Note 46 — Chapter III · THE IONIAN REVOLT. (continued 2)

The emphatic mention of these Lesbians in this passage has suggested the idea that this attack on Chios was an act of spite on the part of the Æolian Lesbians against the Ionian Chians.

Those who maintain this view seem to leave out of account two difficult questions which it must raise:⁠—

(1) What conceivable object can the Lesbians have had⁠—

(a) In making such an attack for such a motive;

(b) In running the great risk it involved at a time when the victorious Phœnician fleet was within a few hours’ sail of Chios?

(2) Taking Herodotus’ tale as it stands, who are the Ionians (Chap, xxviii., ad init.) who accompany Histiæus and the Æolians in their attack on Thasos, if they are not from Chios?