12 -isl CHARACTER OF ALCIBIADES 189 ashamed, or afraid, of being thought a coward if he does not vote for war. Do not, like them, ^^^^ his youthful entertain a desperate craving for things supporters, ivho rather out of your reach ; you know that by «/«» "'"■ They will .J charade you with coward- prevision many successes are gained, .^^^ -^;^ ,^^^^ ,^,.^^^ but few or none by mere greed. On /hat. Do not interfere behalf of our country, now on the brink "' Sicily; let the Egest- r xi .^ X 1 I • u u u aeaiis fisht their own of the greatest danger which she has i^^ttles ever known, I entreat you to hold up your hands against them. Do not interfere with the boundaries which divide us from Sicily; I mean the Ionian gulf which parts us if we sail along the coast, the Sicilian sea if we sail through the open water; these are quite satisfactory. The Sicilians have their own country ; let them manage their own concerns. And let the Egestaeans in particular be informed that, having originally gone to war with the Selinuntians on their own account, they must make peace on their own account. Let us have no more allies such as ours have too often been, whom we are expected to assist when they are in misfortune, but to whom we ourselves when in need may look in vain. 'And you, Prytanis, as you wish to be a good citizen, 14 and believe that the welfare of the state _, _, . Ihe Irrytains need IS entrusted to you, put my proposal to „„/ j^^^ f^ bring before the vote, and lay the question once you once more the qucs- more before the Athenians. If you "ff * ^■'■■p'di°" hesitate, remember that in the presence of so many witnesses there can be no question of breaking the law, and that you will be the physician of the state at the critical moment. The first duty of the good magistrate is to do the very best which he can for his country, or, at least, to do her no harm which he can avoid.' Such were the words of Nicias. Most of the Athenians 15 who came forward to speak were in favour of war, and reluctant to rescind the vote which had been already passed, although a few took the other side. The most enthusi- astic supporter of the expedition was Alcibiades the son of
