12.
Alcibiades, seeing the state of affairs, advised Endius and the Ephors to persevere in the1 expedition. They would arrive, he said, before the Chians had heard of the misadventure of the ships. He would himself, as soon as he reached Ionia, represent to the cities the weakness of the Athenians and the alacrity of the Lacedaemonians, and they would revolt at once; for they would believe him sooner than any one.
[2]
To Endius he argued in private '2 that he would win honour if he were the instrument of effecting a revolt in Ionia, and of gaining the alliance of the King3; he should not allow such a prize to fall into the hands of Agis';—now Agis was a personal enemy of Alcibiades.
[3]
His opinion prevailed with Endius and the other Ephors. So he put to sea with the .five ships, accompanied by Chalcideus the Lacedaemonian, and hastened on his way.
1 They are going to do nothing; but Alcibiades insists that the Lacedaemonian contingent shall at once put to sea.
2 Or, 'that he would win honour by effecting through his (Alcibiades') agency a revolt in Ionia and gaining the alliance of the King.'
3 Or, 'that he would win honour by effecting through his (Alcibiades') agency a revolt in Ionia and gaining the alliance of the King.'
Thucydides translated into English; with introduction, marginal analysis, notes, and indices. Volume 1. Thucydides. Benjamin Jowett. translator. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1881.
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