Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/281

 i6-i8] THE LACEDAEMONIAN CONSCIENCE 273 and busied himself in getting ready the expedition which he was to bring out in the spring. He 7-/,^ Athenians and announced to the alHes that troops Pehponncsians get would be required, collected money, ''^'"^ their forces. and mustered ships, and hoplites at Athens. The Athenians also sent twenty ships to cruise off the Peloponnesian coast and intercept any vessels trying to pass to Sicily from the Peloponnesus or Corinth. The Sicilian envoys "^ had now arrived at Corinth, and the Corinthians had heard from them that affairs were looking better in Sicily. Seeing how opportune had been the arrival of the ships which they had already despatched they were more zealous than ever. They prepared to convey hoplites to Sicily in merchant-vessels ; the Lacedaemonians were to do the like from Peloponnesus. The Corinthians also proceeded to man twenty-five ships of war, intending to hazard a naval engagement against the Athenian squadron stationed at Naupactus. They hoped that, if the attention of the Athenians was diverted by an opposing force, they would be unable to prevent their merchant-vessels from sailing. The Lacedaemonians also prepared for their already 18 projected invasion of Attica ^ They The Lacedaemonians, were kept to their purpose by the Syra- at the instigation of cusans and Corinthians, who, having Aldbiades, prepare to heard of the reinforcements which the ^}'Jrii!^Zt%h!lacl Athenians were sending to Sicily, hoped daemonians were guilty they might be stopped by the invasion, of violating the treaty; ., "1, . , , , , . . . . in this, the Athenians. Alcibiades was always at hand insistmg upon the importance of fortifying Decelea and of carrying on the war with vigour. Above all, the Lacedaemonians were inspirited by the thought that the Athenians would be more easily overthrown now that they had two wars on hand, one against themselves, and another against the Sicilians. They considered also that this time they had been the first offenders against the treaty, whereas in the Cp. vii. 7. '' Cp. vi. 93 init.