Athenians named Cedreae, and on the following day's assault
took it, and reduced the inhabitants to slavery. These were of a mixed
Hellene and barbaric stock. From Cedreae he continued his voyage
to Rhodes. The Athenians meanwhile, using Samos as their base of
operations, were employed in devastating the king's territory, or in
swooping down upon Chios and Ephesus, and in general were preparing for
a naval battle, having but lately chosen three new generals in addition
to those already in office, whose names were Menander, Tydeus, and
Cephisodotus. Now Lysander, leaving Rhodes, and coasting along Ionia,
made his way to the Hellespont, having an eye to the passage of vessels
through the Straits, and, in a more hostile sense, on the cities which
had revolted from Sparta. The Athenians also set sail from Chios, but
stood out to open sea, since the seaboard of Asia was hostile to them.

Lysander was again on the move; leaving Abydos, he passed up channel to
Lampsacus, which town was allied with Athens; the men of Abydos and
the rest of the troops advancing by land, under the command of the
Lacedaemonian Thorax. They then attacked and took by storm the town,
which was wealthy, and with its stores of wine and wheat and other
commodities was pillaged by the soldiery. All free-born persons,
however, were without exception released by Lysander. And now the
Athenian fleet, following close on his heels, came to moorings at
Elaeus, in the Chersonesus, one hundred and eighty sail in all. It was
not until they had reached this place, and were getting their early
meal, that the news of what had happened at Lampsacus reached them. Then
they instantly set sail again to Sestos, and, having halted long enough
merely to take in stores, sailed on further to Aegospotami, a point
facing Lampsacus, where the Hellespont is not quite two miles (8) broad.
Here they took their evening meal.

(8) Lit. fifteen stades.

The night following, or rather early next morning, with the first streak
of dawn, Lysander gave the signal for the men to take their breakfasts
and get on board their vessels; and so, having got all ready for a naval
engagement, with his ports closed and movable bulwarks attached, he
issued the order that no one was to stir from his post or put out to
sea. As the sun rose the Athenians drew up their vessels facing the
harbour, in line of battle ready for action; but Lysander declining
to come out to meet them, as the day advanced