The Corinthians, finding themselves thus deeply involved with so formidable an adversary, saw no re source but in the great rival of Athens. They sent ambassadors to Sparta, representing the imminent danger to which that state exposed,. itself and all Greece, by suffering the Athenians to make such ra pid advances in dominion. After an obstinate de bate, the Spartans determined to espouse their cause, which was then quickly joined by many other states, who envied or dreaded the prosperity of Athens. A joint embassy was sent to that city, demanding the liberty of all those Grecian states which she now held in subjection. Other demands were added, which ap peared to be still more inadmissible. Pericles advised and procured their rejection. War, however, with so powerful a confederacy, was by no means popular ; and the enemies of Pericles laid hold of this oppor tunity to attack him. Several of his friends were tried and banished; and an accusation was brought forward against himself, For having embezzled the rublic•money. From this charge, however, he clear ed himself in such a complete and satisfactory man ner,. as silenced his-accusers, and regained him the popular favour.
Meanwhile the Peloponnesian war began by an un successful attempt of the Thebans to surprise Platea. This war possessed characters which distinguished it from almost every other, and which more than dou bled the aerial calamities of arms. It was as much a civil as 'a foreign war; for in every city there was a party, and commonly a numerous party, entirely de voted to the enemy. This arose from the difference in form of government between Sparta and Athens ; the one inclining strongly to aristocracy, while the other was entirely popular. Each of the two na-, tions, on becoming masters of any city, established in power that party which favoured their own form of government, while the heads of the opposite faction were proscribed or banished. These last again, when a counter revolution took place, had not only their security to provide for, but their vengeance to gra tify. I'hus boundless scope was given to ambition, party rage, the thirst of revenge; the Grecian cha racter, according to Thucydides, underwent an entire change; all the ties of nature were trampled upon ; and Greece exhibited, during thirty years, a perpe tual scene of conflict and calamity.
Almost all Greece took part in this quarrel. Most of the continental states sided with Sparta, which was most powerful by land; Argos, however, with its dependencies, stood neuter, while the Acarna nians, who bordered on Corcyra, and Platea, an ancient ally, espoused the Athenian interest. The Athenians again were assisted, rather through fear than affection, by all the maritime states, comprising the islands and the coast of Asia Minor. Chios, Lesbos, and Corcyra, furnished vessels; the rest, money and men.
The Lacedemonians determined, without delay, to avail themselves of their superiority on land, by marching, with their whole forces, into Attica. The Athenians, who had no army which could face them in the field, adopted, by the advice of Pericles, a system of warfare entirely defensive. They withdrew
from the country, and leaving it as completely a de sert as possible, transported their whole population within the walls of Athens. The confederates ar rived, spread themselves over the fields, burnt houses and villages, and attempted, by every insult, to excite the A thenians,to leave the city and give them battle. Pericles, however, though with the utmost difficulty, succeeded in retaining them within their walls. Mean while lie sent a powerful fleet, with troops on board, to ravage the coasts of Peloponnesus. This circum stance, joined to difficulty of subsistence, at length induced the confedeiate army to withdraw.
Next summer, Attica was exposed to a similar in vasion, and the same measures were taken. This year, howmer, was rendered much more calamitous, by a dreadful plague which broke out in Athens, and swept away multitudes. Among its victims was Pericles, at a time when his services were most wanted.
A new disaster was soon added to those with which Athens was already afflicted. Lesbos, one of the most powerful among its subject.allies, revolted. It had been allowed to retain a greater measure of li berty than the others ; but still the yoke was so heavy, that it availed itself of the first opportunity of shaking it off. Buoyed up by promises of aid from the Peloponnesian confederacy, the Lesbians set the power of Athens at defiance. The Athe nians, though at first slow to believe this defection, yet when they could no longer doubt its truth, they made every exertion against their new enemy. They fitted out a powerful armament, which they entrust ed to Paches, an able officer. Being assisted by the neighbouring islands, and meeting with no very powerful resistance, they were soon able to block ade Mitylene, the capital of that island. The La cedemonians, meanwhile, were actively employed in equipping a fleet for its relief. Their operations, however, proceeded with characteristic slowness ; and when it was at last fitted out, they entrusted the command to a very ill qualified officer. In conse quence of his feeble and dilatory measures, the Mi tyleneans were obliged, before assistance arrived, to surrender, on the hard condition of their lives be ing spared only till they should have an opportu nity of imploring the mercy of Athens. Their con fidence in it, however, was by no means well found ed ; for on the matter being laid before the people, they immediately passed the inhuman decree, by which all the Mityleneans, fit to bear arms, were to be put to death, and the women and children sold to slavery. Happily, however, this stain on the Athenian name was in some measure obliterated. Next day there was a general relenting, of which the Mitylenean deputies availed themselves to procure the calling of another assembly. This shameful de cree, though by too small a majority, was then re pealed, and the punishment of death inflicted only on a certain number, who were peculiarly guilty.