ALCIBI'ADES, a son of Clinias and Dinomache, b. at Athens, 450 B.C. He lost his father in the battle of Chteronea, and was in consequence educated in the house of Pericles, his uncle. In his youth he gave evidence of his future greatness, excelling both in mental and bodily exercises. His handsome person, his distinguished parentage, and the high position of Pericles, procured him a multitude of friends and admirers. Socrates was one of the former, and gained considerable influence over him% but was unable to restrain his love of luxury and dissipation, which found ample means of gratification in the wealth that accrued to him by his union with Hipparete, the (laughter of Hipponicus. His public displays, especially at the Olympic games, were incredibly expensive. He bore arms for the first time in the expedition against Pothhea (432 n.e.), where he was wounded, and where his life was saved by Socrates—a debt which he liquidated eight years after at the battle of Helium, by saving, in his turn, the life of the philosopher; but lie seems to have taken no part in political matters till after the death of the demagogue Cleon, when Nicias brought about a treaty of peace for fifty years between the Athenians and Lacedminonians. A., jealous of the esteem in which Nicias was held, persuaded the Athenians to ally themselves with the people of Argos, Ells, and Mantinea, and did all in his power to stir up afresh their old antipathy to Sparta. It was at his suggestion that they engaged in the celebrated enterprise against Sicily, to the command of which he was elected, along with Nicias and Lamachus. But while preparations were being made, it happened during one night that all the statues of Mercury in Athens were mutilated. The enemies of A. threw the blame of this mischief upon him, but post poned the impeachment till he had set sail, when they stirred up the people against him to such a degree that lie was recalled, in order to stand his trial. On his way home, he landed at Thurii, fled, and betook himself to Sparta, where, by conforming to the strict manners of the people, he soon became a favorite. He induced the Lacethemouians to send assistance to the Syracusans, persuaded them to form an alliance with the king of Persia, and after the unfortunate issue of the Athenian expedition in Sicily, to support the people of Chios in their endeavors to throw off the yoke of Athens. He went thither himself, and raised all Ionia in revolt against that city. But Agis and the other leading men in Sparta, jealous of the success of A., ordered their generals in Asia to have him assassinated. A. discovered this plan, and fled to Tissaphernes, a Persian satrap, who had orders to act in concert with the Lacedmmonians. He now resumed his old manners, adopted the luxurious habits of Asia, and made himself indispensable to Tissaphernes. He represented to the latter that it was contrary to the interests of Persia entire to disable the Athenians. He then sent word to the commanders of the Athenian forces at Samos that he would procure for them the friendship of the satrap if they would control the extravagance of the people, and commit the government to an oligarchy.
This offer was accepted, and Pisander was sent to Athens, where he got the supreme power vested in a council of 400 persons. When it appeared, however, that this council had no intention of recalling A., the army at Samos chose him as their commander, desiring him to lead them on instantly to Athens, and overthrow the tyrants. But A. did not wish to return to his native country till he had rendered it some service, and he accordingly attacked and defeated the Lacediemonians both by sea and land. Tissa phernes now ordered him to be arrested at Sardis on his return, the satrap not wishing the king to imagine that lie had been accessory to his doings. But A. found means to escape; placed himself twain at the head of the army; beat the Lacedminonians and Persians at Cyzicus; took Cyzicus, Chaleedon, and Byzantium; restored to the Athenians the dominion of the sea; and then returned to his country (407 n.c.), to which he had been formally invited. He was received with general enthusiasm, as the Athenians attributed to his banishment all the misfortunes that had befallen them.
The triumph of A., however, was not destined to last. He was again sent to Asia with 100 ships; but not being supplied with money for the soldiers' pay, he was obliged to seek assistance at Caria, where he transferred the command in the meantime to Antiochus, who being lured into an ambuscade by Lysander, lost his life and part of the ships. The enemies of A. took advantage of this to accuse him and appoint another commander. A. went to Thrace, where lie lived in voluntary exile in Pactyte, one of the castles which lie had built out of his earlier spoils. But being threatened here with the power of Lacedremonia, he removed to Bithynia, with the intention of repairing to Artaxerxes, to gain him over to the interests of his country. At the request of the thirty tyrants of Athens, and with the concurrence of the Spartans, Pharnabazus, satrap of Artaxerxes, received orders to put A. to death. He was living at this time in a castle at Plirygia; Pharnabazus ordered it to be set on fire during the night, and as his victim was endeavoring to escape from the flames, he was pierced with a. volley of arrows. Thus perished A. (404 ii.c.), about the 45th year of his age. He was singularly endowed by nature, being possessed of the most fascinating eloquence (although he could not articulate the letter 9., and stuttered in his speech), and having in a rare degree the talent to win and tq govern men. Yet in all his .transactions, he allowed himself to be directed by external_ arcumstances, without having any fixed'principles of conduct.
On the other hand, he possessed that boldness which arises from conscious superiority, and shrunk from no difficulty:, because lie was never doubtful concerning the means by which an end might be attained. His life has been written by Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos.