History of the Peloponnesian War

But when the Athenians heard of this they sailed for Samos with sixty ships. Sixteen of these, however, they did not make use of on this enterprise, for these had already gone, some toward Caria to keep watch upon the Phoenician ships, others towards Chios and Lesbos to summon aid; but with forty-four ships, under the command of Pericles and nine others,[*](Sophocles was on the fleet, as one of the ten generals of the year.) they fought a sea-fight at the island of Tragia against seventy ships of the Samians, of which twenty were transport—ships, the whole fleet being on the way back from Miletus; and the Athenians were victorious.

Later, having received a reinforcement from Athens of forty ships and from the Chians and Lesbians of twenty-five, they disembarked, and being superior to the Samians with their infantry proceeded to invest the city with three walls, at the same time blockading it by sea as well.

But Pericles took sixty ships away from the blockading fleet and departed in haste towards Caunus in Caria, a report having come that a Phoenician fleet was sailing against his forces; for Stesagoras and others had gone from Samos with five vessels to fetch the Phoenician ships.

Meanwhile the Samians suddenly made a sally and fell upon the Athenian naval station, which was unprotected by a stockade, destroying the guardships and defeating in a sea-fight the ships that put out against them. And for about fourteen days they were masters of the sea off their coast, bringing in and carrying out whatever they wished;

but when Pericles came they were again blockaded by sea. And afterwards a reinforcement came from Athens of forty ships under the command of Thucydides,[*](Possibly the historian, as some have thought; others explain as the son of Melesias and opponent of Pericles; still others as the poet from the deme of Acherdus.) Hagnon and Phormio, twenty under Tlepolemus and Anticles, and thirty from Chios and Lesbos.