History of the Peloponnesian War

Subsequent to the withdrawal of the Argives from the confederacy, the Mantineans, after first holding out, and then finding themselves unable to do so without the Argives, came to terms on their part also with the Lacedaemonians, and relinquished their sovereignty over [*]( i.e. their subject allies, mentioned ch, 33 58. 1, and elsewhere.) the cities.

And now the Lacedaemonians and Argives, each a thousand strong, took the field together, and the Lacedaemonians by themselves went and put the government of Sicyon into the hands of a smaller num ber than before, and then both of them together also put down the democracy at Argos, an oligarchy being established, in accordance with the interests of the Lacedaemonians. These things occurred at the close of the winter, when spring was now near at hand; and so ended the fourteenth year of the war.

The following summer, the inhabitants of Dium on Athos revolted from the Athenians to the Chalcidians; and the Lacedaemonians settled the affairs of Achaia, which before had not been suitable to their views.

And now the commons party at Argos, gradually combining and recovering their spirits, made an attack upon the oligarchical party, having watched their opportunity, when it was just the time of the Lacedaemonian Gymnopaediae. And a battle having been fought in the city, the commons gained the victory, and slew some of them, and banished others.

The Lacedaemonians, while their friends had been sending for them a long time before, did not go; but at length put off the Gymnopaediae, and marched to their aid. On hearing at Tegea that the oligarchical party had been defeated, they would not advance any farther, though entreated by those who had escaped;

but returned home, and kept the Gymnopaediae. Afterwards, when ambassadors had come both from the Argives in the city [*](ἀγγέλων.] Bekker, Poppo, and Arnold all think this word corrupt; while Göller understands by it a party in Argos who were in constant communication with Sparta: but surely that is a very forced interpretation.) and from those driven out of it, and when the allies also were present, and much had been said on both sides, they decided that the party in the city were in the wrong, and resolved to march against Argos; but much delay and procrastination ensued.

In the mean time the commons at Argos were afraid of the Lacedaemonians, and as they courted the alliance of Athens again, and thought it would be of the greatest service to them, they built long walls to the sea; that if they should be excluded from the use of the land, the importation of things by sea, through the help of the Athenians, might be of benefit to them.

Some of the cities in the Peloponnese were also privy to their building these walls. The Argives therefore were engaged in the work with all their population, themselves, their wives, and their slaves; while there came to them from Athens carpenters and stone-masons. And so the summer ended.