life to any chances it might have at the hands of the excited Athenian commonalty. He was, probably, able accurately to forecast his fate in case he returned home. His resolution was taken as soon as he had received the summons of the Salaminia. When he arrived at Thurii on the homeward voyage, he and his friends disappeared. A fruitless search was made, but the two triremes were obliged to return home without him. In his absence he was tried and condemned to death. All his property was confiscated, and on account of his violation of the mysteries, priests and priestesses, waving red banners and turning their faces towards the west, pronounced a solemn curse upon him. The news came to Alcibiades that he was condemned to death. "I will show them that I am still alive!" said Alcibiades. CHAPTER XXXVI. THE SIEGE OF SYRACUSE TILL THE ARRIVAL OF GYLIPPUS. THE loss of Alcibiades was, in every respect, the most serious blow that could have happened to the Athenians. It was a loss that afflicted them doubly. It was not only their own calamity, but an enormous gain to the Spartans. Alcibiades took away from the Athenians what they could least spare, and gave to the Lacedæmonians what they most wanted. The genius, energy, and audacity of Alcibiades were the very qualities that would best balance the caution and humility of Nicias, and work harmoniously with them to great results. They were also the qualities that would most stir up the lethargy of the Spartan temperament, and give shape and force to their languid hostility towards Athens. We are now entering on the saddest and most eventful portion of Hellenic annals. For long disastrous years Alcibiades is no longer an Athenian, but has become a Spartan. He has changed into his country's deadliest foe. Energy, enterprise, and good fortune, once allied with the cause of the Athenians, have now ranged themselves beneath the banners of their enemies. Obviously it would have been the true interest of Nicias, while the terror of his arrival was yet fresh in the hearts of the Syracusans, to strike a vigorous blow for the attainment of the first object of the expedition. It is probable that some brilliant success would have been the result. But a strange lassitude had fallen upon the Athenian commander. We can hardly avoid thinking that his hopeless disease, concerning which he wrote at a later period to the Athenians, was already afflicting him and sapping all his energies. Lamachus possessed courage and energy, but in position he was so entirely subordinate to Nicias that there was no opportunity for the exhibition of those high qualities. He did little beyond making a visit to the Egestans, where he ascertained that their profusion of wealth was all a mockery, and that no money was obtainable beyond the moderate amount mentioned in the first instance. So thoroughly understood and despised was the inactivity of Nicias, that Syracusan horsemen would ride up to the camp of the Athenians and tauntingly ask them whether they had come to settle down in the island as peaceable colonists. Then Nicias found it necessary to act. His first movement was a stratagem, which had the disastrous result of being successful and of inaugurating the great future tragedy. Three months had now been wasted, and, beyond the capture of Naxos and Catana, nothing had been done. Winter was setting in, and Nicias tacitly determined that he would make an attack upon Syracuse. He caused a false message to be sent to the Syracusans, telling them, that if they attacked Catana at daybreak they would find the Athenians unarmed and unprepared, and that the Cataneans would themselves arise and assist them to destroy the invader. Accordingly the whole Syracusan force marched out and encamped for the night by a river side, that they might be ready for an attack the first thing in the morning. But all that night Nicias, with his troops on shipboard, was sailing southward along the coast, and in the morning he sailed straight into the Great Harbour of Syracuse, landing where the river Anapus falls into the gulf, and not far from the hamlet where stood the temple of Zeus Olympius. When the Syracusans found how they had been befooled they hurried back to their city. They found Nicias encamped on elevated ground, well defended by houses, trees, walls, and water, and with a palisade thrown up for the protection of his ships drawn ashore. A battle soon ensued on the ground called the Olympieion, in which the Athenians were victorious. But all the energy of Nicias was exhausted by the effort. He did not think that he would be able to follow it up, in the present condition of his forces and supplies. He accordingly resolved to go into winter-quarters at Catana or Naxos, to write to Athens for money and cavalry, and to make his preparations for a regular siege in the summer. But he did not properly consider that neither would the Syracusans be idle during this time; that they, too, would be extending their resources and enlarging their fortifications, and, above all, that ample space and opportunity would be afforded for the interference of the Peloponnesians. Each side accordingly addressed itself to the deadly contest which was not far off. The Athenians sent the supplies for which they were asked; but it must have been a grievous disappointment to them that the great armament from which they had expected so much should have accomplished so little. Nicias also sought allies among the barbarous tribes who inhabited the central parts of the island, where he found a few friends. He sent also a vessel to Carthage, but it is not known that anything ever came of this, though six years later the Carthaginians invaded the island of Sicily with enormous forces. Both sides tried for the town of Camerina, but Camerina wisely insisted on being entirely neutral. Syracusan envoys were also sent to Corinth and Sparta. The Corinthians, always adverse to the Athenians, gave them the heartiest sympathy and support. When they came to Sparta they found that they already possessed a most warm and effectual ally in Alcibiades. The exile, burning with rage towards the country that had discarded him, now took the opportunity of wreaking the fullest vengeance upon her. He came forward and told the Lacedæmonians that nobody knew better than himself what the designs of the Athenians had been, |