| Plutarch's Parallel Lives | |
| The Boys' and Girls' Plutarch | |
|
ALCIBAIDES Alcibiades, it is supposed, was descended from Ajax, by his
father's side; and by his mother's side from Alcmaeon. Dinomache,
his mother, was the daughter of Megacles. His father (Clinias)
having fitted out a galley at his own expense, gained great honor
in the seafight at Artemisium, and was afterwards slain in the
battle of Coronea, fighting against the Boeotians. The friendship
which Socrates felt for him has much contributed to his fame; and
though we have no account from any writer concerning the mother of
Nicias or Demosthenes, of Lamachus or Phormion, of Thrasybulus or
Theramenes, notwithstanding these were all illustrious men of the
same period, yet we know even the nurse of Alcibiades, that her
country was Lacedaemon, and her name Amycla; and that Zopyrus was
his teacher and attendant; the one being recorded by Antisthenes,
and the other by Plato. It is not, perhaps, material to say anything of the beauty of
Alcibiades, only that it bloomed with him in all the ages of his
life, in his infancy, in his youth, and in his manhood; and, in
the peculiar character becoming to each of these periods, gave
him, in every one of them a grace and a charm.
What Euripides says, that
"Of all fair things the autumn, too, is fair,"
is by no means universally true. But it happened so with
Alcibiades, amongst few others, by reason of his happy
constitution and natural vigor of body. It is said that his
lisping, when he spoke, became him well, and gave a grace and
persuasiveness to his rapid speech. Aristophanes takes notice of
it in the verses in which he jests at Theorus: "How like a colax
he is," says Alcibiades, meaning a corax*; on which it is
remarked,
"How very happily he lisped the truth,"
(*This fashionable Attic lisp, or careless articulation, turned
the sound r into l. Colax, a flatterer; corax, a crow.) His conduct displayed many inconsistencies, not unnaturally, in
accordance with the many wonderful vicissitudes of his fortunes;
but, among the many strong passions of his real character, the
most powerful of all was his ambition for superiority, which
appears in several anecdotes told of him while he was a child.
Once being hard pressed in wrestling, and fearing to be thrown, he
got the hand of his antagonist to his mouth, and bit it with all
his force; and when the other loosed his hold presently, and said,
"You bite, Alcibiades, like a woman." "No," replied he, "like a
lion." Another time, when playing at dice in the street, being
then only a child, a loaded cart came that way, just as it was his
turn to throw; at first he called to the driver to stop, because
he was about to throw in the way over which the cart would pass;
but when the man paid him no attention, and was driving on, the
rest of the boys divided and sprang away; but Alcibiades threw
himself on his face before the cart, and, stretching himself out,
bade the carter pass on now if we would. The man was so startled
that he put back his horses, while all that saw it were terrified,
and, crying out, ran to assist Alcibiades. When he began to study,
he obeyed all his other masters fairly well, but refused to learn
upon the flute, as a thing unbecoming a free citizen; saying that
to play upon the lute or the harp does not in any way disfigure a
man's body or face, but one is hardly to be known by his most
intimate friends, when playing on the flute. Besides, one who
plays on the harp may speak or sing at the same time; but the use
of the flute stops the mouth, intercepts the voice, and prevents
all articulation. "Therefore," said he, "let the Theban youths
pipe, who do not know how to speak, but we Athenians, as our
ancestors have told us, have Athena for our patroness, and Apollo
for our protector, one of whom threw away the flute, and the other
stripped the Flute-player of his skin." Thus, between raillery and
good earnest, Alcibiades kept not only himself but others from
learning, as it presently became the talk of the young boys, how
Alcibiades despised playing on the flute, and ridiculed those who
studied it. In consequence of which, it ceased to be reckoned
amongst the liberal accomplishments, and became generally
neglected. It was manifest that the many well-born persons who were
continually seeking his company, and making court to him, were
attracted and captivated by his extraordinary beauty only. But the
affection which Socrates entertained for him is a great evidence
of the natural noble qualities and good disposition of the boy,
which Socrates, detected under his personal beauty; and fearing
that his wealth and station, and the great number both of
strangers and Athenians who flattered and caressed him, might at
last corrupt him, resolved, if possible, to interpose, and
preserve so hopeful a plant from perishing in the flower, before
its fruit came to perfection. For never did fortune surround a man
with so many of those things which we vulgarly call goods, or so
protect him from every weapon of philosophy, and fence him from
every access of free and searching words, as she did Alcibiades;
who, from the beginning, was exposed to the flatteries of those
who sought merely his gratification, such as might well unnerve
him, and indispose him to listen to any real adviser or
instructor. Yet such was the happiness of his genius, that he
selected Socrates from the rest, and admitted him, while he drove
away the wealthy and the noble who made court to him. In a little
time, they grew intimate and Alcibiades, listening now to language
entirely free from every thought of unmanly fondness and silly
displays of affection, found himself with one who sought to la
open to him the deficiencies of his mind and repress his vain and
foolish arrogance, and
"Dropped like the craven cock his conquered wing."
He esteemed these endeavors of Socrates as most truly a means
which the gods made use of for the care and preservation of youth,
and it was a matter of general wonder, when people saw him joining
Socrates in his meals and his exercises, living with him in the
same tent, while he was reserved and rough to all others who made
their addresses to him. He behaved in the same manner to all others who courted him,
except one stranger, who, as the story is told, having but a small
estate, sold it all for about a hundred staters, which he
presented to Alcibiades, and besought him to accept. Alcibiades,
smiling and well pleased at the thing, invited him to supper, and,
after a very kind entertainment, gave him his gold again,
requiring him, moreover, not to fail to be present the next day,
when the public revenue was offered to farm, and to outbid all
others. The man would have excused himself, because the contract
was so large, and would cost many talents; but Alcibiades, who at
that time a private pique against the existing farmers of the
revenue threatened to have him beaten if he refused. The next
morning, the stranger, coming to the market-place, offered a
talent more that the existing rate; upon which the farmers,
enraged and consulting together, called upon him to name his
sureties, concluding that he could find none. The poor man, being
startled at the proposal, began to retire; but ALCIBAIDES,
standing at a distance, cried out to the magistrates, "Set my name
down, he is a friend of mine; I will be security for him." When
the other bidders heard this, they perceived that all their
contrivance was defeated; for their way was, with the profits for
the second year to pay the rent for the year preceding; so that,
not seeing any other way to extricate themselves out of the
difficulty, they began to treat with the stranger, and offered him
a sum of money. Alcibiades would not suffer him to accept of less
than a talent; but when that was paid down, he commanded him to
relinquish the bargain, having by this device relieved his
necessity. Though Socrates had many power rivals, yet the natural good
qualities of Alcibiades gave his affection the mastery. His words
overcame him so much, as to draw tears from his eyes, and to
disturb his very soul. Yet sometimes he would abandon himself to
flatteries, when they proposed to him varieties of pleasure, and
would desert Socrates; who, then, would pursue him, as if he had
been a fugitive slave. He despised every one else, and had no
reverence or awe for any but him. But as iron which is softened by
the fire grows hard with the cold, and all its parts are closed
again; so, as often as Socrates observed Alcibiades to be misled
by luxury or pride he reduced and corrected him by his addresses,
and made him humble and modest, by showing him in how many things
he was deficient, and how very far from perfection in virtue. When he was past his childhood, he went once to a grammar-school,
and asked the master for one of Homer's books; and when he made
answer that he had nothing of Homer's, Alcibiades gave him a blow
with his fist, and went away. Another schoolmaster telling him
that he had a copy of Homer corrected by himself; "Why?" said
Alcibiades, "do you employ your time in teaching children to read?
You, who are able to amend Homer, may well undertake to instruct
men." When he was very young, he was a soldier in the expedition against
Potidaea, where Socrates lodged in the same tent with him, and
stood next to him in battle. Once there happened a sharp skirmish,
in which they both behaved with signal bravery; but Alcibiades
receiving a wound, Socrates threw himself before him to defend
him, and beyond any question saved him and his arms from the
enemy, and so in all justice might have challenged the prize of
valor. But the generals appearing eager to adjudge the honor to
Alcibiades, because of his rank, Socrates, who desired to increase
his thirst after glory of a noble kind, was the first to give
evidence for him, and pressed them to crown, and to decree to him
the complete suit of armor. Afterwards, in the battle of Delium,
when the Athenians were routed and Socrates with a few others was
retreating on foot, Alcibiades, who was on horseback, observed it,
and would not pass on, but stayed to shelter him from the danger,
and brought him safely off, though the enemy pressed hard upon
them, and cut off many. He gave a box on the ear to Hipponicus, the father of Callias,
whose birth and wealth made him a person of great influence and
repute. And this he did unprovoked by any passion or quarrel
between them, but only because, in a frolic, he had agreed with
his companions to do it. People were justly offended at this
insolence, when it became known through the city; but early the
next morning, Alcibiades went to his house and knocked at the
door, and, being admitted to him, took off his outer garment, and
presenting his naked body, desired him to scourge and chastise him
as he pleased. Upon this Hipponicus forgot all his resentment, and
not only pardoned him, but soon after gave him his daughter
Hipparete in marriage. Alcibiades had a dog which cost him seventy minas, and was very
large and handsome. His tail, which was his principal ornament, he
caused to be cut off, and an acquaintance exclaiming at him for
it, and telling him that all Athens was sorry for the dog, and
cried out against him for this action, he laughed and said, "Just
what I wanted has happened, then, I wished the Athenians to talk
about this, that they might not say something worse of me." It is said that the first time he came into the assembly was upon
occasion of a largess of money which he made to the people. This
was not done by design, but as he passed along he heard a shout,
and inquired the cause; and having learned that there was a gift-
making to the people, he went in among them and gave money also.
The multitude thereupon applauding him, and shouting, he was so
transported at it, that he forgot a quail which he had under his
robe, and the bird, being frightened at the noise,, flew off; upon
which the people made louder acclamations than before, and many of
them started up to pursue the bird; and Antiochus, a pilot, caught
it and restored it to him, for which he was ever after a favorite
with Alcibiades. He had great advantages for entering public life; his noble birth,
his riches, the personal courage he had shown in divers battles,
and the multitude of his friends and dependents, threw open, so to
say, folding doors for his admittance. But he did not consent to
let his power with the people rest on any thing, rather than on
his own gift of eloquence. That he was a master in the art of
speaking, the comic poets bear him witness; and the most eloquent
of public speakers, in his oration against Midias, allows that
Alcibiades, among other perfections, was a most accomplished
orator. His expenses in horses kept for the public games, and in the
number of his chariots, were matters of great observation; never
did any one but he, either private person king, send seven
chariots to the Olympic games. And to have carried away at once
the first, the second, and the fourth prize, as Thucydides says,
or the third, as Euripides relates it, outdoes every distinction
that was ever thought of in that kind. The emulation displayed by the deputations of various states, in
the presents which they made to him, rendered this success yet
more illustrious. The Ephesians erected a tent for him, adorned
magnificently; the city of Chios furnished him with provender for
his horses and with great numbers of beasts for sacrifice; and the
Lesbians sent him wine and other provisions for the many
entertainments which he made. As soon as he began to intermeddle in the government, which was
when he was very young, he quickly lessened the credit of all who
aspired to the confidence of the people, except Phaeax and Nicias,
who alone could contest with him. Nicias was arrived at a mature
age, and was esteemed their first general. Phaeax was but a rising
statesman like Alcibiades; he was descended from noble ancestors,
but was his inferior in many other things, but principally in
eloquence. Alcibiades was not less disturbed at the distinction which Nicias
gained among the enemies of Athens, than at the honors which the
Athenians themselves paid to him. It was commonly said in Greece,
that the war in the Peloponnesus was begun by Pericles, and that
Nicias made an end of it, and the peace was generally called the
peace of Nicias. Alcibiades was extremely annoyed at this, and
being full of envy, set himself to break the league. First,
therefore observing that the Argives as well out of fear as hatred
to the Lacedaemonians, sought for protection against them, he gave
them a secret assurance of alliance with Athens. He exclaimed
fiercely against Nicias, and accused him of many things, which
seemed probable enough: as that, when he was general, he made no
attempt himself to capture their enemies that were shut up in the
isle of Sphacteria, but, when they were afterwards made prisoners
by others, he procured their release and sent them back to the
Lacedaemonians, only to get favor with them. It happened, at the very time when Nicias was by these arts
brought into disgrace with the people, that ambassadors arrived
from Lacedaemon, who, at their first coming, said what seemed very
satisfactory, declaring that they had full powers to arrange all
matters in dispute upon fair and equal terms. The council received
their propositions, and the people was to assemble on the morrow
to give them audience. Alcibiades grew very apprehensive of this,
and contrived to gain a secret conference with the ambassadors.
When they were met, he said: "What is it you intend, you men of
Sparta? If you expect to obtain equal terms from the Athenians,
and would not have things extorted from you contrary to your
inclinations, begin to treat with he people upon some reasonable
articles, not avowing yourselves plenipotentiaries; and I will be
ready to assist you, out of good-will to the Lacedaemonians." When
he had said this, he gave them his oath for the performance of
what he promised, and by this way drew them from Nicias to rely
entirely upon himself, and left them full of admiration of the
discernment and sagacity they had seen in him. the next day, when
the people were assembled and the ambassadors introduced,
Alcibiades, with great apparent courtesy, demanded of them: With
what powers they had come? They made answer that they had not come
as plenipotentiaries. Instantly upon that, Alcibiades, with a loud voice, as though he
had received and not done the wrong, began to call them dishonest
prevaricators, and to urge that such men could not possibly come
with a purpose to say or do anything that was sincere. The council
was incensed, the people were in a rage, and Nicias, who knew
nothing of the deceit and the imposture, was in the greatest
confusion, equally surprised and ashamed at such a change in the
men. so thus the Lacedaemonian ambassadors were utterly rejected,
and Alcibiades was declared general, who presently united the
Argives, the Eleans, and the people of Mantinea, into a
confederacy with the Athenians. No man commended the method by which Alcibiades effected all this,
yet it was a great political feat thus to divide and shake almost
all Peloponnesus, and to combine so many men in arms against the
Lacedaemonians in one day before Mantinea; and, moreover, to
remove the war and the danger so far from the frontier of the
Athenians, that even success would profit the enemy but little,
should they be conquerors, whereas, if they were defeated, Sparta
itself was hardly safe. But with all these words and deeds, and with all this sagacity and
eloquence, he intermingled exorbitant luxury and wantonness in his
eating and drinking and dissolute living; wore long purple robes
like a woman, which dragged after him as he went through the
market-place; caused the planks of his galley to be cut away, that
so he might lie the softer, his bed not being placed on the
boards, but hanging upon girths. His shield, again, which was
richly gilded, had not the usual ensigns of the Athenians, but a
Cupid, holding a thunderbolt in his hand, was painted upon it. The
sight of all this made the people of good repute in the city feel
disgust and abhorrence and apprehension also, at his free-living,
and his contempt of law, as things monstrous in themselves, and
indicating designs of usurpation. Aristophanes has well expressed
the people's feeling towards him:-- "They love, and hate, and cannot do without him." And still more strongly, under a figurative expression, "Best rear no lion in your state, 't is true;
But treat him like a lion if you do." The truth is, his liberalities, his public shows, and other
munificence to the people, which were such as nothing could
exceed, the glory of his ancestors, the force of his eloquence,
the grace of his person, his strength of body, joined with his
great courage and knowledge in military affairs, prevailed upon
the Athenians to endure patiently his excesses, to indulge him in
many things, and, according to their habit, to give the softest
names to his faults, attributing them to youth and good nature.
As, for example, he kept Agatharcus, the painter, a prisoner till
he had painted his whole house, but then dismissed him with a
reward. He publicly struck Taureas, who exhibited certain shows in
opposition to him, and contended with him for the prize. When
Aristophon, the artist, had drawn Nemea sitting and holding
Alcibiades in her arms, the multitude seemed pleased with the
piece, and thronged to see it, but elder people did not relish it,
but looked on these things as enormities, and movements toward
tyranny. So that it was not said amiss by Archestratus, that
Greece could not support a second Alcibiades. Once, when
Alcibiades succeeded well in an oration which he made, and the
whole assembly attended upon him to do him honor, Timon, the
misanthrope, did not pass slightly by him, nor avoid him, as he
did others, but purposely met him, and, taking him by the hand,
said, "Go on boldly, my son, and increase in credit with the
people, for thou wilt one day bring them calamities enough." Some
that were present laughed at the saying, and some reviled Timon;
but there were others upon whom it made a deep impression. The Athenians, even in the lifetime of Pericles, had already cast
a longing eye upon Sicily; but did not attempt any thing till
after his death. Then, under pretence of aiding their
confederates, they sent succor upon all occasions to those who
were oppressed by the Syracusans, preparing the way for sending
over a greater force. But Alcibiades was the person who inflamed
this desire of theirs to the height, and prevailed with them no
longer to proceed secretly, and little by little, in their design,
but to sail out with a great fleet, and undertake at once to make
themselves masters of the island. He possessed the people with
great hopes, and he himself entertained yet greater; and the
conquest of Sicily, which was the utmost bound of their ambition,
was but the mere outset of his expectation. Nicias endeavored to
divert the people from the expedition, by representing to them
that the taking of Syracuse would be a work of great difficulty;
but Alcibiades dreamed of nothing less than the conquest of
Carthage and Libya and by the accession of these conceiving
himself at once made master of Italy and of Peloponnesus, seemed
to look upon Sicily as little more than a magazine for the war.
The young men were soon elevated with these hopes, and listened
gladly to those of riper years, who talked wonders of the
countries they were going to; so that you might see great numbers
sitting in the wrestling grounds and public places, drawing on the
ground the figure of the island and the situation of Libya and
Carthage. Together with Alcibiades, Nicias, much against his will, was
appointed general: and he endeavored to avoid the command, not the
less on account of his colleague. But the Athenians thought the
war would proceed more prosperously, if they did not send
Alcibiades free from all restraint, but tempered his heat with the
caution of Nicias. This they chose the rather to do, because
Lamachus, the third general, though he was of mature years, yet in
several battles had appeared no less hot and rash than Alcibiades
himself.
When all things were fitted for the voyage, many unlucky omens
appeared. The mutilation of the images of Mercury, most of which,
in one night, had their faces all disfigured, terrified many
persons who were wont to despise most things of that nature. Alike
enraged and terrified at the thing, looking upon it to proceed
from a conspiracy of persons who designed some commotions in the
state, the council, as well as the assembly of the people, which
was held frequently in a few days' space, examined diligently
every thing that might administer ground for suspicion. During
this examination, Androcles, one of the demagogues, produced
slaves and strangers before them, who accused Alcibiades and some
of his friends of defacing other images in the same manner, and of
having profanely acted the sacred mysteries at a drunken meeting.
The people were highly exasperated and incensed against Alcibiades
upon this accusation. But when they perceived that all the seamen
designed for Sicily were for him, and the soldiers declared that
they had undertaken this distant maritime expedition for the sake
of Alcibiades, and that, if he was ill-used, they would all go
home; they let him set sail at once, and decided that when the war
should be at an end, he might then in person make his defence
according to the laws. Alcibiades perceived the malice of this postponement, and,
appearing in the assembly, represented that it was monstrous for
him to be sent with the command of so large an army, when he lay
under such accusations and calumnies. But he could not prevail
with the people, who commanded him to sail immediately. So he
departed, together with the other generals, having with them near
140 galleys, 5,100 men at arms, and about 1,300 archers, slingers,
and light-armed men, and all the other provisions corresponding. Arriving on the coast of Italy, he landed at Rhegium, and there
stated his views of the manner in which they ought to conduct the
war. He was opposed by Nicias; but Lamachus being of his opinion,
they sailed for Sicily forthwith, and took Catana. This was all
that was done while he was there, for he was soon after recalled
by the Athenians to abide his trial. At first, as we before said,
there were only some slight suspicions advanced against
Alcibiades. But afterwards, in his absence, his enemies attacked
him more violently, and confounded together the breaking the
images with the profanation of the mysteries, as though both had
been committed in pursuance of the same conspiracy for changing
the government. The truth is, his accusers alleged nothing against
him which could be positively proved. One of them, being asked how
he knew the men who defaced the images, replied, that he saw them
by the light of the moon, making a palpable misstatement, for it
was just new moon when the act was committed. This made all men of
understanding cry out upon the thing; but the people were as eager
as ever to receive further accusations. And, in conclusion, they
sent the galley named the Salaminian to recall Alcibiades. But
they expressly commanded those that were sent, to use no violence,
nor seize upon his person, but address themselves to him in the
mildest terms, requiring him to follow them to Athens in order to
abide his trial, and clear himself before the people. For they
feared mutiny and sedition in the army in an enemy's country,
which indeed it would have been easy for Alcibiades to effect, if
he had wished it. For the soldiers were dispirited upon his
departure, expecting for the future tedious delays, and that the
war would be drawn out into a lazy length by Nicias, when
Alcibiades, who was the spur to action, was taken away. For though
Lamachus was a soldier, and a man of courage, poverty deprived him
of authority and respect in the army. Alcibiades, just upon his
departure, prevented Messena from falling into the hands of the
Athenians. There were some in that city who were upon the point of
delivering it up, but he, knowing the persons, gave information to
some friends of the Syracusans, and so defeated the whole
contrivance. When he arrived at Thurii, he went on shore, and
concealing himself there, escaped those who searched after him.
But to one who knew him, and asked him if he durst not trust his
own native country, he made answer, "In every thing else, yes; but
in a matter that touches my life, I would not even my own mother,
lest she might by mistake throw in the black ball instead of the
white." When, afterwards, he was told that the assembly had
pronounced judgment of death against him, all he said was "I will
make them feel that I am alive." The information against him was framed in this form:--
"Thessalus lays information that Alcibiades has committed a crime
against the goddesses Ceres and Proserpine, by representing in
derision the holy mysteries, and showing them to his companions in
his own house." He was condemned as contumacious upon his not appearing, his
property confiscated, and it was decreed that all the priests and
priestesses should solemnly curse him. Alcibiades, lying under these heavy decrees and sentences, when he
fled from Thurii, passed over into Peloponnesus, and remained some
time at Argos. But being there in fear of his enemies and seeing
himself utterly hopeless of return to his native country, he sent
to Sparta, desiring safe conduct, and assuring them that he would
make them amends by his future services for all the mischief he
had done them while he was their enemy. The Spartans giving him
the security he desired, he went eagerly, was well received, and,
at his very first coming, succeeded in inducing them, without any
further caution or delay, to send aid to the Syracusans; and so
roused and excited them, that they forthwith despatched Gylippus
into Sicily, to crush the forces which the Athenians had in
Sicily. A second point was, to renew the war upon the Athenians at
home. But the third thing, and the most important of all, was to
make them fortify Decelea, which above everything reduced and
wasted the resources of the Athenians. The renown which he earned by these public services was equaled by
the admiration he attracted to his private life; he captivated and
won over everybody by his conformity to Spartan habits. People who
saw him wearing his hair close cut, bathing in cold water, eating
coarse meal, and dining on black broth, doubted, or rather could
not believe, that he ever had a cook in his house, or had ever
seen a perfumer, or had worn a mantle of Milesian purple. For he
had, as it was observed, this peculiar talent for gaining men's
affections, that he could at once comply with and really enter
into their habits and ways of life, and change faster than the
chameleon. One color, indeed, they say the chameleon cannot
assume; it cannot make itself appear white; but Alcibiades,
whether with good men or with bad, could adapt himself to his
company, and equally wear the appearance of virtue or vice. At
Sparta, he was devoted to athletic exercises, was frugal and
reserved; in Ionia, luxurious, gay, and indolent; in Thrace,
always drinking; in Thessaly, ever on horseback; and when he lived
with Tissaphernes, the Persian satrap, he exceeded the Persians,
themselves in magnificence and pomp. Not that his natural
disposition changed so easily, nor that his real character was so
very variable, but whenever he was sensible that by pursuing his
own inclinations he might give offence to those with whom he had
occasion to converse, he transformed himself into any shape and
adopted any fashion, that he observed to be most agreeable to
them. So that to have seen him at Lacedaemon, a man, judging by
the outward appearance, would have said, "'T is not Achilles' son,
but he himself, the very man" that Lycurgus designed to form. After the defeat which the Athenians received in Sicily,
ambassadors were despatched to Sparta at once from Chios and
Lesbos and Cyzicus, to signify their purpose of revolting from the
Athenians. But the Lacedaemonians, at the persuasion of
Alcibiades, chose to assist Chios before all others. He himself,
also, went instantly to sea, procured the immediate revolt of
almost all Ionia, and, co-operating with the Lacedaemonian
generals, did great mischief to the Athenians. But King Agis was
his enemy, and impatient of his glory, as almost every enterprise
and every success was ascribed to Alcibiades. Others, also, of the
most powerful and ambitious amongst the Spartans, were possessed
with jealousy of him, and, at last, prevailed with the magistrates
in the city to send orders into Ionia that he should be killed.
Alcibiades, however, had secret intelligence of this, and, in
apprehension of the result, while he communicated all affairs to
the Lacedaemonians, yet took care not to put himself into their
power. At last he retired to Tissaphernes, the satrap of the king
of Persia, for his security, and immediately became the first and
most influential person about him. For this barbarian, not being
himself sincere, but a lover of guile and wickedness, admired his
address and wonderful subtlety. And, indeed, the charm of daily
intercourse with him was more than any character could resist or
any disposition escape. Even those who feared and envied him could
not but have a sort of kindness for him, when they saw him and
were in his company. So that Tissaphernes, otherwise a cruel
character, and, above all other Persians, a hater of the Greeks,
was yet so won by the flatteries of Alcibiades, that he set
himself even to exceed him in responding to them.
The most beautiful of his parks, containing salubrious streams and
meadows, where he had built pavilions, and places of retirement
royally and exquisitely adorned, received by his direction the
name of Alcibiades, and was always so called and so spoken of. Thus Alcibiades, quitting the interests of the Spartans, whom he
could no longer trust, because he stood in fear of Agis,
endeavored to do them ill offices, and render them odious to
Tissaphernes, who, by his means, was hindered from assisting them
vigorously, and from finally ruining the Athenians. For his advice
was to furnish them but sparingly with money, and so wear them
out, and consume them insensibly; when they had wasted their
strength upon one another, they would both become ready to submit
to the king. At that time the whole strength of the Athenians was in Samos.
Their fleet maintained itself here, and issued from these head-
quarters to reduce such as had revolted, and protect the rest of
their territories; in one way or other still contriving to be a
match for their enemies at sea. What they stood in fear of, was
Tissaphernes and the Phoenician fleet of one hundred and fifty
galleys, which was said to be already under sail; if those came,
there remained then no hopes for the commonwealth of Athens.
Understanding this, Alcibiades sent secretly to the chief men of
the Athenians, who were then at Samos, giving them hopes, that he
would make Tissaphernes their friend; he was willing, he implied,
to do some favor, not to the people, nor in reliance upon them,
but to the better citizens, if only, like brave men, they would
make the attempt to put down the insolence of the people, and, by
taking upon them the government, would endeavor to save the city
from ruin. All of them gave a ready ear to the proposal made by
Alcibiades, except Phrynichus of the township of Dirades,
despatched Pisander to Athens to attempt a change of government,
and to encourage the aristocratical citizens to take upon
themselves the government, and overthrow the democracy,
representing to them, that, upon these terms, Alcibiades would
procure them the friendship and alliance of Tissaphernes. Those who were at Samos set sail for the Piraeus; and, sending for
Alcibiades declared him general. He, however, in that juncture did
not, as it might have been thought a man would, on being suddenly
exalted by the favor of a multitude, think himself under an
obligation to gratify and submit to all the wishes of those who,
from a fugitive and an exile, had created him general of so great
an army and given him the command of such a fleet. But, as became
a great captain, he opposed himself to the precipitate resolutions
which their rage led them to, and, by restraining them from the
great error they were about to commit, unequivocally saved the
commonwealth. For if they had then sailed to Athens, all Ionia and
the islands and the Hellespont would have fallen into the enemies'
hands without opposition, while the Athenians, involved in civil
war, would have been fighting with one another within the circuit
of their own walls. It was Alcibiades alone, or, at least,
principally, who prevented all this mischief; for he not only used
persuasion to the whole army, and showed them the danger, but
applied himself to them, one by one, entreating some, and
constraining others. He was much assisted, however, by Thrasybulus
of Stiria, who, having the loudest voice, as we are told, of all
the Athenians, went along with him and cried out to those who were
ready to go. A second great service which Alcibiades did for them
was his undertaking that the Phoenician fleet, which the
Lacedaemonians expected to be sent to them by the king of Persia,
should either come in aid of the Athenians, or otherwise should
not come at all. And now the people in the city not only desired,
but commanded Alcibiades to return home from his exile. He,
however, desired not to owe his return to the mere grace and
commiseration of the people, and resolved to come back, not with
empty hands, but with glory and after some service done. To this
end, he sailed from Samos with a few ships, and cruised on the sea
of Cnidos and about the isle of Cos; but receiving intelligence
there that Mindarus, the Spartan admiral, had sailed with his
whole army into the Hellespont, and that the Athenians had
followed him, he hurried back to succor the Athenian commanders,
and, by good fortune, arrived with eighteen galleys at a critical
time. For both the fleets having engaged near Abydos, the fight
between them had lasted till night, the one side having the
advantage on one quarter, and the other on another. Upon his first
appearance, both sides formed a false impression; the enemy was
encouraged, and the Athenians terrified. But Alcibiades suddenly
raised the Athenian ensign in the admiral ship, and fell upon
those galleys of the Peloponnesians which had the advantage and
were in pursuit. He soon put these to flight, and followed them so
close that he forced them on shore, and broke the ships in pieces,
the sailors abandoning them and swimming away, in spite of all the
efforts of Pharnabazus, who had come down to their assistance by
land, and did what he could to protect them from the shore. In
fine, the Athenians, having taken thirty of the enemy's ships, and
recovered all their own, erected a trophy. After the gaining of so
glorious a victory his vanity made him eager to show himself to
Tissaphernes, and, having furnished himself with gifts and
presents, and an equipage suitable to his dignity, he set out to
visit him. But the thing did not succeed as he had imagined, for
Tissaphernes had long been suspected by the Lacedaemonians, and
was afraid to fall into disgrace with his king upon that account,
therefore thinking that Alcibiades had arrived very opportunely,
he immediately caused him to be seized and sent away prisoner to
Sardis; fancying, by this act of injustice, to clear himself from
all former imputations. But about thirty days after, Alcibiades escaped from his keepers,
and, having got a horse, fled to Clazomenae, where he procured
Tissaphernes additional disgrace by professing that he was a party
to his escape. From there he sailed to the Athenian camp, and,
being informed that Mindarus and Pharnabazus were together at
Cyzicus, he made a speech to the soldiers, telling them that sea-
fighting, land-fighting, and, by the gods, fighting against
fortified cities too, must be all one for them, as, unless they
conquered everywhere, there was no money for them. As soon as he
got them on ship-board, he hastened to Proconnesus and gave
command to seize all the small vessels they met, and guard them
safely in the interior of the fleet, that the enemy might have no
notice of his coming; and a great storm of rain, accompanied with
thunder and darkness, which happened at the same time, contributed
much to the concealment of his enterprise. Indeed, it was not only
undiscovered by the enemy, but the Athenians themselves were
ignorant of it, for he commanded them suddenly on board, and set
sail when they had abandoned all intention of it. As the darkness
presently passed away, the Peloponnesian fleet were seen riding
out at sea in front of the harbor of Cyzicus. Fearing, if they
discovered the number of his ships, they might endeavor to save
themselves by land, he commanded the rest of the captains to
slacken, and follow him slowly, whilst he, advancing with forty
ships, showed himself to the enemy and provoked them to fight. The
enemy, being deceived as to their numbers, despised them, and,
supposing they were to contend with those only, made ready and
began the fight. But as soon as they were engaged, they perceived
the other part of the fleet coming down upon them, at which they
were so terrified that they fled immediately. Upon that,
Alcibiades, breaking through the midst of them with twenty of his
best ships, hastened to the shore, disembarked, and pursued those
who abandoned their ships and fled to land, and made a great
slaughter of them. Mindarus and Pharnabazus, coming to their
succor were utterly defeated. Mindarus was slain fighting
valiantly; Pharnabazus saved himself by flight. The Athenians slew
great numbers of their enemies, won much spoil, and took all their
ships. They also made themselves masters of Cyzicus, which was
deserted by Pharnabazus, and destroyed its Peloponnesian garrison,
and thereby not only secured to themselves the Hellespont, but by
force drove the Lacedaemonians out of all the rest of the sea.
They intercepted some letters written to the ephors, which gave an
account of this fatal overthrow, after their short, Iaconic
manner. "Our hopes are at an end. Mindarus is slain. The men are
starving. We know not what to do." And now Alcibiades began to desire to see his native country
again, or rather to show his fellow-citizens a person who had
gained so many victories for them. He set sail for Athens, the
ships that accompanied him being adorned with great numbers of
shields and other spoils, and towing after them many galleys taken
from the enemy, and the ensigns and ornaments of many others which
he had sunk and destroyed; all of them together amounting to two
hundred. Little credit, perhaps, can be given to what Duris the
Samian, who professed to be descended from Alcibiades, adds, that
Chrysogonus, who had gained a victory at the Pythian games, played
upon his flute for the galleys, whilst the oars kept time with the
music; and that Callippides, the tragedian, attired in his
buskins, his purple robes, and other ornaments used in the
theatre, gave the word to the rowers, and that the admiral's
galley entered into the port with a purple sail. It is not
credible, that one who had returned from so long an exile, and
such a variety of misfortunes, should come to his countrymen in
the style of revelers breaking up from a drinking-party. On the
contrary, he entered the harbor full of fear, nor would he venture
to go on shore, till, standing on the deck, he saw Euryptolemus,
his cousin, and others of his friends and acquaintance, who were
ready to receive him, and invited him to land. As soon as he was
landed, the multitude who came out to meet him scarcely appeared
to see any of the other captains, but came in throngs about
Alcibiades, and saluted him with loud acclamations, and followed
him; those who could press near him crowned him with garlands, and
they who could not come up so close yet stayed to behold him afar
off, and the old men pointed him out to the young ones.
Nevertheless, this public joy was mixed with some tears, and the
present happiness was diminished by the remembrance of the
miseries they had endured. They made reflections, that they could
not have so unfortunately miscarried in Sicily, if they had left
the management of their affairs and the command of their forces,
to Alcibiades, since, upon his undertaking the administration,
when they were absolutely driven from the sea, and could scarcely
defend the suburbs of their city by land, and at the same time,
were miserably distracted with intestine factions, he had raised
them up from this low and deplorable condition, and had not only
restored them to their ancient dominion of the sea, but had also
made them everywhere victorious over their enemies on land. The people being summoned to an assembly, Alcibiades came in among
them, and first bewailed and lamented his own sufferings, and, in
general terms complaining of the usage he had received, imputed
all to his hard fortune, and some ill genius that attended him:
then he spoke at large of their prospects, and exhorted them to
courage and good hope. The people crowned him with crowns of gold,
and created him general, both at land and sea, with absolute
power. They also made a decree that his estate should be restored
to him, and that the Eumolpiadae and the holy heralds should
absolve him from the curses which they had solemnly pronounced
against him by the sentence of the people. All the rest obeyed,
but Theodorus, the high-priest, excused himself, "For," said he,
"if he is innocent, I never cursed him." Certainly, if ever man was ruined by his own glory, it was
Alcibiades. For his continual success had produced such an idea of
his courage and conduct, that, if he failed in anything he
undertook, it was imputed to his neglect, and no one would believe
it was through want of power. For they thought nothing was too
hard for him, if he went about it in good earnest. Now, having
departed with a fleet of one hundred ships for the reduction of
Chios, and of the rest of Ionia, the people grew impatient that
things were not effected as fast and as rapidly as they could wish
for them. They never considered how extremely money was wanting,
and that, having to carry on war with an enemy who had supplies of
all things from a great king, he was often forced to quit his
armament, in order to procure money and provisions for the
subsistence of his soldiers. This very thing gave occasion for the
last accusation which was made against him. For Lysander, being
sent from Lacedaemon with a commission to be admiral of their
fleet, and being furnished by Cyrus with a great sum of money,
gave every sailor four obols a day, whereas before thy had but
three. Alcibiades could hardly allow his men three obols, and
therefore was obliged to go into Caria to furnish himself with
money. He left the care of the fleet, in his absence, to
Antiochus, an experienced seaman, but rash and inconsiderate, who
had express orders from Alcibiades not to engage, though the enemy
provoked him. But he slighted and disregarded these directions to
such a degree that, having made ready his own galley and another,
he stood for Ephesus, where the enemy lay, and, as he sailed
before the heads of their galleys, used every provocation
possible, both in words and deeds. Lysander manned out a few ships
and pursued him. But all the Athenian ships coming in to his
assistance, Lysander, also, brought up his whole fleet, which
gained an entire victory. He slew Antiochus himself, took many men
and ships, and erected a trophy. As soon as Alcibiades heard this news, he returned to Samos, and
loosing from thence with his whole fleet, came and offered battle
to Lysander. But Lysander, content with the victory he had gained,
would not stir. Amongst others in the army who hated Alcibiades,
Thrasybulus, the son of Thrason, was his particular enemy, and
went purposely to Athens to accuse him, and to exasperate his
enemies in the city against him. Addressing the people, he
represented that Alcibiades had ruined their affairs and lost
their ships by mere self-conceited neglect of his duties,
committing the government of the army, in his absence, to men who
gained his favor by drinking and scurrilous talking, whilst he
wandered up and down at pleasure to raise money, giving himself up
to every sort of luxury in Abydos and Ionia, at a time when the
enemy's navy were on the watch close at hand. It was also objected
to him, that he had fortified a castle near Bisanthe in Thrace,
for a safe retreat for himself, as one that either could not, or
would not, live in his own country. The Athenians gave credit to
these informations, and showed the resentment and displeasure
which they had conceived against him, by choosing other generals. As soon as Alcibiades heard of this, he immediately forsook the
army, afraid of what might follow; and, collecting a body of
mercenary soldiers, made war upon his own account against those
Thracians who called themselves free, and acknowledged no king. By
this means he amassed for himself considerable treasure, and, at
the same time, secured the bordering Greeks from the incursions of
the barbarians. Tydeus, Menander, and Adimantus, the newly made
generals, were at that time posted at Aegospotami, with all the
ships which the Athenians had left. Whence they used to go out
every morning, offer battle to Lysander, who lay near Lampsacus,
and, returning back again, lie all the rest of the day, carelessly
and without order, in contempt of the enemy. Alcibiades, who was
not far off, did not think so lightly of their danger, nor neglect
to let them know it, but, mounting his horse, came to the
generals, and represented to them that they had chosen a very
inconvenient station, where there was no safe harbor, and where
they were distant from any town; so that they were constrained to
send for their necessary provisions as far as Sestos. He also
pointed out to them their carelessness in suffering the soldiers,
when they went ashore, disperse and wander up and down at their
pleasure, while the enemy's fleet under the command of one
general, and strictly obedient to discipline, lay so very near
them. He advised them to remove the fleet to Sestos. But the
admirals not only disregarded what he said, but Tydeus, with
insulting expressions, commanded him to be gone saying, that now
not he, but others, had the command of the forces. The event, soon
made it evident how rightly he had judged of the errors which the
Athenians were committing. For Lysander fell upon them on a
sudden, when they least suspected it, with such fury that Conon
alone, with eight galleys, escaped him; all the rest, about two
hundred, he took and carried away, together with three thousand
prisoners, whom he put to death. And within a short time after, he
took Athens itself, burnt all the ships which he found there,
demolished their long walls, and established the rule of the
Thirty Tyrants. After this, Alcibiades, standing in dread of the Lacedaemonians,
who were now masters both at sea and land, retired into Bithynia.
He sent there great treasure before him, took much with him, but
left much more in the castle where he had before resided. But he
lost a great part of his wealth in Bithynia, being robbed by some
Thracians who lived in those parts, and thereupon determined to go
to the court of Artaxerxes, not doubting but that the king, if he
would make trial of his abilities, would find him not inferior to
Themistocles, besides being recommended by a more honorable cause.
For he went, not as Themistocles did, to offer his service against
his fellow-citizens, but against their enemies, and to implore the
king's aid for the defence of his country. The Athenians, in the
meantime, miserably afflicted at their loss of empire and liberty,
acknowledged and bewailed their former errors and follies, and
judged this second ill-usage of Alcibiades to be of all the most
inexcusable. For he was rejected, without any fault committed by
himself; and only because they were incensed against his
subordinate for having shamefully lost a few ships, they were much
more shamefully deprived the commonwealth of its most valiant and
accomplished general. Critias finally represented to Lysander that the Lacedaemonians
could never securely enjoy the dominion of Greece, till the
Athenian democracy was absolutely destroyed; and though now the
people of Athens seemed quietly and patiently to submit to so
small a number of governors, yet so long as Alcibiades lived, the
knowledge of this fact would never suffer them to acquiesce in
their present circumstances. Yet Lysander could not be prevailed upon by these representation,
till at last he received secret orders from the magistrates of
Lacedaemon, expressly requiring him to get Alcibiades despatched:
whether it was that they feared his energy and boldness in
undertaking what was hazardous, or that it was done to gratify
king Agis. Upon receipt of this order, Lysander sent a messenger
away to Pharnabazus, desiring him to put it in execution.
Alcibiades resided at that time in a small village in Phrygia.
Those who were sent to assassinate him had not courage enough to
enter the house, but surrounded it first, and set it on fire.
Alcibiades, as soon as he perceived it, wrapped his cloak about
his left arm, and holding his naked sword in his right, cast
himself into the middle of the fire, and escaped securely through
it, before his clothes were burnt. The barbarians, as soon as they
saw him, retreated, and none of them durst engage with him, but
standing at a distance, they slew him with their darts and arrows.
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