History of The Peloponnesian War - Book V   

affirmed that the armistice with them had already begun (they proclaim
it first among themselves), and that the aggression of the
Lacedaemonians had taken them by surprise while they were living
quietly as in time of peace, and not expecting anything. Upon this the
Lacedaemonians submitted, that if the Eleans really believed that they
had committed an aggression, it was useless after that to proclaim the
truce at Lacedaemon; but they had proclaimed it notwithstanding, as
believing nothing of the kind, and from that moment the Lacedaemonians
had made no attack upon their country. Nevertheless the Eleans adhered
to what they had said, that nothing would persuade them that an
aggression had not been committed; if, however, the Lacedaemonians
would restore Lepreum, they would give up their own share of the money
and pay that of the god for them.
As this proposal was not accepted, the Eleans tried a second.
Instead of restoring Lepreum, if this was objected to, the
Lacedaemonians should ascend the altar of the Olympian Zeus, as they
were so anxious to have access to the temple, and swear before the
Hellenes that they would surely pay the fine at a later day. This
being also refused, the Lacedaemonians were excluded from the
temple, the sacrifice, and the games, and sacrificed at home; the
Lepreans being the only other Hellenes who did not attend. Still the
Eleans were afraid of the Lacedaemonians sacrificing by force, and
kept guard with a heavy-armed company of their young men; being also
joined by a thousand Argives, the same number of Mantineans, and by
some Athenian cavalry who stayed at Harpina during the feast. Great
fears were felt in the assembly of the Lacedaemonians coming in
arms, especially after Lichas, son of Arcesilaus, a Lacedaemonian, had
been scourged on the course by the umpires; because, upon his horses
being the winners, and the Boeotian people being proclaimed the victor
on account of his having no right to enter, he came forward on the
course and crowned the charioteer, in order to show that the chariot
was his. After this incident all were more afraid than ever, and
firmly looked for a disturbance: the Lacedaemonians, however, kept
quiet, and let the feast pass by, as we have seen. After the Olympic
games, the Argives and the allies repaired to Corinth to invite her to
come over to them. There they found some Lacedaemonian envoys; and a
long discussion ensued, which after all ended in nothing, as an
earthquake occurred, and they dispersed to their different homes.
Summer was now over. The winter following a battle took place
between the Heracleots in Trachinia and the Aenianians, Dolopians,
Malians, and certain of the Thessalians, all tribes bordering on and
hostile to the town, which directly menaced their country.
Accordingly, after having opposed and harassed it from its very
foundation by every means in their power, they now in this battle
defeated the Heracleots, Xenares, son of Cnidis, their Lacedaemonian
commander, being among the slain. Thus the winter ended and the
twelfth year of this war ended also. After the battle, Heraclea was so
terribly reduced that in the first days of the summer following the
Boeotians occupied the place and sent away the Lacedaemonian
Agesippidas for misgovernment, fearing that the town might be taken by
the Athenians while the Lacedaemonians were distracted with the
affairs of Peloponnese. The Lacedaemonians, nevertheless, were
offended with them for what they had done.
The same summer Alcibiades, son of Clinias, now one of the
generals at Athens, in concert with the Argives and the allies, went
into Peloponnese with a few Athenian heavy infantry and archers and
some of the allies in those parts whom he took up as he passed, and
with this army marched here and there through Peloponnese, and settled
various matters connected with the alliance, and among other things
induced the Patrians to carry their walls down to the sea, intending
himself also to build a fort near the Achaean Rhium. However, the
Corinthians and Sicyonians, and all others who would have suffered
by its being built, came up and hindered him.
The same summer war broke out between the Epidaurians and Argives.