G R E 
pedition was, to infcfi: the nortliern army with that 
Gre:(dt'i’.l difori.1. r, / 
Tht'i'e multiplied dif (lers reduced the Athenians to 
delpaii. Their fufi^riiigs exceeded example and be¬ 
lief, while they were deprived of the only expected con- 
folation, tiie plea lure of revenge. The bulk of tlie 
people defired peace on any terms. Ainbadadors were 
lent to Sparta, but not admitted to an audience. The 
orators clamoured, and traduced Pericles. The undif- 
cerning populace afcribed their misfortunes to the un¬ 
happy effedl of his counfels r but his magnanimity did 
not yet forfake li'iu ; and, for the laft time, he addrefs 
ed the adembly with his ulual fnccefs. The integrity 
and manly fiimnefsof his mind reilored the fainting 
courage of the republic. '1 liey refcued the dignity of 
Pericles from the rage of popular frenzy ; but tliey 
could not defend his life againfi the infedfious malig¬ 
nity of the pefiilence, which carried him off two years - 
and fix months after the coinmencemem of the war. 
He expired, teaching an invaluable lellbn to human 
kind, that in the laft important hour, when all other 
objeits difappear, or Igfe their value, the recoliedtion 
of an innocent life is ftill prefent to the mind, and Hill 
affords con(olatiot), more valuable than Pericles couId 
derive fiom Iiis nine trophies eredfed over the enemies 
of his country, from his long and profperous adminif- 
tration of forty year.s, the depth of his political wil'dom, 
the perfection of his tnilitary and naval (kill, and the 
immortal fame of his unrivalled eloquence. 
The dignity and vigour of the republic feemed to 
perilh with Pericles, and feveral years elapfed, fcarcely 
diltinguillied by any event that tended to vary the uni¬ 
formity, much lefs to decide the fortune, of the war. 
While the Peloponnefians invaded Attica, the Athe¬ 
nian fleet annually ravaged the coaft of Peloponnefus. 
Jn Vain the iniiabitants of that country, little acruftom- 
ed to the fea, colledted (hips and iifcd their utmoft en¬ 
deavours to contend with the experienced ficill of the 
Ath.cnian mariners. They were always defeated, and 
often by an inferior force ; one proof among many, that 
naval fuperiority is (lowly acquired, and (lowly loft. 
Neither tiie Athenians nor tlie Peloponnefians derived 
any effectual aliiftance from their refpcbtive alliances 
W'ith Sitalces and Perdiccas. I'iie former, reinforced 
by many independent tribes of '1 hrace, v.'ho were al¬ 
lured to his (landard by the hopes of plunder, poured 
down an hundred and fifty ihouland men on the Mace¬ 
donian coaft. But a hafty agreement between the two 
kings diliipated iliac numerous and defultory band with 
the fame rapidity v/ith which it had been colleifted. 
The fuccels of the adverle parties was equally ba¬ 
lanced in che fleges of Potidma and Platasa. The former, 
having (urreudered on capitulation, was occupied by 
new inhabitants. 'I'he expelled citizens retired to 
Olyuthus and other places of the Chalcidice, where 
they ftrengthened and exafperated the foes of Athens. 
Plataea allb capitulated, after a long and fpirited relift- 
ance during five years. Notwithllanding tne warm and 
aifedtmg renii-nftrances of the citizens who had acted 
fiicli an illuftrioiis part in the Perfian war, when the 
Tiicbans beiuived moft difgracefully, the capitulation 
was (liainefully violated by the Spartans, who facrificed 
to the refentment of Thebes, the eternal enemy of Pla- 
taea, two hundred brave men, whofe courage and (ide- 
liiy meiitea a better fate. But the youth of Plataea 
ftill floLinlhed in tlie bofom of Athens, and were del- 
tincil, in a future age, to re-airume the dignity of inde¬ 
pendent government, wlucii always formed the higheft 
ambition of their (mall but magnanimous community. 
If the Peloponnelian war had not been earned on with 
an aiumolity unknown to the mildnel's of modern times, 
the long (litterings of the contending parties would have 
dilpoled them eagerly to deliie the bleftings of tran¬ 
quillity. But (itch virulent paliions rankled in Athens 
and Sparta, that while calamities were equally balanced, 
E C E. 875 
and the capitals of both republics W'ere fecure, no com¬ 
bination of adverle cii'cumft.iiices feemed (ufticient to 
determine eitlier fide to piirtliale peace by the Imalleft 
diminution of honour. Yet to 'lus necelliry, Sparta in 
the following year wa.. retiured by a train of events, 
equally ludden and lingiibir. Demofthenes, a general 
of merit and enterpiife, commanded the Athenian 
forcesat Naiipaftus. This town, as related above, bud 
been bcitowed on the unforninate Helots and Melfe- 
nians ; by whole aftiftance, together with that ot the 
Athenian kllies in Acarmpiia, Cephallenia, and Zacyn- 
tlitis, Demofthenes undertook to reduce tiie holtile pro¬ 
vinces of a^tolia, Ambracia, and Leucadia. 
The .i^icolians and Ainbraciots, the moft formidable 
enemies of the republic on the weftern coaft of Greece, 
folicited and obtained aliiftance .from Lacediemon and. 
Corinth, vigoroufty attacked the towns of Naupadfus 
and Amphilochian Argos, and threatened to reduce the 
whole province of Acarnania. The vigilance and abti- 
vity of Demofthenes not only faved thefe important 
cities, but obtained the moft (ignal advantages over the 
aft'ailants. With profound mifitary (kill he divided the 
ftrength of the enemy, and, by a well-conducted ftrata- 
gem, totally defeated the Ambraciots among the heights^ 
of Idomend. Demofthenes tlien attacked the camp of 
the Ainbraciots, who were yet in tlieir beds. "I lie 
Camp was no fooner alfaulted than the rout began. 
Many were (lain on‘the fpot ; the reft fled ; but the 
palfes were befet, and the purfuers light-armed. Some 
ran to the fea, and beheld a new objett ot terror, in 
f'ome Athenian fhips then cruifing on the coaft. Amidft 
this complication of calamities, they plunged into the 
water, and twain to the hoftile fquadron, chooling rather 
to be deftroyed by the Athenians, than by the enemies 
from whom'they had efcaped. Thefe important fuc- 
cell'es enabled Demofthenes to return with honour to 
Athens, the term of his military command having 
expired. 
During a long and defultory war of feveral years, the 
Athenians were chiefly crowned with fiiccefs, and feve¬ 
ral times brought the Spartans to Cue for peace j but 
which, in the pride of victory, they cllole not to grant. 
Fortune firft deferred them in Bceotia, in tlie year be¬ 
fore Ciirift 424. During feveral months their generals, 
Denioftlienes and Fiippocrates, availing themielves of 
the political factions of that country, had been carrying 
on lecret intrigues with Ch^ronasa, Si pits, and Orciio- 
menus, places abounding in declared partizans ot de¬ 
mocracy, . and eternally hoftile to the ambition of 
1 hebes. The inlurgents had agreed to take arms, in 
order to betray the weftern parts of Boeotia to Deinof- 
tlienes, wlio failed with forty gallies from NaupaCliis ; 
while Hippocrates, at the head of feven thonfand lie^ivy- 
armed Athenians, and a much greater proisortion of 
light-armed auxiliaries, invaded the eaftern frontier of 
that province. It was expected, that, before the The. 
bans could bring a lufticieiu force into the field, the in¬ 
vaders and inliirgents, advancing from oppolite extre¬ 
mities of tiie country, might unite in tlie centre, and 
periiaps (iibdiie iliebes itfelf, the moft powerful, as 
well as molt zealous, ^lly of bpar ca. 'lliisplan, tliough 
concerted wuii ability, was found too complicated for 
execution. Demofthenes lleered lowards Siphte, before 
his coadjutor w.,sieaay to take the ticid; ana tiie whole 
contrivance was betrayed by Nichomacluis, a Fiioeian, 
to me Spartans, and by them communicated to the 
Boeotians. Demolthenes at length entered the ealtern 
tonuier ot Boeotia; and, as tiie principal delign had 
milcarried, conteiued himlelf with taking and fortify¬ 
ing Dcliiun, a place lacred to Apollo. Having garri- 
foneu tills polt, he prepaied for returning home. But 
while his army ftill lay in the neighbourhood of Delium, 
tlie Thebans, encouraged by Pagondas, a brave and 
fkilftil leader, marched with great rapidity from i'a- 
nagra, in order to intercept his retreat. I heir ioices 
2 amounted 
