Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/448

 126 HISTOEY OF GREECE. CHAPTER LIV. TRUCE FOR ONE YEAR.-RENEWAL OF WAR AND BATTLE OF AMPHIPOLIS.- PEACE OF NIKIAS. THL eighth year of the war, described in the last chapter, had opened with sanguine hopes for Athens, and with dark promise for Sparta, chiefly in consequence of the memorable capture of Sphakteria towards the end of the preceding summer. It in- cluded, not to mention other events, two considerable and impor- tant enterprises on the part of Athens, against Megara and against Boeotia ; the former plan, partially successful, the latter, not merely unsuccessful, but attended with a ruinous defeat. Lastly, the losses in Thrace, following close upon the defeat at Delium, together with the unbounded expectations everywhere en- tertained from the future career of Brasidas, had again seriously lowered the impression entertained of Athenian power. The year thus closed amidst humiliations the more painful to Athens, as contrasted with the glowing hopes with which it had begun. It was now that Athens felt the full value of those prisoners whom she had taken at Sphakteria. With those prisoners, as Kleon and his supporters had said truly, she might be sure of making peace whenever she desired it. 1 Having such a certainty to fall back upon, she had played a bold game, and aimed at larger acquisitions during the past year ; and this speculation, though not in itself unreasonable, had failed : moreover, a new phenomenon, alike unexpected by all, had occurred, when Brasidas broke open and cut up her empire in Thrace. Still, so great was the anxiety of the Spartans to regain their captives, who had powerful friends and relatives at home, that they considered the victories of Brasidas chiefly as a stepping-stone towards that object, and as a means of prevailing upon Athens to make peace. To his animated representations sent home from Amphipolis, set- ting forth the prospects of still farther success and entreating re- inforcements, they had returned a discouraging reply, dictated in Tbncyd. iv, 21.