History of the Peloponnesian War

It so happened, too, that directly after the battle at Amphipolis and the withdrawal of Rhamphias from Thessaly neither side undertook any further military operations, and both were more inclined to peace. The Athenians were so inclined because they had been beaten at Delium,[*](cf. 4.100., 4.101) and again at Amphipolis a little later, and consequently had no longer that confidence in their strength in reliance upon which they had earlier refused to accept the truce, as they then thought that with their existing good luck they would prove superior.

They were afraid, too, of their allies, lest, elated over these failures of theirs, the revolt among them might spread, and they repented that they had not come to terms when a good opportunity offered after the affair at Pylos.

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 Cynuria[*](cf. 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.