vote of ostracism upon Hyperbolus.
Some say, however, that it was not Nicias, but
Phaeax, with whom Alcibiades had the conference
which resulted in winning over that leader's party
and banishing Hyperbolus, who could have had no
inkling of his fate. For no worthless or disreputable
fellow had ever before fallen under this condemna-
tion of ostracism. As Plato, the comic poet, has
somewhere said, in speaking of Hyperbolus,
" And yet he suffered worthy fate for men of old ;
A fate unworthy though of him and of his brands.
For such as he the ostrakon was ne'er devised."
However, the facts which have been ascertained
about this case have been stated more at length
elsewhere. 1
XIV. Alcibiades was sore distressed to see Nicias
no less admired by his enemies than honoured by
1 Cf. Nicias, xi.
3 1
PLUTAHCH'S LIVES
U7TO rO)V 7TO\ITO)V. TTpO%VO<$ fjLV jap T}V
rjs TWV AaKe^aifjiOviwv, real TOV? d\bv-
avro)V Trepl \\v\ov avbpas tOepdjrevcrev'
2 eTrel &' eKelvoi re &ia NIKLOV /jLaXicrra TT}? elpiyVTis
KOI TOU? av^pa? aTToXaySo^re? virep-
avTov, ev re rot? "fLXXr/cn Xoyo? rjv
u? /xez/ crvvd^avTOS avTols, N//ctou
\vcravTO<$ TOP TTO\IJLOV, oi re
, ov
o Kiirs KOI <dova)v
3 opiciwv. KOL Trp&TOV /J.V 'Ayoyeiou? al
p.LGei KOI (froftw TWV ^LirapTifiTWV
(i7roa-Tpo<pi]v, e'XTT/^a? aurot? eveBL&ov
J A6r)vaia)i> avfi^a'^ia^, KOI TrapeOdppvve
KOI 8ia\yo/j,6vo$ TO?? Trpoeo'Toxri rov
IJLY)
aXXa 7T/30? 'A0tjvaiou<; TpeireaOai /cal
oaov ov
4 'E7T6t 8e AaK$aifJl6viOL TTpO? T6 TOU9
e r jTOLi]aavTo (Tv^a-^iav real TldvaKrov oi>% ecrro?,
cocnrep eSei, TOI<$ ^A9>ivaioi<$ TrapebwKav, aXXa
KaTa\vo-avTs, opyi ^o^kvo u? Xa/Bwv TOI)? 'A^/;-
^a ou? eVi /j,a\Xov e^erpd^vve, KOI rov NixLav
5 $opv/3et Kal Sit/BaXXev elicora Kanyyopwv, ort
TOL;? e .(aKTtjia rwv
OVK
ALCIBIADES, xiv. 1-5
his fellow-citizens. For although Alcibiades was
resident consul for the Lacedaemonians at Athens,
and had ministered to their men who had been
taken prisoners at Pylos, 1 still, they felt that it was
chiefly due to Nicias that they had obtained peace
and the final surrender of those men, and so they
lavished their regard upon him. And Hellenes
everywhere said that it was Pericles who had
plunged them into war, but Nicias who had delivered
them out of it, and most men called the peace the
" Peace of Nicias." 2 Alcibiades was therefore dis-
tressed beyond measure, and in his envy planned a
violation of the solemn treaty. To begin with, he
saw that the Argives hated and feared the Spartans
and sought to be rid of them. So he secretly held
out hopes to them of an alliance with Athens, and
encouraged them, by conferences with the chief
men of their popular party, not to fear nor yield to
the Lacedaemonians, but to look to Athens and
await her action, since she was now all but repentant,
and desirous of abandoning the peace which she had
made with Sparta.
And again, when the Lacedaemonians made a
separate alliance with the Boeotians, and delivered
up Panactum to the Athenians not intact, as they
were bound to do by the treaty, but dismantled, he
took advantage of the Athenians' wrath at this to
embitter them yet more. He raised a tumult in the
assembly against Nicias, and slandered him with
accusations all too plausible. Nicias himself, lie said,
when he was general, had refused to capture the
enemy's men who were cut off on the island of
1 In 425 B.C. Cf. Niciav, vii-viii.
2 Ratified in 421 B.C. Cf. Nicias, ix.
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
erepcov 8* e%e\ovTu>v d^rjKe KOI aTreBwKe
AaKeBaifjiovLois' elr exeivov? ^ev OVK e
rj a-vvo/JLVva-Qai /Ji^Be Kopiv-
wv
Oiois, 'AOyvaLois 1 Be /cwXi'et 2 rov
tlvai teal avfji^axov, el firj
6 'E/c Se TOVTOV /ca:eo? tpepo/JLevw TW NtAfta Trap-
rjaav axTTrep Kara rvxv v ^pea-Pels CLTTO r^? Aa/ee-
Sal/jiovos, avToOev re \6yovs eVtet/cei? e^oi^re?
teal TT/JO? TTCLV TO o-v/ji{3i.(3a(TrifCov KCU &i/caiov
avr OK par opes rjiceiv <$do-KOvre<;.
Be rf)S /3ouA%, rov &e BJJ/JLOV rfj varepaia
KK\r}(Tideiv, Seiaas 6
ev
1 TT/oo? avrov. tw? Be avvrf\6ov e'Xe^/e* ; Tt TreTrov-
Oare, avSpe? ^Trapridrai ; TTW? e\a6ev v/jids on
rd TT}? /3ofX}9 att fj.erpia teal (^CKavOpwira
TOU9 eWu7%ai'o^Ta? ecmv, 6 Be 877/1-0? yue7
KOI ueyakwv opeyeTCu; KCLV (pda-K^re rcvpLoi
Trdvrcov d^l^Oai, 7TpoarrdrToyi> KOL /3ia6/j.evos 198
(frepe Bij, ri]V einjQeiav ravrr^v
, el fiov\ecr9e xpijcracr0ai fjLeTpioLS 'A0r}-
KOI fMjBev e/c^taffdrjvcu Trapd yiHOfirjv, ovrw
Bid\e<yeo-0 irepl TWV BtKaiwv &>? OVK ovres avro-
s Coraes and Bekker, with C : '
ei Coraes, after Reiske :
34
ALCIBIADES, xiv. 5-7
Sphacteria, and when others had captured them, he
had released and given them back to the Lacedae-
monians, whose favour he sought ; and then he did
not persuade those same Lacedaemonians, tried friend
of theirs as he was, not to make separate alliance
with the Boeotians or even with the Corinthians,
and yet whenever any Hellenes wished to be friends
and allies of Athens, he tried to prevent it, unless it
were the good pleasure of the Lacedaemonians.
Nicias was reduced to great straits by all this, but
just then, by rare good fortune as it were, an
embassy came from Sparta, with reasonable proposals
to begin on, and with assurances that they came
with full powers to adopt any additional terms that
were conciliatory and just. The council received
them favourably, and the people were to hold an
assembly on the following day for their reception.
But Alcibiades feared a peaceful outcome, and
managed to secure a private conference with the
embassy. When they were convened he said to
them : " What is the matter with you, men of
Sparta ? Why are you blind to the fact that the
council is always moderate and courteous towards
those who have dealings with it, while the people's
assembly is haughty and has great ambitions? Jf
you say to them that you are come with un-
limited powers, they will lay their commands and
compulsions upon you without any feeling. Come
now, put away such simplicity as this, and if you
wish to get moderate terms from the Athenians, and
to suffer no compulsion at their hands which you
cannot yourselves approve, then discuss with them
what would be a just settlement of your case,
assuring them that you have not full powers to act.
35
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
Kpdrope<;. av/jL7rpdt;o/jL6i> 8' rj
8 xapi^o/Jievoi" ravra S* elircov op/cov? e
Kal /jierea-rrjcrev djro rov N</aof, Travrd-
iriarevovras avrw Kal Qav/j-d^ovras d
rrjv SeivoTrjTa /cal avveviv, o>9 ov rov
Spo? ovaav.
Tfj 8' vcrrepaia crvvr)')(9ri JLLCV 6 Sfj/nos, elaf)\Qov
OL 7TaeCTet9. (OTGOjLVOl, V7TO TOV
, OVK (f>acrai> rjKeiv avroKpdropes.
9 v0u<$ ovv o 'AX/c^ia8^? V6K6iro fjLerd Kpavyfj?
Kal opytjs, wGTrep OVK dBiKwv,
Kal 7ra\i[jU/36\ov<> aTroKa\wv
Trpd^ai, /^^T' elirelv r\KOvra^ t
' rj (3ov\r), Kal o S^o?
rov Be NiKiav eKir\ril~L<s et^e Kal Kartfyeia rwv
dv&pwv rr}? yaera/SoX?}?, dyvoovvra rrjv
Kal rov 86\ov.
XV. C)UTW Se rcov AaK6$aifj,ovia)v e
o *A.\Ki(3LdSr)S
/cat ^.iavnveis Kal 'HXetou?
ejroirjcre rot? 'A.0r]vaiois. Kal rov jjiev rpoirov
T;}? Trpd^eo)^ eTryvei, /zeya S' ^f TO Trejrpaj-
UTT' avrov, $iacrrf)(rai Kal KpaBdvai ITeXo-
o\iyov Selv arcavav, Kal rocravras
ev rj/nepa p.ia Trepl Mavrlveiav d
Kal Troppwrdrco rwv
dywva Kara&Kevdcrai Kal KIV&VVOV avrols, ev w
fxeya fjilv ovoev r) viKif TrpoatOrjKe Kpan](jacnv t el
36
ALCIBIADES, xiv. 7-xv. i
I will cooperate with you, out of my regard for the
Lacedaemonians." After this speech he gave them
his oath, and so seduced them wholly away from the
influence of Nicias. They trusted him implicitly,
admired his cleverness and sagacity, and thought
him no ordinary man.
On the following day the people convened in
assembly, and the embassy was introduced to
them. On being asked by Alcibiades, in the most
courteous tone, with what powers they had come,
they replied that they were not come with full and
independent powers. At once, then, Alcibiades
assailed them with angry shouts, as though he were
the injured party, not they, calling them faithless
and fickle men, who were come on no sound errand
whatever. The council was indignant, the assembly
was enraged, and Nicias was filled with consternation
and shame at the men's change of front. He was
unaware of the deceitful trick which had been
played upon him. 1
XV. After this fiasco on the part of the Lace-
daemonians, Alcibiades was appointed general, and
straightway brought the Argives, Mantineans, and
El cans into alliance with Athens. 2 The manner of
this achievement of his no one approved, but the
effect of it was great. It divided and agitated
almost all Peloponnesus ; it arrayed against the
Lacedaemonians at Mantinea 3 so many warlike
shields upon a single day ; it set at farthest
remove from Athens the struggle, with all its risks,
in which, when the Lacedaemonians conquered,
their victory brought them no great advantage,
1 This parliamentary trick of Alcibiades is related also in
yicias, chapter x. 8 420 B.C. 3 418 B.C.
37
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
S* (T<f)d\rj<Tav, epyov TJV rrjv AaKeBau/JLOva Trepi-
yeve&Oai.
2 Mera Be T^V /Jid^rjv ev@us erredevro KaraXveiv
ev "Apyei rov SijfjLOV ol yJi\LOi KOI TIJV TTO\IV
VTnJKOOv TTOielv AaKeBai/jLovioL Be 7rapayvo/u,voi
KCLTekvcrav Ti]v B^/j.oKpariav. avOis Be TWV
7ro\\a)v e^eveyKafievtov ra oVXa KCU /cpaTrjcrdv-
T(I)V, 7re\0(i)V 6 'A\Ki/3idBijs rr)v re viKr)v e'/Se-
j3ai<j)(T TOO By/Aw, teal ra /jLa/cpa Tel^rj (rvveireLcre
KdOelvai real TrpocrfJii^avTas rfj 6a\.d<rar) rrji'
TTO\LV e^d^rai Travrd'rraa'L TT}? ' ' h.Qi]vaiwv Bvvd-
3 /^ew?. KOI reKrova^ KCU \i0ovpyovs e/c TWV
' A.6rfVMV eKOfMtcre KOL iracrav evebelKwro Trpo-
Ov/jLiav, ou% rjTTov eavrw K-rwfJievos rj TTJ TTO\L
KOI lo")(yv. eTreicre Be /cal Tlarpeis o
CiKpols crvvdijfai ry daXdaarj rr]i>
Be TLVOS TOi? Tlarpevaiv oil " Kara-
f^ 'A/1 " " ' <t "T " f '
TTLOVVTdi 1/yLta? AUIJVtllOl' 1(70)9, ei7TV
^AX/ci/BidBr]^, " Kara fjiiicpov KOL /card TOU? TroBas,
AaKeBai/jiovtoi Be Kara rrjv Ke$a\r)v fcal ddpows"
4 Ov jjii~iv d\\d Kal TT}? 77}? <rvve(Bov\vev dvr-
e-^eaOai TO 9 'A^7/^atot9, fcal TOV ev 'AypavXov
7rpo/3a\\6/jLvov del rot9 e$>i'-)(3oL<$ optcov epyw
fiefiaiovv. ouvvovGi yap opois *xp)jcraa-6ai rfjs
'ATTiKr)? Trvpols, KpiOals, d/ji7re\ois, e'Xata^?,
oi/ceiav nroielaOai BtBaaKopevoi TT)^ ifaepov Kal
XVI. 'Ei/ Be TOLOVTOLS iroKiiev^aai Kal \6yois
/cal fypovrjp.CLTi Kal BeLvoTijTi 7ro\\r)v av rrd\i,v
Tpv<pr)V rrjs BiaLTrjs Kal Trepl TTOTOVS
ALCIBIADES, xv. i-xvi. i
whereas, had they been defeated, the very existence
of Sparta would have been at stake.
After this battle of Mantinea, the oligarchs of
Argos, "The Thousand/' set out at once to depose
the popular party and make the city subject to
themselves ; and the Lacedaemonians came and
deposed the democracy. But the populace took up
arms again and got the upper hand. 1 Then
Alcibiades came and made the people's victory
secure. He also persuaded them to run long walls
down to the sea, and so to attach their city completely
to the naval dominion of Athens. He actually
brought carpenters and masons from Athens, and
displayed all manner of zeal, thus winning favour
and power for himself no less than for his city. In
like manner he persuaded the people of Patrae to
attach their city to the sea by long walls. 2 There-
upon some one said to the Patrensians : " Athens
will swallow you up ! ' " Perhaps so," said
Alcibiades, " but you will go slowly, and feet first ;
whereas Sparta will swallow you head first, and at
one gulp."
However, he counselled the Athenians to assert
dominion on land also, and to maintain in very deed
the oath regularly propounded to their young
warriors in the sanctuary of Agraulus. They take
oath that they will regard wheat, barley, the vine,
and the olive as the natural boundaries of Attica,
and thev are thus trained to consider as their own
mf
all the habitable and fruitful earth.
XVI. But all this statecraft and eloquence and
lofty purpose and cleverness was attended with
great luxunousness of life, with wanton drunken-
1 417 B.C. 2 419 B.C.
39
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
vftpi&fiaTa, Kal 0^\vrrjra^ s
i dyopas, Kal rro\vr\eiav
re Karaffrpwfjidrwv ev ral<?
, OTTCO? /maXaKoorepov eyKaOevSoi, KCI-
aXX<z /&r) (javiai, TWV crTpw/Adrcov em-
re Bia^pvaov rroi^atv ov&ev
2 eTTLa-Tj/jiov TWV TTdTpicov %ovcrav, dXX' "E^owra
K6pavvo(j)6pov, aTrep l opwvres ol /ze/' ev8oj;oi /xera
rov (3&e\vT'Ta6ai KOI Svcrxepaiveiv (fioj3ovvTO
rrfv 6\i<ywpiav aurov Kal nrapavofjiiav, w? rvpav-
VLKCL Kal aXXo/cora, rov B S/j/^ov ro TrdOos rb 199
7T/30? aurbv ov Kaxa)? c^jyov/jievos 6 'Apicrro-
<j>dwr)<; ravr*
eri Se /xaXXoi/ rfj vrcovoia
MaX/crra /AV \eovra yitr) V rco\ei
i]v S' Krce<pr) T(?, rot? rpoirois vrrrjperelv.
3 eV/ Secret? 7^/3 ^al ^op'rjyiai Kal (f)i\ori/j.ij/.tara
TT/OO? T^V TTO\LV v7rep(3o\r]V /jirj d7TO\i7rovra
So^a rrpo<yovwv itdl \6yov SvvajjLis Kal
evrrperreia Kal pa)/nr) /xer' l^rreLpla^ rwv 7roXe/ii-
KWV Kal d\Kf)$ rrdvra ra\\a avy^wpelv eiroLei
Kal (pepeiv /jierptcos rou? 'Aflqvaiovs, del ra TT pqo-
rara rwv ovo/j-drcov Tot? dfJiaprij/JLacn
Kal
. Either some verb is to be supplied from the context
for the preceding accusatives (so Coraes), or anep is lo be
deleted (so Bekker and Sintenis 2 ).
4
ALCIBIADES, xvi. 1-3
ness and lewdness, with effeminacy in dress, he
would trail long purple robes through the market
place, and with prodigal expenditures. He would
have the decks of his triremes cut away that he
might sleep more softly, his bedding being slung on
cords rather than spread on the hard planks. He
had a golden shield made for himself, bearing no an-
cestral device, but an Eros armed with a thunderbolt.
The reputable men of the city looked on all these
things with loathing and indignation, and feared his
contemptuous and lawless spirit. They thought such
conduct as his tyrant-like and monstrous. How the
common folk felt towards him has been well set
forth by Aristophanes l in these words :
" It yearns for him, and hates him too, but wants him
back ; "
and again, veiling a yet greater severity in his
metaphor :
" A lion is not to be reared within the state ;
But, once you've reared him up, consult his every
mood."
And indeed, his voluntary contributions of money,
his support of public exhibitions, his unsurpassed
munificence towards the city, the glory of his
ancestry, the power of his eloquence, the comeliness
and vigor of his person, together with his experience
and prowess in war, made the Athenians lenient and
tolerant towards everything else ; they were forever
giving the mildest of names to his transgressions,
calling them the product of youthful spirits and
ambition.
1 Froys, 1425; 1431-1432.
41
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
4 Olov yv Kal TO 'Ayd0ap%ov elp^at rbv
ypd-^ravra rrjv ol/ciav d<pelvai
Kal Tavpeav dvTi^oprjyovvra paTTLcrai
(pi\OTi/jiov/j.evov virep TT}? VLKrjs' KOL TO MrjXiav
yvval/ca K rwv al^fjLa\wrwv e%e\opevov teal
5 crvvovra dpe^rau Trai&dpiov e aur/}?. /cat jap
TOVTO ^i\dv9pu)7rov fcd\ovv TrXrjv oil TOI)?
rrjv
alriav
Be
ev rat?
Ka (rvverpe^ov f xapovres. o
/cal TOVTOIS eBvaeaivov co?
Kal Trapavo/JiOLs. e&oKei Be Kal 'Ap^ecrrparo^ OVK
aTTO TpOTrov \eyiv w? r; 'EXXa? OVK av fj
Svo 'AX/ci/SiaSa?.
6 'E?rel $e Tt'yuwz' 6
TOV 'AXKtfiidSrjv Kal TrpoTre/jLTro/jievov UTTO
a^w? ov TraptjXOev ov& ee/e\
eld>6ei TOU? a\\ov<s, dX)C cnravTrjcras Kal
" Eu 7'," e^)^, " Troieis av^o^evos,
a) iral' /jieya yap au^rj KaKov diracrt, Tourot?," ol
fjLtv eyeXcov, ol & e^\acr<^i^fjiovv, eWous $e Kal irdvv
TO \e\6ev eTrearpe^ev. OVTWS aKpLTOS i]v r)
Trepl avrov Bid rrjv TT}? fyva-ews dvu)fjLd\iav.
XVII. Iu/<:e\/a? 8e Kal H.eiK\eov<i en
42
ALCIBIADES, xvi. 4 -xvii. i
For instance, he once imprisoned the painter
Agatharchus in his house until he had adorned it
with paintings for him, and then dismissed his captive
with a handsome present. And when Taureas was
supporting a rival exhibition, he gave him a box
on the ear, so eager was he for the victory. And he
picked out a woman from among the prisoners of
Melos to be his mistress, and reared a son she bore
him. This was an instance of what they called his
kindness of heart, but the execution of all the grown
men of Melos 1 was chiefly due to him, since he
supported the decree therefor.
Aristophon painted Nemea 2 with Alcibiades seated
in her arms ; whereat the people were delighted,
and ran in crowds to see the picture. But the elders
were indignant at this too ; they said it smacked
of tyranny and lawlessness. And it would seem
that Archestratus, in his verdict on the painting, did
not go wide of the mark when he said that Hellas
could not endure more than one Alcibiades.
Timon the misanthrope once saw Alcibiades, after
a successful day, being publicly escorted home
from the assembly. He did not pass him by nor
avoid him, as his custom was with others, but met
him and greeted him, saying : " It's well you're
growing so, my child ; you'll grow big enough to
ruin all this rabble." At this some laughed, and
some railed, and some gave much heed to the saying.
So undecided was public opinion about Alcibiades,
by reason of the unevenness of his nature.
XVII. On Sicily the Athenians had cast longing
1 In the summer of 416. Cf. Thuc. v. 116, 2-4.
2 A personification of the district of Nemea, in the games
of which Alcibiades had been victorious. Cf. Pausanias,
i. 22, 7, with Frazer's notes.
43
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
7re0vuovv 'AOrjvaioi, real reXevnjcravros
Kal ra? Aeyo/^eVa? ftorjdeias KOI
7T/J,7rOV 6Kd<Trore TOt? dBlKOV {leVOLS V7TO
Kovauwv eTTifidOpas rr}? uel&vos crrpareias TL-
2 Oevres. 6 Be Train air aai rbv epwra TOVTOV
dva(p\ea<; avr&v, Kal Tretcra? /ULTJ Kara yitepo?
Kara /jiiKpoi', d\\a /jteyd\(p crro\&) 7T\ev-
/ peiv Kal Karacrrpe^eo'dai rrjv vfjcrov,
'A\Ki{3id<!)7)S rjv, TOV re Sfj/jLOV /iJL6jd\a
e\7Ti^Li>, avros re /jLCi^ovcov opejo/Jievo^.
yap eivai, TTyoo? a ^X-Trt/cei, Sievoelro rrjs
3 ov TeXo?, wcnrep 01 \OLTTOI, 2<iKe\iav. Kal
roz/ epyov ov Ta? *vpaKov(Tas 6\eiv
rbv 8>)/j,ov, 'A\Ki{Bid$Tj<; Be Kap%r)&6va
l Aifivrjv oveiporroKwv, 6K Be rovrwv rrpocr-
Kal Tle\07r6vvr)crov 'rjSrj Trept,-
u Beiv 6(p6Bia rov 7ro\e/j,ov
eTTOielro. Kal ro i>? p,ev veovs avroOev
rais e\rria'iv eirrjp/ievovs, rcov Be re pea -
fivrepcov rjKpocovro 7ro\\a dav/jidaia rcepl TT}?
arpareias rrepaivovrwv, ware TTO\\OVS ev rats
rra\alcrrpais Kal rot? r}jj,iKVK\[oi<;
re vijcrov TO cr^/ua Kal Beaiv
4 ^.(DKpdrr) uevrot rbv (f)i\6(TO<j)Ov Kal
rbv d(TTpo\6<yov ovBev ekrcicrai rfj TroXet
drro T/}? crrpareias e'/cetV?;? \eyovaiv, 6 /jLev, a>?
eoiKe, rov crvvijOovs Bai/jioviov yevopevov Kal
44
ALCIBIADES, xvn. 1-4
eyes even while Pericles was living ; and after his
death they actually tried to lay hands upon it. The
lesser expeditions which they sent thither from time
to time, ostensibly for the aid and comfort of their
allies on the island who were being wronged by the
Syracusans, they regarded merely as stepping stones
to the greater expedition of conquest. But the man
who finally fanned this desire of theirs into flame,
and persuaded them not to attempt the island any
more in part and little by little, but to sail thither
with a great armament and subdue it utterly, was
Alcibiades ; he persuaded the people to have great
hopes, and he himself had greater aspirations still.
Such were his hopes that he regarded Sicily as a
mere beginning, and not, like the rest, as an end of
the expedition. So while Nicias was trying to divert
the people from the capture of Syracuse as an
undertaking too difficult for them, Alcibiades was
dreaming of Carthage and Libya, and, after winning
these, of at once encompassing Italy and Pelopon-
nesus. He almost regarded Sicily as the ways and
means provided for his greater war. The young men
were at once carried away on the wings of such
hopes, and their elders kept recounting in their ears
many wonderful things about the projected ex-
pedition. Many were they who sat in the palaestras
and lounging-places mapping out in the sand the
shape of Sicily and the position of Libya and
Carthage. 1
Socrates the philosopher, however, and Meton the
astrologer, are said to have had no hopes that any
good would come to the city from this expedition ;
Socrates, as it is likely, because he got an inkling of
1 Of. Nicias, xii. 1-2.
45
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
, 6 Be MT&>I> el're Setcra? etc \oyia-
TO /jLe\.\ov elre fJLavTiicrjs TLVL rpoirw XP^~
[te/Myvevai, teal \a/3a)v BaSa 200
olo? rjv avrou Trjv oltaav
5 eviOL Be <$>a<Ji TrpoaTroirjfjia pev
<TKvdcr0ai TOP Mercova, Ka r ra7rprja'cu Be rrjv
ol/ciav vv/CTcop, eW ewOev frpoe\6ovra Beladai KCL\
avTLJBo\elv eVl crv^opa Tr/XiKavrrj TOV vlov
avro) 7rape6r}vat, T^9 crTyoareta?. eicelvos p,ev ovv
TV%ev MV r)%iov, irapaKpovcrd^evo^ rou? TroXtra?.
XVIII. f O Be Ni/cta? d/ccov fiev ype0r) arparrj-
709, ov% TJ/acrra rrjv dp%r)V KOI Bid TOV crvvdp-
yowra (pevywv ecjiaiveTO yap TOLS 'K6rivaioL<$ TO,
TOV TroXe/xou fte\~nov J;etv /jirj TrpoefJLevois TOV
1 A.\Ki>l3idBr}V d/cpaTov, d\\d /u^eurr?? TT/?O? T-rjv
TO\/JLCLV aVTOV T/}? NlKLOV TTpOVOidS' KCU jdp 6
r/otro? aTpaTtiyos Aa/xa^o? T)\iKia TrporJKwi' O/AO)?
eBo/cei /LLtjSev TJTTOV eivai TOV 'A\Kt/3idBov Bid-
2 Trvpos Kal (friXoKLvBuvos v rot? ay ajcrr j3ov\vo-
Be Trepl TrXtfdovs KCU Tpojrov Trapaa/cev^
av6is o Nt/cia? IviaTacrQai Kal /cara-
Traveiv TOV 7ro\/j.ov. avTenrovTO? Be TOV '
ftidBov /cal KpaTijcravTos, eypatye TMV
Kal elirev a)? pri TOU?
elvai Kal r?}? TrapacrKeufjs Kal TOV
Be TOV BIJ/AOV Kal yevo/^evcov
TT^O? TOV e/C7T\ovv, ov
46
ALCIBIADES, xvn. 4 -xvin. 2
the future from the divine guide who was his familiar.
Meton whether his fear of the future arose from
mere calculation or from his use of some sort of
divination feigned madness, and seizing a blazing
torch, was like to have set fire to his own house. Some
say, however, that Meton made no pretence of
madness, but actually did burn his house down in
the night, and then, in the morning, came before the
people begging and praying that, in view of his
great calamity, his son might be released from the
expedition. At any rate, he succeeded in cheating
his fellow citizens, and obtained his desire. 1
XVIII. Nicias was elected general against his will,
and he was anxious to avoid the command most of
all because of his fellow commander. For it had
seemed to the Athenians that the war would go on
better if they did not send out Alcibiades unblended,
but rather tempered his rash daring with the
prudent forethought of Nicias. As for the third
general, Lamachus, though advanced in years, he
was thought, age notwithstanding, to be no less
fiery than Alcibiades, and quite as fond of taking
risks in battle. During the deliberations of the
people on the extent and character of the armament,
Nicias again tried to oppose their wishes and put a
stop to the war. But Alcibiades answered all his
arguments and carried the day, and then Demostratus,
the orator, formally moved that the generals have
full and independent powers in the matter of the
armament and of the whole war. 2
After the people had adopted this motion and all
things were made ready for the departure of the
fleet, there were some uiipropitious signs and portents,
1 Cf. Nicias, xiii. 5-6. 2 Cf. Nicias, xii. 3-4.
47
PLUTARCH'S LIVES
3 Trapr)V ovSe TO, TT}? eopTtfi. 'A-BcwMtV yap 6t? ra9
efeeivas KaP^KovTutv etBosiXa rr
KKOp.l^OfJiCl>OlS O^Old TTpOVKGLVTO
yvvat^i, KOI Tcupds e/JLifJiOvvTO KOTnojjievai, KOA
?/8oV. l] /JieVTOl TWV 'E>p[JLtoV TTSpLKOTn'j,
a, vvxrl rwv 7T\ei(na)v ciKpwrrjpLacrOevTtov ra
Trpo&wTra, TroXXoi/? KCU TMV Trepifypovovvrwv ra
TOiavra SieTtipa^ev. eXe^Orf jjiev ovv OTL Kopiv-
Sia TOU<? H '
TOU<? vpaKovaiovs CLTTOIKOVS ora?, &><?
rjs TT^O? TWI> olwv&v 7} /xera-
4 yi>uKT6u>s TOV 7ro\e/jiou, ravra ^paaeiav. ov fiyv
o ye TWV TroXXwv ovP GOTO? o \6yos ov@' o
arip.Lov Seivov elvai /jirjSev olonevwv, aXX' ola
dtcpaTOS aKokaarwy i erov et? v/3pu>
/uevwv opyfj 8' a/na KOL <p6/3u>
TO yeyovos \ajJL/3dvovTes a>? arro cn>z'a>/aocria<> eVI
Trpdy/jLaai /u,eyd\ois TtroX^/ieVoz^, airacrav e|-/;-
ra^ov viTovoiav TTtfepats /; re /3ov\i) crvviovcra Trepl