distinction. He represented that it was better to save his life. by a falsity than to suffer an infamous death as one really guilty of the crime; and that with respect to the public, it would be an advantage to give up a few persons of dubious character, in order to rescue many good men from an enraged populace.

Andocides was prevailed upon by these arguments of Timæus; and informing against himself and some others, enjoyed the impunity promised by the decree; but all the rest whom he named were capitally punished, except a few that fled. Nay, to procure the greater credit to his depositions, he accused even his own servants.

However, the fury of the people was not so satisfied; but turning from the persons who had disfigured the Hermæ, as if it had reposed a while only to recover its strength, it fell totally upon Alcibiades. At last they sent the Salaminian galley to fetch him, artfully enough ordering their officer not to use violence, or to lay hold of his person, but to behave to him with civility, and to acquaint him with the people's orders that he should go and take his trial, and clear himself before them. For they were apprehensive of some tumult and mutiny in the army, now it was in an enemy's country, which Alcibiades, had he been so disposed, might have raised. Indeed, the soldiers expressed great uneasiness at his leaving them, and expected that the war would be spun out to a great length by the dilatory counsels of Nicias, when the spur was taken away. Lamachus, indeed, was bold and brave, but he was wanting both in dignity and weight, by reason of his poverty.

Alcibiades immediately embarked, the consequence of which was that the Athenians could not take Messina. There were persons in the town ready to betray it, whom Alcibiades perfectly knew, and as he apprised some that were friends to the Syracusans of their intention, the affair miscarried.

As soon as he arrived at Thurii, he went on shore, and concealing himself there, eluded the search that was made after him; but some person knowing him, and saying, "Will not you, then, trust your country?" he answered, "As to anything else I will trust her; but with my life I would not trust even my mother, lest she should mistake a black bean

for a white one." Afterwards being told that the republic had condemned him to die, he said, "But I will make them find that I am alive."

As he did not appear, the Athenian people condemned him, confiscated his goods, and ordered all the priests and priestesses to denounce an execration against him; which was denounced accordingly by all but Theno, the daughter of Menon, priestess of the temple of Agraulos, who excused herself, alleging that she was a priestess for prayer, not for execration.

While these decrees and sentences were passing against Alcibiades, he was at Argos, having left Thurii, which no longer afforded him a safe asylum, to come into Peloponnesus. Still dreading his enemies, and giving up all hopes of being restored to his country, he sent to Sparta to desire permission to live there, under the protection of the public faith, promising to serve that State more effectually, now he was their friend, than he had annoyed them, whilst their enemy. The Spartans granting him a safe conduct, and expressing their readiness to receive him, he went thither with pleasure. One thing he soon effected, which was to procure succors for Syracuse without farther hesitation or delay, having persuaded them to send Gylippus thither, to take upon him the direction of the war, and to crush the Athenian power in Sicily. other thing which he persuaded them to, was to declare war against the Athenians, and to begin its operations on the continent; and the third, which was the most important of all, was to get Decelea fortified, for this, being in the neighborhood of Athens, was productive of great mischief to that commonwealth.-PLUTARCH.

An

ICIAS (or Nikias) was a celebrated Athenian politician and general of the latter part of the fifth century B.C. He was a leader of the aristocratic party, and his very virtues contributed to bring about the disastrous ending of the Peloponnesian War and the overthrow of the independence of Athens. He was a son of Niceratus, and inherited a large fortune. He owned silver mines in Laurium, and also a multitude of slaves. He gained some reputation while Pericles lived, and was several times his colleague in the war. When Pericles died (429 B.C.), Nicias was soon advanced to the head of the administration by the influence of the rich and great, who hoped that he would prove a barrier against the daring insolence of the demagogue Cleon. He was cautious, timid, moderate, and mediocre in ability. He was scrupulous in his observance of the religion of his country, and even superstitious. He used his money liberally, so as to increase his popularity, and amused the people by magnificent public shows. Altogether he was an excellent example of the conservative aristocrat in a highly civilized State.

Nicias endeavored to avoid expeditions which he thought would be long and difficult, and he was generally successful in his earlier operations against the Spartans. He took the island of Cythera (Cerigo); recovered many places in Thrace, which had revolted from the Athenians; captured the port of Nisæa, and defeated the army of Corinth in a pitched battle (425 B.C.).

Cleon, the opponent of Nicias, was killed in battle in 422 B.C. Both parties were then tired of hostilities. Nicias made overtures of peace to the Spartans, and persuaded the Athenians to terminate the war. A treaty of peace, to last fifty years, between Athens and Sparta, was concluded in 421 B.C., and this was called the "Peace of Nicias." Alcibiades, the new leader of the democratic party, was opposed to peace, and endeavored by his intrigues to renew the war. Plutarch says the young wished for war and the old wished for peace. By a dishonorable trick, Alcibiades duped the Spartan ambassadors, and persuaded the Athenians to make an alliance with Argos, Elis and Mantinea in 420 B.C., and in the next year he was chosen general.

A long contest occurred between Nicias and Alcibiades ; but the latter persuaded the people to renew the war by sending an armament for the conquest of Syracuse and Sicily. Nicias steadily opposed this expedition, and denounced Alcibiades for plunging the State into a dangerous war to gratify his ambition. As a kind of compromise, Nicias, Alcibiades and Lamachus were chosen joint commanders in 415 B.C., it being hoped that the two older generals would prevent any rash acts by the younger. The expedition consisted of an army of about 7,000 men and a fleet of 134 triremes. Before the fleet arrived at Syracuse, Alcibiades was accused of an act of sacrilege committed in Athens, and was recalled to stand his trial. He escaped to Sparta, and became an enemy of his country. The chief command then devolved on Nicias.

He

The recall of Alcibiades deprived the Athenians of their ablest general. Nicias was too dilatory and lacked energy. "There was," says Plutarch, "no end of his delays. either made an idle parade of sailing along the coast, or else sat still deliberating." In the spring of 414 B.C. he blockaded the port of Syracuse. He conducted his movements with so much prudence that he occupied the peninsula of Thapsos, and obtained possession of Epipolæ, or heights near the city, before the enemy knew of his approach; for he was bold and vigorous in executing, as he was timid and dilatory in forming, a resolution. Although he was disabled by ill health, he gained some victories over the Syracusans, and he nearly

enclosed Syracuse with a wall on the land side. Lamachus was killed in battle near Syracuse in 414 B.C., and Nicias. remained sole commander. Nicias, contrary to his nature, was suddenly elated by his present strength and success.

The arrival of Gylippus, a very able Spartan general, made a great change in the situation. He gained several victories over the Athenians. Gylippus alone saved Sicily. Nicias now wished to resign on account of ill health; but his resignation was not accepted by the people of Athens, who still had the highest respect for his virtue and abilities. Near the end of 414 B.C., they resolved to send another army and fleet to Syracuse. Eurymedon was sent with a few ships in winter with money to pay the soldiers, and in the spring of 413, Demosthenes (not the orator) followed with a large fleet and an army of 8,000 men. Contrary to the advice of Nicias, Demosthenes, who was bold and vigorous, put himself at the head of the land forces and attacked the enemy at Epipolæ in the night, but was defeated with a loss of 2,000 men. Demostheness, who was prompt in coming to a decision, then advised that they should retire from Sicily and return home. Nicias consented, and was prepared to embark, when he was panicstruck by an eclipse of the moon, and delayed, for superstitious reasons, until it was too late. The Athenians were again defeated by sea and land. Nicias began to retreat by land; but his army was captured, and both he and Demosthenes were put to death in 413 B. C. His superstition caused the total destruction of his army and the loss of his ships. This terrible calamity left Athens at the mercy of Sparta.

DESTRUCTION OF THE ATHENIANS AT SYRACUSE.

The folly or the iniquity of Nikias was now to inflict on Athens a deadlier mischief than any which Alkibiades had striven to do to her. Syracuse was wild with excitement; Gylippos was gone to gather fresh recruits in other parts of Sicily; and while the victory on Epipolai was stirring the Syracusans to a mighty attack on the Athenian camp near the harbor, their enemies, overwhelmed by the long series of their calamities, were being wasted by the marsh fever which becomes