History of the Peloponnesian War

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.

Furthermore, there were a few exiles from Megara[*](4.74.2; 6.43.) who, because of their misfortune, were fighting against the Selinuntians,[*](6.4.2.) who were Megarians. So far as the rest were concerned, their part in the expedition was, as compared with the others, of a more voluntary character.

The Argives,[*](Five hundred according to vi. 43.) on the one hand, were led to take part, not so much by their alliance, as by their hatred of the Lacedaemonians, and out of regard each for his own immediate advantage, associating themselves, Dorians against Dorians, with the Athenians who were Ionians; the Mantineans, on the other hand, and other Arcadians went as mercenaries, for they were accustomed to go against any who at any time were pointed out to them as enemies, and at this time were led by desire of gain to regard as enemies the Arcadians who were with the Corinthians.[*](cf. 7.19.4.) The Cretans and the Aetolians were also induced by pay; and in the case of the Cretans it so fell out that, although they had assisted the Rhodians in the founding of Gela,[*](cf. 6.4.3.) they went, not with their colonists, but against them, and of their own free will, for hire. Some of the Acarnanians served, it is true, for gain, but the greater portion were moved by friendship for Demosthenes and goodwill[*](cf. 3.7.1, 3.94.2, 3.105.3, 3.107.2, 3.114.1.) toward the Athenians, whose allies they were, to come to their aid.