leave the city to go into the country would
certainly be cut off on that side. The fleet he stationed on the other
side of the city, at a point where he calculated on detecting and
preventing the approach of convoys. Besides which he established a
blockade in front of the harbour when the weather permitted. In this way
the city was completely invested.

(4) Lit. "five stades."

The Corcyraeans, on their side, were in the sorest straits. They could
get nothing from their soil owing to the vice in which they were gripped
by land, whilst owing to the predominance of the enemy at sea nothing
could be imported. Accordingly they sent to the Athenians and begged for
their assistance. They urged upon them that it would be a great mistake
if they suffered themselves to be robbed of Corcyra. If they did so,
they would not only throw away a great advantage to themselves, but add
a considerable strength to their enemy; since, with the exception of
Athens, no state was capable of furnishing a larger fleet or revenue.
Moreover, Corcyra lay favourably (5) for commanding the Corinthian gulf
and the cities which line its shores; it was splendidly situated for
injuring the rural districts of Laconia, and still more splendidly in
relation to the opposite shores of the continent of Epirus, and the
passage between Peloponnesus and Sicily.

(5) See Thuc. i. 36.

This appeal did not fall on deaf ears. The Athenians were persuaded
that the matter demanded their most serious attention, and they at once
despatched Stesicles as general, (6) with about six hundred peltasts.
They also requested Alcetas to help them in getting their troops across.
Thus under cover of night the whole body were conveyed across to a point
in the open country, and found their way into the city. Nor was that
all. The Athenians passed a decree to man sixty ships of war, and
elected (7) Timotheus admiral. The latter, being unable to man the fleet
on the spot, set sail on a cruise to the islands and tried to make up
the complements of his crews from those quarters. He evidently looked
upon it as no light matter to sail round Peloponnesus as if on a voyage
of pleasure, and to attack a fleet in the perfection of training. (8) To
the Athenians, however, it seemed that he was wasting the precious time
seasonable for the coastal voyage, and they were not disposed to condone
such an error, but deposed him, appointing Iphicrates in his stead.
The new general was no sooner ap