Whilst Sitalces was thus imploy'd, the Thessalians, Achaians, Magnesians, and all the other Grecians inhabiting within Macedon and Thermopyle, confederated and rais'd a mighty Army; for they were afraid lest the Thracians who were so powerful, should make an inroad into their Country, and bring them under the Thracian Yoke: And the Calcideans did the like. Sitalces hereupon being inform'd of the great Armies rais'd against him by the Grecians, and knowing his Army was not able to indure the sharpness of the approaching Winter, struck up a Peace with Perdiccas, and in confirmation thereof, contracted a Marriage with him, and so march'd his Army back into Thrace.
In the mean time, whilst these things were on foot, the Lacedemonians with their Confederates made another irruption out of Peloponesus into Attica, under their King Archidamus, who had the Sovereign Command of the Army; and after they had destroy'd all the standing Corn when it was near ripe, and made havock and spoil all over the Country, they return'd to their respective Habi∣tations. The Athenians on the other hand, were not in heart to oppose them, but were under sore Calamities by Plague and Famine, and therefore altogether despair'd of any good issue and event of the War. And these were the things observable this Year.
Euclides was Ruler of Athens, when the Romans chose Three Military Tri∣bunes in the room of Consuls, Marcus Mannius, Quintus Su'pitius Pretextatus, and Servitius Cornelius Cossus. At this time in Sicily, the Syracusians made War upon them of Leontum, a Colony brought thither from the Calcideans, originally A∣thenians, who being overpress'd by the power of the Syracusians, and in great danger to lose their City, sent Embassadors to Athens for speedy and seasonable aid, to deliver them from their present Exigency. The chief among them that were sent, was Gorgias the Orator, the most Eloquent Man of his time. He was the first that taught the Rules of Rhetorick, and was so famous for his wise and learned Orations, that all his Scholars as a Gratuity, gave him an Hun∣dred Mina's apiece.
When he came to Athens, and had Audience, he made an Oration to the People concerning the League desired; and by his new and ingenious way of speaking, the Athenians were so taken (who were otherwise Men of great Wis∣dom and Eloquence) that they were struck with admiration. For he adorn'd his Speech with most excellent Figures, and artificial composures of Words and Sentences, as by Op∣posites, Paranomacisms, equal Periods like Terminations, and the like gingling strains of Rhetorical Wit, to allure and in∣tice his Auditors, which at that time for its novelty, was much admired. But now it's lookt upon to savour too much of affectation, and to be ridiculous, especially when by frequency and often re∣petition it becomes fulsome and tedious. Gorgias having perswaded the Athe∣nians to enter into a League with the Leontines, return'd to Leontinum with great Reputation for his Eloquence.
The Athenians for some time before, had an hankering Mind after Sicily, by reason of the richness of the Soyl, and therefore were now more willingly per∣swaded by Gorgias, and decreed to send Aid as was desir'd. The pretence was to assist them who were their own Countrymen, and were brought into great straits, but in truth their chief Design was to gain the Island; for not many Years before, when the War broke forth between the Corinthians and them of Corcyra, and both address'd themselves to the Athenians for Aid, to make them their Confederates, the People of Athens resolv'd to side with the Corcyreans, because Corcyra was so situated, that it was a very ready and convenient Pass over from thence into Sicily. In short, the Athenians being now Masters at Sea, and every where successful, had many Confederates, and were richly fur∣nished, both with Men and Money, had many Cities under their power, were possess'd of a mighty Treasure in ready Money brought from Delos, gathered from the Inhabitants of Greece to the value of above Ten Thousand Talents.
Moreover, they had likewise many excellent Officers, and expert Commanders; by these Advantages, the Athenians were grown very confident that they should both overcome the Spartans, (and having subdu'd all Greece) win also the