Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/351

 PROPOSITIONS OF THE ENVOYS REJECTED. 329 the dishonorable truce of thirty years to which they had beer compelled by the misfortunes of the time to accede, fourteen years before the Peloponnesian war, Kleon insisted that now was the time for Athens to recover what she had then lost, Nisrea, Pegse, Trcezen, and Achaia. He proposed that Sparta should be required to restore these to Athens, in exchange for the soldiers now blocked up in Sphaktcria; after which a truce might be concluded for as long a time as might be deemed expedient. This decree, adopted by the assembly, was communicated as the answer of Athens to the Lacedaemonian envoys, who had probably retired after their first address, and were now sent for again into the assembly, to hear it. On being informed of the resolution, they made no comment on its substance, but invited the Athenians to name commissioners, who might discuss with them freely and deliberately suitable terms for a pacification. Here, however, Kleon burst upon them with an indignant rebuke. He had thought from the first, he said, that they came with dis- honest purposes, but now the thing was clear, nothing else could be meant by this desire to treat with some few men apart from the general public. If they had really any fair proposition to make, he called upon them to proclaim it openly to all. But this the envoys could not bring themselves to do. They had probably come with authority to make certain concessions, but to announce these concessions forthwith would have rendered negotiation impossible, besides dishonoring them in the face of their allies. Such dishonor would be incurred, too, without any advantage, if the Athenians should after all reject the terms, which the temper of the assembly before them rendered but too probable. Moreover, they were totally unpractised in the talents for dealing with a public assembly, such discussions being so rare as to be practically unknown in the Lacedaemonian system. To reply to the denunciation of a vehement speaker like Kleon, required readiness of elocution, dexterity, and self-command, whi?h they had had no opportunity of acquiring. They remained silent, abashed by the speaker and intimidated by the temper of the assembly: their mission was thus terminated, and they were reconveyed in the trireme to Pylus. 1 1 Thucyd. iv, 22