The Lacedaemonians, on the other hand, favoured peace because the war was turning out contrary to their hopes. They had expected that in a few years, if they should ravage their territory, they could pull down the power of the Athenians; whereas they had met with the calamity on the island of Sphacteria, such an one as had never before befallen Sparta; their territory was ravaged from Pylos and Cythera; the Helots were deserting, and always there was apprehension that those who remained, relying on those beyond the border,ie. those who had escaped. might revolt in the present state of affairs, just as they had done before.The great revolt of the Helots, called the Third Messenian War; cf. 1.101.-1.103

It happened also that the thirty years' truce with the Argives was on the point of expiring,It expired the next year (cf. 5.28.2), and therefore dated from 457 B.C. and the Argives were unwilling to make another treaty unless the territory of Cynuriacf. 4.56.2. were restored to them; and it seemed impossible to carry on the war with the Argives and the Athenians at the same time. Besides, they suspected that some of the cities in the Peloponnesus would revolt to the Argives, as indeed did happen.