Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/309

 NIKIAS AND KLEON. 287 the Athenian mind, Nikias possessed two. on which, most of all his influence rested, though, properly speaking, that influence belongs to the sum total of his character, and not to any special attributes in it: First, he was thoroughly incorruptible, as to pecuniary gains, a quality so rare in Grecian public men of all the cities, that when a man once became notorious for possessing it, he acquired a greater degree of trust than any superiority of intellect could have bestowed upon him : next, he adopted the .Periklean view as to the necessity of a conservative or stationary foreign policy for Athens, and of avoiding new acquisitions at a distance, adventurous risks, or provocation to fresh enemies. With this important point of analogy, there were at the same time material differences between them, even in regard to foreign policy. Perikles was a conservative, resolute against submitting to loss or abstraction of empire, as well as refraining from aggran- dizement : Nikias was in policy faint-hearted, averse to energetic effort for any purpose whatever, and disposed, not only to main- tain peace, but even to purchase it by considerable sacrifices. Nevertheless, he was the leading champion of the conservative party of his day, always powerful at Athens : and as he was constantly familiar with the details and actual course of public affairs, capable of giving full effect to the cautious and prudential point of view, and enjoying unqualified credit for honest pur- poses, his value as a permanent counsellor was steadily recog nized, even though in particular cases his counsel might not be followed. Besides these two main points, which Nikias had in common with Perikles, he was perfect in the use of those minor and col- lateral modes of standing well with the people, which that great man had taken little pains to practise. While Perikles attached himself to Aspasia, whose splendid qualities did not redeem, in the eyes of the public, either her foreign origin or her unchastity, the domestic habits of Nikias appear to have been strictly con- formable to the rules of Athenian decorum. Perikles was sur- rounded by philosophers, Nikias by prophets, whose advice n-as necessary both as a consolation to his temperament, and as a guide to his intelligence under difficulties ; one of them was con- stantly in his service and confidence, and his conduct appears to have been sensibly affected by the difference of character between