ALKIBIADES DUPES THE ENVOYS. 47 Nikias and his party, under all circumstances ; if, by complying with the recommendation of Alkibiades, they could gain his stren- uous advocacy and influence also, they fancied that their causf was sure of success. Accordingly, they agreed to act upon his suggestion, not only without consulting but without even warn- ing Nikias, which was exactly what Alkibiades desired, and had probably required them to promise. Next day, the public assembly met, and the envoys were intro- duced ; upon which Alkibiades himself, in a tone of peculiar mildness, put the question to them, upon what footing they came ?' what powers they brought with them ? They immediately declared that they had brought no full powers for treating and settlement, but only came to explain and discuss. Nothing could exceed the astonishment with which this declaration was heard. The sen- ators present, to whom these envoys a day or two before had publicly declared the distinct contrary, the assembled people, who, made aware of this previous affirmation, had come prepared to hear the ultimatum of Sparta from their lips, lastly, most of all, Nikias himself, their confidential agent and probably their host at Athens, who had doubtless announced them as plen- ipotentiaries, and concerted with them the management of their cases before the assembly, all were alike astounded, and none knew what to make of the words just heard. But the indignation of the people equalled their astonishment : there was a unanimous burst of wrath against the standing faithlessness and duplicity of Lacedemonians ; never saying the same thing two days together. To crown the whole, Alkibiades himself affected to share all the surprise of the multitude, and was even the loudest of them all in invectives against the envoys ; denouncing Lacedaemonian perfidy and evil designs in language far more bitter than he had ever employed before. Nor was this all : a he took advantage of 'Plutarch, Alkib. c. 14. 'EpuTupevot cV VKO TOV 'ATiKifiiafiov -KUVH QihavdpuTruf, (j>' off iifyiyjdvoL Tvy%avovaiv, ova etyaaav T/KKIV OVTO s Thucyd. v, 45. Oi 'A.&rjvatOt OVKETI ijveixovTo, uA/la TOV 'AA,Ki t 3{u6oi iro^AoJ jizuA/loj' ?/ TT (i 6 T c po v KO.T a /? o Cjv T o f rui' ActKedat/jO' v iuv, fdijKOVov TK nal irolfiot i/Gav ev$i> napayayt'iv roiif 'Apysiovf, etc.
Compare Plutarch, A"vib. c. 14 : and Plutarch. Nikias, c. 10.
