History of the Peloponnesian War

nor are we Lacedaemonians bound to liberate those who do not wish it, except on the plea of some general good. Nor is it dominion that we aim at;

but rather being anxious, as we are, to stop others from acquiring it, we should wrong the majority, if, when bringing independence to all, we should permit you to stand in the way of it.

Wherefore advise well, and strive to be the first to give liberty to the Greeks, and to lay up for yourselves everlasting glory; and both to avoid suffering in your private capacities, and to confer on your whole city the most honourable title.

To this effect spoke Brasidas. The Acanthians, after much previous speaking on both sides of the question, gave their votes upon it in secret; and because Brasidas had urged alluring arguments, and at the same time through fear for their fruit, the majority determined to revolt from the Athenians; and after pledging him to the oaths which the Lacedaemonian authorities swore before they sent him out, that such as he won over should assuredly be independent allies, in this way they admitted the army.

Not long after, Stagirus, a colony of the Andrians, also joined them in revolt. Such then were the events of this summer.

At the very commencement of the following winter, when the towns in Boeotia were to be delivered up to Hippocrates and Demosthenes, the Athenian generals, and Demosthenes was to repair with his ships to Siphae, Hippocrates to Delium; a mistake having been made in the days on which they were both to take the field, Demosthenes sailed first to Siphae, with the Acarnanians and many allies from those parts on board, but did not succeed in his undertaking, through information of the design having been given by Nicomachus, a Phocian of Phanoteus, who told the Lacedaemonians, and they the Boeotians.