History of the Peloponnesian War

Such were the words of the Lacedaemonians. They thought that, since the Athenians had at an earlier period[*](ie. after the plague and the second invasion of Attica, in 430 B.. cf. 2.59.) been eager to end the war and had been prevented by the opposition of Sparta, they would, if peace were offered to them, gladly accept it and give up the men.

But the Athenians believed that, since they held the men on the island, peace could be theirs the moment they cared to make it, and meanwhile they were greedy for more.

They were urged to this course chiefly by Cleon son of Cleaenetus, a popular leader at that time who had very great influence with the multitude. He persuaded them to reply that the men on the island must first give up themselves and their arms and be brought to Athens; on their arrival, the Lacedaemonians must give back Nisaea, Pegae, Troezen, and Achaea, which had not been taken in war but had been ceded by the Athenians[*](cf. 1.115.1.) in an agreement made some time before as a result of misfortunes, when they were somewhat more eager for peace than now. They could then recover the men and make a treaty which should be binding for as long a time as both parties should agree.