History of the Peloponnesian War

The Lacedaemonians, while their friends had been sending for them a long time before, did not go; but at length put off the Gymnopaediae, and marched to their aid. On hearing at Tegea that the oligarchical party had been defeated, they would not advance any farther, though entreated by those who had escaped;

but returned home, and kept the Gymnopaediae. Afterwards, when ambassadors had come both from the Argives in the city [*](ἀγγέλων.] Bekker, Poppo, and Arnold all think this word corrupt; while Göller understands by it a party in Argos who were in constant communication with Sparta: but surely that is a very forced interpretation.) and from those driven out of it, and when the allies also were present, and much had been said on both sides, they decided that the party in the city were in the wrong, and resolved to march against Argos; but much delay and procrastination ensued.

In the mean time the commons at Argos were afraid of the Lacedaemonians, and as they courted the alliance of Athens again, and thought it would be of the greatest service to them, they built long walls to the sea; that if they should be excluded from the use of the land, the importation of things by sea, through the help of the Athenians, might be of benefit to them.

Some of the cities in the Peloponnese were also privy to their building these walls. The Argives therefore were engaged in the work with all their population, themselves, their wives, and their slaves; while there came to them from Athens carpenters and stone-masons. And so the summer ended.