Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.86

[1] And those ambassadors of The Four Hundred, which had been sent out before to mollify and to inform those of Samos, came from Delos now whilst Alcibiades was present. An assembly being called, they were offering to speak.

[2] But the soldiers at first would not hear them, but cried out to have them put to death for that they had deposed the people; yet afterwards with much ado they were calmed and gave them hearing.

[3] They declared that the change had been made for the preservation of the city, not to destroy it nor to deliver it to the enemy; for they could have done that before now when the enemy during their government assaulted it, that every one of The Five Thousand was to participate of the government in their turns; and their friends were not, as Chaereas had laid to their charge, abused, nor had any wrong at all, but remained every one quietly upon his own.

[4] Though they delivered this and much more, yet the soldiers believed them not, but raged still and declared their opinions, some in one sort some in another, most agreeing in this to go against Peiraeus. And now Alcibiades appeared to be the first and principal man in doing service to the commonwealth. For when the Athenians at Samos were carried headlong to invade themselves, in which case most manifestly the enemy had presently possessed himself of Ionia and Hellespont, [it was thought that] he was the man that kept them from it.

[5] Nor was there any man at that time able to have held in the multitude but himself.

[6] He both made them to desist from the voyage and rated off from the ambassadors those that were in their own particular incensed against them. Whom also he sent away, giving them their answer himself: That he opposed not the government of The Five Thousand, but willed them to remove The Four Hundred and to establish the council that was before of five hundred;

[7] that if they had frugally cut off any expense so that such as were employed in the wars might be the better maintained, he did much commend them for it. And withal he exhorted them to stand out and give no ground to their enemies, for that as long as the city held out, there was great hope for them to compound;

[8] but if either part miscarry once, either this at Samos or the other at Athens, there would none be left for the enemy to compound withal. There chanced to be present also the ambassadors of the Argives, sent unto the popular faction of the Athenians in Samos to assist them.

[9] These Alcibiades commended and appointed to be ready when they should be called for and so dismissed them. These Argives came in with those of the Paralus, that had been bestowed formerly in the military galley by The Four Hundred to go about Euboea and to convoy Laespodias, Aristophon, and Melesias, ambassadors from The Four Hundred, to Lacedaemon. These, as they sailed by Argos, seized on the ambassadors and delivered them as principal men in deposing of the people to the Argives, and returned no more to Athens, but came with the galley they then were in to Samos and brought with them these ambassadors from the Argives.

[1] After his return the envoys of the Four Hundred sent, as has been mentioned above, to pacify and explain matters to the forces at Samos , arrived from Delos ; and an assembly was held in which they attempted to speak.

[2] The soldiers at first would not hear them, and cried out to put to death the subverters of the democracy, but at last, after some difficulty, calmed down and gave them a hearing.

[3] Upon this the envoys proceeded to inform them that the recent change had been made to save the city, and not to ruin it or to deliver it over to the enemy, for they had already had an opportunity of doing this when he invaded the country during their government; that all the Five Thousand would have their proper share in the government; and that their hearers' relatives had neither outrage, as Chaereas had slanderously reported, nor other ill-treatment to complain of, but were all in undisturbed enjoyment of their property just as they had left them.

[4] Besides these they made a number of other statements which had no better success with their angry auditors; and amid a host of different opinions the one which found most favour was that of sailing to Piraeus . Now it was that Alcibiades for the first time did the state a service, and one of the most signal kind. For when the Athenians at Samos were bent upon sailing against their countrymen, in which case Ionia and the Hellespont would most certainly at once have passed into possession of the enemy, Alcibiades it was who prevented them.

[5] At that moment, when no other man would have been able to hold back the multitude, he put a stop to the intended expedition, and rebuked and turned aside the resentment felt, on personal grounds, against the envoys;

[6] he dismissed them with an answer from himself, to the effect that he did not object to the government of the Five Thousand, but insisted that the Four Hundred should be deposed and the Council of Five Hundred reinstated in power: meanwhile any retrenchments for economy, by which pay might be better found for the armament, met with his entire approval.

[7] Generally, he bade them hold out and show a bold face to the enemy, since if the city were saved there was good hope that the two parties might some day be reconciled, whereas if either were once destroyed, that at Samos , or that at Athens , there would no longer be any one to be reconciled to.

[8] Meanwhile arrived envoys from the Argives, with offers of support to the Athenian commons at Samos : these were thanked by Alcibiades, and dismissed with a request to come when called upon.

[9] The Argives were accompanied by the crew of the Paralus, whom we left placed in a troopship by the Four Hundred with orders to cruise round Euboea , and who being employed to carry to Lacedaemon some Athenian envoys sent by the Four Hundred, Laespodias, Aristophon, and Melesias, as they sailed by Argos laid hands upon the envoys, and delivering them over to the Argives as the chief subverters of the democracy, themselves, instead of returning to Athens , took the Argive envoys on board, and came to Samos in the galley which had been confided to them.

Während der Anwesenheit des Alkibiades kamen auch von
Delos her die Abgesandten der Vierhundert, welche sie damals
abgeschickt hatten, um die in Samos zu beruhigen und eines Bessern zu
belehren, und versuchten in einer Versammlung, sich Gehör zu
verschaffen. Die Soldaten aber wollten sie Anfangs nicht anhören,
sondern schrieen, man solle die todten, welche die Volksregierung
gestürzt hätten, und nur mit Mühe gaben sie sich endlich zur Ruhe und
hörten sie an. Diese berichteten nun, daß der Verfassun'gSwechsel
keineswegs zum Verderben des Staates, sondern zu dessen Rettung
vorgenommen worden sei, und nicht um den Staat an die Feinde zu
verrathen, — denn das hätten sie ja bereits thun können, da jener
feindliche Angriff schon während ihrer neuen Regierung stattgefunden
habe — und in die Zahl der Fünftausend würden der Reihe nach
Alle aufgenommen werden; auch würden ihre eigenen Angehörigen
keineswegs mißhandelt, wie ChaireaS böswillig berichtet hätte,
vielmehr nicht im Geringsten belästigt, sondern Jeder wohne ruhig in
seinem Besitzthum an Ort und Stelle. Dieß und noch vieles Andere
brachten sie vor, aber man wollte trotz Allem nicht darauf hören; es
zeigte sich die alte Erbitterung, und während der Eine dieß, der
Andere jenes vorschlug, waren die Meisten darin Eins,-daß man
gegen den Piräeus segeln solle. Hier nun erschien Alkibiades als
der, welcher zuerst und nicht weniger als irgend ein Anderer als Ret-«
ter des Staates auftrat; denn während die Athener auf Samos die
Absicht hatten, zum Kampf gegen ihr eigenes Vaterland''auszuführen,
in welchem Falle die Feinde ohne allen Zweifel sofort Jonien und
den HelleSpont in Besitz genommen hätten, war er derjenige, welcher
dieß verhinderte. Und in jenem Augenblicke wäre wohl auch kein
Anderer fähig gewesen, die Masse zurückzuhalten; er aber hielt sie
von der Abfahrt zurück und schreckte auch die Einzelnen, die sich in
ihrem Zorn an den Gesandten vergreifen wollten, durch Scheltworte ¹
davon ab. Er selbst entließ die Gesandten mit der Antwort, daß er
Nichts dagegen habe, wenn die Fünftausend die Regierung führten,
aber die Vierhundert müßten sie beseitigen und den alten Rath
wieder einsetzen, den der Fünfhundert nämlich. Wenn übrigens durch
sie Ersparungen erzielt worden wären, so daß die Soldaten im Feld
ihre Verpflegung um so leichter erhielten, so lobe er das sehr.
Uebrigens sollten sie tapfer Stand halten und den Feinden in Nichts
nachgeben. Denn wenn die Stadt sich nur aufrecht erhalte, so sei schon
große Hoffnung vorhanden, daß mit ihnen selbst eine Aussöhnung
stattfinden werde; wenn aber einer von beiden Theilen unterliege, sei
es nun der auf Samos oder jene zu HauS, so sei nicht einmal Einer
mehr da, mit dem man sich aussöhnen könne.

ES erschienen aber auch Gesandte der Argiver, welche der
Volkspartei der Athener auf Samos ihrerseits Hülfe ankündigten.
Alkibiades lobte sie deßhalb, sagte ihnen, sie sollten erscheinen, wenn
man sie rufe, und entließ sie damit. Die Argiver waren aber mit
den Paraliern gekommern, welche damals von den Vierhundert aus
ein Soldatenlastschiff versetzt und beauftragt worden waren, um
Euböa zu kreuzen, und als sie dann die Abgesandten der Vierhundert
nach Lakedämon, den LaiSpodias und Aristophon und Melesias, zu
führen hatten, und eben auf Argos lossteuerten, ergriffen sie diese
Gesandten und lieferten sie den Argivern aus als solche, die am
Umsturz der Volksregierung vorzüglich mitschuldig seien; sie selbst
aber kehrten nicht mehr nach Athen zurück, sondern kamen jetzt mit
ihrem Dreiruderer nach Samos und brachten die Gesandten von
Argos mit.

LXXXVI. Les députés des quatre cents, envoyés ¹ précédemment pour tranquilliser et éclairer l'armée de Samos, arrivèrent de Délos, et trouvèrent là Alcibiade. Une assemblée fut convoquée; mais, lorsqu’ils voulurent prendre la parole, les soldats refusèrent d’abord de les entendre, en criant qu’il fallait tuer ceux qui avaient aboli la démocratie. Cependant ils se calmèrent enfin à grand’peine, et écoulèrent. Les députés déclarèrent que la révolution avait eu pour objet, non la ruine, mais le salut de la république; qu’il n’était pas question de la livrer à l’ennemi, puisqu’on le pouvait lors de l’invasion ² , ayant dès lors le pouvoir en main, et qu’on ne l’avait pas fait; que les cinq mille participeraient tous au gouvernement tour à tour, et que les familles des guerriers absents, bien loin d’être outragées, comme l’avait annoncé calomnieusement Chéréas, n’étaient inquiétées en rien et restaient paisiblement en possession de leurs biens. Malgré ces protestations et beaucoup d’autres, les soldats ne voulurent rien entendre, et s’exaltèrent de plus en plus : les propositions se croisaient, on parlait surtout de faire voile pour le Pirée. Dans cette occurrence, Alcibiade prit l’initiative et rendit à la république un service qui ne le cède à aucun autre. Car, au moment où l’armée athénienne de Samos brûlait de marcher sur Athènes, démarche qui livrait à l’ennemi sans coup férir l’Ionie et l’Hellespont, ce fut lui qui l’en empêcha; et aucun autre que lui n’était capable, dans un pareil moment, de contenir la multitude. Il les fit renoncer à leur dessein, et calma par ses reproches ceux qui se montraient particulièrement animés contre les députés. Il fit lui- ³ même la réponse el leur dit, en les congédiant, qu’il ne s’opposait pas à ce que l’autorité fût exercée par les cinq mille, mais qu’il demandait la déposition des quatre cents et le rétablissement de l’ancien conseil des cinq cents; que si quelque réduction avait été faite sur les dépenses, pour augmenter la solde des troupes, il approuvait entièrement. Il leur recommanda d’ailleurs de tenir ferme contre l’ennemi, et de se mettre en garde contre toute faiblesse; car, disait-il, la ville sauvée, il y a tout espoir de s’entendre entre concitoyens; mais, si une fois un des deux partis succombe, celui de Samos ou celui d’Athènes, il ne restera plus personne avec qui se réconcilier.

Il se trouvait aussi là des députés d’Argos envoyés à Samos, auprès des Athéniens, pour offrir des secours au parti populaire. Alcibiade les félicita, les engagea à venir au premier appel, et les congédia. C’étaient les Paraliens qui avaient amené ces ambassadeurs d’Argos. Embarqués précédemment sur un bâtiment affecté au transport des hoplites, avec ordre de croiser autour de l’Eubée, ils avaient reçu ensuite mission de transporter à Lacédémone Lespodias, Aristophon et Mélésias, envoyés comme ambassadeurs par les quatre cents. Mais, une fois à la hauteur d’Argos, ils avaient arrêté et livré aux Argiens ces députés, comme ayant joué un des principaux rôles dans l’abolition de la démocratie. Quant à eux, au lieu de retourner à Athènes, ils avaient pris à leur bord les députés argiens et les avaient amenés à Samos.

Là-dessus arrivèrent de Délos les députés envoyés dans le temps par les Quatre-Cents pour tranquilliser l’armée et lui faire entëndre raison. Alcibiade était alors à Samos. Une assemblée fut convoquée ; mais lorsque les députés voulurent prendre la parole, les soldats refusèrent de les écouter et s’écrièrent qu’il fallait tuer ces destructeurs de la démocratie. A la fin cependant ils se calmèrent, non sans peine, et consentirent à les laisser parler.

Les députés déclarèrent que la révolution avait eu pour but, non pas la ruine, mais le salut de la ville ; qu’on ne songeait aucunement à la livrer aux ennemis : et la preuve, c’est que rien n’était plus facile à faire lors de l’incursion des Péloponésiens, quand on était déjà, au pouvoir ; que tous les citoyens à tour de rôle feraient partie des Cinq-Mille ; que les familles des soldats n’étaient point outragées, comme Chéréas l’avait faussement annoncé ; qu’on ne leur faisait aucun mal et qu’elles vaquaient paisiblement à leurs affaires. Ils eurent beau répéter ces assertions, les soldats ne voulurent rien entendre ; la colère leur suggé-raittoute sorte d’avis, surtout celui d’aller au Pirée. En cette occasion, Alcibiade rendit à la patrie le service le plus signalé : au moment où l’armée, cédant à l’entraînement, allait faire voile pour Athènes, ce qui était évidemment livrer aux ennemis l’Ionie et l’Hellespont, il sut l’en empêcher. NuPautre que lui n’étaient alors capable de contenir la multitude. Alcibiade la fît renoncer à son dessein et apaisa par ses remontrances l’irritation contre les députés. Ce fut lui qui les congédia, en leur disant qu’il ne s’opposait point à ce que les Cinq-Mille gouvernassent ; mais que les Quatre-Cents devaient se démettre et rétablir l’ancien conàeil des Cinq-Cents ; que si l’on avait fait quelque réduction dans les dépenses pour alimenter l’armée, il y donnait son plein assentiment. Au surplus il recommandait de tenir ferme et de ne point céder aux ennemis : car, dit-il, la ville sauvée, on peut espérer un rapprochement ; mais siYun des deux partis, celui de Samos ou celui d’Athènes, vient à succomber, il ne restera plus personne avec qui se réconcilier.

Il y avait là des députés d’Argos, venus pour offrir leurs services au parti populaire résidant à Samos. Alcibiade les remercia, et leur dit en les renvoyant qu’on s'adresserait à eux en temps utile. Ces députés avaient fait leur traversée avec les Paraliens. Ceux-ci, comme on l’a vu,, avaient été placés par les Quatre-Cents sur un bâtiment de transport avec ordre de croiser autour de l'Eubée ; ensuite ils avaient été chargés de conduire à Lacédémone Lespodias, Aristophon et Mélésias, envoyés en députation' par les Quatre-Cents ; mais parvenus à la hauteur d’Argos, ils s’étaient saisis de ces ambassadeurs et les avaient livrés aux Argiens, comme coupables du renversement delà démocratie ; puis, au lieu de revenir à Athènes, ils avaient pris à bord des députés argiens et s’étaient rendus à Samos avec leur trirème.

[1] And the envoys who had been sent by the Four Hundred, at the time above mentioned, ¹ to appease the soldiers at Samos and explain matters, now arrived from Delos when Alcibiades was already there; and at a meeting of the assembly they attempted to speak.

[2] But the soldiers were at first unwilling to hear them, and with shouts threatened to kill the subverters of the democracy; afterwards, however, when with difficulty they had quieted down, they heard them.

[3] The envoys announced that the revolution had been made, not for the destruction of the state, but for its preservation, not in order that Athens might be betrayed to the enemy (for that could have been done at the time of the Lacedaemonian invasion, when the revolutionists were already in power); they stated, moreover, that all the Five Thousand would participate in the government in their turn; furthermore, their relatives were neither being insulted, as Chaereas was slanderously saying, nor suffering any ill, but remained in their homes, each in possession of his own property.

[4] But though they said all this and more, the soldiers were none the more inclined to give heed to them, but were angry, and one after another offered various suggestions, but particularly that they should sail against the Peiraeus. And Alcibiades seems then in an eminent degree, and more than anyone else, to have benefited the state; for when the Athenians at Samos were bent upon sailing against their own people—and if they had the enemy would most certainly have been masters of Ionia and the Hellespont—it was he who prevented it.

[5] And in that critical moment no other man would have been able to restrain the crowd, but he stopped them from sailing, and reproaching those who were on their own private account angry at the envoys, he caused them to desist.

[6] And he sent the envoys away with this answer from himself: he did not object to the Five Thousand ruling, but bade them depose the Four Hundred and set up the senate as it had been before—the body of Five Hundred;

[7] and if there had been any curtailment with a view to economy, so that the soldiers in the field might have better maintenance, he quite approved of that. As for the rest, he bade them not yield a step to the enemy;

[8] for so long as the city was saved there was great hope of a reconciliation among themselves, but if once one party or the other should go to the ground, whether the one at Samos or that at Athens, there would be no one left to be reconciled with.
  Envoys from the Argives also came to Samos with offers of assistance to the Athenian democracy there; but Alcibiades dismissed them with words of commendation, telling them to come when summoned.

[9] Now the Argives had come with the crew of the Paralus, who at the time above mentioned ² had been sent out in the troop-ship with instructions to cruise round Euboea and to convey to Lacedaemon the three Athenian envoys from the Four Hundred, Laespodias, Aristophon and Melesias. But when they had got as far as Argos on their voyage, the crew had seized the envoys and delivered them to the Argives, on the ground that they were among those who had been chiefly instrumental in overthrowing the democracy. They themselves, however, did not go back to Athens thereafter, but came from Argos to Samos, bringing with them the envoys in their trireme.

[1] And now the ambassadors from the Four Hundred, whom they sent at the time we mentioned to appease and inform those at Samos, arrived from Delos, after Alcibiades had come; and when an assembly had been called, they attempted to make a speech.

[2] But the soldiers at first would not hear them, but cried out, that they should put to death those who were abolishing the democracy; afterwards, however, they were with difficulty calmed down, and gave them a hearing.

[3] They, then, delivered to them this message;

[4] Though they made this and many other statements besides, they listened none the more favourably, but were angry, and expressed different opinions, though most generally, that they should sail to the Piraeus. And on that occasion Alcibiades appeared to have benefited the state for the first time, and in a degree inferior to no one else. For when the Athenians at Samos were bent on sailing against their countrymen, in which case most certainly the enemy would have taken possession of Ionia and the Hellespont, he was the man who prevented them.

[5] Indeed on that emergency no one else would have been able to restrain the multitude. He, however, both made them desist from the attack, and silenced with rebukes those individuals who were on their own account most angry with the ambassadors.

[6] He then dismissed them with an answer from himself,

[7]

[8] There came also ambassadors from the Argives, with offers of assistance to the popular party of the Athenians at Samos;

[9] but Alcibiades thanked them, and desiring them to come when they should be called upon, thus dismissed them. Now the Argives came in company with the crew of the Paralus, who, when last mentioned, had been commanded by the Four Hundred to cruise in the troop-ship round Euboea; and who, while taking to Lacedaemon some Athenians that had been sent as ambassadors by the Four Hundred, namely, Laespodias, Aristophon, and Melesias, when off Argos in their passage, seized the ambassadors, and delivered them up to the Argives, as being some of those who had been most instrumental in abolishing the democracy; while they themselves did not go to Athens again, but taking the ambassadors from Argos to Samos arrived there with the trireme they were in.

[1] Legati autem, quos quadringenti ante, ut dixi, miserant ad deliniendos et accurate docendos eas,qui Sami erant, praesente Alcibiade ex Delo advenerunt, et coacta concione verba facere conabantur.

[2] Milites vero prinio quidem eos audire nolebant, sed interficiendos eos, qui popularem statum sustulissent, vociferabantur; deinde tamen, aegre sedato tumultu, eos audierunt.

[3] Illi vero renuntiabant, rerum immutationem neque in reipublica? perniciem, sed salutis causa faciam esse, nec ut civitas hostibus proderetur (licuisse enim, quum irruptio fieret se jam in imperio constitutis, id facere), et futurum, ut, quotquot e quinque milliuln numero essent, per vices dignitatis participes essent; et propinquos ipsorum neque contumeliam pati, quemadmodum Chacreascriminando retulisset , neque ullo inalo affici, sed apud sua quemque in loco manere.

[4] Quum autem et alia mulla coramemoras-sent, nihilo magis tamen iis favebant, sed indignabantur, et alii alias sententias dicebant, praecipue vero ut ad Piraeeum navigaretur. Et videbatur Alcibiades primum tunc et ita, ut nemo magis, de reptiblica bene meritus esse; quum enim Athenienses, qui Sami erant, adversus se ipsos animi quodain impetu navigare statuissent, quod si fecissent, manifestissimum erat liostcs confestim Ioniam et Hellespon- tum in suam potestatem redacturas fuisse, ille rem videbatur impedivisse.

[5] Et in illo quidem tempore nemo alius multitudinem compescere potuisset, ille vero et navigationis infestae studium sedavit, et eos, qui legatis privatim irascebantur, increpans deterrebat.

[6] Ipse autem eos boc responso dato dimittebat, se non impedire, quin quinque millia civium imperium oblinerent, quadringentos vero ut amoverent, imperabat, et senatum restituerent, quemadmodum et prius fuisset, quingentorum; si quos autem sumptus, parsimoniae studentes, contraxissent, ut milites stipendium facilius haberent, se magnopere probare.

Et de ceteris hortabatur, ut hostibus fortiter resisterent, nec ullo modo cederent; nam inter se ipsos quidem, si civitas incolumis staret, magnam spem esse, fore, utcompo-sitio fieret, si vero semel altera pars succumberet, aut exercitus in Samo aut illi, nullum amplius fore, cum quo quis in mutuam gratiam rediret.

[8] Aderant autem et Argivorum legali, qui Atheniensium populo, qui Sami erat, se opem laturos pollicebantur; Alcibiades autem eos collaudatos, et quum quis eos vocaret, ut adessent, rogatos, ita dimisit.

[9] Venerant autem Argivi cum Paralis, qui ante, ut dixi, in militarem navem traducti a quadringentis viris jussi erant Euboeam circumvehi, et Atheniensium legatos a quadringentis [missos], Laespodiam et Aristophontem et Melesiam, Lacedav monem deducere, [qui] quum in cursu ad Argos pervenissent, legatos quidem comprehensos Argivis tradiderunt, quippe quod essent ex numero illorum, qui in primis popularem statum sustulissent, ipsi vero non jam Athenas redierunt, sed legatos Argis Samum adducentes, ea, quam habebant, triremi advenerunt.

Partiti da Deio i legati de quattrocento già spediti a Samo per attutire ed informare l’esercito, vi giungono quando v’era presente Alcibiade; e tenutasi adunanza si sforzavano di pigliar la parola. I soldati da prima non volevano udirli; e gridavano che si uccidessero i disfacitori dello stato popolare : ma poi quetatisi s' indussero ad ascoltarli. Allora i legati annunziavano che la mutazione del governo non era stata fatta a perdizione ma a salvezza della Repubblica, e non per darla in mano ai nemici, ai quali si sarebbe potuta dare quando e’l’assalirono essendo in carica i quattrocento ; che a tutti toccherebbe la sua volta di entrare nel numero de’cinquemila ; che i loro congiunti non erano insultati (siccome avea calunniosamente riferito Cherea), e non che ricevessero alcun male, stava ciascuno di essi al suo posto padroni de’propri beni. Molte altre cose poi aggiunsero a queste che non furono punto meglio udite dai soldati, i quali invece s’infastidirono, e proponevano chi un partito, chi un altro , e specialmente quello di navigare contro il Pireo. Allora fu che Alcibiade riscosse la opinione d’aver il primo e non meno di qualunqu’altro giovato alla Repubblica. Conciossiachè, essendo risoluti gli Ateniesi di Samo di navigar contro quelli d’Atene (nel qual caso i nemici a dirittura avrebber sicuramente occupato la Ionia e l’Ellesponto), egli ebbe il vanto di essersi opposto a quella furia, nella quale nissuno sarebbe stato atto a contenere la moltitudine; distolse l’esercito da quella mossa, e garrì e represse quelli che si versavano contro ai legati. I quali egli medesimo rimandò con questa risposta; che non impedirebbe a’cinquemila di ritenere il governo , ma che ordinava loro di deporre i quattrocento, e di rimettere come prima il consiglio de’cinquecento. Se poi per economia fosse stata fatta qualche riforma, ad oggetto che i soldati fossero meglio pagati, in ciò li lodava sommamente. Del resto li confortava a tener il fermo e non cedere ai nemici ; perciocché, mantenendosi salva la Repubblica, vi era molta speranza di accomodarsi tra loro ; ma una volta che una delle due parti, o quella di Samo o quella d’Atene soccombesse, non vi resterebbe più nemmeno con chi rappacificarsi. Trovavansi presenti a questo dibattimento anche gli ambasciatori degli Argivi, i quali promettevano di soccorrere i popolani ateniesi che erano in Samo. Di che Alcibiade, colmatili di lodi, disse loro che si dovessero presentare quando fossero chiamati, e cosi li accomiatò. Questi Argivi erano venuti a Samo con quei della nave Paralo, i quali al tempo soprallegato erano stati destinati dai quattrocento a volteggiare intorno all’Eubea con una nave da trasporto, e doveano condurre a Sparta per parte de’quattrocento gli ambasciatori ateniesi, Lespodia, Aristofonte e Melesia. Se non che quando navigando furono presso ad Argo arrestarono gli ambasciatori, e come principali sovvertitori dello stato popolare li consegnarono agli Argivi. Né già ritornarono ad Atene, ma conducenda seco gli ambasciatori, da Argo arrivarono a Samo colla nave sulla quale erano.