Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/94

 86 TRUCE BETWEEN ATHENS AND LACEDAEMON [iv spent in settling the administration of tiie towns which he already held, and in concerting measures against the rest. At the end of the winter ended the eighth year of the war. 117 Early in the following spring the Lacedaemonians and T, .,,, Athenians made a truce for a year. I /ic Atlieinnits be- -^ cause they are appre- The Athenians hoped to prevent hensive of the groiving Brasidas from gaining over any more success of Brasidas, the c i. • ir r lU i lU, , ■' , of their alhes lor the present ; the Laceaaentoitiaiis be- ' ' cause they want to re- interval would give them leisure for cover the captives, make preparation ; and hereafter, if it was peace for a year. ^^^ jj^^j^. jnt^rest, they might come to a general understanding. The Lacedaemonians had truly divined the fears of the Athenians, and thought that, having enjoyed an intermission of trouble and hardship, they would be more anxious to make terms, restore the captives taken in the island, and conclude a durable peace. Their main object was to recover their men while the good fortune of Brasidas lasted ; when, owing to his successful career and the balance which he had established between the contending powers, they did not feel the loss of them, and yet by retaliating on equal terms with the remainder of their forces might have a fair prospect of victory '. So they made a truce for themselves and their allies in the following terms : — 118 'L Concerning the temple and oracle of the Pythian ^, Apollo, it seems good to us that any Terms of peace. ^ ' .,,,,,,, , one who will shall ask counsel thereat without fraud and without fear, according to his ancestral customs. To this we, the Lacedaemonians and their allies here present, agree, and we will send heralds to the Boeotians and Phocians, and do our best to gain their assent likewise. ' IL Concerning the treasures of the God, we will take " See the note on this passage in Barton and Chavasse's edition of Thucj'didcs, Book IV.