History of the Peloponnesian War

They immediately therefore sent ambassadors to the Athenians to treat of the alliance; and were also accompanied by envoys from the Eleans and Mantineans.

There came likewise with all speed, as ambassadors from the Lacedaemonians, persons who were thought to be favourably inclined towards the Athenians, namely, Philocharidas, Leon, and Endius; through fear that in their anger they might conclude the alliance with the Argives, and at the same time to ask back Pylus in exchange for Panactum, and to plead in excuse for the Boeotian alliance, that it had not been made for the purpose of hurting the Athenians.

By speaking in the council on these points, and declaring that they had come with full powers to effect a settlement of all their disputes, they made Alcibiades afraid that if they were to talk in the same strain to the popular assembly, they would win over the multitude, and the Argive alliance would be rejected. He adopted therefore the following device against them.