80.
Not long after this, the same summer, the Ambraciotes and Chaonians, desiring to subdue all Acarnania and to make it revolt from the Athenians, persuaded the Lacedaemonians to make ready a fleet out of the confederate cities and to send a thousand men of arms into Acarnania, saying that if they aided them both with a fleet and a land army at once, the Acarnanians of the seacoast being thereby disabled to assist the rest, having easily gained Acarnania they might be masters afterward both of Zacynthus and Cephalonia and the Athenians hereafter less able to make their voyages about Peloponnesus, and that there was a hope beside to take Naupactus.
[2]
The Peloponnesians assenting sent thither Cnemus, who was yet admiral, with his men of arms in a few galleys immediately, and withal sent word to the cities about, as soon as their galleys were ready, to sail with all speed to Leucas.
[3]
Now the Corinthians were very zealous in the behalf of the Ambraciotes, as being their own colony.
And the galleys which were to go from Corinth, Sicyonia, and that part of the coast were now making ready;
[4]
and those of the Leucadians, Anactorians, and Ambraciotes were arrived before and stayed at Leucas for their coming.
Cnemus and his thousand men of arms, when they had crossed the sea undescried of Phormio, who commanded the twenty Athenian galleys that kept watch at Naupactus, presently prepared for the war by land.
[5]
He had in his army of Grecians, the Ambraciotes, Leucadians, Anactorians, and the thousand Peloponnesians he brought with him;
and of barbarians, a thousand Chaonians, who have no king but were led by Photius and Nicanor, which two being of the families eligible had now the annual government.
With the Chaonians came also the Thesprctians, they also without a king.
[6]
The Molossians and Atintanians were led by Sabylinthus, protector of Tharups their king, who was yet in minority.
The Parauaeans were led by their king Oroedus;
and under Oroedus served likewise, by permission of Antiochus their king, a thousand Orestians.
[7]
Also Perdiccas sent thither, unknown to the Athenians, a thousand Macedonians;
[8]
but these last were not yet arrived.
With this army began Cnemus to march without staying for the fleet from Corinth.
And passing through Argeia, they destroyed Limnaea, a town unwalled.
From thence they marched towards Stratus, the greatest city of Acarnania, conceiving that if they could take this first, the rest would come easily in.
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Thucydides. Thomas Hobbes. translator. London. Bohn. 1843.
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