History of the Peloponnesian War

With reference to the ten days' truces also, which had been made with each other by the Athenians and Boeotians not long after the conclusion of the fifty years' treaty, the Corinthians desired the Boeotians to accompany them to Athens, and obtain the same for them also, on the same footing as the Boeotians; and in case of the Athenians not acceding to this, then to renounce the suspension of arms, and in future to make no truce without being joined by them. On the Corinthians preferring these requests, the Boeotians desired them to desist on the subject of the Argive alliance:

they went with them, however, to Athens, but did not obtain the ten days' truce; as the Athenians answered, that they were already in treaty with the Corinthians, inasmuch as they were allies of the Lacedaemonians.

The Boeotians, then, did not any the more on that account renounce their ten days' truce, though the Corinthians called on them to do so, and expostulated with them on the ground of their having agreed to do it. Between the Corinthians, however, and the Athenians there was a suspension of arms [*]( By ἄσπονδος is meant a mere agreement in words, not ratified by the solemnities, of religion. And the Greeks, as we have seen, considered the breach of their word very different from the breach of their oath. See II 5.7. —Arnold.) without any actual truce.

The same summer, the Lacedaemonians made an expedition with all their forces, under the command of Pleistoanax, son of Pausanias, their king, into the country of the Parrhasians in Arcadia, who were subject to the Mantineans, and who had invited their interference in the spirit of faction: intending also, if they could, to demolish the stronghold at Cypsela, which, being situated in the Parrhasian territory, the Mantineans had fortified and garrisoned with their own troops, for the annoyance of the district of Sciritis in Laconia The Lacedaemonians therefore proceeded to ravage the land of the Parrhasians;

while the Mantineans, having committed their city to the custody of Argive troops, themselves kept guard over their confederates' country. Being unable, however, to save the fort at Cypsela, and the towns in Parrhasia, they retired.

The Lacedaemonians, after making the Parrhasians independent, and demolishing the fortress, returned home.

Moreover, in the course of the same summer, on the arrival of the troops from Thrace who had marched out with Brasidas, and whom Clearidas had brought back after the treaty was made, the Lacedaemonians decreed that the helots who had fought under Brasidas should be free, and live where they pleased; and not long after they settled them, together with the [*]( That the Neodamodes were a distinct class from the newly enfranchised helots seems clear from this passage and V. 67. 1: and Müller's supposition is highly probable, (Dorier, vol. ii. p. 45,) that the latter after a time rose to the condition of the former; possibly in the next generation; so that the son of an enfranchised helot became a Neodamode; like the distinct, tion between Libertus and Libertinus. —Arnold.) Neodamodes, at Lepreum, which is situated on the borders of Laconia and Elis; for they were now at variance with the Eleans.

But with regard to those of their own body who had been taken in the island, and had surrendered their arms, fearing they might suppose that they would be subjected to some degradation in consequence of their misfortune, and so, if allowed to retain their franchise, might attempt a revolution, they disfranchised them, even while some were holding offices; and with a disfranchisement of such a kind that they could neither take office, nor have power to buy or sell any thing. Subsequently, however, in the course of time, they were again enfranchised.