the fleet that sailed for Corcy'ra, with leave to employ the Messe'nians, by whom he was accompanied, in any enterprise which might advance the public service. As the fleet on their return from Corcyra sailed along the south-western shores of the Peloponne'sus, the Messe'nians could not avoid being affected as they viewed the shores of their beloved country, and at length they determined on effecting a landing at Py'los, the modern Navarino, which was supposed to have been the seat of Nestor's kingdom. This design, though encouraged by Demos'thenes, was at first opposed by Eurym'edon, but the fleet being forced into the harbour by stress of weather, the sailors for their amusement assisted the Messe'nians in the erection of a fort, and so vigorous were their exertions, that in six days, Py'los was sufficiently strong to maintain a siege. 13. As Pylos was but fifty miles from Sparta, the inhabitants of that city were naturally alarmed by the vicinity of the enemy, and still more by the reflection, that many of their slaves being of Messe'nian descent, would be inclined to join the Pylian garrison. 14. As soon, therefore, as the squadron of Eurym'edon had departed, Py'los was closely besieged by a Spartan army, its harbour blockaded by the confederate fleet, and a numerous garrison selected from the bravest Spartan soldiers placed in the island of Sphacte'ria, which commands the entrance of the Pylian bay. Demos'thenes, who remained as commander of the Messenians, with difficulty maintained his post for three days, but at the end of that time, the fleet of Eurymedon returned and relieved him from his embarrassment. 15. The Spartan fleet was totally defeated, and the garrison in Sphacte'ria were now blockaded in their turn. This led to some negotiations which the pride of the Athenians rendered abortive; they trusted that the capture of the troops in Sphacte'ria, who were composed of the first rank of the Spartan citizens, would enable them to dictate peace on their own terms. 16. But the conquest of this little island was a matter of no small difficulty; the soldiers under the command of Demosthenes were too few to make victory certain, and Sphacte'ria, being densely wooded and full of defiles, might easily be defended; besides Pylos itself was closely watched by the Spartans, and the Athenians were, in fact, besieged, as well as besiegers. 17. When the news of these circumstances reached Athens, the people were in great commotion, and Cle'on. deeming this a favourable opportunity for calumniating his rival Ni'cias, declared, that, "if he were a general, Sphacteria should soon be compelled to surrender." Ni'cias was the leader of the aristocratic party, which had been all along opposed to the war; he was besides of a prudent and almost timid disposition, and therefore but little inclined to attempt an enterprise so hazardous, as an attack upon Sphacte'ria. To the boasts of his opponent, he replied by an offer to resign the office of general in his favour. Cle'on, who was, like all boasters, a notorious coward, refused the offer; but the Athenian multitude, delighted at seeing him caught by his own artifices, insisted that Cle'on should be their general, and he found himself obliged to comply. His impudence, however, did not forsake him; he advanced into the middle of the assembly, and declared, that within thirty days he would bring all the Lacedæmonians in Sphacte'ria prisoners to Athens. 18. This boast was received with shouts of laughter; but a combination of events enabled Cle'on to fulfil his promise. An accidental fire destroyed the wood which had hitherto protected the rear of the Spartans, and when they retreated to a corner of the island, the Messenians ascended the precipitous rocks which commanded their rear, and thus, after a gallant resistance, they were forced to surrender themselves prisoners. Cle'on returned to Athens in triumph, and claimed the entire merit of the success, which of right belonged to Demosthenes. 19. In the following year the Athenians made the SB. C. important conquest of the island of Cythe'ra, which 424. being situated on the south coast of Laconia, enabled them to ravage the enemy's shores in security. 20. At the same time they sent a large force to Boeotia to assist the states who had conspired against Thebes; the plot was discovered by accident, and the Athenians prepared to retreat, after having seized and fortified the little town of De'lium. In their retreat they were intercepted by the Thebans, and defeated with considerable loss; soon after which De'lium was forced to surrender. 21. But a new and unexpected calamity changed the tide of the Athenian good fortune; Olyn'thus and several other maritime states in Macedonia suddenly took up arms to check the naval power of Athens, and having been joined by the princes of the country, sent to Sparta for assistance. Bras'idas, one of the bravest generals that Sparta ever produced, and the only one who united a character for strict integrity to his fame for courage and skill, was sent to their assistance with a strong detachment. He traversed the entire of northern Greece before the Athenians could take any measure to check his progress. On his arrival, he proceeded to attack all the tributary confederates of Athens, and in a few months, either by force or persuasion, he alienated from her alliance the principal maritime states in Thrace and Macedon. 22. This misfortune inclined the Athenians to peace, and the Spartan nobility, envious of the glory obtained by Brasidas, were not averse to an accommodation. A truce for a year was agreed on between the republics; but at the end of that period, Cle'on persuaded his countrymen to send him with an armament against Amphip'olis,* whose loss the Athenians felt most sensibly. 23. The Spartan general B. C. made the most judicious preparations for his recep421. tion, and Cle'on, totally ignorant of military affairs, fell into an ambuscade, where his army was routed with great slaughter. This success was conterbalanced by the death of both the generals; the fall of Cle'on was an advantage greater than victory to the Athenians, but nothing could compensate the Spartans for the loss of Brasidas; he was interred with military honours, but the deep grief of the allies, who wept over his grave, was the noblest tribute to his memory. 24. The battle of Amphip'olis removed the principal obstacles to a peace. Ni'cias, who had opposed the war from the beginning, found the Spartan king, Pleisto'anax, equally disposed to moderation. Conferences were held; and after some brief delay, a treaty for fifty years was concluded between Athens and Sparta, on the basis of mutual restitution, and that all things should be placed in the same state as they were before the commencement of the war. But this peace contained within itself the elements of future discord, for as no provision was made for the minor states, the allies of both, and especially those of the Spartans, were justly indignant and discontented. Questions for Examination 1. What induced the Lesbians to revolt? 2. To whom was the command of the expedition against Lesbos given? 3. How did the Spartan admiral behave? * A city on the river Strymon, in Thrace: see map. 4. What compelled the governor of Mitylene to surrender? 5. Did the Athenians pass a severe decree against the revoltera ? 6. Was the barbarous edict put into execution? 7. What detestable crime kindled a civil war in Corcyra? 8. How was this war terminated? 9. Did the Corcyrean populace take revenge on the nobles? 10. What were the consequences of the Corcyrean civil war? 11. Why were the people of Sicily inclined to favour the Spartans ? 12. What remarkable enterprise was undertaken by Demosthenes and the Messenian exiles? 13. Why did the garrison at Pylos alarm the Spartans? 14. Where did the Spartans station a garrison to control Pylos? 15. To what inconvenience were the Spartans in Sphacteria subjected? 16. Why did not the Athenians immediately conquer Sphacteria ? 17. Under what strange circumstances was Cleon appointed to take the command at Pylos? 18. By what accident did Cleon succeed? 19. Did the Athenians capture any other island? 20. What led to the defeat at Delium? 21. Whom did the Spartans send to aid the revolters in Thrace and Macedon? 22. How was peace prevented? 23. What remarkable persons fell in the battle of Amphipolis? 24. On what conditions was peace concluded between Athens and Sparta? CHAPTER IX. FROM THE PEACE OF NICIAS TO THE END OF THE SECTION I. 1. TREATIES of peace, however solemn or sincere, are but feeble barriers against the interests, the inclinations, or the prejudices of rival states, or even against the ambitious views of those that have the chief direction of their councils. This was fatally experienced in the war that, notwithstandng their late agreement, soon after broke out between the Athe'nians and Spartans, not to promote the welfare or advance the power of either people, but merely to gratify the pride and vanity of Alcibi'ades, who was now become the most popular man in Athens. 2. The character of this extraordinary man was a strange compound of great virtues and great vices. From his father Clei'nias, he received a large fortune, and all the advantages of education which Athens could afford. The servile adulation of those by whom he was surrounded, made him long the slave of vicious pleasure, until a perusal of the works of Homer awakened his ambition. 3. Soon after, he had the good fortune to attract the notice of Soc'rates, and the lessons of that celebrated philosopher greatly contributed to enlarge his mind. Soc'rates is said to have saved the life of his pupil at the battle of Potidæ'a, and Alcibi'ades to have performed a similar service to his master at De'lium; these circumstances naturally strengthened their union, but unfortunately the philosopher incurred more disgrace by the subsequent crimes of his disciple, than Alcibi'ades derived benefit from the lessons of Soc'rates. 4. Equal to Per'icles in abilities and ambition, Alcibi'ades wanted the integrity and patriotism of that illustrious statesman; he thought more of himself than of his country; he was actuated by selfish motives in all the objects at which he aimed, and unscrupulous in the use of the means by which they might be obtained. He was not less remarkable for his accomplishments than for his genius; and distinguished himself no less by his success at the Olympic games than by his eloquence and military genius. 5. He was equally remarkable for his versatility; amidst the philosophers he spoke eloquently in praise of virtue, and in a few moments would stand the leader of the worst dissipation amid his wild companions; at Athens he courted the favour of the people by specious professions of his love of liberty; at Sparta he was the devoted admirer of the institutions of Lycur'gus ; in Asia he practised the refined luxuries of the East, and in Thrace cheerfully adopted the barbarous habits of its inhabitants ;-in all places he displayed abilities and ingenuity, but also-fatally for his country and himself-dishonesty. 6. The family of Alcibi'ades had been connected with the Lacedæmonians in former times, and he resolved to renew the intimacy. For this purpose he showed all the kindness in his power to the prisoners who had been taken at Sphacte'ria, but the Spartans, despising his youth, rejected all his advances, and placed all their confidence in Ni'cias. Irritated by this preference, Alcibi'ades resolved to take revenge on Ni'cias and the Spartans together, by exciting the Athenians to renew the war; a project which the Spartans |