CLEON (tat., from Gk. KXIwv, Kteon) ( ? -422 n.c.). An Athenian demagogue, who lived in the early part of the Peloponnesian War. Ile was a on of Cleametus, and was by trade a leather-deal•. Ile first Caine into promi nence as a public speaker NVIR) was, opposed to the policy of Pericles; and in n.e. 427. when the matter of the treatment of the inhabitants of Mytilene came up for consideration in the Athenian Assembly, he advocated the utmost severity tolerated by custom of war. In B.C. 425, when envoys arrived at Athens to treat of the relea.e of the Spartan citizens shut up on the island of SpInlet eria and to suggest peace, the Athenians, instigated by Cleon, imposed such terms upon Sparta that peace was found to be impossible. Later in the same year, owing to a casual remark made in the public assembly to the effect that, if lie were general, the Athenians would not long remain in front of Sphacteria, Cleon himself was placed in charge of the opera against the island. Ile promised to end the
siege within twenty days; and, in conjunction with Demosthenes, lie did this. In B.C. 422 Cleon was sent to oppose Brasidas, the Spartan general, in Macedonia and Thrace, and to re cover the city of Amphipolis. He was successful in taking the towns of Torone and Galepsus, I ut was defeated and slain in the battle which took place beneath the walls of Amphipolis. Cleon is described by Thueydides and Aris tophanes as an insolent and venal politician, and a demagogue of low type. It is generally admitted that some of the details of Aria tophanes's picture may be out of proportion; but whether Tfincydides's estimate of Cleon's character is a thoroughly just and unprejudiced one is a mooted question. Cleon was a per suasive speaker, a clever hand at managing pub lic business in a. popular way, and a strong advo cate of war. Consult Grote, History of Greece, vol. vi. (London, 1888).