THE city of Epidamnus stands on the right of the entrance of the Ionic Gulf1. Its vicinity is inhabited by the Taulantians, an Illyrian people. The place is a colony from Corcyra, founded by Phalius, son of Eratocleides, of the family of the Heraclids, who had according to ancient usage been summoned for the purpose from Corinth, the mother country. The colonists2 were joined by some Corinthians, and others of the Dorian race. Now, as time went on, the city of Epidamnus became great and populous3; but falling a prey4 to factions5 arising, it is said, from a war with her neighbours the barbarians6, she became much enfeebled, and lost a considerable amount of her power. The last act before the war was the expulsion of the nobles by the people. The exiled party joined the barbarians, and proceeded to plunder8 those in the city by sea and land; and the Epidamnians, finding themselves hard pressed, sent ambassadors to Corcyra beseeching9 their mother country not to allow them to perish, but to make up matters between them and the exiles, and to rid them of the war with the barbarians. The ambassadors seated themselves in the temple of Hera as suppliants10, and made the above requests to the Corcyraeans. But the Corcyraeans refused to accept their supplication11, and they were dismissed without having effected anything.
When the Epidamnians found that no help could be expected from Corcyra, they were in a strait what to do next. So they sent to Delphi and inquired of the God whether they should deliver their city to the Corinthians and endeavour to obtain some assistance from their founders13. The answer he gave them was to deliver the city and place themselves under Corinthian protection. So the Epidamnians went to Corinth and delivered over the colony in obedience14 to the commands of the oracle15. They showed that their founder12 came from Corinth, and revealed the answer of the god; and they begged them not to allow them to perish, but to assist them. This the Corinthians consented to do. Believing the colony to belong as much to themselves as to the Corcyraeans, they felt it to be a kind of duty to undertake their protection. Besides, they hated the Corcyraeans for their contempt of the mother country. Instead of meeting with the usual honours accorded to the parent city by every other colony at public assemblies, such as precedence at sacrifices, Corinth found herself treated with contempt by a power which in point of wealth could stand comparison with any even of the richest communities in Hellas, which possessed16 great military strength, and which sometimes could not repress a pride in the high naval17 position of an, island whose nautical18 renown19 dated from the days of its old inhabitants, the Phaeacians. This was one reason of the care that they lavished20 on their fleet, which became very efficient; indeed they began the war with a force of a hundred and twenty galleys21.
All these grievances22 made Corinth eager to send the promised aid to Epidamnus. Advertisement was made for volunteer settlers, and a force of Ambraciots, Leucadians, and Corinthians was dispatched. They marched by land to Apollonia, a Corinthian colony, the route by sea being avoided from fear of Corcyraean interruption. When the Corcyraeans heard of the arrival of the settlers and troops in Epidamnus, and the surrender of the colony to Corinth, they took fire. Instantly putting to sea with five-and-twenty ships, which were quickly followed by others, they insolently24 commanded the Epidamnians to receive back the banished25 nobles —(it must be premised that the Epidamnian exiles had come to Corcyra and, pointing to the sepulchres of their ancestors, had appealed to their kindred to restore them)— and to dismiss the Corinthian garrison26 and settlers. But to all this the Epidamnians turned a deaf ear. Upon this the Corcyraeans commenced operations against them with a fleet of forty sail. They took with them the exiles, with a view to their restoration, and also secured the services of the Illyrians. Sitting down before the city, they issued a proclamation to the effect that any of the natives that chose, and the foreigners, might depart unharmed, with the alternative of being treated as enemies. On their refusal the Corcyraeans proceeded to besiege27 the city, which stands on an isthmus28; and the Corinthians, receiving intelligence of the investment of Epidamnus, got together an armament and proclaimed a colony to Epidamnus, perfect political equality being guaranteed to all who chose to go. Any who were not prepared to sail at once might, by paying down the sum of fifty Corinthian drachmae, have a share in the colony without leaving Corinth. Great numbers took advantage of this proclamation, some being ready to start directly, others paying the requisite29 forfeit30. In case of their passage being disputed by the Corcyraeans, several cities were asked to lend them a convoy31. Megara prepared to accompany them with eight ships, Pale in Cephallonia with four; Epidaurus furnished five, Hermione one, Troezen two, Leucas ten, and Ambracia eight. The Thebans and Phliasians were asked for money, the Eleans for hulls32 as well; while Corinth herself furnished thirty ships and three thousand heavy infantry33.
When the Corcyraeans heard of their preparations they came to Corinth with envoys34 from Lacedaemon and Sicyon, whom they persuaded to accompany them, and bade her recall the garrison and settlers, as she had nothing to do with Epidamnus. If, however, she had any claims to make, they were willing to submit the matter to the arbitration35 of such of the cities in Peloponnese as should be chosen by mutual36 agreement, and that the colony should remain with the city to whom the arbitrators might assign it. They were also willing to refer the matter to the oracle at Delphi. If, in defiance37 of their protestations, war was appealed to, they should be themselves compelled by this violence to seek friends in quarters where they had no desire to seek them, and to make even old ties give way to the necessity of assistance. The answer they got from Corinth was that, if they would withdraw their fleet and the barbarians from Epidamnus, negotiation38 might be possible; but, while the town was still being besieged39, going before arbitrators was out of the question. The Corcyraeans retorted that if Corinth would withdraw her troops from Epidamnus they would withdraw theirs, or they were ready to let both parties remain in statu quo, an armistice40 being concluded till judgment41 could be given.
Turning a deaf ear to all these proposals, when their ships were manned and their allies had come in, the Corinthians sent a herald42 before them to declare war and, getting under way with seventy-five ships and two thousand heavy infantry, sailed for Epidamnus to give battle to the Corcyraeans. The fleet was under the command of Aristeus, son of Pellichas, Callicrates, son of Callias, and Timanor, son of Timanthes; the troops under that of Archetimus, son of Eurytimus, and Isarchidas, son of Isarchus. When they had reached Actium in the territory of Anactorium, at the mouth of the mouth of the Gulf of Ambracia, where the temple of Apollo stands, the Corcyraeans sent on a herald in a light boat to warn them not to sail against them. Meanwhile they proceeded to man their ships, all of which had been equipped for action, the old vessels43 being undergirded to make them seaworthy. On the return of the herald without any peaceful answer from the Corinthians, their ships being now manned, they put out to sea to meet the enemy with a fleet of eighty sail (forty were engaged in the siege of Epidamnus), formed line, and went into action, and gained a decisive victory, and destroyed fifteen of the Corinthian vessels. The same day had seen Epidamnus compelled by its besiegers to capitulate; the conditions being that the foreigners should be sold, and the Corinthians kept as prisoners of war, till their fate should be otherwise decided44.
After the engagement the Corcyraeans set up a trophy45 on Leukimme, a headland of Corcyra, and slew46 all their captives except the Corinthians, whom they kept as prisoners of war. Defeated at sea, the Corinthians and their allies repaired home, and left the Corcyraeans masters of all the sea about those parts. Sailing to Leucas, a Corinthian colony, they ravaged47 their territory, and burnt Cyllene, the harbour of the Eleans, because they had furnished ships and money to Corinth. For almost the whole of the period that followed the battle they remained masters of the sea, and the allies of Corinth were harassed48 by Corcyraean cruisers. At last Corinth, roused by the sufferings of her allies, sent out ships and troops in the fall of the summer, who formed an encampment at Actium and about Chimerium, in Thesprotis, for the protection of Leucas and the rest of the friendly cities. The Corcyraeans on their part formed a similar station on Leukimme. Neither party made any movement, but they remained confronting each other till the end of the summer, and winter was at hand before either of them returned home.
Corinth, exasperated49 by the war with the Corcyraeans, spent the whole of the year after the engagement and that succeeding it in building ships, and in straining every nerve to form an efficient fleet; rowers being drawn50 from Peloponnese and the rest of Hellas by the inducement of large bounties51. The Corcyraeans, alarmed at the news of their preparations, being without a single ally in Hellas (for they had not enrolled52 themselves either in the Athenian or in the Lacedaemonian confederacy), decided to repair to Athens in order to enter into alliance and to endeavour to procure53 support from her. Corinth also, hearing of their intentions, sent an embassy to Athens to prevent the Corcyraean navy being joined by the Athenian, and her prospect54 of ordering the war according to her wishes being thus impeded55. An assembly was convoked56, and the rival advocates appeared: the Corcyraeans spoke57 as follows:
“Athenians! when a people that have not rendered any important service or support to their neighbours in times past, for which they might claim to be repaid, appear before them as we now appear before you to solicit58 their assistance, they may fairly be required to satisfy certain preliminary conditions. They should show, first, that it is expedient59 or at least safe to grant their request; next, that they will retain a lasting60 sense of the kindness. But if they cannot clearly establish any of these points, they must not be annoyed if they meet with a rebuff. Now the Corcyraeans believe that with their petition for assistance they can also give you a satisfactory answer on these points, and they have therefore dispatched us hither. It has so happened that our policy as regards you with respect to this request, turns out to be inconsistent, and as regards our interests, to be at the present crisis inexpedient. We say inconsistent, because a power which has never in the whole of her past history been willing to ally herself with any of her neighbours, is now found asking them to ally themselves with her. And we say inexpedient, because in our present war with Corinth it has left us in a position of entire isolation61, and what once seemed the wise precaution of refusing to involve ourselves in alliances with other powers, lest we should also involve ourselves in risks of their choosing, has now proved to be folly62 and weakness. It is true that in the late naval engagement we drove back the Corinthians from our shores single-handed. But they have now got together a still larger armament from Peloponnese and the rest of Hellas; and we, seeing our utter inability to cope with them without foreign aid, and the magnitude of the danger which subjection to them implies, find it necessary to ask help from you and from every other power. And we hope to be excused if we forswear our old principle of complete political isolation, a principle which was not adopted with any sinister63 intention, but was rather the consequence of an error in judgment.
“Now there are many reasons why in the event of your compliance64 you will congratulate yourselves on this request having been made to you. First, because your assistance will be rendered to a power which, herself inoffensive, is a victim to the injustice65 of others. Secondly66, because all that we most value is at stake in the present contest, and your welcome of us under these circumstances will be a proof of goodwill67 which will ever keep alive the gratitude68 you will lay up in our hearts. Thirdly, yourselves excepted, we are the greatest naval power in Hellas. Moreover, can you conceive a stroke of good fortune more rare in itself, or more disheartening to your enemies, than that the power whose adhesion you would have valued above much material and moral strength should present herself self-invited, should deliver herself into your hands without danger and without expense, and should lastly put you in the way of gaining a high character in the eyes of the world, the gratitude of those whom you shall assist, and a great accession of strength for yourselves? You may search all history without finding many instances of a people gaining all these advantages at once, or many instances of a power that comes in quest of assistance being in a position to give to the people whose alliance she solicits69 as much safety and honour as she will receive. But it will be urged that it is only in the case of a war that we shall be found useful. To this we answer that if any of you imagine that that war is far off, he is grievously mistaken, and is blind to the fact that Lacedaemon regards you with jealousy70 and desires war, and that Corinth is powerful there — the same, remember, that is your enemy, and is even now trying to subdue71 us as a preliminary to attacking you. And this she does to prevent our becoming united by a common enmity, and her having us both on her hands, and also to ensure getting the start of you in one of two ways, either by crippling our power or by making its strength her own. Now it is our policy to be beforehand with her — that is, for Corcyra to make an offer of alliance and for you to accept it; in fact, we ought to form plans against her instead of waiting to defeat the plans she forms against us.
“If she asserts that for you to receive a colony of hers into alliance is not right, let her know that every colony that is well treated honours its parent state, but becomes estranged72 from it by injustice. For colonists are not sent forth73 on the understanding that they are to be the slaves of those that remain behind, but that they are to be their equals. And that Corinth was injuring us is clear. Invited to refer the dispute about Epidamnus to arbitration, they chose to prosecute74 their complaints war rather than by a fair trial. And let their conduct towards us who are their kindred be a warning to you not to be misled by their deceit, nor to yield to their direct requests; concessions75 to adversaries76 only end in self-reproach, and the more strictly77 they are avoided the greater will be the chance of security.
“If it be urged that your reception of us will be a breach78 of the treaty existing between you and Lacedaemon, the answer is that we are a neutral state, and that one of the express provisions of that treaty is that it shall be competent for any Hellenic state that is neutral to join whichever side it pleases. And it is intolerable for Corinth to be allowed to obtain men for her navy not only from her allies, but also from the rest of Hellas, no small number being furnished by your own subjects; while we are to be excluded both from the alliance left open to us by treaty, and from any assistance that we might get from other quarters, and you are to be accused of political immorality79 if you comply with our request. On the other hand, we shall have much greater cause to complain of you, if you do not comply with it; if we, who are in peril80 and are no enemies of yours, meet with a repulse81 at your hands, while Corinth, who is the aggressor and your enemy, not only meets with no hindrance82 from you, but is even allowed to draw material for war from your dependencies. This ought not to be, but you should either forbid her enlisting83 men in your dominions84, or you should lend us too what help you may think advisable.
“But your real policy is to afford us avowed85 countenance86 and support. The advantages of this course, as we premised in the beginning of our speech, are many. We mention one that is perhaps the chief. Could there be a clearer guarantee of our good faith than is offered by the fact that the power which is at enmity with you is also at enmity with us, and that that power is fully87 able to punish defection? And there is a wide difference between declining the alliance of an inland and of a maritime88 power. For your first endeavour should be to prevent, if possible, the existence of any naval power except your own; failing this, to secure the friendship of the strongest that does exist. And if any of you believe that what we urge is expedient, but fear to act upon this belief, lest it should lead to a breach of the treaty, you must remember that on the one hand, whatever your fears, your strength will be formidable to your antagonists89; on the other, whatever the confidence you derive90 from refusing to receive us, your weakness will have no terrors for a strong enemy. You must also remember that your decision is for Athens no less than Corcyra, and that you are not making the best provision for her interests, if at a time when you are anxiously scanning the horizon that you may be in readiness for the breaking out of the war which is all but upon you, you hesitate to attach to your side a place whose adhesion or estrangement91 is alike pregnant with the most vital consequences. For it lies conveniently for the coast — navigation in the direction of Italy and Sicily, being able to bar the passage of naval reinforcements from thence to Peloponnese, and from Peloponnese thither92; and it is in other respects a most desirable station. To sum up as shortly as possible, embracing both general and particular considerations, let this show you the folly of sacrificing us. Remember that there are but three considerable naval powers in Hellas — Athens, Corcyra, and Corinth — and that if you allow two of these three to become one, and Corinth to secure us for herself, you will have to hold the sea against the united fleets of Corcyra and Peloponnese. But if you receive us, you will have our ships to reinforce you in the struggle.”
Such were the words of the Corcyraeans. After they had finished, the Corinthians spoke as follows:
“These Corcyraeans in the speech we have just heard do not confine themselves to the question of their reception into your alliance. They also talk of our being guilty of injustice, and their being the victims of an unjustifiable war. It becomes necessary for us to touch upon both these points before we proceed to the rest of what we have to say, that you may have a more correct idea of the grounds of our claim, and have good cause to reject their petition. According to them, their old policy of refusing all offers of alliance was a policy of moderation. It was in fact adopted for bad ends, not for good; indeed their conduct is such as to make them by no means desirous of having allies present to witness it, or of having the shame of asking their concurrence93. Besides, their geographical94 situation makes them independent of others, and consequently the decision in cases where they injure any lies not with judges appointed by mutual agreement, but with themselves, because, while they seldom make voyages to their neighbours, they are constantly being visited by foreign vessels which are compelled to put in to Corcyra. In short, the object that they propose to themselves, in their specious95 policy of complete isolation, is not to avoid sharing in the crimes of others, but to secure monopoly of crime to themselves — the licence of outrage96 wherever they can compel, of fraud wherever they can elude97, and the enjoyment98 of their gains without shame. And yet if they were the honest men they pretend to be, the less hold that others had upon them, the stronger would be the light in which they might have put their honesty by giving and taking what was just.
“But such has not been their conduct either towards others or towards us. The attitude of our colony towards us has always been one of estrangement and is now one of hostility99; for, say they: ‘We were not sent out to be ill-treated.’ We rejoin that we did not found the colony to be insulted by them, but to be their head and to be regarded with a proper respect. At any rate our other colonies honour us, and we are much beloved by our colonists; and clearly, if the majority are satisfied with us, these can have no good reason for a dissatisfaction in which they stand alone, and we are not acting100 improperly101 in making war against them, nor are we making war against them without having received signal provocation102. Besides, if we were in the wrong, it would be honourable103 in them to give way to our wishes, and disgraceful for us to trample104 on their moderation; but in the pride and licence of wealth they have sinned again and again against us, and never more deeply than when Epidamnus, our dependency, which they took no steps to claim in its distress105 upon our coming to relieve it, was by them seized, and is now held by force of arms.
“As to their allegation that they wished the question to be first submitted to arbitration, it is obvious that a challenge coming from the party who is safe in a commanding position cannot gain the credit due only to him who, before appealing to arms, in deeds as well as words, places himself on a level with his adversary106. In their case, it was not before they laid siege to the place, but after they at length understood that we should not tamely suffer it, that they thought of the specious word arbitration. And not satisfied with their own misconduct there, they appear here now requiring you to join with them not in alliance but in crime, and to receive them in spite of their being at enmity with us. But it was when they stood firmest that they should have made overtures107 to you, and not at a time when we have been wronged and they are in peril; nor yet at a time when you will be admitting to a share in your protection those who never admitted you to a share in their power, and will be incurring108 an equal amount of blame from us with those in whose offences you had no hand. No, they should have shared their power with you before they asked you to share your fortunes with them.
“So then the reality of the grievances we come to complain of, and the violence and rapacity109 of our opponents, have both been proved. But that you cannot equitably110 receive them, this you have still to learn. It may be true that one of the provisions of the treaty is that it shall be competent for any state, whose name was not down on the list, to join whichever side it pleases. But this agreement is not meant for those whose object in joining is the injury of other powers, but for those whose need of support does not arise from the fact of defection, and whose adhesion will not bring to the power that is mad enough to receive them war instead of peace; which will be the case with you, if you refuse to listen to us. For you cannot become their auxiliary111 and remain our friend; if you join in their attack, you must share the punishment which the defenders112 inflict113 on them. And yet you have the best possible right to be neutral, or, failing this, you should on the contrary join us against them. Corinth is at least in treaty with you; with Corcyra you were never even in truce114. But do not lay down the principle that defection is to be patronized. Did we on the defection of the Samians record our vote against you, when the rest of the Peloponnesian powers were equally divided on the question whether they should assist them? No, we told them to their face that every power has a right to punish its own allies. Why, if you make it your policy to receive and assist all offenders115, you will find that just as many of your dependencies will come over to us, and the principle that you establish will press less heavily on us than on yourselves.
“This then is what Hellenic law entitles us to demand as a right. But we have also advice to offer and claims on your gratitude, which, since there is no danger of our injuring you, as we are not enemies, and since our friendship does not amount to very frequent intercourse116, we say ought to be liquidated117 at the present juncture118. When you were in want of ships of war for the war against the Aeginetans, before the Persian invasion, Corinth supplied you with twenty vessels. That good turn, and the line we took on the Samian question, when we were the cause of the Peloponnesians refusing to assist them, enabled you to conquer Aegina and to punish Samos. And we acted thus at crises when, if ever, men are wont119 in their efforts against their enemies to forget everything for the sake of victory, regarding him who assists them then as a friend, even if thus far he has been a foe120, and him who opposes them then as a foe, even if he has thus far been a friend; indeed they allow their real interests to suffer from their absorbing preoccupation in the struggle.
“Weigh well these considerations, and let your youth learn what they are from their elders, and let them determine to do unto us as we have done unto you. And let them not acknowledge the justice of what we say, but dispute its wisdom in the contingency121 of war. Not only is the straightest path generally speaking the wisest; but the coming of the war, which the Corcyraeans have used as a bugbear to persuade you to do wrong, is still uncertain, and it is not worth while to be carried away by it into gaining the instant and declared enmity of Corinth. It were, rather, wise to try and counteract122 the unfavourable impression which your conduct to Megara has created. For kindness opportunely123 shown has a greater power of removing old grievances than the facts of the case may warrant. And do not be seduced124 by the prospect of a great naval alliance. Abstinence from all injustice to other first-rate powers is a greater tower of strength than anything that can be gained by the sacrifice of permanent tranquillity125 for an apparent temporary advantage. It is now our turn to benefit by the principle that we laid down at Lacedaemon, that every power has a right to punish her own allies. We now claim to receive the same from you, and protest against your rewarding us for benefiting you by our vote by injuring us by yours. On the contrary, return us like for like, remembering that this is that very crisis in which he who lends aid is most a friend, and he who opposes is most a foe. And for these Corcyraeans — neither receive them into alliance in our despite, nor be their abettors in crime. So do, and you will act as we have a right to expect of you, and at the same time best consult your own interests.”
Such were the words of the Corinthians.
When the Athenians had heard both out, two assemblies were held. In the first there was a manifest disposition126 to listen to the representations of Corinth; in the second, public feeling had changed and an alliance with Corcyra was decided on, with certain reservations. It was to be a defensive127, not an offensive alliance. It did not involve a breach of the treaty with Peloponnese: Athens could not be required to join Corcyra in any attack upon Corinth. But each of the contracting parties had a right to the other’s assistance against invasion, whether of his own territory or that of an ally. For it began now to be felt that the coming of the Peloponnesian war was only a question of time, and no one was willing to see a naval power of such magnitude as Corcyra sacrificed to Corinth; though if they could let them weaken each other by mutual conflict, it would be no bad preparation for the struggle which Athens might one day have to wage with Corinth and the other naval powers. At the same time the island seemed to lie conveniently on the coasting passage to Italy and Sicily. With these views, Athens received Corcyra into alliance and, on the departure of the Corinthians not long afterwards, sent ten ships to their assistance. They were commanded by Lacedaemonius, the son of Cimon, Diotimus, the son of Strombichus, and Proteas, the son of Epicles. Their instructions were to avoid collision with the Corinthian fleet except under certain circumstances. If it sailed to Corcyra and threatened a landing on her coast, or in any of her possessions, they were to do their utmost to prevent it. These instructions were prompted by an anxiety to avoid a breach of the treaty.
Meanwhile the Corinthians completed their preparations, and sailed for Corcyra with a hundred and fifty ships. Of these Elis furnished ten, Megara twelve, Leucas ten, Ambracia twenty-seven, Anactorium one, and Corinth herself ninety. Each of these contingents128 had its own admiral, the Corinthian being under the command of Xenoclides, son of Euthycles, with four colleagues. Sailing from Leucas, they made land at the part of the continent opposite Corcyra. They anchored in the harbour of Chimerium, in the territory of Thesprotis, above which, at some distance from the sea, lies the city of Ephyre, in the Elean district. By this city the Acherusian lake pours its waters into the sea. It gets its name from the river Acheron, which flows through Thesprotis and falls into the lake. There also the river Thyamis flows, forming the boundary between Thesprotis and Kestrine; and between these rivers rises the point of Chimerium. In this part of the continent the Corinthians now came to anchor, and formed an encampment. When the Corcyraeans saw them coming, they manned a hundred and ten ships, commanded by Meikiades, Aisimides, and Eurybatus, and stationed themselves at one of the Sybota isles129; the ten Athenian ships being present. On Point Leukimme they posted their land forces, and a thousand heavy infantry who had come from Zacynthus to their assistance. Nor were the Corinthians on the mainland without their allies. The barbarians flocked in large numbers to their assistance, the inhabitants of this part of the continent being old allies of theirs.
When the Corinthian preparations were completed, they took three days’ provisions and put out from Chimerium by night, ready for action. Sailing with the dawn, they sighted the Corcyraean fleet out at sea and coming towards them. When they perceived each other, both sides formed in order of battle. On the Corcyraean right wing lay the Athenian ships, the rest of the line being occupied by their own vessels formed in three squadrons, each of which was commanded by one of the three admirals. Such was the Corcyraean formation. The Corinthian was as follows: on the right wing lay the Megarian and Ambraciot ships, in the centre the rest of the allies in order. But the left was composed of the best sailers in the Corinthian navy, to encounter the Athenians and the right wing of the Corcyraeans. As soon as the signals were raised on either side, they joined battle. Both sides had a large number of heavy infantry on their decks, and a large number of archers130 and darters, the old imperfect armament still prevailing131. The sea-fight was an obstinate132 one, though not remarkable133 for its science; indeed it was more like a battle by land. Whenever they charged each other, the multitude and crush of the vessels made it by no means easy to get loose; besides, their hopes of victory lay principally in the heavy infantry on the decks, who stood and fought in order, the ships remaining stationary134. The manoeuvre135 of breaking the line was not tried; in short, strength and pluck had more share in the fight than science. Everywhere tumult136 reigned137, the battle being one scene of confusion; meanwhile the Athenian ships, by coming up to the Corcyraeans whenever they were pressed, served to alarm the enemy, though their commanders could not join in the battle from fear of their instructions. The right wing of the Corinthians suffered most. The Corcyraeans routed it, and chased them in disorder138 to the continent with twenty ships, sailed up to their camp, and burnt the tents which they found empty, and plundered139 the stuff. So in this quarter the Corinthians and their allies were defeated, and the Corcyraeans were victorious140. But where the Corinthians themselves were, on the left, they gained a decided success; the scanty141 forces of the Corcyraeans being further weakened by the want of the twenty ships absent on the pursuit. Seeing the Corcyraeans hard pressed, the Athenians began at length to assist them more unequivocally. At first, it is true, they refrained from charging any ships; but when the rout23 was becoming patent, and the Corinthians were pressing on, the time at last came when every one set to, and all distinction was laid aside, and it came to this point, that the Corinthians and Athenians raised their hands against each other.
After the rout, the Corinthians, instead of employing themselves in lashing142 fast and hauling after them the hulls of the vessels which they had disabled, turned their attention to the men, whom they butchered as they sailed through, not caring so much to make prisoners. Some even of their own friends were slain143 by them, by mistake, in their ignorance of the defeat of the right wing For the number of the ships on both sides, and the distance to which they covered the sea, made it difficult, after they had once joined, to distinguish between the conquering and the conquered; this battle proving far greater than any before it, any at least between Hellenes, for the number of vessels engaged. After the Corinthians had chased the Corcyraeans to the land, they turned to the wrecks144 and their dead, most of whom they succeeded in getting hold of and conveying to Sybota, the rendezvous145 of the land forces furnished by their barbarian7 allies. Sybota, it must be known, is a desert harbour of Thesprotis. This task over, they mustered146 anew, and sailed against the Corcyraeans, who on their part advanced to meet them with all their ships that were fit for service and remaining to them, accompanied by the Athenian vessels, fearing that they might attempt a landing in their territory. It was by this time getting late, and the paean147 had been sung for the attack, when the Corinthians suddenly began to back water. They had observed twenty Athenian ships sailing up, which had been sent out afterwards to reinforce the ten vessels by the Athenians, who feared, as it turned out justly, the defeat of the Corcyraeans and the inability of their handful of ships to protect them. These ships were thus seen by the Corinthians first. They suspected that they were from Athens, and that those which they saw were not all, but that there were more behind; they accordingly began to retire. The Corcyraeans meanwhile had not sighted them, as they were advancing from a point which they could not so well see, and were wondering why the Corinthians were backing water, when some caught sight of them, and cried out that there were ships in sight ahead. Upon this they also retired148; for it was now getting dark, and the retreat of the Corinthians had suspended hostilities149. Thus they parted from each other, and the battle ceased with night. The Corcyraeans were in their camp at Leukimme, when these twenty ships from Athens, under the command of Glaucon, the son of Leagrus, and Andocides, son of Leogoras, bore on through the corpses150 and the wrecks, and sailed up to the camp, not long after they were sighted. It was now night, and the Corcyraeans feared that they might be hostile vessels; but they soon knew them, and the ships came to anchor.
The next day the thirty Athenian vessels put out to sea, accompanied by all the Corcyraean ships that were seaworthy, and sailed to the harbour at Sybota, where the Corinthians lay, to see if they would engage. The Corinthians put out from the land and formed a line in the open sea, but beyond this made no further movement, having no intention of assuming the offensive. For they saw reinforcements arrived fresh from Athens, and themselves confronted by numerous difficulties, such as the necessity of guarding the prisoners whom they had on board and the want of all means of refitting their ships in a desert place. What they were thinking more about was how their voyage home was to be effected; they feared that the Athenians might consider that the treaty was dissolved by the collision which had occurred, and forbid their departure.
Accordingly they resolved to put some men on board a boat, and send them without a herald’s wand to the Athenians, as an experiment. Having done so, they spoke as follows: “You do wrong, Athenians, to begin war and break the treaty. Engaged in chastising151 our enemies, we find you placing yourselves in our path in arms against us. Now if your intentions are to prevent us sailing to Corcyra, or anywhere else that we may wish, and if you are for breaking the treaty, first take us that are here and treat us as enemies.” Such was what they said, and all the Corcyraean armament that were within hearing immediately called out to take them and kill them. But the Athenians answered as follows: “Neither are we beginning war, Peloponnesians, nor are we breaking the treaty; but these Corcyraeans are our allies, and we are come to help them. So if you want to sail anywhere else, we place no obstacle in your way; but if you are going to sail against Corcyra, or any of her possessions, we shall do our best to stop you.”
Receiving this answer from the Athenians, the Corinthians commenced preparations for their voyage home, and set up a trophy in Sybota, on the continent; while the Corcyraeans took up the wrecks and dead that had been carried out to them by the current, and by a wind which rose in the night and scattered152 them in all directions, and set up their trophy in Sybota, on the island, as victors. The reasons each side had for claiming the victory were these. The Corinthians had been victorious in the sea-fight until night; and having thus been enabled to carry off most wrecks and dead, they were in possession of no fewer than a thousand prisoners of war, and had sunk close upon seventy vessels. The Corcyraeans had destroyed about thirty ships, and after the arrival of the Athenians had taken up the wrecks and dead on their side; they had besides seen the Corinthians retire before them, backing water on sight of the Athenian vessels, and upon the arrival of the Athenians refuse to sail out against them from Sybota. Thus both sides claimed the victory.
The Corinthians on the voyage home took Anactorium, which stands at the mouth of the Ambracian gulf. The place was taken by treachery, being common ground to the Corcyraeans and Corinthians. After establishing Corinthian settlers there, they retired home. Eight hundred of the Corcyraeans were slaves; these they sold; two hundred and fifty they retained in captivity153, and treated with great attention, in the hope that they might bring over their country to Corinth on their return; most of them being, as it happened, men of very high position in Corcyra. In this way Corcyra maintained her political existence in the war with Corinth, and the Athenian vessels left the island. This was the first cause of the war that Corinth had against the Athenians, viz., that they had fought against them with the Corcyraeans in time of treaty.
Almost immediately after this, fresh differences arose between the Athenians and Peloponnesians, and contributed their share to the war. Corinth was forming schemes for retaliation154, and Athens suspected her hostility. The Potidaeans, who inhabit the isthmus of Pallene, being a Corinthian colony, but tributary155 allies of Athens, were ordered to raze156 the wall looking towards Pallene, to give hostages, to dismiss the Corinthian magistrates157, and in future not to receive the persons sent from Corinth annually158 to succeed them. It was feared that they might be persuaded by Perdiccas and the Corinthians to revolt, and might draw the rest of the allies in the direction of Thrace to revolt with them. These precautions against the Potidaeans were taken by the Athenians immediately after the battle at Corcyra. Not only was Corinth at length openly hostile, but Perdiccas, son of Alexander, king of the Macedonians, had from an old friend and ally been made an enemy. He had been made an enemy by the Athenians entering into alliance with his brother Philip and Derdas, who were in league against him. In his alarm he had sent to Lacedaemon to try and involve the Athenians in a war with the Peloponnesians, and was endeavouring to win over Corinth in order to bring about the revolt of Potidaea. He also made overtures to the Chalcidians in the direction of Thrace, and to the Bottiaeans, to persuade them to join in the revolt; for he thought that if these places on the border could be made his allies, it would be easier to carry on the war with their co-operation. Alive to all this, and wishing to anticipate the revolt of the cities, the Athenians acted as follows. They were just then sending off thirty ships and a thousand heavy infantry for his country under the command of Archestratus, son of Lycomedes, with four colleagues. They instructed the captains to take hostages of the Potidaeans, to raze the wall, and to be on their guard against the revolt of the neighbouring cities.
Meanwhile the Potidaeans sent envoys to Athens on the chance of persuading them to take no new steps in their matters; they also went to Lacedaemon with the Corinthians to secure support in case of need. Failing after prolonged negotiation to obtain anything satisfactory from the Athenians; being unable, for all they could say, to prevent the vessels that were destined159 for Macedonia from also sailing against them; and receiving from the Lacedaemonian government a promise to invade Attica, if the Athenians should attack Potidaea, the Potidaeans, thus favoured by the moment, at last entered into league with the Chalcidians and Bottiaeans, and revolted. And Perdiccas induced the Chalcidians to abandon and demolish160 their towns on the seaboard and, settling inland at Olynthus, to make that one city a strong place: meanwhile to those who followed his advice he gave a part of his territory in Mygdonia round Lake Bolbe as a place of abode161 while the war against the Athenians should last. They accordingly demolished162 their towns, removed inland and prepared for war. The thirty ships of the Athenians, arriving before the Thracian places, found Potidaea and the rest in revolt. Their commanders, considering it to be quite impossible with their present force to carry on war with Perdiccas and with the confederate towns as well turned to Macedonia, their original destination, and, having established themselves there, carried on war in co-operation with Philip, and the brothers of Derdas, who had invaded the country from the interior.
Meanwhile the Corinthians, with Potidaea in revolt and the Athenian ships on the coast of Macedonia, alarmed for the safety of the place and thinking its danger theirs, sent volunteers from Corinth, and mercenaries from the rest of Peloponnese, to the number of sixteen hundred heavy infantry in all, and four hundred light troops. Aristeus, son of Adimantus, who was always a steady friend to the Potidaeans, took command of the expedition, and it was principally for love of him that most of the men from Corinth volunteered. They arrived in Thrace forty days after the revolt of Potidaea.
The Athenians also immediately received the news of the revolt of the cities. On being informed that Aristeus and his reinforcements were on their way, they sent two thousand heavy infantry of their own citizens and forty ships against the places in revolt, under the command of Callias, son of Calliades, and four colleagues. They arrived in Macedonia first, and found the force of a thousand men that had been first sent out, just become masters of Therme and besieging163 Pydna. Accordingly they also joined in the investment, and besieged Pydna for a while. Subsequently they came to terms and concluded a forced alliance with Perdiccas, hastened by the calls of Potidaea and by the arrival of Aristeus at that place. They withdrew from Macedonia, going to Beroea and thence to Strepsa, and, after a futile164 attempt on the latter place, they pursued by land their march to Potidaea with three thousand heavy infantry of their own citizens, besides a number of their allies, and six hundred Macedonian horsemen, the followers165 of Philip and Pausanias. With these sailed seventy ships along the coast. Advancing by short marches, on the third day they arrived at Gigonus, where they encamped.
Meanwhile the Potidaeans and the Peloponnesians with Aristeus were encamped on the side looking towards Olynthus on the isthmus, in expectation of the Athenians, and had established their market outside the city. The allies had chosen Aristeus general of all the infantry; while the command of the cavalry166 was given to Perdiccas, who had at once left the alliance of the Athenians and gone back to that of the Potidaeans, having deputed Iolaus as his general: The plan of Aristeus was to keep his own force on the isthmus, and await the attack of the Athenians; leaving the Chalcidians and the allies outside the isthmus, and the two hundred cavalry from Perdiccas in Olynthus to act upon the Athenian rear, on the occasion of their advancing against him; and thus to place the enemy between two fires. While Callias the Athenian general and his colleagues dispatched the Macedonian horse and a few of the allies to Olynthus, to prevent any movement being made from that quarter, the Athenians themselves broke up their camp and marched against Potidaea. After they had arrived at the isthmus, and saw the enemy preparing for battle, they formed against him, and soon afterwards engaged. The wing of Aristeus, with the Corinthians and other picked troops round him, routed the wing opposed to it, and followed for a considerable distance in pursuit. But the rest of the army of the Potidaeans and of the Peloponnesians was defeated by the Athenians, and took refuge within the fortifications. Returning from the pursuit, Aristeus perceived the defeat of the rest of the army. Being at a loss which of the two risks to choose, whether to go to Olynthus or to Potidaea, he at last determined167 to draw his men into as small a space as possible, and force his way with a run into Potidaea. Not without difficulty, through a storm of missiles, he passed along by the breakwater through the sea, and brought off most of his men safe, though a few were lost. Meanwhile the auxiliaries168 of the Potidaeans from Olynthus, which is about seven miles off and in sight of Potidaea, when the battle began and the signals were raised, advanced a little way to render assistance; and the Macedonian horse formed against them to prevent it. But on victory speedily declaring for the Athenians and the signals being taken down, they retired back within the wall; and the Macedonians returned to the Athenians. Thus there were no cavalry present on either side. After the battle the Athenians set up a trophy, and gave back their dead to the Potidaeans under truce. The Potidaeans and their allies had close upon three hundred killed; the Athenians a hundred and fifty of their own citizens, and Callias their general.
The wall on the side of the isthmus had now works at once raised against it, and manned by the Athenians. That on the side of Pallene had no works raised against it. They did not think themselves strong enough at once to keep a garrison in the isthmus and to cross over to Pallene and raise works there; they were afraid that the Potidaeans and their allies might take advantage of their division to attack them. Meanwhile the Athenians at home learning that there were no works at Pallene, some time afterwards sent off sixteen hundred heavy infantry of their own citizens under the command of Phormio, son of Asopius. Arrived at Pallene, he fixed169 his headquarters at Aphytis, and led his army against Potidaea by short marches, ravaging170 the country as he advanced. No one venturing to meet him in the field, he raised works against the wall on the side of Pallene. So at length Potidaea was strongly invested on either side, and from the sea by the ships co-operating in the blockade. Aristeus, seeing its investment complete, and having no hope of its salvation171, except in the event of some movement from the Peloponnese, or of some other improbable contingency, advised all except five hundred to watch for a wind and sail out of the place, in order that their provisions might last the longer. He was willing to be himself one of those who remained. Unable to persuade them, and desirous of acting on the next alternative, and of having things outside in the best posture172 possible, he eluded173 the guardships of the Athenians and sailed out. Remaining among the Chalcidians, he continued to carry on the war; in particular he laid an ambuscade near the city of the Sermylians, and cut off many of them; he also communicated with Peloponnese, and tried to contrive174 some method by which help might be brought. Meanwhile, after the completion of the investment of Potidaea, Phormio next employed his sixteen hundred men in ravaging Chalcidice and Bottica: some of the towns also were taken by him.
1 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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2 colonists | |
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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3 populous | |
adj.人口稠密的,人口众多的 | |
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4 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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5 factions | |
组织中的小派别,派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
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6 barbarians | |
n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 );外国人;粗野的人;无教养的人 | |
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7 barbarian | |
n.野蛮人;adj.野蛮(人)的;未开化的 | |
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8 plunder | |
vt.劫掠财物,掠夺;n.劫掠物,赃物;劫掠 | |
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9 beseeching | |
adj.恳求似的v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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10 suppliants | |
n.恳求者,哀求者( suppliant的名词复数 ) | |
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11 supplication | |
n.恳求,祈愿,哀求 | |
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12 Founder | |
n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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13 founders | |
n.创始人( founder的名词复数 ) | |
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14 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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15 oracle | |
n.神谕,神谕处,预言 | |
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16 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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17 naval | |
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的 | |
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18 nautical | |
adj.海上的,航海的,船员的 | |
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19 renown | |
n.声誉,名望 | |
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20 lavished | |
v.过分给予,滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21 galleys | |
n.平底大船,战舰( galley的名词复数 );(船上或航空器上的)厨房 | |
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22 grievances | |
n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 );苦衷;不满;牢骚 | |
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23 rout | |
n.溃退,溃败;v.击溃,打垮 | |
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24 insolently | |
adv.自豪地,自傲地 | |
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25 banished | |
v.放逐,驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26 garrison | |
n.卫戍部队;驻地,卫戍区;vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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27 besiege | |
vt.包围,围攻,拥在...周围 | |
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28 isthmus | |
n.地峡 | |
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29 requisite | |
adj.需要的,必不可少的;n.必需品 | |
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30 forfeit | |
vt.丧失;n.罚金,罚款,没收物 | |
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31 convoy | |
vt.护送,护卫,护航;n.护送;护送队 | |
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32 hulls | |
船体( hull的名词复数 ); 船身; 外壳; 豆荚 | |
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33 infantry | |
n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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34 envoys | |
使节( envoy的名词复数 ); 公使; 谈判代表; 使节身份 | |
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35 arbitration | |
n.调停,仲裁 | |
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36 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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37 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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38 negotiation | |
n.谈判,协商 | |
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39 besieged | |
包围,围困,围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40 armistice | |
n.休战,停战协定 | |
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41 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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42 herald | |
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎 | |
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43 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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44 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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45 trophy | |
n.优胜旗,奖品,奖杯,战胜品,纪念品 | |
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46 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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47 ravaged | |
毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 ); 蹂躏; 劫掠; 抢劫 | |
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48 harassed | |
adj. 疲倦的,厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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49 exasperated | |
adj.恼怒的 | |
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50 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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51 bounties | |
(由政府提供的)奖金( bounty的名词复数 ); 赏金; 慷慨; 大方 | |
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52 enrolled | |
adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 );登记,招收,使入伍(或入会、入学等),参加,成为成员;记入名册;卷起,包起 | |
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53 procure | |
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
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54 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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55 impeded | |
阻碍,妨碍,阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56 convoked | |
v.召集,召开(会议)( convoke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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58 solicit | |
vi.勾引;乞求;vt.请求,乞求;招揽(生意) | |
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59 expedient | |
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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60 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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61 isolation | |
n.隔离,孤立,分解,分离 | |
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62 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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63 sinister | |
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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64 compliance | |
n.顺从;服从;附和;屈从 | |
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65 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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66 secondly | |
adv.第二,其次 | |
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67 goodwill | |
n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉 | |
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68 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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69 solicits | |
恳请 | |
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70 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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71 subdue | |
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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72 estranged | |
adj.疏远的,分离的 | |
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73 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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74 prosecute | |
vt.告发;进行;vi.告发,起诉,作检察官 | |
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75 concessions | |
n.(尤指由政府或雇主给予的)特许权( concession的名词复数 );承认;减价;(在某地的)特许经营权 | |
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76 adversaries | |
n.对手,敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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77 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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78 breach | |
n.违反,不履行;破裂;vt.冲破,攻破 | |
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79 immorality | |
n. 不道德, 无道义 | |
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80 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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81 repulse | |
n.击退,拒绝;vt.逐退,击退,拒绝 | |
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82 hindrance | |
n.妨碍,障碍 | |
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83 enlisting | |
v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的现在分词 );获得(帮助或支持) | |
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84 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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85 avowed | |
adj.公开声明的,承认的v.公开声明,承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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86 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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87 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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88 maritime | |
adj.海的,海事的,航海的,近海的,沿海的 | |
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89 antagonists | |
对立[对抗] 者,对手,敌手( antagonist的名词复数 ); 对抗肌; 对抗药 | |
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90 derive | |
v.取得;导出;引申;来自;源自;出自 | |
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91 estrangement | |
n.疏远,失和,不和 | |
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92 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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93 concurrence | |
n.同意;并发 | |
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94 geographical | |
adj.地理的;地区(性)的 | |
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95 specious | |
adj.似是而非的;adv.似是而非地 | |
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96 outrage | |
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒 | |
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97 elude | |
v.躲避,困惑 | |
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98 enjoyment | |
n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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99 hostility | |
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
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100 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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101 improperly | |
不正确地,不适当地 | |
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102 provocation | |
n.激怒,刺激,挑拨,挑衅的事物,激怒的原因 | |
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103 honourable | |
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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104 trample | |
vt.踩,践踏;无视,伤害,侵犯 | |
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105 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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106 adversary | |
adj.敌手,对手 | |
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107 overtures | |
n.主动的表示,提议;(向某人做出的)友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 );(歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的)序曲,前奏曲 | |
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108 incurring | |
遭受,招致,引起( incur的现在分词 ) | |
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109 rapacity | |
n.贪婪,贪心,劫掠的欲望 | |
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110 equitably | |
公平地 | |
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111 auxiliary | |
adj.辅助的,备用的 | |
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112 defenders | |
n.防御者( defender的名词复数 );守卫者;保护者;辩护者 | |
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113 inflict | |
vt.(on)把…强加给,使遭受,使承担 | |
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114 truce | |
n.休战,(争执,烦恼等的)缓和;v.以停战结束 | |
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115 offenders | |
n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 );犯规者;罪犯;妨害…的人(或事物) | |
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116 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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117 liquidated | |
v.清算( liquidate的过去式和过去分词 );清除(某人);清偿;变卖 | |
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118 juncture | |
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 | |
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119 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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120 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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121 contingency | |
n.意外事件,可能性 | |
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122 counteract | |
vt.对…起反作用,对抗,抵消 | |
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123 opportunely | |
adv.恰好地,适时地 | |
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124 seduced | |
诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 ); 勾引; 诱使堕落; 使入迷 | |
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125 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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126 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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127 defensive | |
adj.防御的;防卫的;防守的 | |
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128 contingents | |
(志趣相投、尤指来自同一地方的)一组与会者( contingent的名词复数 ); 代表团; (军队的)分遣队; 小分队 | |
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129 isles | |
岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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130 archers | |
n.弓箭手,射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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131 prevailing | |
adj.盛行的;占优势的;主要的 | |
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132 obstinate | |
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的 | |
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133 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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134 stationary | |
adj.固定的,静止不动的 | |
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135 manoeuvre | |
n.策略,调动;v.用策略,调动 | |
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136 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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137 reigned | |
vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) | |
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138 disorder | |
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调 | |
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139 plundered | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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140 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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141 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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142 lashing | |
n.鞭打;痛斥;大量;许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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143 slain | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词) | |
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144 wrecks | |
n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 );(事故中)遭严重毁坏的汽车(或飞机等);(身体或精神上)受到严重损伤的人;状况非常糟糕的车辆(或建筑物等)v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 );使(船舶)失事,使遇难,使下沉 | |
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145 rendezvous | |
n.约会,约会地点,汇合点;vi.汇合,集合;vt.使汇合,使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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146 mustered | |
v.集合,召集,集结(尤指部队)( muster的过去式和过去分词 );(自他人处)搜集某事物;聚集;激发 | |
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147 paean | |
n.赞美歌,欢乐歌 | |
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148 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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149 hostilities | |
n.战争;敌意(hostility的复数);敌对状态;战事 | |
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150 corpses | |
n.死尸,尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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151 chastising | |
v.严惩(某人)(尤指责打)( chastise的现在分词 ) | |
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152 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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153 captivity | |
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚 | |
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154 retaliation | |
n.报复,反击 | |
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155 tributary | |
n.支流;纳贡国;adj.附庸的;辅助的;支流的 | |
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156 raze | |
vt.铲平,把(城市、房屋等)夷为平地,拆毁 | |
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157 magistrates | |
地方法官,治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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158 annually | |
adv.一年一次,每年 | |
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159 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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160 demolish | |
v.拆毁(建筑物等),推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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161 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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162 demolished | |
v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 );推翻;拆毁(尤指大建筑物);吃光 | |
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163 besieging | |
包围,围困,围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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164 futile | |
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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165 followers | |
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件 | |
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166 cavalry | |
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队 | |
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167 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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168 auxiliaries | |
n.助动词 ( auxiliary的名词复数 );辅助工,辅助人员 | |
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169 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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170 ravaging | |
毁坏( ravage的现在分词 ); 蹂躏; 劫掠; 抢劫 | |
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171 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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172 posture | |
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
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173 eluded | |
v.(尤指机敏地)避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 );逃避;躲避;使达不到 | |
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174 contrive | |
vt.谋划,策划;设法做到;设计,想出 | |
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