Kitap 4
and he thought that when they had made trial of the Lacedaemonians, they would not be less kindly disposed towards them, but far more so, inasmuch as they were acting more justly: but as it was, through want of such a trial, they were afraid of them.
And he desired them all to prepare for being stanch allies, and for having to answer in future for whatever they did amiss: but as regarded the past, it was not the Lacedaemonians that were injured, but themselves rather, by others who were too strong for them; and so allowance was to be made for any thing in which they had opposed him.
Having thus addressed and encouraged them, on the expiration of the truce, he made his assault upon Lecythus; while the Athenians defended themselves from a poor wall, and from some houses that had battlements. For one day they beat him off;
but on the next, when an engine was going to be brought up against them by the enemy, from which they intended to throw fire on the wooden defences, and when the army was now advancing where they thought they should best bring up the engine, and where the place was most assailable, the defenders placed a wooden tower on the wall opposite to them, and carried up on to it many jars and casks of water, with large stones, an a large party of men ascended it.
But the building, having had too great a weight put on it, suddenly broke down, and making a loud noise, vexed more than it terrified those of the Athenians who were near and saw it; but those who were at a distance, and most of all those who were at the greatest, thinking that the place was already taken in that quarter, hurried away, and fled to the sea and to their ships.
When Brasidas perceived that they were deserting the battlements, and saw what was going on, he rushed up with his army, d immediately took the fort, and put to the sword as many s he found in it.
The Athenians in this way evacuated the race, and went across in their boats and ships to Pallene. How there is in Lecythus a temple of Minerva; and Brasidas had proclaimed, when he was about to make the assault, that the man who first scaled the wall he would give thirty minae of silver. Thinking, therefore, that the capture had been effected by other means than human, he presented the thirty mine to the goddess, for the use of her temple; and having razed and cleared Lecythus, he devoted the whole, as sacred ground.
During the remainder of the winter, he was settling the affairs of the places in his possession, and forming designs against others; and at the expiration of the winter, the eighth year of this war ended.
At the commencement of the spring of the following summer, the Lacedaemonians and Athenians immediately concluded an armistice for a year; the Athenians considering that Brasidas would then no longer win any more of their towns to revolt, before they had made their preparations for securing them at their leisure; and at the same time, that if it were for their interest, they might conclude a general peace: while the Lacedaemonians thought that the Athenians feared what they really were afraid of; and that after having a suspension of their miseries and suffering, they would be more desirous, from their taste of it, to effect a reconciliation, and, restoring their men, to make a treaty for a longer time.
For they deemed it of I have followed Göller in referring τοῖς δὲ to the troops which Sparta would still retain, in opposition to τῶν μὲν, the prisoners whose services she would have lost. Others refer it to the Athenians, while Arnold thinks it corrupt. greater importance to recover their men at a time when Brasidas was still prosperous: and, [on the other hand,] if he reached a still greater measure of success, and put matters on an equality, they were likely to lose those men, and while defending themselves with their others, on equal terms, still to run a risk of not gaining the mastery.
An armistice was therefore concluded by them and their allies on the following terms:
"With regard to the temple and oracle of the Pythian Apollo, we agree that any one who wishes, may have access to it, without deceit, and without fear, according to the laws of our respective countries.
The Lacedaemonians, and such of the allies as are present, agree to this; and declare that they will, to the best of their power, persuade the Boeotians and Phocians to do so, by sending heralds to them on the subject.
"With regard to the treasures of the god, we agree to exert ourselves to find out such as unjustly meddle with them, uprightly and honestly acting in accordance with the laws of our forefathers, both we, and you, and such of the rest as may consent to this
article; all acting in accordance with the laws of our respective countries. On these points, then, the Lacedaemonians and the rest of the allies agree, according to the terms mentioned.
"On the following points the Lacedaemonians and the rest of the allies agree, in case the Athenians make a treaty to that effect; that we shall each remain in our own territory, keeping what we now have; the garrison in Coryphasium confining themselves within the Buphras and Tomeus; that in Cythera holding no intercourse with the allied states, neither we with you, nor you with us; and that in Nisaea and Minoa not crossing the road, which runs from the gates leading from the temple of Nisus to that of Neptune, and from the temple of Neptune straight to the bridge at Minoa, (the Megareans and the allies being also bound not to cross this road,) and the Athenians retaining the island taken by them, without any communication on either side; and lastly, with regard to Troezen, that each party shall retain what they now possess. and as was arranged with
"With regard to the navigation of the sea, that along their own coast and that of their confederacy, the Lacedaemonians may sail, not in a ship of war, but in any other vessel rowed by oars, and carrying not more than
"That any herald, ambassadors, and attendants, as many as they may choose, on their way to the Peloponnese or to Athens, for bringing the war to a conclusion, and adjusting all claims, shall have free passage, going and returning, both by
land and by sea. That deserters shall not be received in the mean time, neither free nor bond, neither by
you nor by us. Further, that we shall give judicial satisfaction, both you to us and we to you, according to the laws of our respective countries, deciding all disputes by law,
without recourse to hostilities.
The Lacedaemonians and allies agree to these articles: but if you think any thing else either better or more just, come to Lacedaemon and explain your views; for neither the Lacedaemonians nor the allies will object to any thing you may say with justice. But let those who come, come with full powers to treat,
as you also desire us. The truce shall continue one year.
The people [of Athens] ratified the truce.
The tribe Acamantis had For a full explanation of these terms see Schömann. De Comitiis Atheniensium, see. 15. the prytany; Phoenippus was secretary; Niciades was chairman. Laches moved, 'that they do conclude the armistice, (and may they do it for the good fortune of Athens!) on the terms agreed to
by the Lacedaemonians and the allies.' And they agreed in the assembly of the people, 'that the armistice be for a year, commencing this very day, the
fourteenth of the month of Elaphebolion; that, during that time, ambassadors and heralds shall proceed to each other's country, and discuss on what terms the war
shall be brought to a conclusion. That the generals and prytanes having summoned an assembly of the people, the Athenians shall, in the first place, consult on the peace, and on the manner in which the envoys for putting an end to the wars shall be admitted. That the envoys now present in the city shall immediately bind themselves in the presence of the people, that they will assuredly abide by this truce for the space of a year.'
To these articles the Lacedaemonians agreed, (their allies also swearing to them,) with the Athenians and their allies, on the twelfth day of the Spartan month Gerastius.
Those who agreed to the articles and ratified them by libations, were the following: Of the Lacedaemonians, Taurus son of Echetimidas, Athenaeus son of Pericleidas, and Philocharidas son of Eryxidaidas; of the Corinthians, Aeneas son of Ocytus, and Euphamidas son of Aristonymus; of the Sicyonians, Damotimus son of Naucrates, and Onasimus son of Megacles; of the Megareans, Nicasus son of Cecalus, and Menecrates son of Amphidorus; of the Epidaurians, Amphias son of Eupaidas;
of the Athenians, the following generals, Nicostratus son of Diitrephes, Nicias son of Niceratus, and Autocles son of Tolmaeus. This then was the armistice which was concluded; and during it they were throughout holding conferences for a more general treaty.
About the time at which they were thus going backwards and forwards to each other, Scione, a town in Pallene, revolted from the Athenians to Brasidas. Now these Scionaeans say that they are Palleneans from the Peloponnese, and that their first founders, while on their voyage from Troy, were carried to this place by the storm which the Achaeans experienced, and there took up their abode.
On their revolting, Brasidas crossed over to Scione by night, with a friendly trireme sailing ahead of him, and himself following at some distance in a skiff; that in case of his falling in with any vessel larger than the skiff, the trireme might come to his aid; while if another trireme of equal force came against them, he thought that it would not turn upon the smaller vessel, but upon the ship, and in the mean time he should make his escape. Having thus crossed over, and convened an assembly of the Scionaeans, he spoke to the same effect as at Acanthus and Torone:
and told them, moreover, that they were most deserving of praise, inasmuch as, though Pallene within the isthmus was cut off from succours by land through the Athenians occupying Potidaea, and they were virtually nothing else but islanders, they had of their own accord joined the banner of liberty, and had not through cowardice waited for compulsion to be applied to them, in the case of what was manifestly for their own advantage. That this was a proof that they would also endure like men any other even of the greatest perils, if [by their so doing] their affairs should be arranged to their satisfaction; in short, that he should consider them as truly the most faithful allies of the Lacedaemonians, and show them all other proofs of his respect.
The Scionaeans were elated by his language, and all alike taking courage, even those who before were not pleased with the business, resolved to carry on the war with spirit; and both received Brasidas with other marks of honour, and publicly crowned him with a crown of gold, as the liberator of Greece; while individually they decked him with garlands, and thronged to him as to a victorious athlete.
At that time, after leaving them some guards, he crossed over again, and not long after sent them over a larger force; as he wished, in conjunction with them, to make an attempt on Mende and Potidaea, thinking that the Athenians would come to their relief, as though it were an island, and desiring to be beforehand with them. He was carrying on also some communications with those towns, with a view to their being betrayed to him. And thus he was meditating an attack on these places.
But in the mean time there came to him in a trireme the commissioners, who were carrying round intelligence of the armistice, Aristonymus on the side of the Athenian s, and Athenians on that of the Lacedaemonians.
So the troops crossed over again to Torone; while they informed Brasidas of the truce, and all the allies of the Lacedaemonians Thrace-ward assented to what had been done. Now Aristonymus allowed all the other cases;