CALLICRA'TIDAS, a Spartan officer who was appointed to succeed Lysander in the command of the Peloponnesian fleet in the tEgean Sea, me. 406, at the beginning of the twenty-fourth year of the Pelo ponoesian war. Of simple, straight-forward character, ho was no match for Lysander and his friends in the arta of Intrigue ; and they used their best endeavours to perplex his plans and frustrate all his operations. So far as the caballing of hie officers was concerned, he got over the difilenity by putting the simple question—whether they preferred that he should retain the command, or that he should sail home, and relate at Sparta the condition in which he found things I for none durst stand the chance of accusation at home. But for the pay of his fleet he was dependent upon Cyrus, the Persian commander in-chief of the king's forces in western Asia Minor ; and when ho went to that prince at Sardis to obtain a supply of money, he was so dis gusted by Asiatic pride, and ceremony, and dilatoriness, that, laaviug the object of his journey unaccomplished, he returned to Bliletus, saying that the Greeks were indeed miserable thus to cringe to barba rians for their money, and that if he lived to return home ho would do his best to reconcile the Athenians and the Lacedemonians. Having obtained a sum upon loan, ho sailed to Lesbos, and took Methymne by areault. The town wars given up to pillage. Callicraticlas was urged to sell the citizens for elates, according to the usual practice of Greek warfare; but he replied, that while he had the command no Grecian citizen should be made a slave. This liberal sentiment how
ever did not influence him in regard to the Athenians ; for Xenophon (if there is no error in the text) says in the next line that the Athenians who formed the garrison were sold. (See the note of F. A. Wolff on this passage.) After this success Callieratidas met Conon, the Athenian commander, at sea, attacked him, gained a victory, and blockaded him in tho harbour of 3lityleue. Intelligence of this arriving at Athens, a power ful fleet of 110 ships was equipped and manned within the space of thirty days, and pent to the relief of Conon. Callicmtidas left 60 ships to maintain the blockade, and with only 120 advanced to meet the enemy, whose number was increased by reinforcements from the allied states to 150 end upwards. The fleets met between Lesbos and the main land, near the small islands called Arginusm. Hormon, the master of Callicmtidas's ship, recommended the Spartan commander to retreat without hazarding a battle. lie replied, that if ho were dead Sparta would be no worse off; but that it was base to fly. The battle was long and doubtful, hut ended in the complete defeat of the Lacedirmonians, with the loss of 70 ships. Callieretidas perished in it, being thrown overboard by the shock of his own ship against one of the enemy. (Xenophon, ' liellenics; lib. L c. 6.)