History of the Peloponnesian War

While the Argives were in Epidaurian territory envoys from the different cities came together at Mantinea, on the invitation of the Athenians. And in the course of the conference Euphamidas the Corinthian said that their words did not agree with their deeds; for they were sitting in council on the question of peace, while the Epidaurians with their allies and the Argives were arrayed in arms against each other; they ought to go first to the camps of the two parties and disband them, and then they might come back and talk about peace.

Adopting this suggestion, they went and induced the Argives to depart from Epidauria. Afterwards they came together again, but not even then were they able to agree, and the Argives again invaded Epidauria and began to ravage it. The Lacedaemonians, too, marched out to Caryae;

but as not even there the sacrifices for crossing the boundaries proved favourable, they returned.

And the Argives, having ravaged about a third part of Epidauria, also went back home. Moreover, there had come to their aid one thousand Athenian hoplites, under the command of Alcibiades, on learning that the Lacedaemonians had taken the field; as now there was no longer any need of them these withdrew.[*](Or reading πυθόμενοι δέ, with the MSS., “but learning that the Lacedaemonians had left the field”— which the verb means nowhere else—“and that there was no further need of them.”) And so the summer ended.