The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-06-17

Off its tail A Alcl BLADES
friend asked him why he had done so
foolish thing, and said that the peo-
pie OF Athens were reviling him for 1t.
Il know they are" answered Alcibia-
des. THAT Is why | did It. 1t keeps
them from saying worse things about
| me for a while"
The anecdote Is typical Of Alcib-
ladies' life story. He was born 400 B. c.,
of ancient and noble family. had good
looks, wealth and genius. He might
have risen to almost any height. But
/ there was about him queer streak"
q demon Of perversity that was ever
leading him to throw away his golden
chances and to commit needless
crimes and follies.
| Greece In those days was In It's
glory. 1t was split up into several
dependent and semi.independent
states, of which Athens and Sparta
were the chief. Athens was noted
for It's art. education and culture;
Sparta for It's courage and stern sim
| pliclty. The two were deadly rivals.
Persia, the great nation 10 the east
ward, was ever seeking TO destroy
BOTH Athens and Sparta were DEM
ocracies in the strongest sense Of the
word the voice of the people always
ruling the state. (This did not pre-
vent shrewd politicians ruling the pep
pie any more than 1t does nawadaysD
Alcibiades started life IS pupil Of
the wise old philosopher Socrates The
two were dear friends, each having
saved the Others life In battle. Yet
Socrates could not turn his pupil from
| vice and gayety, nor induce him to
| follow wisdom rather than pleasure
So the young millionaires extrava'
| gance soon became the scandal of
Greece. He paraded the streets In
rich perfumed robes OF purple, laden
down with Jewels; carried a shield OF
ivory and gold when he went to war,
and set the fashion in dress and dis
sipation to all the idle youth Of the
city.
Yet Alciblades was a gallant and
crafty soldier, a brilliant statesman
| and lin spite of the fact that he STAN.
| mered and that he could not pro-
nounce the letter RI fiery orator.
His brains and his liberality raised
him high In the peoples favor. Then
1t was that his perversity made him
unlucky. For example, he wanted an
alliance between Sparta and Athens.
Yet when Nicias, his rival, secured that
alliance instead of himself, Alcibiades
persuaded the Athenians to break with
Sparta,
He planned to make Athens ruler
of all Greece. AS an early step In
this In AIS b. C. he planned an
expedition against Sicily, and had him
self chosen commander of It. 1t wal
the chance Of lifetime. But he spoil
ed that chance. On the eve Of the cam
paign Alcibiades went on an all-night
spree with some wild companions
Next morning all the sacred busts OF
Hermes guardian god of the states
democracy. erected here and there
through the city, were found hideously
mutilated. AS Alcibiades had already
won name for sacrllege the blame
was rightly or mott laid to him. He
was allowed to start on the expedition,
but was almost instantly recalled ID
stand trial for the outrage.
Instead Of coming back to Athens
to clear himself he ran away, declar-
ing he wouldn't trust him own mother
In n rnattar nF auph aaa
life-and-death trial. In his absence he
WAS convicted and condemned TO die.
This did not greatly trouble him, for
he fed to Sparta. There he betrayed
all OF Athens secret plans and tried
to stir the Spartans to war against the
pretending to lead the simple, severe
life OF Sparta. But the chiefs OF the
Spartans plotted to kill him, 30 he fed
He was now hand and glove with
the enemies Of Greece, and became
famous In Persias service. But after
time Tlssaphernes took offense al
his behavior and tried to murder him.
Alcibiades escaped Through sheer
cleverness he persuaded the Athenians
to pardon him and to take him back
into favor. Again he found himself
leader OF the armies OF Athens, And
again through mischance or perversity
he threw away his luck. He was de.
prived of command, and after various
adventures started, In 404, to Persia
to try his fortune at the court Of thar
country. On the way he stopped al
one OF his country estates In the night
the house asset atire by bis enemies.
As he rushed out, sword In hand, he
was pierced by dozen arrows and
fell dead in the courtyard OF the blas,
Ing building. @@ j