Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/312

 290 HISTORY OF GREECE. tunate as well as a prudent commander. 1 He appears to hav acted as proxenus to the Lacedaemonians at Athens ; probably by his own choice, and among several others. The first half of the political life of Nikias, after the time when he rose to enjoy full consideration in Athens, being already of mature age, was spent in opposition to Kleon ; the last half, in opposition to Alkibiades. To employ terms which are not fully suitable to the Athenian democracy, but which yet bring to view the difference intended to be noted better than any others, Nikias was a minister or ministerial man, often actually exercis- ing and always likely to exercise official functions, Kleon was a man of the opposition, whose province it was to supervise and censure official men for their public conduct. We must divest these words of that sense which they are understood to carry in English political life, a standing parliamentary majority in favor of one party : Kleon would often carry in the public assem- bly resolutions, which his opponents Nikias and others of like. rank and position, who served in the posts of strategus, ambas- sador, and other important offices designated by the general vote, were obliged against their will to execute. In attaining such offices they were assisted by the political clubs, or established conspiracies (to translate the original literally), among the lead- ing Athenians, to stand by each other both for acquisition of office and for mutual insurance under judicial trial. These clubs, or hetaeries, must without doubt have played a most important part in the practical working of Athenian politics, and it is much to be regretted that we are possessed of no details respecting them We know that in Athens they were thoroughly oligarchical ic disposition, 2 while equality, or something near to it, in rank 1 Thucyd. v, 16. Niniae KfalcTa TUV TOTE eu 0ep6//evof iv Xi/aaf ftev pov/Mfievof, iv y u7rai?J7f TJV Kal ql;iovTo, diaouaaadai TTJV EVTV >, etc. vi, 17. f fyv re (Alkibiades) en UK/IU& fisT* GVTTJS Kal t vTvxve doKcl vVTf /cat KOivy pav/>evadfjLvoi icaraAi>- aovat TI>V 6^/j.ov, Kal raAAa TrapaaKevaaaf, etc. After having thus organized the hetaeries, and brought them into coopera- tion for his revolutionary objects against the democracy. Peisander departed
 * Thucyd. viii, 54. Kai 6 ftev Heiaav6pof TU$ re i>vu//o<r<'af, a'nreo irvy