Today's Passage
This passage describes a critical moment during the Argive-Spartan conflict in 418 BCE, part of the broader Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Discovering this, the Argives came up from Nemea, day having now dawned. On their way they fell in with the troops of the Phliasians and Corinthians, and killed a few of the Phliasians and had perhaps a few more of their own men killed by the Corinthians. Meanwhile the Boeotians, Megarians, and Sicyonians, advancing upon Nemea according to their instructions, found the Argives no longer there, as they had gone down on seeing their property ravaged, and were now forming for battle, the Lacedaemonians imitating their example. The Argives were now completely surrounded; from the plain the Lacedaemonians and their allies shut them off from their city; above them were the Corinthians, Phliasians, and Pellenians; and on the side of Nemea the Boeotians, Sicyonians, and Megarians. Meanwhile their army was without cavalry, the Athenians alone among the allies not having yet arrived. Now the bulk of the Argives and their allies did not see the danger of their position, but thought that they could not have a fairer field, having intercepted the Lacedaemonians in their own country and close to the city. Two men, however, in the Argive army, Thrasylus, one of the five generals, and Alciphron, the Lacedaemonian proxenus, just as the armies were upon the point of engaging, went and held a parley with Agis and urged him not to bring on a battle, as the Argives were ready to refer to fair and equal arbitration whatever complaints the Lacedaemonians might have against them, and to make a treaty and live in peace in future.
Modern Translation
When the Argives discovered this, they marched up from Nemea at daybreak. Along their route, they encountered the forces of Phlius and Corinth, killing several Phliasians while losing perhaps a slightly greater number of their own men to the Corinthians. At the same time, the Boeotians, Megarians, and Sicyonians advanced on Nemea as ordered, only to find the Argives had already departed. The Argives had descended upon seeing their lands being devastated and were now drawing up their battle lines, with the Spartans doing likewise. The Argives found themselves entirely encircled: the Spartans and their allies blocked their path to the city from the plain; the Corinthians, Phliasians, and Pellenians held the heights above them; while the Boeotians, Sicyonians, and Megarians controlled the approach from Nemea. Their forces lacked cavalry, as the Athenians—alone among their allies—had not yet arrived. Most of the Argive army and their allies failed to grasp the peril of their situation, believing instead that fortune had delivered them an ideal battlefield, having trapped the Spartans within Argive territory near their own city. However, two men in the Argive ranks—Thrasylus, one of the five generals, and Alciphron, who served as Sparta's proxenus—approached Agis just as battle was imminent. They urged him to avoid combat, asserting that Argos stood ready to submit any Spartan grievances to impartial arbitration and to establish a lasting peace treaty.
Historical Context
This passage describes a critical moment during the Argive-Spartan conflict in 418 BCE, part of the broader Peloponnesian War. The Argives, having formed a democratic alliance against Sparta, find themselves tactically surrounded near their own city. Despite their disadvantageous position—lacking cavalry support from their Athenian allies—most Argives remain confident, seeing an opportunity to defeat Sparta on home ground. The intervention of Thrasylus and Alciphron represents a dramatic attempt to avert battle through diplomacy. Their offer of arbitration reflects the Greek tradition of resolving disputes through neutral judgment, though it also suggests recognition of Argos's weak position. This episode illustrates the tension between military necessity and diplomatic solutions that characterized Greek interstate relations.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Proxenos System
The proxenos was a citizen who represented another city-state's interests in his own polis, similar to a modern consul. Alciphron's role as Spartan proxenos in Argos gave him special diplomatic standing to negotiate between the two powers, demonstrating how personal relationships could influence international politics in ancient Greece.
Learn more →Greek Arbitration
Arbitration (dike) was a common method of resolving disputes between Greek city-states without warfare. The offer to submit to 'fair and equal arbitration' reflects established diplomatic practice, where neutral parties would judge competing claims according to traditional laws and customs.
Learn more →Battle of Mantinea (418 BCE)
This passage precedes the Battle of Mantinea, one of the largest hoplite battles of the Peloponnesian War. The Argive alliance's defeat would restore Spartan hegemony in the Peloponnese and demonstrate the continued effectiveness of Spartan military power despite setbacks elsewhere.
Learn more →Greek Military Command
The mention of 'five generals' reflects the collegial nature of military command in many Greek democracies, contrasting with Sparta's dual kingship. This system aimed to prevent individual ambition but could lead to divided command in critical moments.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.78-79)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the Mantinea campaign, though with less detail about the preliminary negotiations. His version emphasizes the size of the armies involved and the political stakes for both sides.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Alcibiades (15.1-2)
Plutarch discusses the Argive alliance that Alcibiades helped orchestrate, providing background to why Athens was allied with Argos but had not yet arrived with their cavalry support at this critical moment.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 5.2.1-7)
Though describing later events, Xenophon's account of Spartan-Argive relations shows the continuing pattern of conflict and negotiation between these powers, including similar attempts at last-minute diplomatic solutions.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- Why might the majority of the Argive army have failed to recognize the danger of their surrounded position? What does this suggest about military perception versus reality?
- What motivated Thrasylus and Alciphron to seek negotiation at this critical moment? Consider both personal and political factors.
- How does the absence of Athenian cavalry affect the strategic situation? What does this reveal about the nature of alliance warfare in ancient Greece?
- Is the offer of arbitration genuine diplomacy or a tactical maneuver? How can we evaluate the sincerity of diplomatic overtures in military contexts?