Alcibiades

Now the decree for his recall had been passed before this,[*](Nearly three years before, in the late autumn of 411 B.C., after the overthrow of the Four Hundred.) on motion of Critias, the son of Callaeschrus, as Critias himself has written in his elegies, where he reminds Alcibiades of the favour in these words:—

1. Mine was the motion that brought thee back; I made it in public;
2. Words and writing were mine; this the task I performed;
3. Signet and seal of words that were mine give warrant as follows.

At this time,[*](In the early summer of 408 B.C.) therefore, the people had only to meet in assembly, and Alcibiades addressed them. He lamented and bewailed his own lot, but had only little and moderate blame to lay upon the people. The entire mischief he ascribed to a certain evil fortune and envious genius of his own. Then he descanted at great length upon the vain hopes which their enemies were cherishing, and wrought his hearers up to courage. At last they crowned him with crowns of gold, and elected him general with sole powers by land and sea.

They voted also that his property be restored to him, and that the Eumolpidae and Heralds revoke the curses wherewith they had cursed him at the command of the people. The others revoked their curses, but Theodorus the High Priest said: Nay, I invoked no evil upon him if he does no wrong to the city.