248 STRANGE NATURAL PHENOMENA [ill it subsided in some places, yet in others the inundation was permanent, and that which was formerly land is now sea. All the people who could not escape to the high ground perished. A similar inundation occurred in the neighbourhood of Atalante, an island on the coast of the Opuntian Locri, which carried away a part of the Athenian fort ", and dashed in pieces one of two ships which were drawn up on the beach. At Peparethus also the sea retired, but no inundation followed ; an earthquake, how- ever, overthrew a part of the wall, the Prytaneum, and a few houses. I conceive that, where the force of the earthquake was greatest, the sea was driven back, and the suddenness of the recoil made the inundation more violent; and I am of opinion that this was the cause of the phenomenon, which would never have taken place if there had been no earthquake. 90 During the same summer war was going on in various Capture by Laches of parts of Sicily, the Hellenes in Sicily Mylae in Sidiy, and fighting against one another, the submission ofMessene. Athenians helping their own allies. I will mention the chief actions in which the Athenians took part, whether by the help of their allies attacking, or attacked by their enemies. Charoeades, the Athenian general, had been killed in battle by the S3Tacusans, and, Laches having taken the entire command of the fleet, he and the allies made an expedition against Mylae, a town belonging to Messene. Two tribes of the Messenians were keeping guard there, and they had set an ambuscade for the force which they were expecting to land ; but the Athenians and their allies put to flight with heavy loss the troops which came out of the ambush. Then, attacking the fortress, they compelled its defenders to come to terms, surrender the citadel, and march with them against Messene. Finally, upon the approach of the Athenians and their allies, the Messenians themselves came to terms, " Cp. ii. 32-
