24 HISTORY OF GREECE. the remaining three apparently indifferent. 1 And we may here remark, that this fluctuation and instability of public policy, which is often denounced as if it were the peculiar attribute of a democracy, occurs quite as much under the constitutional mon- archy of Sparta, the least popular government in Greece, both in principle and detail. The new ephors convened a special congress at Sparta for the settlement of the pending differences, at which among the rest Athenian, Boeotian, and Corinthian envoys were all present. But, after prolonged debates, no approach was made to agree- ment; so that the congress was on the point of breaking up, when Kleobulus and Xenares, together with many of their parti- sans, 2 originated, in concert with the Boeotian and Corinthian deputies, a series of private underhand manoeuvres for the dis- solution of the Athenian alliance. This was to be effected by bringing about a separate alliance between Argos and Sparta, which the Spartans sincerely desired, and would grasp at in pref- erence, so these ephors affirmed, even if it cost them the breach of their new tie with Athens. The Boeotians were urged, first to become allies of Argos themselves, and then to bring Argos into alliance with Sparta. But it was farther essential that they should give up Panaktum to Sparta, so that it might be tendered to the Athenians in exchange for Pylos ; for Sparta could not easily go to war with them while they remained masters of the iatter.3 Such were the plans which Kleobulus and Xenares laid with the Corinthian and Boeotian deputies, and which the latter went home prepared to execute. Chance seemed to favor the purpose at once : for on their road home, they were accosted by two Ar- geians, senators in their own city, who expressed an earnest anxiety to bring about alliance between the Boeotians and Argos. The Boeotian deputies, warmly encouraging this idea, urged the Argeians to send envoys to Thebes as solicitors of the alliance ; and communicated to the boeotarchs, on their arrival at home, both the plans laid by the Spartan ephors and the wishes of these 1 Thucyd. v. .>G.
- Thucyd. v, 37. l:Treora^.pcvoi UKO TC TOV HLfaofiovAov KOI Eevapovf oi
r,aav ai-rotf, etc. 3 Thucyd. v, 33.
