Today's Passage
This passage occurs during the complex diplomatic and military maneuvering of 418 BCE, when Sparta led a massive coalition against Argos and its democratic allies.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The Argives who made these statements did so upon their own authority, not by order of the people, and Agis on his accepted their proposals, and without himself either consulting the majority, simply communicated the matter to a single individual, one of the high officers accompanying the expedition, and granted the Argives a truce for four months, in which to fulfil their promises; after which he immediately led off the army without giving any explanation to any of the other allies. The Lacedaemonians and allies followed their general out of respect for the law, but amongst themselves loudly blamed Agis for going away from so fair a field (the enemy being hemmed in on every side by infantry and cavalry) without having done anything worthy of their strength. Indeed this was by far the finest Hellenic army ever yet brought together; and it should have been seen while it was still united at Nemea, with the Lacedaemonians in full force, the Arcadians, Boeotians, Corinthians, Sicyonians, Pellenians, Phliasians and Megarians, and all these the flower of their respective populations, thinking themselves a match not merely for the Argive confederacy, but for another such added to it. The army thus retired blaming Agis, and returned every man to his home. The Argives however blamed still more loudly the persons who had concluded the truce without consulting the people, themselves thinking that they had let escape with the Lacedaemonians an opportunity such as they should never see again; as the struggle would have been under the walls of their city, and by the side of many and brave allies. On their return accordingly they began to stone Thrasylus in the bed of the Charadrus, where they try all military causes before entering the city. Thrasylus fled to the altar, and so saved his life; his property however they confiscated.
Modern Translation
The Argive representatives who made these proposals were acting on their own initiative, without authorization from their assembly. Agis accepted their terms and, without consulting the majority of his officers, discussed the matter with only one high-ranking official in the expedition before granting the Argives a four-month truce to fulfill their commitments. He then immediately withdrew the army without explaining his decision to any of the allied forces. The Spartans and their allies followed their commander out of legal obligation, but privately they harshly criticized Agis for retreating from such an advantageous position—with the enemy surrounded by both infantry and cavalry—without achieving anything worthy of their military superiority. This was indeed the most formidable Greek army ever assembled, and it should have been witnessed in its full glory at Nemea: the Spartans at full strength, alongside Arcadians, Boeotians, Corinthians, Sicyonians, Pellenians, Phliasians, and Megarians—all elite troops from their respective cities, confident they could defeat not only the Argive alliance but another force of equal size besides. The army withdrew amid criticism of Agis, each contingent returning home. The Argives, however, were even more furious with those who had negotiated the truce without popular consent, believing they had squandered an unprecedented opportunity against the Spartans, especially since the battle would have occurred near their city walls with numerous brave allies supporting them. Upon their return, they attempted to stone Thrasylus at the Charadrus riverbed, where military trials are conducted before entering the city. Thrasylus escaped to an altar, thereby saving his life, though his property was seized by the state.
Historical Context
This passage occurs during the complex diplomatic and military maneuvering of 418 BCE, when Sparta led a massive coalition against Argos and its democratic allies. King Agis II of Sparta had assembled the largest Greek army to date and trapped the Argive forces in a tactically superior position. However, unauthorized Argive negotiators approached Agis with peace proposals, which he surprisingly accepted without consulting his allies or officers. This decision prevented what seemed certain victory and caused outrage on both sides. The incident reveals tensions within Greek command structures, the precarious nature of multi-state alliances, and the democratic accountability mechanisms in Argos, where military leaders faced severe consequences for unauthorized negotiations.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Spartan Military Command
Spartan kings held supreme command in the field, but their authority wasn't absolute. Agis's unilateral decision here violated expected consultation norms, showing the tension between royal prerogative and collective decision-making even in Sparta's hierarchical system.
Learn more →Greek Coalition Warfare
This passage illustrates the fragility of Greek military alliances. Despite assembling the largest Greek force ever, internal disagreements and lack of unified command allowed a surrounded enemy to escape through diplomacy, highlighting why sustained Greek unity remained elusive.
Learn more →Democratic Accountability
The Argive reaction demonstrates democratic control over military affairs. Thrasylus faced capital punishment for negotiating without popular approval, showing how seriously democratic states took unauthorized diplomatic actions, even when facing military disaster.
Learn more →Sacred Asylum
Thrasylus's flight to an altar invoked the ancient Greek right of asylum (hikesia). Temples and altars provided inviolable sanctuary, and violating this protection was considered severe sacrilege, explaining why Argos confiscated property instead of pursuing execution.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.78-79)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the 418 BCE campaign, offering additional details about the size of forces and the political motivations behind Argos's alliance with Athens against Sparta.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Alcibiades (14-15)
Plutarch describes Alcibiades's role in forming the Argive alliance against Sparta, providing background to the political tensions that led to this military confrontation and its diplomatic resolution.
Read passage →Xenophon: Constitution of the Lacedaemonians (13.1-5)
Xenophon discusses Spartan military command structure and the authority of kings on campaign, providing context for understanding Agis's controversial unilateral decision-making in this incident.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does this incident illustrate the tensions between individual authority and collective decision-making in Greek warfare? Consider both Agis's actions and the Argive response.
- Why might Agis have accepted the Argive proposals despite having overwhelming military advantage? What factors beyond immediate tactical considerations might have influenced his decision?
- Compare the different forms of accountability shown here: Spartan allies' criticism of their king versus Argive citizens' attempted execution of their negotiator. What does this reveal about different Greek political systems?
- How does Thucydides's presentation of this 'finest Hellenic army ever' relate to his broader themes about power, opportunity, and human nature in warfare?