Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
Benjamin Jowett, Ed.

39. During the same winter, about the solstice, twenty-seven ships which Calligitus of Megara and¹ Timagoras of Cyzicus, the agents of Pharnabazus, had persuaded the Lacedaemonians to fit out in his interest² sailed for Ionia: they were placed under the command of Antisthenes, a Spartan. [2] The Lacedaemonians sent at the same time eleven Spartans to act as advisers³ to Astyochus, one of whom was Lichas the son of Arcesilaus⁴. Besides receiving a general commission to assist in the direction of affairs to the best of their judgment, they were empowered on their arrival at Miletus to send on, if they saw fit, these ships, or a larger or smaller number, to Pharnabazus at the Hellespont under the command of Clearchus⁵ the son of Rhamphias, who sailed with them. The eleven might also, if they thought good, deprive Astyochus of his command and appoint Antisthenes in his place, for the despatch of Pedaritus had excited suspicion against him. [3] So the ships sailed from Malea over the open sea until they came to Melos. There they lighted on ten Athenian ships; of these they took three without their crews and burned them. But then, fearing that the remainder which had escaped would, as in fact they did, give information of their approach to the fleet at Samos, they took the precaution of going by a longer route. And sailing round by Crete they put in at Caunus in Asia. [4] They thought that they were now safe, and sent a messenger to the fleet at Miletus requesting a convoy.