Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/260

242 242 HISTORY OF GREECE. history, is in truth little better than a gigantic romance dressed up to alarm his audience. 1 Intended for this purpose, it was eminently suitable and effec live. The Lacedaemonians had already been partly moved by the Representations from Corinth and Syracuse, and were even pre- pared to send envoys to the latter place with encouragement to hold out against Athens. But the Peace of Nikias and the alli- ance succeeding it, still subsisted between Athens and Sparta. It had indeed been partially and indirectly violated in many ways, but both the contracting parties still considered it as subsisting, nor would either of them yet consent to break their oaths openly and avowedly. For this reason as well as from the distance of Sicily, great even in the estimation of the more nautical Athenians the ephors could not yet make up their minds to despatch thither any positive aid. It was exactly in this point of hesitation between the will and the deed that the energetic and vindictive exile from Athens found them. His flaming pic- ture of the danger impending, brought home to their own doors, and appearing to proceed from the best informed of all witnesses, overcame their reluctance at once ; while he at the same time minted out the precise steps whereby their interference would be rndered of most avail. The transfer of Alkibiades to Sparta ^us reverses the superiority of force between the two contending 'Niefs of Greece: "Momentumque fuit mutatus Curio rerum." 2 .rie had not yet shown his power of doing his country good, as we shall find him hereafter engaged, during the later years of the war : his first achievements were but too successful in doing her harm. The Lacedaemonians forthwith resolved to send an auxiliary force to Syracuse. But as this could not be done before the spring, they nominated Gylippus commander, directing him to proceed thither without delay, and to take counsel with the Cor- inthians for operations as speedily as the case admitted. 3 "We do not know that Gylippus had as yet given any positive evidence of that consummate skill and activity which we shall presently bo called upon to describe. He was probably chosen on account 1 1'lutarch, Alkib. c. 17. 2 Lucan, Pharsal. iv, SI 9. 8 Ta^?yd. vi, 93 ; Plutarch, Alkib. c. 23 ; Diodor. xiii, 7.