History of The Peloponnesian War - Book V   

considerably facilitate the conduct of the war outside Peloponnese.
Meanwhile they begged the Boeotians to place Panactum in her hands
in order that she might, if possible, obtain Pylos in exchange for it,
and so be more in a position to resume hostilities with Athens.
After receiving these instructions for their governments from
Xenares and Cleobulus and their friends at Lacedaemon, the Boeotians
and Corinthians departed. On their way home they were joined by two
persons high in office at Argos, who had waited for them on the
road, and who now sounded them upon the possibility of the Boeotians
joining the Corinthians, Eleans, and Mantineans in becoming the allies
of Argos, in the idea that if this could be effected they would be
able, thus united, to make peace or war as they pleased either against
Lacedaemon or any other power. The Boeotian envoys were were pleased
at thus hearing themselves accidentally asked to do what their friends
at Lacedaemon had told them; and the two Argives perceiving that their
proposal was agreeable, departed with a promise to send ambassadors to
the Boeotians. On their arrival the Boeotians reported to the
Boeotarchs what had been said to them at Lacedaemon and also by the
Argives who had met them, and the Boeotarchs, pleased with the idea,
embraced it with the more eagerness from the lucky coincidence of
Argos soliciting the very thing wanted by their friends at Lacedaemon.
Shortly afterwards ambassadors appeared from Argos with the
proposals indicated; and the Boeotarchs approved of the terms and
dismissed the ambassadors with a promise to send envoys to Argos to
negotiate the alliance.
In the meantime it was decided by the Boeotarchs, the Corinthians,
the Megarians, and the envoys from Thrace first to interchange oaths
together to give help to each other whenever it was required and not
to make war or peace except in common; after which the Boeotians and
Megarians, who acted together, should make the alliance with Argos.
But before the oaths were taken the Boeotarchs communicated these
proposals to the four councils of the Boeotians, in whom the supreme
power resides, and advised them to interchange oaths with all such
cities as should be willing to enter into a defensive league with
the Boeotians. But the members of the Boeotian councils refused
their assent to the proposal, being afraid of offending Lacedaemon
by entering into a league with the deserter Corinth; the Boeotarchs
not having acquainted them with what had passed at Lacedaemon and with
the advice given by Cleobulus and Xenares and the Boeotian partisans
there, namely, that they should become allies of Corinth and Argos
as a preliminary to a junction with Lacedaemon; fancying that, even if
they should say nothing about this, the councils would not vote
against what had been decided and advised by the Boeotarchs. This
difficulty arising, the Corinthians and the envoys from Thrace
departed without anything having been concluded; and the Boeotarchs,
who had previously intended after carrying this to try and effect
the alliance with Argos, now omitted to bring the Argive question
before the councils, or to send to Argos the envoys whom they had
promised; and a general coldness and delay ensued in the matter.
In this same winter Mecyberna was assaulted and taken by the
Olynthians, having an Athenian garrison inside it.
All this while negotiations had been going on between the
Athenians and Lacedaemonians about the conquests still retained by
each, and Lacedaemon, hoping that if Athens were to get back
Panactum from the Boeotians she might herself recover Pylos, now
sent an embassy to the Boeotians, and begged them to place Panactum
and their Athenian prisoners in her hands, in order that she might
exchange them for Pylos. This the Boeotians refused to do, unless
Lacedaemon made a separate alliance with them as she had done with
Athens. Lacedaemon knew that this would be a breach of faith to
Athens, as it had been agreed that neither of them should make peace
or war without the other; yet wishing to obtain Panactum which she
hoped to exchange for Pylos, and the party who pressed for the
dissolution of the treaty strongly affecting the Boeotian