Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-05-02
AEcs.nn in eiNII Nfnr.

Every student Of history is familiar with
the thirty years Peloponnesian civil war
between Sparta and Athens, which involv-
ed all Greece also. Various causes gave
rise to it--amopg others the abduction Of
slaves and the harboring OF fugitive slaves.
But the chief and real cause was local or
sectional jealousy, and a desire for pre-
eminence. Athens was the wealthisst and
most populous of the cities of Greece, pos
sessing, too, the largest shipping and
commerce. Sparta was brave, arrogant
and insolent, but poor and without navy.
Athens was extending her influence and
her power over the other States Of
Greece. Sparta insisted that each should
be left to its own institutions, and to gov
ern itself by its own laws, and was deter
mined to compel this by force and arms
A final effort was made for Peace--a
Peace Congress" was held The Spar
tans at last gave in their Witin,atum, in
these words "Tke Lacedemonians are
desirous Of Peace, and Peace there may
be, If you will permit the Grecians to gov
em themselves at their own discretion"
Pericles, the Athenian--in little else ro-
sembling the Senator from Michigan-was
for a "little bloodletting." lie argued
that the Spartans were a people without
wealth or resources, public or private, suf-
ficient for such war, and especially, that
they were without navy, and he per-
suaded the Athcnians to reject all compro-
mise. The Lacedpmonians resolved on
war, and Immediately organized n Con-
(ederacy with seven other cities and States
though against the advice of one Of
their wisest statesmen, Archidamus, mot
Stephens) by name. Bat they fitst sent
another Commissioner to)Athens TO treat
but he was not permitted to enter the city
and was ordered to leave the country before
sunset. He complied, saying as he de
parted, "This day will be the beginning
of many calamities to the Gree ks" The
Spartans "fired the first gun" by mid
night attack upon the fort or citadel of
Platea, which at first they took, though
soon it was Immediately re.taken and re-
possessed. With various fortune, though
generally favorable except at sea, to the
Lacedamonan Oonfederates, the war con-
tinued several years, till at last. after a
a series of disasters, their power was al
most broken down and the proud and in
soIent Spartans, who had boasted that
they would end the war by the capture Of
Athens in the first campaign, were COM
PEELED to send commissioners to sue for
peace. The Athenians, overjoyed at their
success, refused all terms except absolute
Surrender-chiehy through the instigation
and speeches OF Cleon, man of most
violent passions, and whom Thucydides
describes as "the greatest demagoguo at
this time, and most in credit with the peo-
ple." Heinduced even a refusal to ex.
change prisoners on equal terms where
upon the Spartan envoy replied that ''it
was plain the Athenians set n higher val
ue on Spartans than on their own citizens,
since they judged an equal number the
latter not an equivalent for 80 many Spar
tans." The war continued, though lam
guishingly, and even a trace followed by
an apparent but false and hollow peace
was made, and the Confederacy was dis
solved. Meantime the Athenians, full OF
pride anil arrogance over their great pow
er, became involved in foreign war, in
Which they finally lost the larger part of
their fleets and armies. The Spartan Con-
federates took advantage of this great dis
aster the civil war ragged with iiercer vio-
lence than ever for some ten years longer,
(during which time the Athehian power of
government was changed for a short peri
cd, from a Democracy to an Oligarehy),
and finally ended IApril. 404 b. o.
by overthrow of the power of Athens, the
capture of the city by Lysander, and the
dismanting Of the walls and other fortifi-
cations
The following is the speech in tIesev-
enth year of the war, Of the Spartan Con-
iederate envoys, at Athens, asking for