Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/82

64 64 HISTOnV OF GIJKKCK. But the Corinthians and Sikyonians, to whom this would aavt been a serious mischief, despatched forces enough to prevent the consummation of the scheme, and probably also to hinder the erection of the walls at Patrae. 1 Yet the march of Alkibiades doubtless strengthened the anti-Laconian interest throughout the Achaean coast. He then returned to take part with the Argeians in a war against Epidaurus. To acquire possession of this city would much facilitate the communication between Athens and Argos, since it was not only immediately opposite to the island of .ZEgina now occupied by the Athenians, but also opened to the latter an access by land, dispensing with the labor of circumnavigating Cape Skylla3um, the southeastern point of the Argeian and Epidaurian peninsula, whenever they sent forces to Argos. Moreover, the territory of Epidaurus bordered to the north on that of Corinth, so that the possession of it would be an addi- tional guarantee for the neutrality of the Corinthians. Accord- ingly it was resolved to attack Epidaurus, for which a pretext was easily found. As presiding and administering state of the temple of Apollo Pythaeus (situated within the walls of Argos), the Argeians enjoyed a sort of religious supremacy over Epidau- rus and other neighboring cities, seemingly the remnant of that extensive supremacy, political as well as religious, which in early times had been theirs. 2 The Epidaurians owed to this temple certain sacrifices and other ceremonial obligations, one of which, arising out of some circumstance which we cannot understand, was now due and unperformed : at least so the Argeians alleged. Such default imposed upon them the duty of getting together a military force to attack the Epidaurians and enforce the obliga- tion. Their invading march, however, was for a time suspended by the news that king Agis with the full force of Lacedoemon and her allies had advanced as far as Leuktra, one of the border towns of Laconia on the northwest, towards Mount Lykaeum and the Arcadian Parrhasii. What this movement meant was kncnvn only to Agis himself, who did not even explain the purpose t Tlmcyd. v, 52. Thucyd. v 53, with Dr. Arnold's noto.