New policy of Athens, attempted by Alkibiadês. — Expedition of Alkibiadês into the interior of Peloponnesus. — Attack upon Epidaurus by Argos and Athens. — Movements of the Spartans and Argeians. — The sacred month Karneius — trick played by the Argeians with their calendar — Congress at Mantineia for peace — the discussions prove abortive. — Athenian lordship of the sea — the alliance between Athens and Sparta continues in name, but is indirectly violated by both. — Invasion of Argos by Agis and the Lacedæmonians, Bœotians, and Corinthians. — Approach of the invaders to Argos by different lines of march. — Superior forces and advantageous position of the invaders — danger of Argos — Agis takes upon him to grant an armistice to the Argeians, and withdraws the army — dissatisfaction of the allies. — Severe censure against Agis on his return to Sparta. — Tardy arrival of Alkibiadês, Lachês, etc., with the Athenian contingent at Argos — expedition of Athenians, Eleians, Mantineians, and Argeians, against the Arcadian town of Orchomenus. — Plans against Tegea — the Eleians return home. — Danger of Tegea — Agis and the Lacedæmonians march to its relief. — Manœuvres of Agis to bring on a battle on fair ground. — Forward march and new position of the Argeians. — The Lacedæmonians are surprised: their sudden and ready formation into battle order. — Gradation of command and responsibility peculiar to the Lacedæmonian army. — Lacedæmonian line: privileged post of the Skiritæ on the left. — Uncertain numbers of both armies. — Preliminary harangues to the soldiers. — Battle of Mantineia. — Movement ordered by Agis, on the instant before the battle; his order disobeyed. His left wing is defeated. — Complete ultimate victory of the Lacedæmonians. — Great effects of the victory in reëstablishing the reputation of Sparta. — Operations of Argeians, Eleians, etc., near Epidaurus. — Political change at Argos, arising out of the battle of Mantineia. — Oligarchical conspiracy of the Thousand-regiment at Argos, in concert with the Lacedæmonians. — Treaty of peace between Sparta and Argos. — Treaty of alliance between Sparta and Argos — dissolution of the alliance of Argos with Athens, Mantineia, and Elis. — Submission of Mantineia to Sparta. — Oligarchical revolution effected at Argos by the Thousand, in concert with the Lacedæmonians. — Oligarchy in Sikyôn and the towns in Achaia. — Violences of the Thousand at Argos: counter-revolution in that town: restoration of the democracy. — Proceedings of the restored Argeian Demos: tardiness of Sparta. — Alkibiadês at Argos: measures for the protection of the democracy. — Nominal peace, but precarious relations, between Athens and Sparta. — Relations of Athens with Perdikkas of Macedonia. — Negligence of Athens about Amphipolis: improvidence of Nikias and the peace-party: adventurous speculations of Alkibiadês. — Projected contention of ostracism between Nikias and Alkibiadês. Proposition supported by Hyperbolus. — Gradual desuetude of the ostracism, as the democracy became assured. — Siege of Mêlos by the Athenians. — Dialogue set forth by Thucydidês, between the Athenian envoys and the Executive Council of Mêlos. — Language represented by Thucydidês as having been held by the Athenian envoys — with the replies of the Melians. — Refusal of the Melians to submit. — Siege and capture of Mêlos. — Remarks upon the event. — View taken by Thucydidês of this incident. — Place which it occupies in the general historical conception of Thucydidês.
CHAPTER LVII.
SICILIAN AFFAIRS AFTER THE EXTINCTION OF THE GELONIAN DYNASTY.
Expulsion of the Gelonian dynasty from Syracuse, and of other despots from the other Sicilian towns. — Large changes of resident inhabitants — effects of this fact. — Relative power and condition of the Sicilian cities. Political dissensions at Syracuse. Ostracism tried and abandoned. — Power and foreign exploits of Syracuse. — Sikels in the interior of Sicily — the Sikel prince Duketius — he founds the new Sikel town of Palikê. — Exploits of Duketius — he is defeated and becomes the prisoner of the Syracusans, who spare him, and send him to Corinth. — Duketius breaks his parole and returns to Sicily. — Conquests of Syracuse in the interior of Sicily — death of Duketius. — Prosperity and power of Agrigentum. — Intellectual movement in Sicily — Empedoklês — Tisias — Korax — Gorgias. — Sicilian cities — their condition and proceedings at the first breaking out of the Peloponnesian war, 431 B.C. — Relations of Sicily to Athens and Sparta — altered by the quarrel between Corinth and Korkyra and the intervention of Athens. — Expectations entertained by Sparta of aid from the Sicilian Dorians, at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war. Expectations not realized. — The Dorian cities in Sicily attack the Ionian cities in Sicily. — The Ionic cities in Sicily solicit aid from Athens — first Athenian expedition to Sicily under Lachês. — Second expedition under Pythodôrus. — Indecisive operations near Messênê and Rhegium. — Defeat of the Messenians by the Naxians and Sikels, near Naxos. — Eurymedon and Sophoklês, with a larger Athenian fleet, arrive in Sicily. — Congress of the Sicilian cities at Gela. Speech of Hermokratês. — General peace made between the Sicilian cities. Eurymedon accedes to the peace, and withdraws the Athenian fleet. — Displeasure of the Athenians against Eurymedon and his colleagues. — Intestine dissension in Leontini — expulsion of the Leontine Demos, by the aid of Syracuse. — Application of the Leontine Demos for help to Athens. The Athenians send Phæax to make observations. — Leontini depopulated — the Demos expelled — Leontine exiles at Athens. — War between Selinus and Egesta — the latter applies to Athens for aid. — Promises of the Egestæans: motives offered to Athens for intervention in Sicily. — Alkibiadês warmly espouses their cause, and advises intervention. — Inspecting commissioners despatched by the Athenians to Egesta — frauds practised by the Egestæans to delude them. — Return of the commissioners to Athens — impression produced by their report. Resolution taken to send an expedition to Sicily. — Embarrassment of Nikias as opposer of the expedition. — Speech of Nikias at the second assembly held by the Athenians. — Reply of Alkibiadês. — The assembly favorable to the views of Alkibiadês — adheres to the resolution of sailing to Sicily. — Second speech of Nikias — exaggerating the difficulties and dangers of the expedition, and demanding a force on the largest scale. — Effect of this speech — increased eagerness of the assembly for the expedition — order and unanimity in reference to the plan. — Excitement in the city among all classes — great increase in the scale on which the expedition was planned. — Large preparations made for the expedition. — Review of these preliminary proceedings to the Sicilian expedition. — Advice and influence of Nikias. — Advice and influence of Alkibiadês. — Athens believed herself entitled to be mistress of the islands as well as of the sea.
CHAPTER LVIII.
FROM THE RESOLUTION OF THE ATHENIANS TO ATTACK SYRACUSE, DOWN TO THE FIRST WINTER AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN SICILY.
Preparations for the expedition against Sicily — general enthusiasm and sanguine hopes at Athens. — Abundance in the Athenian treasury — display of wealth as well as of force in the armament. — Mutilation of the Hermæ at Athens. Numbers and sanctity of the Hermæ. — Violent excitement and religious alarm produced by the act at Athens. — The authors of the act unknown — but it was certainly done by design and conspiracy. — Various parties suspected — great probability beforehand that it would induce the Athenians to abandon or postpone the expedition. — The political enemies of Alkibiadês take advantage of the reigning excitement to try and ruin him. — Anxiety of the Athenians to detect and punish the conspirators — rewards offered for information. — Informations given in — commissioners of inquiry appointed. — First accusation of Alkibiadês, of having profaned and divulged the Eleusinian mysteries. — Violent speeches in the assembly against Alkibiadês unfavorably received. — He denies the charge and demands immediate trial — his demand is eluded by his enemies. — Departure of the armament from Peiræus — splendor and exciting character of the spectacle. — Solemnities of parting, on shipboard and on the water’s edge. — Full muster of the armament at Korkyra. — Progress to Rhegium — cold reception by the Italian cities. — Feeling at Syracuse as to the approaching armament — disposition to undervalue its magnitude, and even to question its intended coming. — Strenuous exhortations of Hermokratês, to be prepared. — Temper and parties in the Syracusan assembly. — Reply of Athenagoras, the popular orator. — Interposition of the stratêgi to moderate the violence of the debate. — Relative position of Athenagoras and other parties at Syracuse. — Pacific dispositions of Athenagoras. — His general denunciations against the oligarchical youth were well founded. — Active preparations at Syracuse on the approach of the Athenian armament. — Discouragement of the Athenians at Rhegium on learning the truth respecting the poverty of Egesta. — The Athenian generals discuss their plan of action — opinion of Nikias. — Opinion of Alkibiadês. — Opinion of Lamachus. — Superior discernment of Lamachus — plan of Alkibiadês preferred. — Alkibiadês at Messênê — Naxos joins the Athenians. Empty display of the armament. — Alkibiadês at Katana — the Athenians masters of Katana — they establish their station there. Refusal of Kamarina. — Alkibiadês is summoned home to take his trial. — Feelings and proceedings at Athens since the departure of the armament. — Number of citizens imprisoned on suspicion — increased agony of the public mind. — Peisander and Chariklês the commissioners of inquiry. — Information of Diokleidês. — More prisoners arrested — increased terror in the city — Andokidês among the persons imprisoned. — Andokidês is solicited by his fellow-prisoners to stand forward and give information — he complies. — Andokidês designates the authors of the mutilation of the Hermæ — consequence of his revelations. — Questionable authority of Andokidês, as to what he himself really stated in information. — Belief of the Athenians in his information — its tranquillizing effects. — Anxiety and alarm revived, respecting the persons concerned in the profanation of the Eleusinian mysteries. — Revival of the accusation against Alkibiadês. — Indictment presented by Thessalus, son of Kimon, against Alkibiadês. — Resolution to send for Alkibiadês home from Sicily to be tried. — Alkibiadês quits the army, as if to come home: makes his escape at Thurii, and retires to Peloponnesus. — Conduct of the Athenian public in reference to Alkibiadês — how far blamable. Conduct of his enemies. — Mischief to Athens from the banishment of Alkibiadês. Languid operations of the Sicilian armament under Nikias. — Increase of confidence and preparations at Syracuse, arising from the delays of Nikias. — Manœuvre of Nikias from Katana — he lands his forces in the Great Harbor of Syracuse. — Return of the Syracusan army from Katana to the Great Harbor — preparations for fighting Nikias. — Feelings of the ancient soldier. — Harangue of Nikias. — Battle near the Olympieion — victory of the Athenians. — Unabated confidence of the Syracusans — they garrison the Olympieion — Nikias reembarks his army, and returns to Katana. — He determines to take up his winter quarters at Katana, and sends to Athens for reinforcements of horse. — His failure at Messênê, through the betrayal by Alkibiadês. — Salutary lesson to the Syracusans, arising out of the recent defeat — mischiefs to the Athenians from the delay of Nikias. — Confidence of the Athenians at home in Nikias — their good temper — they send to him the reinforcements demanded. — Determined feeling at Syracuse — improved measures of defence — recommendations of Hermokratês. — Enlargement of the fortifications of Syracuse. Improvement of their situation. Increase of the difficulties of Nikias. — Hermokratês and Euphêmus — counter-envoys at Kamarina. — Speech of Euphêmus. — The Kamarinæans maintain practical neutrality. — Winter proceedings of Nikias from his quarters at Katana. — Syracusan envoys sent to solicit aid from Corinth and Sparta. — Alkibiadês at Sparta — his intense hostility to Athens. — Speech of Alkibiadês in the Lacedæmonian assembly. — Great effect of his speech on the Peloponnesians. — Misrepresentations contained in the speech. — Resolutions of the Spartans. — The Lacedæmonians send Gylippus to Syracuse.