citizen of Corinth, the mother-city of Corcyra. Seeing, therefore,
that they had nothing to hope from the Corcyraeans, the distressed
people of Epidamnus began to turn their thoughts towards their ancient
metropolis, and considered whether they should appeal to her to save
them from ruin. But as this was a step of doubtful propriety, they
first consulted the oracle of Delphi, the great authority on questions
of international law. Receiving a favourable answer, they sent envoys
to Corinth, and offered to surrender their city to the Corinthians, in
return for their countenance and protection.

The Corcyraeans had long been in evil odour at Corinth, for they had
grown insolent in prosperity, and neglected all the observances which
were due from a colony to the mother-city. They were, in fact,
superior to the Corinthians in wealth and power, and their fleet,
numbering a hundred and twenty triremes, was second only to that of
Athens. Corcyra was famous in legend as the seat of the Phaeacians, a
heroic sailor race, whose deeds are sung by Homer in the
_Odyssey_; and the Corcyraeans regarded themselves as the lawful
inheritors of their fame. For all these reasons they despised the
Corinthians, and made no secret of their contempt. Remembering the
many occasions on which they had been publicly insulted by Corcyra,
the Corinthians lent a favourable ear to the petition of Epidamnus,
and determined to appropriate the colony to themselves. Accordingly
they invited all who chose to go and settle at Epidamnus, and sent the
new colonists under a military escort, with instructions to proceed by
land to Apollonia, for fear lest they should be obstructed by the
Corcyraean fleet, if they went by sea.

Great was the indignation at Corcyra when the news arrived that her
colony had been surrendered to Corinth, and a force of forty ships was