878 G R E 
powers of reafon and fancy were directed, withainabat. 
ing diligence, to rtiiprovc the underltanding and excite 
the virtue of Alcibiades. But this favourite youth la¬ 
boured under a defeift, which could not he compen- 
fated by’the highefl birth, tlte mod: I'plendid fortune, 
the nobleft endov/ments of mind and body, and even 
the ineftiinable friendlhip of Socrates. He wanted an 
honeft heart; as will appear from the fubfequent events 
of the Peloponnelian war. 
In compliance with the peace of Nicias, the Spartans 
withdrew their troops from Amphipolis; but they 
could redore neither that city, noi- the neigiibouring 
places in Macedon, to the dominion of Athens. Mu- 
tmil unvvillingnel’s, or inability, to comjily wuth the ar¬ 
ticles of peace, fowed the feeds of animofity, which 
'found a favourable foil in both republics. The Spar¬ 
tan youth wilhed, by new hoftilities, to cancel the me¬ 
mory of a war, which had been carried on without pro¬ 
fit, and terminated with dirnonour. But the wifer part 
perceived tliat better fuccel's could not be expeCled 
v/hi!e the Athenians jiclfeifed Pylus. In their eagcr- 
nefs to recover tiiat fortrefs, they renewed their alliance 
with the Thebans, from whom they received PaiVatluin, 
which they hoped to exchange for Pylus; forgetting, 
in this tranfatiion, an important claufe in their treaty 
with Athens, “ that neither of the contracting pov/ers 
Ihould, without mutual communication and conlent, 
conclude any new alliance.” The Thebans rejoiced in 
the jirofpedt of embroiling the affairs of Athens and 
Sparta ; and the Corinthians, guided by the fame hof- 
tile views, readily concurred witli the Thebans, and 
openly re-entered into the Lacedicmonian confederacy. 
Having concluded this negociation, the Spartans, 
who yielded to none in the art of diffembling, difpatch- 
cd ambalfadors to Athens, excufing what they termed 
an apparent infringement of the treaty, and requefting 
that (fate to accept Panaclum in exchange for Pylus. 
Tile fenate of Atliens heard tlieir propofal witiiout fuf- 
picion, efpecially as they declared themfelves invelled 
with full powers to embrace every reafonable plan of 
prefent accommodation and permanent friendlliip. It 
nov/ remained for the ambalfadors to propofe their de¬ 
mand in'thc popular affembly, which they had reafon 
to hope miglit be deceived Hill more ealily than the 
Jenate. But in this expectation they wmre difappointed 
by a contrivance of Alcibiades, no lefs fingular than 
audacious. Having invited the ambaffadors to an en¬ 
tertainment, during which he talked of their republic 
with more tiian his wonted relpeCt, and tellilied the ut- 
moH Iblicitude for the fuccefs of their negociatiow, he 
oblerved to them, that one circumftance gave him 
much concern, their having mentioned 'fidl powers. 
They muft beware of repeating that error in the ali'em- 
bly, becaule the natural rapacity of the populace, ap- 
priled of that circumHance, would not fail to inlift on 
fuch conditions as the honour of Sparta could not polli- 
bly comply with. When they appeared next day in 
the aOembly, Alcibiades demanded, with a loud voice, 
the object and extent of their conmiiffion. According 
to the concerted plan, they denied their having full 
pow'ers. The artful Athciiian, alfectiiig a tranlport of 
indignation, arraigned tlie audacity and bafenel's of a 
people by whom his own unfuipceting temper had been 
egregiouily abufed. “ But yellerday they declared 
their full powers in the fenate ; they denied to-day 
tviiat yelierday they difplayed with oltentation. Such 
is the afual duplicity of their republic. It is tiius’tiiey 
have rellored Ampliipoiii-. It is thus, Athenians ! they 
liavc reftored the neighbouring towns in Macedon : it is 
tints they have, indeed, put you in polielfioii of Panac- 
tiim, but with demoiillied walls ; and after concluding 
an alliance with Athens, ratiiied by I'olcmn oath,' molt 
treacheroully and daringly infringed it, by entering into 
a league with Thebes, your determined and inveterate 
cii6ijiy. , Can you Itiil, men of Athens! tamely fubmit 
E C E. 
to fuch indignities ? Do you not expel fuch traitors 
(pointing to the ambaffadors) from your prefence, and 
from your city ?” This extraordinary harangue totally 
difconcerted the Spartans. Had their confufion allow¬ 
ed them to extenuate their fault by declaring tlte truth, 
the leadrcfleiftion muft have fuggefted, that Alcibiades 
would reprefent their fimple ftory as a new turn of in¬ 
genious artifice. They retired abruptly from the affem¬ 
bly; Nicias, and the other partizans of Sparta, lliared 
their difgrace ; and tlie Athenians were foon after¬ 
wards perfuaded by Alcibiades to embrace the Argive 
alliance. 
The Pcloponnefian war was now renewed with double 
inveteracy : the Spartans ciitrufted the command to 
Agis, their king, and alPLacedaemonians of the mili¬ 
tary age were fummoiied to the field. The dangerous 
expedient of arming the Helots was alfo adopted on 
this emergency. The Spartan.allies (hewed unufual ar¬ 
dour in their caufe. The Thebans fent ten thoufand 
foot, and one thoufand horfemen : the Copintliiaiis two 
thou land heavy-armed men; the Megari'ans almofi an 
equal number; the ancient cities of Pallene and Sicyon 
in Acliaia gave a powerful and ready aflifiance; while 
the (mall but generous republic of Piilius, whofe ter¬ 
ritory, bordering on Argolis, was appointed for the ren¬ 
dezvous of the confederates, took the field with the 
whole body of citizens and (laves capable of bearing 
arms. 
The men of Argos obferved the approaching ftorm, 
and prepared to refift it. The Eleans and Mantineans 
joined them; and, although the Athenians were long 
expeifled in vain, the Argives did not lofe courage, but 
boldly took the field to oppofe the invaders. The (kil- 
ful movements of king Agis intercepted their return 
to Argos ; the high grounds above them were occupied 
by the Corinthians and Phliafians ; their retreat towards 
Nemea was cut off by the Bceofians and Megarians. A 
battle feemed inevitable in the winding vale of Argos ; 
but it is ealier to admire, than to explain, the lubfe- 
quent condudf of either army. Whether the Argive 
commanders were difconceitcd by the judicious pofi- 
tion of the en.emy, or that compaliion touched their 
minds on perceiving fuch numerous bodies of men, 
chiefly natives of the fame peninfula, fprung from the 
fame blood, and (peaking the fame language, prepared 
to embrue their h;inds in kindred blood ; or that, being 
fecretly partizans of arifiocracy, they were unwilling to 
come to extremiiies with Sparta ; it is certain that, in- 
fiead of joining battle, they entered into a conference 
with the Laeedasiuonian king. In confeqiience of this 
unexpeifted mealiire, a truce was concluded betwen tlie 
chiefs, without the concurrence or knowledge of the 
officers or troops in either army. The Argives, Thra- 
fyllus and Alciphron, engaged that their countrymen 
Ihould give completefatisfaction (or the injuries of w'hich 
they were acculed; and Agis, whofe authority was ab- 
folute in the field, led oft' the Spartan army. In the 
mean time Alcibiades was lent on an embaify to Argos. 
His activity would not fail to promote the popular tu¬ 
mult, in whic.h his own and the A-rhenian intcrell was 
concerned. Encouraged by him, the Argives, regard- 
lefs of the truce, attacked the ancient and wealthy city 
oi Orchomenus in Arcadia, whicii, after a (eeble refift. 
ance, fubinitted to tiieir arms; after whicli tiiey pro¬ 
ceeded to lay liege to the neigiibouring town of Tegea. 
The Lacedtemouians heard with indignation of the 
fubmiffion of Orchomenus, the fiege ot Tegea, and the 
open infrattion of the treaty. They had formerly mur¬ 
mured againfi the imprudent or perfidious meafures of 
king Agis ; but, when they felt the elfebTs of hismil- 
ConduCt, tiieir relentuieat became outrageous. Yet his 
known talents for .war recommended him again to the 
command of the army ; and he alfured his epuntrymen, 
that Ids future fervices (hould I'peedily wipe oft" the 
ihiin from his cliaradter. I he Spartans, however, fir(i 
elected 
