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Excerpt from History of Greece, and of the Greek People, Vol. 3: From the Earliest Times to the Roman Conquest; Section II HE war still raged in Sicily when the Spartans, following the perfidious counsel of Alkibiades. Invaded Attika and fortified Dekeleia. Fifteen miles from Athens. Agis. The Spartan king, posted himself there. And thence ravaged the country unremittingly. Thucydides says (vii. 27. For previouslv the invasions were but of brief duration, and did not prevent their enjoying their territory at other times; but now that the enemy were continually stationed there, they were deprived of their whole country. More than twenty thousand slaves had deserted, a great part of them being artisans; and all their sheep and beasts of burden were lost. Their horses also. As the cavalrv were dailv on the move, making excursions to llekeleia and keeping guard in the country, were either lamed bv being worked on rocky ground, and that continually, or were disabled by wounds. The conveyance also of provisions from Euboia, which was before efiected more quickly by land from Oropos through Dekeleia, was now carried on with great expense by sea round Sounion. Indeed, the city required everything to be imported, and instead of being a city, it was reduced to a garrison. For the Athenians were harassed by keeping guard on the fortifications, in succession by day, and all of them, excepting the cavalry, by night, - some being on duty where the arms were piled, and others on the walls, - both summer and winter alike. At this time they imposed on their subjects the tax of a twentieth on all sea-borne commodities, instead of the tribute, thinking that thus a larger amount of money would be raised by them. For their expenses were not on the same scale as before, but much greater, inasmuch as the war also was greater, while their revenues were being destroved. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at ww