History of the Peloponnesian War

So he set sail from Embatum and skirted the coast; and putting in at Myonnesus in the country of the Teians he butchered most of the captives whom he had taken on the voyage.

Then he anchored at Ephesus, where he was visited by envoys of the Samians who were settled at Anaea,[*](These were probably the Samians who settled at Anaea, on the coast opposite the island, after the overthrow of Samos in 439 B.C. (cf. 1.117.3). They are referred to in 3.19.2 as “Anaeitans.”) who said that it was an ill way he had of freeing Hellas, to destroy men who were not lifting their hands against him and were not enemies, but were merely allies of the Athenians under compulsion; and unless he abandoned this course he would win few enemies over into friendship and would turn far more friends into enemies.

Alcidas was persuaded, and set free all the Chians whom he still held and some of the others. It should be explained that the people of the coast,[*](ie. the Greeks of whom Alcidas had taken so many prisoners.) when they saw the Peloponnesian ships, made no attempt to flee, but came near, supposing that they were Athenian ships; and they had not the slightest expectation that while the Athenians dominated the sea the Peloponnesian fleet would ever venture over to Ionia.

From Ephesus Alcidas sailed in haste and took to flight; for while still at anchor near Clarus[*](ie. while on his way from Embatum to Ephesus.) he had been sighted by the Salaminia and Paralus,[*](The two swift Athenian state triremes kept always manned ready for extraordinary service. Alcidas knew that these two boats would notify the main Athenian fleet under Paches of his whereabouts, and that Paches would make pursuit.) which happened to be on a voyage from Athens, and in fear of pursuit he sailed through the open sea, determined that he would not, unless obliged to do so, put into land anywhere except in the Peloponnesus.

Reports of him had been brought from Erythraea to Paches and the Athenians, and now kept coming from all quarters. For since Ionia was unfortified, a great alarm arose everywhere lest the Peloponnesians, while following the coast—even if, under the circumstances,[*](ie. since they only crusing.) they had no intention of remaining—might in passing fall upon their cities and plunder them. And finally the Paralus and the Salaminia brought the news that they had themselves seen him at Clarus. So Paches eagerly undertook the pursuit;

and he followed him as far as the island of Patmos, but when it was clear that Alcidas could no longer be overtaken he turned back again. And since he had not come up with the Peloponnesian fleet in the open sea, he considered it a piece of good fortune that they had not been overtaken in some port and compelled to set up a camp there, thus giving the Athenian fleet the trouble of watching and blockading them.[*](Such a blockade would not only have been costly, but would also have kept the fleet from carrying on its work at Lesbos.)