34C HISTORY OF GREECE. Here concerned, those whose conduct is the most un pardonably disgiaceful are Nikias and his oligarchical friends ; who force a political enemy into a supreme command against his own stren- nous protest, persuaded that he will fail so as to compromise the lives of many soldiers, and the destinies of the state on an im- portant emergency, but satisfying themselves with the idea that they shall bring him to disgrace and ruin. It is to be remarked, that Nikias and his fellow strategi were backward on this occasion, partly because they were really afraid of the duty. They anticipated a resistance to the death at Sphak- ieria, such as that at Thermopylae : in which case, though victory might perhaps be won by a superior assailant force, it would not be won without much bloodshed and peril, besides an inexpiable quarrel with Sparta. If Kleon took a more correct measure of ihe chances, he ought to have credit for it, as one " bene ausus 7ana contemnere." And it seems probable, that if he had not been thus forward in supporting the request of Demosthenes for reinforcement, or rather, if he had not been so placed that he was compelled to be forward, Nikias and his friends would have laid aside the enterprise, and reopened negotiations for peace, under circumstances neither honorable nor advantageous to Athens. Kleon was in this manner one main author of the most important success which Athens obtained throughout the whole war. On joining Demosthenes with his reinforcement, Kleon found every preparation for attack made by that general, and the sol- diers at Pylus eager to commence such aggressive measures as would relieve them from the tedium of a blockade. Sphakteria had become recently more open to assault in consequence of an accidental conflagration of the wood, arising from a fire kindled by the Athenian seamen, while landing at the skirt of the island, and cooking their food : under the influence of a strong wind, most of the wood in the island had thus caught fire and been destroyed. To Demosthenes this was an accident especially welcome ; for the painful experience of his defeat in the forest- covered hills of JEtolia had taught him how difficult it was for assailants to cope with an enemy whom they could not see, and who knew all the good points of defence in the country. 1 The
1 Thucyd. iv, 30.
