A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PERICLES. PERICLES. 199'~ara, which was most insisted on, were mere pre- lands were left unravaged, he would give them up
texts by which the Lacedaemonians were trying to be the property of the state (Thucyd. ii. 13).
the spirit and resolution of the Athenians; and lie took the opportunity at the same time of giving
that in that point of view, involving the whole prin- the Athenians an account of the resources they had
ciple of submission to Sparta, it became of the at their command. Acting upon his advice they
utmost importance not to yield. He pointed out conveyed their moveable property into the city,
the advantages which Athens, as the head of a transporting their cattle and beasts of burden to
compact dominion, possessed over a disjointed Euboea. VWhen the Peloponnesian army advanced
league like that of the Peloponnesians, which, more- desolating Attica, the Athenians were clamorous to
over, had not at its immediate command the re- be led out against the enemy, and were angry with
sources necessary for carrying on the war, and Pericles because he steadily adhered to the policy
would find the greatest difficulty in raising them; he had recommended. He would hold no assembly
showed how impossible it was that the Pelopon- or meeting of any kind. He, however, kept close
nesians should be able to cope with the Athenians guard on the walls, and sent out cavalry to protect
by sea, and how utterly fruitless their attack the lands near the city. While the Peloponnesiani
would be while Athens remained mistress of the army was in Attica, a fleet of 100 ships was
sea. The course which he recommended there- sent round Peloponnesus. (Thucyd. ii. 18, &c.)
fore was, that the Athenians should not attempt The foresight of Pericles may probably be traced
to defend their territory when invaded, but retire in the setting apart 1000 talents, and 100 of the
within the city, and devote all their attention best sailing galleys of the year, to be employed
to securing the strength and efficiency of their only in case of an attack being made on Athens
navy, with which they could make severe retalia- by sea. Any one proposing to appropriate them
tions on the territories of their enemies; since a to any other purpose was to suffer death. Another
victory by land would be of no service, and defeat fleet of thirty ships was sent along the coasts of
would immediately be followed by the revolt of Locris and Euboea: and in this same summer the
their subject allies. I-Ie warned them, however, population of Aegina was expelled, and Athenian
that they must be content with defending what colonists sent to take possession of the island. An
they already possessed, and must not attempt to alliance was also entered into with Sitalces, king
extend their dominion. War, he bade them ob- of Thrace. In the autumn Pericles in person led
serve, could not be avoided; and they would the an army into Megaris, and ravaged most of the
less feel the ill effects of it, if they met their an- country. The decree against Megara before spoken
tagonists with alacrity. At his suggestion the of enacted that the Athenian generals on entering
Athenians gave for answer to the Lacedaemonian office should swear to invade Megaris twice a year
ambassadors, that they would rescind the decree (Plut. I. c.; Thlmcyd. iv. 66). In the winter (a. c.
against Megara if the Lacedaemonians would cease 431-430), on the occasion of paying funeral hoto exclude strangers from intercourse with their nours to those who had fallen in the course of the
citizens; that they would leave their allies inde- hostilities, Pericles was chosen to deliver the orapendent if they were so at the conclusion of the tion. (Thucyd. ii. 35-46.) In the summer of
treaty, and if Sparta would grant real independence the next year, when the Peloponnesians invaded
to her allies; and that they were still willing to Attica, Pericles pursued the sanme policy as before.
submit their differences to arbitration. In this summer the plague made its appearance in
In one sense, indeed, Pericles may be looked Athens (Thucyd. ii. 48, &c.). An armament of
upon as the author of the Peloponnesian war, in- 100 ships (Thucyd. ii. 56) was conducted by
asmuch as it was mainly his enlightened policy Pericles in person to the coast of Peloponnesus.
which had raised Athens to that degree of power An eclipse of the sun which happened just before
which produced in the Lacedaemonians the jea- the fleet set sail afforded Pericles an opportunity
lousy and alarm which Thucydides (i. 23) dis- of applying the astronomical knowledge which he
tinctly affirms to have been the real cause of the had derived fiom Anaxagoras in quieting the alarm
Peloponnesian war. How accurately Pericles had which it occasioned. (Plut. Per. 35.)
calculated the resources of Athens, and how wisely The Athenians, being exposed to the devastation
he had discerned her true policy in the war, was of the war and the plague at the same time, not
rendered manifest by the spirited struggle which unnaturally began to turn their thoughts to peace,
she maintained even when the Peloponnesians and looked upomn Pericles as the author of all their
were supplied with Persian gold, and by the irre- distresses, inaslnuch as he had persuaded them to
parable disasters into which she was plunged by go to war. Pericles was unable to prevent the
her departure from the policy enjoined by Pericles. sending of an embassy to Sparta, with proposals
In the spring of B. c. 431 Plataea was seized. for peace. It was however fruitless. Pericles then
Both sides prepared with vigour for hostilities; called an assembly, and endeavoured to bring the
anrd a Peloponnesian army having assembled at people to a better mind; set forth the grounds
the isthmus, another embassy was sent to the they had for hoping for success; pointed out the
Athenians by Archidamus to see if they were dis- unreasonableness of being cast down and diverted
posed to yield. In accordance with a decree which from a course of action deliberately taken up by an
Pericles had had passed, that no herald or enm- unforeseen accident like that of the plague, and
bassy should be received after the Lacedaemonians especially the injustice of holding him in any way
had taken the field, the ambassador, Melesippus, responsible for the hardships they were suffering
was not suffered to enter the city. Pericles, sus- on account of it. It was impossible now to retreat;
pecting that Archidamus in his invasion miglt their empire must be defended at any sacrifice, for
leave his property untouched, either out of private it was perilous to abandon it (Thucyd. ii. 60-64).
friendship, or by the direction of the Pelopon- Though his speech to some extent allayed the
nesians, in order to excite odiumn against hin, public ferment, it did not remove from their minds
declared in an assembly of the people that if his the irritatiomn they felt. CleGn appears among his
o 4