envoys-availing himself of his private friendship with one of their number, he promised to help them in obtaining the restoration of Pylus.

163. He represented to them that it would be against their interest to declare to the assembly of the people, as they had declared to the Council of Five Hundred, that they had full power to put an end to all differences. He required, as the price of his help to their cause, that they should disavow the possession of such a power. When these envoys appeared, next day, in the public assembly, they discovered, too late, the audacious treachery of Alcibiades. He demanded of them, before the people, the extent of their power. According to their engagement with him, they denied that they had full power to effect an amicable settlement. Affecting a tone of inexpressible indignation, Alcibiades thus addressed the Athenian people: "But yesterday, these envoys boasted of the power which they now disavow. This is the delusive policy of Sparta. Thus they have restored Amphipolis! Thus, Athenians, they restore the neighbouring towns of Macedon! Thus they put you in possession of Panactum with demolished walls! Thus they keep the treaty, ratified with solemn oaths! They league with Thebes, your determined enemy! Men of Athens! can you sit still under such indignities? Do you not expel such traitors" (pointing to the confounded envoys) "from your presence, and from your city?"

164. Nicias, and the other partizans of Sparta, unable to resist this harangue, failed in all their attempts to preserve the peace with Sparta. Soon after, the Athenians joined the Argive alliance, into which the Corinthians, who had suggested it to Argos, did not enter, as their hostility was to Athens rather than to Sparta. The Eleans showed their enmity to Sparta by excluding their people from the Olympic Games. The Argives invaded Epidaurus. Agis, the Spartan king, summoned the Boeotians and the Arcadians to join him in repelling them. Both parties were considered by the discerning on both sides to be in imminent danger. Two of the Argive commanders persuaded Agis, by holding out to him the hope of a lasting peace, to withdraw his forces. One of the Argive commanders, Thrasylas, was severely punished for the part he took in this negotiation; and Agis was condemned, and disgraced, on his

return to Sparta. He pledged his honour to redeem this disgrace; but the Spartans appointed ten counsellors to limit his authority in all future undertakings.

165. The whole power of Sparta was immediately called forth to support their friends at Tegea, in Arcadia, now threatened with the entire force of the Argive confederacy. Agis at once restored tranquillity at Tegea; and sent for the Corinthians, Boeotians, Phocians, and Locrians, to join him at Mantinea. The Argive army, in which the Athenians took the lead, prepared to give them battle. By a sudden stratagem, Agis, turning the waters of the Ophis on the Mantinean plain, forced the enemy to retreat. But next day, coming back to see the effects of his stratagem, he beheld the Argives drawn up in battle array upon the plain. The various nations in the great confederacy were addressed, before the battle began, by their respective leaders. The Mantineans were told to look at their city, for whose freedom and existence they were now to contend. The Argives were stirred by the recollection of their ancient supremacy. The Athenians were told of their hereditary renown.-On the other hand, the Spartans, reminded of their invincible valour, marched slowly, with a firm tread, " to the Dorian mood of flutes and soft recorders," presenting a calm, unbroken front, to meet the impetuous onset of the enemy. The noblest youth of Argos behaved with bravery. The Mantineans fought as men whose all was at stake, and routed the Spartan left wing. The Athenians were nearly surrounded, but effected a retreat, while Agis drew away the main body to relieve his left wing from the pursuit of the Mantineans.

166. The Spartan king redeemed his pledge to efface the late dishonour, and the battle of Mantinea was won by the Spartans in the absence of his allies. Instead of pursuing the enemy, who fled in disorder, he returned home to celebrate his victory, and to assist in the Carnean festival. The effect of this victory was to strengthen the Spartan party in Argos. Only a few weeks after the battle of Mantinea, the popular government in Argos was overturned, the alliance with Athens was broken; and a new league was formed with Sparta. But this revolution was short-lived. In the midst of the great Spartan festival, the Gymnophædia, the people rose in arms against their new rulers, of whom

many fell, and the remainder fled from the city. The alliance with Athens was renewed. Immediately after the battle of Mantinea, the Eians, who, for private reasons, had before declined joining their allies, sent three thousand men; and the Athenians repaired their loss with a reinforcement of one thousand. These united forces avenged themselves on the Epidaurians by constructing a fortress on the neighbouring promontory of the Heræum, and leaving there a garrison.

167. The power of Athens continued to flourish, and her population to increase, in the midst of their bloody wars. Impelled by the restless activity which these wars had kept in exercise, and resolved to gratify at once their pride and their vengeance, the Athenians were prompted by Alcibiades to invade the beautiful island of Melos. This island, one of the largest in the Cyclades, of a circular form, and rich in the productions of a most genial climate, lay opposite the cape of Malea, the southern promontory of Laconia. Its situation and its riches had, long before, induced the Spartans to form a colony there, which had now been flourishing, in political freedom, for seven hundred years.

168. Before the Athenians began their operations against it, they sent envoys to the citizens of the capital, to persuade them to surrender. At a meeting of the magistrates, deputed to meet these envoys, the Athenians proposed that, as they were not permitted to address the people at large, they should listen patiently to the objections that might be offered to their demands. The Melian deputies then entered into a long conference with them, at the end of which they told them that they were content to remain neutral; but that they would not betray the freedom which they had honourably maintained for seven hundred years. The Athenians, forthwith, commenced a blockade. After several months of patient and brave resistance, these unhappy islanders fell victims to the cruelty of their assailants. All the men, and youths above fourteen, were put to the sword; the women and children were made slaves; and their vacant lands were divided among five hundred colonists, from neighbouring places in the power of Athens.

I

CHAPTER XIV.

THE SICILIAN EXPEDITION.

Leontines-Proceedings and war with Syracuse-Preparations for the expedition-Description-Tarentum-Rhegium-The three propositions of councilNaxos- Sacrilege-Alcibiades-Nicias-Lamachus-Account of Syracuse-Assault of Syracusans upon Athenian camp-Scattered by a tempest-Determination of the Athenians to conduct the expedition-Eurymedon-CononDecelea-Demosthenes and Nicias put to death-Failure of the expedition.

169. NOTWITHSTANDING the internal pacification of Sicily by the wise counsels of Hermocrates, the Leontines, still apprehensive that they were exposed to peril from the power of Syracuse, admitted a large body of new citizens, and proposed, for their maintenance, a new division of the lands. This proposal led to a revolution, in which the poorer people were expelled by the richer, with the help of the Syracusans. Abandoning Leontium, a portion of these wealthy usurpers repaired to Syracuse: others of them settled down at Phoceæ, and at Bricinniæ, two strong fortresses in the Leontine territory, where they were joined by the poorer exiles from Leontium, and carried on a war against Syracuse. It now became the policy of the Athenians to avail themselves of any disputes that might arise among the conflicting parties in that country. Soon after the subjugation of Melos, some feuds in Sicily furnished them the opportunity for which they were watching. Nicias, Alcibiades, and a poor but honest citizen, named Lamachus, were appointed to head an expedition to secure the interests of Athens in that island.

170. Both Nicias and Socrates used their utmost endeavours to prevent this expedition; but they were overborne by the influence of Alcibiades, and by the enthusiasm of the people. The day was fixed for the departure of the expedition. All the inhabitants of Athens were gathered at Piræus. The vastness of the undertaking-the pomp of the galleys-the brilliant armour of the adventurers-the parting of friends and kinsmen, presented the most dazzling and affecting spectacle ever witnessed in a Grecian harbour. The trumpets sounded from a hundred ships. These sounds were responded to by the shouts of the multitudes

on the shore. The prayers of the voyagers mingled with the vows of the spectators, and from gold and silver cups libations were poured out to the gods. All lifted up their voices in one loud Pæan, and the fleet was soon lost in the distance of Egina. From Egina they had a prosperous voyage to Corcyra. Instead of boldly crossing the Ionian sea to Sicily, they coasted along the Italian shores to Messina, sending galleys before them to the Grecian cities to prepare for reception in their harbours, and supplies of provisions. The people of Theorium closed their gates against them. Tarentum and Locri refused them water. The Rhegians barely allowed them to purchase the necessaries of life. While lingering at Rhegium, they received intelligence that they had been deceived by the party who had invited them to Sicily.

171. In the midst of these disappointments the three commanders held a council. Nicias proposed that, after leaving as many ships as their allies the Segestans could keep in pay, the remainder of the fleet should sail along the Sicilian coasts to display their power, and then return to their own harbours. Alcibiades proposed that they should take more bold and active measures; that they should detach the weaker cities from Syracuse; and that the war should be carried on till the Leontines were restored to their territory, and the injuries of the Segestans were redressed. Lamachus proposed that they should at once attack Syracuse, and thus weaken the heart of the enemy's power. The spirited proposal of Lamachus was not agreeable either to the timidity of Nicias, or the vanity of Alcibiades. The plan of Alcibiades was adopted. One detachment of their forces was sent to explore the strength of Syracuse; another, led by Alcibiades, proceeded to Naxos, and a third to Catana. Having persuaded the people of Naxos to join the Athenians, Alcibiades arrived at Catana, where the ships were refused admission to the harbour. He obtained permission to address the assembly. Charmed by his eloquence, the citizens flocked to hear him; and the soldiers, catching the general contagion, left their posts and mingled with the crowd. The Athenians, watching their opportunity, contrived to find an entrance through the unguarded gates, and took possession of the city.

172. The progress of these successful adventures was