Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/31

 27, 28] CLEON AND NICIAS 23 his, he declared sarcastically that, if the generals were men, they might easily sail with an expedition to the island and take the garrison, and that this was what he would certainly have done, had he been general. Nicias perceived that the multitude were murmuring at 28 Cleon, and asking 'why'' he did not The people mimtnir sail in any case— now was his time if he "' '"'"'• ^d^s resigns, , , r (- 1 ' - • ^ 1 "' l"s favour. He at thought the capture of Sphacteria to be ^^.^^ ,^^,^^ ^^^^^ ^,,, .^ such an easy matter ' ; and hearing him a/tenvards eompeihd to find fault, he told him that, as far as they, «'"/• -^^ '^'^" «•/«''« , , 1 I • 1 ■ that he will return vie- the generals, were concerned, he might ^^,.^,,^ ^,,^/, -^ ^^,^^^^y takeanyforce which he required and try. days. The Athenians Cleon at first imagined that the offer iangh at him. of Nicias was only a pretence, and was willing to go ; but finding that he was in earnest, he tried to back out, and said that not he but Nicias was general. He was now alarmed, for he never imagined that Nicias would go so far as to give up his place to him. Again Nicias bade him take the command of the expedition against Pylos, which he formally gave up to him in the presence of the assembly. And the more Cleon declined the proffered command and tried to retract what he had said, so much the more the multitude, as their manner is, urged Nicias to resign and shouted to Cleon that he should sail. At length, not knowing how to escape from his own words, he undertook the expedition, and, coming forward, said that he was not afraid of the Lacedaemonians, and that he would sail without taking a single man from the city if he were allowed to have the Lemnian and Imbrian forces now at Athens, the auxiliaries from Aenus, who were targeteers, and four hundred archers from other places. With these and with the troops already at Pylos he gave his word that within twenty days he would either bring the Lacedae- monians alive or kill them on the spot. His vain words moved the Athenians to laughter ; nevertheless the wiser " Reading o t». VOL. II. D