ALCIBIADES, son of Clinias and Dei nomache, was born in Athens about 450 B. C. He lost his father in the battle of Coronea (447), so was brought up in the house of his kinsman Pericles. His friend Socrates was unable to re strain his love of luxury and dissipation, which found ample means of gratifica tion in the wealth that accrued to him by his union with Hipparete. He first bore arms in the expedition against Po tidxa (432), where his life was saved by Socrates—a debt which eight years later he repaid at Delium, by saving, in his turn, the life of the philosopher. He seems to have taken no part in political matters till after the death of the demagogue Cleon, when Nicias brought about a 50 years' treaty of peace between Athens and Lacedxmon. Alcibiades, jealous of the esteem in which Nicias was held, persuaded the Athenians to ally themselves with the people of Argos, El'is, and Mantinea (420). It was at his suggestion that, in 415, they engaged in the Sicilian ex pedition, which he commanded, along with Nicias and Lamachus. But while preparations were making, one night all the statues of Hermes in Athens were mutilated. Alcibiades' enemies threw on him the blame of the sacrilege, but post poned the impeachment until he had set sail, when they stirred up the people against him to such a degree that he was recalled in order to stand his trial. On the voyage home, he landed in Italy, and thence crossed to Lacedaernon, where he soon became a favorite. He induced the Lacedmmonians to send a ssistanceto Syracuse, to form an alliance with Persia, and to support the people of Chios in their effort to throw off the Athenian yoke. He went thither him self, and raised all Ionia in revolt. But Agis, and other leading Spartans, jeal ous of Alcibiades' success. ordered their generals in Asia to have him assas sinated. Discovering the plot, he fled to
Tissaphernes, a Persian satrap, who had orders to act in concert with the Spar tans. He now resumed his old manners, adopted the luxurious habit of Asia, and made himself indispensable to Tissa phernes, representing to him that it was contrary to Persia's interests entirely to disable the Athenians. He then sent word to the Athenian commanders at Samos that he would procure for them the friendship of the satrap if they would establish an oligarchy at Athens. The offer was accepted, and the supreme power vested in a council of four hundred. When it appeared, however, that this council had no inten tion of recalling Alcibiades, the army of Samos chose him for a general, desiring him to lead them to Athens. But Alci biades did not wish to return to his native country till he had rendered it some service; and during the next four years he defeated the Lacedwmonians at Cynossema, Abydos, and Cyzicus; recov ered Chalcedon and Byzantium, and re stored to the Athenians the dominion of the sea. He then returned home (407), on a formal invitation, and was received with general enthusiasm. His triumph, however, was brief. He was sent back to Asia with a hundred ships; but his own ill-success against Andros, and the defeat of his lieutenant at Notium, en abled his enemies to get him superseded (406). He went into exile in the Thracian Chersonesus, and two years later crossed over to Phrygia, with the intention of repairing to the court of Artaxerxes. One night, in 404, his house was fired by a band of armed men; and, rushing out sword in hand, he fell pierced with a shower of arrows.