in 
the council of the confederates. The friends of Lyfan- 
,der affirmed, “That it was imprudent and ungenerous 
to check the vitlorious career of a deferving and fortu¬ 
nate commander; that tlie important charge of the 
fleet ought not to be entrufted to men who were defti- 
tiite of experience, and perhapt) of abilities ; nor would 
it he jull to facritice the interelf of fuch a numerous 
3iid powerful confederacy to a punctilious obfervance 
c*f the Lacedaemonian laws.” Lylander maintained a 
Uecen! lilence concerning the charadter of his fuccellor, 
only obferving that he l eligned to I'.im a fleet which com¬ 
manded the fea. The noify acclamations of tiie aliem- 
bly conlirmed his alfertion. But Callicratidas had a 
heart untainte.l with reproach, and incapable of fear. 
Unaballied by the turbulence of his opponents, lie re¬ 
plied, That he mufl; wilh.iiold his atfent to the magnified 
fuperiority of the Peloponneiian fleet, unlels L) lander 
lliould let fail from Epiiefus, coall aiong the ille ot Sa¬ 
mos, (where the Athenians then lay,) and fiirrender 
his victorious fquadrons in the liarbour of Miletus. 
The pride of Lylander might have been confounded by 
this judicious obfervation; but his ingenuity luggefted 
a plaulible, or rather an illulive, reply, “ That he was 
no longer admiral.” 
Callicratidas then addrelTed the alTembly, with the 
mniily limplicity of an lionelt heart, which dildains the 
artifice ot words, defies the infolence of power, and 
defeats the intrigues of policy. “ Lacedtemonians and 
allies! I lliould have been content to ftay at home; nor 
does it greatly alfeCt me chat Lyfaiider, or any other, 
fhould be held a better ieaman than myl'elf. Hither I 
liave been fent by my counti ymen to command the fleet, 
and ray chief concern is to execute their orders, and to 
perform my duty, ft is my earnelt defire to promote 
the public intereft; bat you can belt inform me whether 
I ought to con.inue here, or to return to Sparta.” 
Wonderful is the power of honclt and unaffected firm- 
nefs. The alfenihly hlfened with admiration; the par- 
tifans of Lyfancter were abalhed ; none ventured to 
I'peak ; and, after a conliderable paufe, all unanimoully 
acknovc lodged that it became both Callicratidas and 
themfel ves to obey the orders of the Spartan government. 
His firft operations were directed againlt the llrong 
and populous towns of Methynina and Mityleiie, which 
refpectively commanded the northern and fouiliern di- 
vifions of the ille of Lelbos. Belides the numerous citi¬ 
zens of an age to bear arms, Methynina was defended 
by an Athenian garrilbn. The place made a brave re- 
lilfance ; but the perfevering efforts of Callicratidas ex- 
haulled its llrengih : Methynina was taken by fform, 
and labjeCfed to the ravages of tlie Peloponnefian troops. 
The garrilbn and the Haves were tr,- ced as part of the 
booty. The confederates advifed, 'Jia.t the Methym- 
neans alfo lliould be fold into fervitude ; but Culliera- 
tidas allured them, that, while he enjoyed the command, 
there (hould not any Grecian citizen be reduced to tiie 
condition of a Have, unlefs he had taken arms to fub- 
vert the public freedom. 
Meanwhile Conon, the moft aClive and enterpriling of 
♦lie Athenian commanders, l.au put to lea with a fqua- 
dron of feveaty fail, in order to proteft and defend the 
coalf of Lelbos. But tlie force of Conon was infulficient 
to accomplifli the purpofe it intended. Callicratidas 
E C E. 8!jl' 
obferved his motions, difeovered his weaknefs, and, 
witli a far fuperior fleet, intercepted his retreat to the 
armament at Samos. The Athenians failed towards the 
coall of Mitylene, but were prevented from' entering 
the harbour of that jilace by the refentment of the inha¬ 
bitants, who rejoiced in an opportunity to punifh thole 
who had lb often conquered, and fo long opprell'ed, their 
city. In confequence of this unexpect d oppolitioii, 
the Athenian Iquadron was overtaken by the enemy. 
The engagement was more Iharp and obffinate than 
might have been expeCted under fuch an inequality of 
llrength. Thirty empty Ihips (for molt of their crews 
fwani to land) were taken by the Peloponnefians ; the 
remaining forty were hauled up under tiie walls of Mi¬ 
tylene : Callicratidas recalled his troops from Methym- 
na, received a reinforcement from Chios, and blocked 
up the Athenians by fea and land. 
The condition of Conon was highly dillreffing. He 
was furrounded on all lides by a iuperior force; the 
town of Mitylene was hoIHle ; Ills men were ■'dellitute 
of provilions, incapable of reliffance, yet unwilling to 
fiirrender. In this liiiuition lie attempted the only cn- 
terprife which could admit of relief. The bravelt and 
molf experienced feamen were embarked in two fwift- 
failing veH'ets, one of wliich, eluding the vigilance of 
the enemy, el'cajied in fafety to the Hellelpoiit, and in¬ 
formed tlie Athenians of the misfortunes and blockade 
at Lelbos. The intelligence was immediately commu¬ 
nicated to Samos and to Athens ; and the importance of 
the objetl, which was no lefs than the fafety of forty 
Blips, and above eight thoufand brave men, excited un¬ 
common activity. The Athenians reinforced their do- 
meftic Hreiigth with the alliltance of their allies ; all 
able-bodied men were preffied into the fervice; and in a 
few weeks they had affembled at Samos an hundred and 
fifty fail, which immediately took the fea, with a refo- 
liition to encounter the enemy. Callicratidas did not 
decline the engagement. Having left fifty fhips to guard 
the harbour of Mitylene, he proceeded with an hundred 
and twenty to Cape Malea, the moll fouthern point of 
Lelbos. Tlie Athenians had advanced, the fame even¬ 
ing, to the illands of Arginulfa;, four miles diflant from 
that promontory. The night palfed in bold llratagems 
for mutual furprile, which were rendered inetfeCtual by 
a violent tempell of rain and tliunder. At tiie dawn of 
day both armaments were eager to engage; but Hermon 
and Megareus, two experienced leamen, and the chief 
counlellors of Callicratidas, exhorted him not to com¬ 
mit the weaknefs of the Peloponnefians with the fupe¬ 
rior llrength and numbers of the enemy. The generous 
and intrepid Spartan defpil'ed danger and death in com- 
parifon of glory; but either his magnanimity had not 
overcome the lalt imperfection of virtuous minds, and 
v/as averfe to facrifice perfonal glory to public utility,, 
or he imagined that this utility could not be I'eparated 
from an inflexible adherence to the martial laws of Ly- 
curgus. He anfwered tlie prudent admonitions of his. 
friends in thcl’e memorable words, vvhicli, according to 
the tonllrudlion that is put on them, delerve our admi¬ 
ration or our pity : “ My deatli cannot be dellructive to 
Sparta, but my flight would be dilhonourable both to 
Sparta and mylelf.” So faying, he gave the lignal for 
his Ihips to advance. The fight was long and bloody ; 
palling, fucceilively, througii all the different grada¬ 
tions, from dil'cipliiied order and regularity to the moll 
tumultuous confulion. The Spartan commander Was 
lidin in the I'evereft part of the action. The holtile I'qua- 
drons fought with various fortune, and promifeuoufiy 
conquered, purfued, furrendered, or lied. Thirteen 
Athenian veifels were taken by the Peloponnefians ; bur, 
at length, the latter gave way on all lides ; feventy of 
tlieir Ihips were captured, the rell efcaped to Chios and 
Plioctea. 
The Athenian admirals, though juHly elated witli 
their good fortune, cautioufiy deliberated concerning 
the 
