a smaller history of greece-第22章

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final　message〃to　take　counsel　for　themselves；　but　to　do　nothing　disgraceful。〃　　The　survivors　then　surrendered。　　They　were　292　in　number；　120　of　whom　were　native　Spartans　belonging　to　the　first　families。　　By　this　surrender　the　prestige　of　the　Spartan　arms　was　in　a　great　degree　destroyed。　The　Spartans　were　not；　indeed；　deemed　invincible；　but　their　previous　feats；　especially　at　Thermopylae；　had　inspired　the　notion　that　they　would　rather　die　than　yield；　an　opinion　which　could　now　no　longer　be　entertained。

Cleon　had　thus　performed　his　promise。　　On　the　day　after　the　victory　he　and　Demosthenes　started　with　the　prisoners　for　Athens；　where　they　arrived　within　20　days　from　the　time　of　Cleon's　departure。　　Altogether；　this　affair　was　one　of　the　most　favourable　for　the　Athenians　that　had　occurred　during　the　war。　The　prisoners　would　serve　not　only　for　a　guarantee　against　future　invasions；　which　might　be　averted　by　threatening　to　put　them　to　death；　but　also　as　a　means　for　extorting　advantageous　conditions　whenever　a　peace　should　be　concluded。　　Nay；　the　victory　itself　was　of　considerable　importance；　since　it　enabled　the　Athenians　to　place　Pylus　in　a　better　posture　of　defence；　and；　by　garrisoning　it　with　Messenians　from　Naupactus；　to　create　a　stronghold　whence　Laconia　might　be　overrun　and　ravaged　at　pleasure。　　The　Lacedaemonians　themselves　were　so　sensible　of　these　things；　that　they　sent　repeated　messages　to　Athens　to　propose　a　peace；　but　which　the　Athenians　altogether　disregarded。

The　eighth　year　of　the　war　（B。C。　424）　opened　with　brilliant　prospects　for　the　Athenians。　　Elate　with　their　continued　good　fortune；　they　aimed　at　nothing　less　than　the　recovery　of　all　the　possessions　which　they　had　held　before　the　Thirty　Years'　Truce。　for　this　purpose　they　planned　an　expedition　against　Boeotia。　　But　their　good　fortune　had　now　reached　its　culminatiug　point。　　They　were　defeated　by　the　Boeotians　with　great　loss　at　the　battle　of　Delium；　which　was　the　greatest　and　most　decisive　engagement　fought　during　the　first　period　of　the　war　an　interesting　feature　of　the　battle　is　that　both　Socrates　and　his　pupil　Alcibiades　were　engaged　in　it；　the　former　among　the　hoplites；　the　latter　in　the　cavalry。　　Socrates　distinguished　himself　by　his　bravery；　and　was　one　of　those　who；　instead　of　throwing　down　their　arms；　kept　together　in　a　compact　body；　and　repulsed　the　attacks　of　the　pursuing　horse。　　His　retreat　was　also　protected　by　Alcibiades。

This　disastrous　battle　was　speedily　followed　by　the　overthrow　of　the　Athenian　empire　in　Thrace。　　At　the　request　of　Perdiccas；　King　of　Macedonia；　and　of　the　Chalcidian　towns；　who　had　sued　for　help　against　the　Athenians；　Brasidas　was　sent　by　the　Lacedaemonian　government　into　Macedonia；　at　the　head　of　a　small　body　of　troops。　On　his　arrival　in　Macedonia　he　proclaimed　that　he　was　come　to　deliver　the　Grecian　cities　from　the　tyrannous　yoke　of　Athens。　His　bravery；　his　kind　and　conciliating　demeanour；　his　probity；　moderation；　and　good　faith；　soon　gained　him　the　respect　and　love　of　the　allies　of　Athens　in　that　quarter。　　Acanthus　and　Stagirus　hastened　to　open　their　gates　to　him；　and　early　in　the　ensuing　winter；　by　means　of　forced　marches；　he　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　appeared　before　the　important　Athenian　colony　of　Amphipolis　on　the　Strymon。　　In　that　town　the　Athenian　party　sent　a　message　for　assistance　to　Thucydides；　the　historian；　who　was　then　general　in　those　parts。　　Thucydides　hastened　with　seven　ships　from　Thasos；　and　succeeded　in　securing　Eion　at　the　mouth　of　the　Strymon；　but　Amphipolis；　which　lay　a　little　higher　up　the　river；　allured　by　the　favourable　terms　offered；　had　already　surrendered　to　Brasidas。　　For　his　want　of　vigilance　on　this　occasion；　Thucydides　was；　on　the　motion　of　Cleon；　sentenced　to　banishment；　and　spent　the　following　twenty　years　of　his　life　in　exile。　　Torone；　Scione；　and　other　towns　also　revolted　from　Athens。

In　the　following　year　（B。C。　422）　Cleon　was　sent　to　Macedonia　to　recover　the　Athenian　dependencies；　and　especially　Amphipolis。　　He　encamped　on　a　rising　ground　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　town。　Having　deserted　the　peaceful　art　of　dressing　hides　for　the　more　hazardous　trade　of　war；　in　which　he　was　almost　totally　inexperienced；　and　having　now　no　Demosthenes　to　direct　his　movements；　Cleon　was　thrown　completely　off　his　guard　by　a　very　ordinary　stratagem　on　the　part　of　Brasidas；　who　contrived　to　give　the　town　quite　a　deserted　and　peaceful　appearance。　　Cleon　suffered　his　troops　to　fall　into　disorder；　till　he　was　suddenly　surprised　by　the　astounding　news　that　Brasidas　was　preparing　for　a　sally。　　Cleon　at　once　resolved　to　retreat。　　But　his　skill　was　equal　to　his　valour。　　He　conducted　his　retreat　in　the　most　disorderly　manner。　　His　left　wing　had　already　filed　off　and　his　centre　with　straggling　ranks　was　in　the　act　of　following；　when　Brasidas　ordered　the　gates　of　the　town　to　be　flung　open；　and；　rushing　out　at　the　head　of　only　150　chosen　soldiers；　charged　the　retreating　columns　in　flank。　　They　were　immediately　routed；　but　Brasidas　received　a　mortal　wound　and　was　carried　off　the　field。　Though　his　men　were　forming　on　the　hill；　Cleon　fled　as　fast　as　he　could　on　the　approach　of　the　enemy；　but　was　pursued　and　slain　by　a　Thracian　peltast。　　In　spite；　however；　of　the　disgraceful　flight　of　their　general；　the　right　wing　maintained　their　ground　for　a　considerable　time；　till　some　cavalry　and　peltasts　issuing　from　Amphipolis　attacked　them　in　flank　and　rear；　and　compelled　them　to　fly。　　On　assembling　again　at　Eion　it　was　found　that　half　the　Athenian　hoplites　had　been　slain。　　Brasidas　was　carried　into　Amphipolis；　and　lived　long　enough　to　receive　the　tidings　of　his　victory。　　He　was　interred　within　the　walls　with　great　military　pomp　in　the　centre　of　what　thenceforth　became　the　chief　agora；　he　was　proclaimed　oecist；　or　founder　of　the　town；　and　was　worshipped　as　a　hero　with　annual　games　and　sacrifices。

By　the　death　of　Brasidas　and　Cleon　the　two　chief　obstacles　to　a　peace　were　removed；　for　the　former　loved　war　for　the　sake　of　its　glory；　the　latter　for　the　handle　which　it　afforded　for　agitation　and　for　attacking　his　political　opponents。　　The　Athenian　Nicias；　and　the　Spartan　king　Pleistoanax；　zealously　forwarded　the　negotiations；　and　in　the　spring　of　the　year　B。C。　421　a　peace　for　50　years；　commonly　called　the　PEACE　OF　NICIAS；　was　concluded　on　the　basis　of　a　mutual　restitution　of　prisoners　and　places　captured　during　the　war。



CHAPTER　XII。

THE　PELOPONNESIAN　WAR。SECOND　PERIOD；　FROM　THE　PEACE　OF　NICIAS　TO　THE　DEFEAT　OF　THE　ATHENIANS　IN　SICILY；　B。C。　421…413。

Several　of　the　allies　of　Sparta　were　dissatisfied　with　the　peace　which　she　had　concluded；　and　soon　afterwards　some　of　them　determined　to　revive　the　ancient　pretensions　of　Argos；　and　to　make　her　the　head　of　a　new　confederacy；　which　should　include　all　Greece；　with　the　exception　of　Sparta　and　Athens。　　The　movement　was　begun　by　the　Corinthians；　and　the　league　was　soon　joined　by　the　Eleans；　the　Mantineans；　and　the　Chalcidians。

Between　Sparta　and　Athens　themselves　matters　were　far　from　being　on　a　satisfactory　footing。　　Sparta　confessed　her　inability　to　compel　the　Boeotians　and　Corinthians　to　accede　to　the　peace；　or　even　to　restore　the　town　of　Amphipolis。　　Athens　consequently　refused　to　evacuate　Pylus；　though　she　removed　the　Helots　and　Messenians　from　it。　　In　the　negotiations　which　ensued　respecting　the　surrender　of　Pylus；　Alcibiades　took　a　prominent　part。　　This　extraordinary　man　had　already　obtained　immense　influence　at　Athens。　　Young；　rich；　handsome；　profligate；　and　clever；　Alcibiades　was　the　very　model　of　an　Athenian　man　of　fashion。　　In　lineage　he　was　a　striking　contrast　to　the　plebeian　orators　of　the　day。　　He　traced　his　paternal　descent　from　Ajax；　whilst　on　his　mother's　side　he　claimed　relationship　with　the　Alcmaeonidae　and　consequently　with　Pericles。　　On　the　death　of　his　father　Clinias　Pericles　had　become　his　guardian。　　From　early　youth　the　conduct　of　Alcibiades　was　marked　by　violence；　recklessness；　and　vanity。　He　delighted　in　astonishing　the　more　sober　portion　of　the　citizens　by　his　capricious　and　extravagant　feats。　　He　was　utterly　destitute　of　morality；　whether　public　or　private。　　But　his　vices　were　partly　redeemed　by　some　brilliant　qualities。　　He　possessed　both　boldness　of　design　and　vigour　of　action；　and；　though　scarcely　more　than　thirty　at　the　time　of　which　we　are　now　speaking；　he　had　already　on　several　occasions　distinguished　himself　by　his　bravery。　　His　more　serious　studies　were　made　subservient　to　the　purposes　of　his　ambition；　for　which　some　skill　as　an　orator　was　necessary。　　In　order　to　attain　it　he　frequented　the　schools　of　the　sophists；　and　exercised　himself　in　the　dialectics　of　Prodicus；　Protagoras；　and　above　all　of　Socrates。

Such　was　the　man　who　now　opposed　the　application　of　the　Lacedaemonian　ambassadors。　　Their　reception　had　been　so　favourable；　that　Alcibiades　alarmed　at　the　prospect　of　their　success；　resorted　to　a　trick　in　order　to　defeat　it。　　He　called　upon　the　Lacedaemonian　envoys；　one　of　whom　happened　to　be　his　personal　friend；　and　he　advised　them　not　to　tell　the　Assembly　that　they　were　furnished　with　full　powers；　as　in　that　case　the　people　would　bully　them　into　extravagant　concessions；　but　rather　to　say　that　they　were　merely　come　to　discuss　and　report。　　He　promised；　if　they　did　so；　to　speak　in　their　favour；　and　induce　the　Assembly　to　grant　the　restitution　of　Pylus；　to　which　he　himself　had　hitherto　been　the　chief　obstacle。　　Accordingly　on　the　next　day；　when　the　ambassadors　were　introduced　into　the　Assembly；　Alcibiades；　assuming　his　blandest　tone　and　most　winning　smile；　asked　them　on　what　footing　they　came　and　what　were　their　powers。　In　reply　to　these　questions；　the　ambassadors；　who　only　a　day　or　two　before　had　told　Nicias　and　the　Senate　that　they　were　come　as　plenipotentiaries；　now　publicly　declared；　in　the　face　of　the　Assembly；　that　they　were　not　authorized　to　conclude；　but　only　to　negotiate　and　discuss。　　At　this　announcement；　those　who　had　heard　their　previous　declaration　could　scarcely　believe　their　ears。　　A　universal　burst　of　indignation　broke　forth　at　this　exhibition　of　Spartan　duplicity；　whilst；　to　wind　up　the　scene；　Alcibiades；　affecting　to　be　more　surprised　than　any；　distinguished　himself　by　being　the　loudest　and　bitterest　in　his　invectives　against　the　perfidy　of　the　Lacedaemonians。

Shortly　afterwards　Alcibiades　procured　the　completion　of　a　treaty　of　alliance　for　100　years　with　Argos；　Elis；　and　Mantinea　（B。C。　420）。　　Thus　were　the　Grecian　states　involved　in　a　complicity　of　separate　and　often　apparently　opposite　alliances。　　It　was　evident　that　allies　so　heterogeneous　could　not　long　hold　together；　nevertheless；　nominally　at　least；　peace　was　at　first　observed。

In　the　July　which　followed　the　treaty　with　Argos；　the　Olympic　games；　which　recurred　every　fourth　year；　were　to　be　celebrated。　The　Athenians　had　been　shut　out　by　the　war　from　the　two　previous　celebrations；　and　curiosity　was　excited　throughout　Greece　to　see　what　figure　Athens　would　make　at　this　great　Pan…Hellenic　festival。　　War；　it　was　surmised；　must　have　exhausted　her　resources；　and　would　thus　prevent　her　from　appearing　with　becoming　splendour。　　But　from　this　reproach　she　was　rescued　by　the　wealth　and　vanity；　if　not　by　the　patriotism；　of　Alcibiades。　By　his　care；　the　Athenian　deputies　exhibited　the　richest　displ