He worked privately, too, among the Ephors, especially with his friend and relative Endios, who was not fond of Agis. He put before him the advantage he would gain personally over his rival if he obtained the whole credit of making and carrying out the treaty with the Persian king. He again prevailed, and started off at once with Chalkideus, one of the ablest of the Lakedaimonian admirals, and only five triremes for Chios, leaving Agrestides behind to look after his affairs at Sparta. The voyage was unusually rapid; it was too slow for his impatience. For more than two years he had been living inactively at Sparta. Since November, 415, to this the early spring of 412, his life had not been quite what he would have chosen. The frugal fare and the simple Spartan life was all very well, but two years and a half of it was quite enough for him. There were none of the gay Athenian spirits there, no banquets, no symposia, no fun or frolic—all heavy, dull, rude decorum. What little amusement he did get, if report says truly, nearly cost him his life. But we cannot trust all that report says of him during those two years and a half at Sparta. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVI ‘The life of him that dependeth on another man’s table is not to be counted for a life.’—ECCLESIASTICUS. CHIOS, the richest of all the rich, luxuriant islands of the Grecian Archipelago, celebrated for the beauty of its women and its wine, rose like a nymph from the waters of the Aigaian, bathed in the sunlight of a bright spring morning, as Alkibiades came in sight of it. Peaceful and serene, these Grecian islands off the Asiatic coast overflowed with happiness and plenty; some of them, Chios in particular, soon to be the scene of plunder and of terrible bloodshed. The two leaders thought it prudent to put into Kasystes, a small town belonging to Teos, on the continent hard by. There they met some members of the oligarchic party of Chios; for Chios, like other Grecian States, was divided in opinion as to the respective merits of the two forms of government. The oligarchic Teians advised an immediate descent upon the island, before the people, who were democratic, and disliked the newly-proposed alliance with Sparta, could hear of their approach. This advice was taken, and the Lakedaimonian squadron of five triremes appeared at Chios, to the surprise of all except the oligarchs, who had been warned of their approach. A meeting of the insular assembly was held. Alkibiades addressed them, and declared that these five ships were only the advance guard of a large fleet that was coming. His eloquence gained the people to his side; no one seemed able to withstand his persuasion. The Chians of both parties declared for the Lakedaimonian alliance, and lightly threw off the gentle yoke of Athens.