History of the Peloponnesian War

The Athenians themselves, as Ionians, went of their own free will against the Syracusans, who were Dorians, and with them went as members of the expedition the Lemnians, the Imbrians,[*](cf. 4.28.4. The occupation of Lemnos was effected by Miltiades a few years after the battle of Marathon (Herod. VI. 137-140), that of Imbros probably about the same time; of Aegina in 431 B.C. (2.27.1); of Hestiaea in 446 B.C. (1.114.5).) and the Aeginetans, who at this time held Aegina, as also the Hestiaeans who inhabit Hestiaea in Euboea, all these being colonists of the Athenians and having the same language and institutions as they had.

Of the rest, some took part in the expedition as subjects, others in consequence of an alliance, although independent, and some were mercenaries.

The peoples that were subjects and tributaries were the Eretrians, Chalcidians, Styreans and Carystians from Euboea; from the islands the Ceans, Andrians and Tenians; and from Ionia the Milesians, Samians and Chians. Of these last, however, the Chians followed as independent allies, not subject to the payment of tribute but furnishing ships instead.[*](cf. 6.85.2) Of the above-mentioned almost all were Ionians and colonists of Athens—except the Carystians, who are Dryopians[*](An aboriginal people, dwelling near Mount Oeta; cf. Herod. VIII. 43.)—and although they followed as subjects and under compulsion, nevertheless they were Ionians going against Dorians. Besides these there were Aeolians: the Methymnaeans,[*](cf. III, 1. 2; 6.85.2.) who paid service with ships and not with tribute, and as tributaries the Tenedians and Aenians. These, though Aeolians, were constrained to fight against Aeolians, that is, the Boeotians, their founders, who were on the side of the Syracusans;

while the Plataeans[*](Those who had escaped to Athens at the siege of Plataea (3.24.3), or those who had settled in Scione (5.32.1).) were the only outright Boeotians who were opposed to Boeotians—as was natural considering their hatred. And there were the Rhodians and Cytherians, both Dorians; the Cytherians, although colonists of the Lacedaemonians, bore arms with the Athenians against the Lacedaemonians who were with Gylippus, while the Rhodians, Argives by descent, were compelled to make war not only upon the Syracusans, who were Dorians, but also upon the Geloans, their own colonists,[*](cf. 6.4.3.) who were serving with the Syracusans.

Of the inhabitants of the islands off the shores of the Peloponnesus, the Cephallenians and Zacynthians[*](cf. 2.7.3; 7.31.2.) went with the Athenians as independent allies, it is true, but on account of their insular position were under a measure of restraint, because the Athenians were masters of the sea.

The Corcyraeans, who were not only Dorians but confessedly Corinthians, were serving against the Corinthians and Syracusans, though colonists of the former and kinsmen of the latter, under the specious pretext indeed of compulsion, but really quite as much from choice, on account of their hatred of the Corinthians. Also the Messenians, as they are now called, who live in Naupactus,[*](Settled by the Athenians at Naupactus since 462 B.C. (1.103.3). Some of them were employed in garrison duty at Pylos in 425 B.C. (4.41.2).) as well as the Messenians at Pylos, which was now in the possession of the Athenians, were taken along as participants in the war.