Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/12

Cont CONTENTS. with the replies of the Melians. Refusal of the Melians to submit. Siege and capture of Melos. Remarks upon the event. View taken by Thncydides of this incident. Place which it occupies IK the general historical tonception of Thucydides 01-1 18 CHAPTER LV1I. SICILIAN* AFFAIRS AFTER THE EXTINCTION OF THE GELONIAN DYNASTY. Expulsion of the Gelonian dynasty from Syracuse, and of other despots from the other Sicilian towns. Large changes of resident inhabitants effects of this fact. Relative power and condition of the Sicilian cities Political dissensions at Syracuse. Ostracism tried and abandoned. Power and foreign exploits of Syracuse. Sikels in the interior of Sicily the Sikel prince Dukctius he founds the new Sikel town of PalikC. Exploits of Duketius he is defeated and becomes the prisoner of the Syracusans, who spare him, and send him to Corinth. Duketius breaks his parole and returns to Sicily. Conquests of Syracuse in the interior of Sicily death of Duketius. Prosperity and power of Agrigentum. Intellectual movement in Sicily Empedokles Tisias Korax Gor- gias. Sicilian cities their condition and proceedings at the first break- ing out of the Peloponnesian war. 431 B.C. Relations of Sicily to Athens and Sparta altered by the quarrel between Corinth and K0r- kyra and the intervention of Athens. Expectations entertained by Sparta of aid from the Sicilian Dorians, at the beginning of the Pelopon- nesian war. Expectations not realized. The Dorian cities in Sicily attack the Ionian cities in Sicily. The Ionic cities in Sicily solicit aid from Athens first Athenian expedition to Sicily under Laches. Second expedition under Pythodorus. Indecisive operations near Mcs- sene and Rhegium. Defeat of the Messenians by the Naxians and Sikels, near Naxos. Eurymedon and Sophokles, with a larger Athe- nian fleet, arrive in Sicily. Congress of the Sicilian cities at Gela. Speech of Hermokrates. General peace made between the Sicilian cities. Eurymedon accedes to the peace, and withdraws the Athenian fleet. Displeasure of the Athenians against Eurymedon and his colleagues. Intestine dissension in Leontini expulsion of the Leontine Demos, by the aid of Syracuse. Application of the Leontine Demos for help to Athens. The Athenians send Phaeax to make observations. Leontini depopulated the Demos expelled Leontine exiles at Athens. War between Sclinus and Egesta the latter applies to Athens for aid. Promises of the Egestajans : motives offered to Athens for intervention in Sicily. Alkibiades warmly espouses their cause, and advises inter- vention. Inspecting commissioners despatched by the Athenians to Egesta frauds practised by the Egestaeans to delude them. Return of the commissioners to Athens impression produced by their report. Resolution taken to send an expedition to Sicily. Embarrassment of Nikias as opposer of the expedition. Speech of Nikias at the second assembly held by the Athenians. Reply of Alkibiades. The assembly favorable to the views of Alkibiades adheres to the resolution of sailing to Sicily. Second speech of Nikias exaggerating the difficulties aiul dangers of the expedition, and demanding a force on the largest scale. EH'ect of this speech increased eagerness of the assembly for the expo