TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE * Italics are denoted by underscores as in _italics_. * Small caps are represented in upper case as in SMALL CAPS. * Letter spaced Greek text is enclosed in tildes as in ~καὶ τὰ λοιπά~. * Obvious printer errors have been silently corrected, after comparison with a later edition of this work. Greek text has also been corrected after checking with this later edition and with Perseus, when the reference was found. * Original spelling, hyphenation and punctuation have been kept, but variant spellings were made consistent when a predominant usage was found. * Some inconsistencies in the use of accents over proper nouns (like “Alkibiades” and “Alkibiadês”) have been retained. * The following changes were also made, after checking with Perseus and other editions: note 337: “Thucyd. vi, 69” → “Thucyd, i, 69” note 573: “vii, 73” → “viii, 73” HISTORY OF GREECE. BY GEORGE GROTE, ESQ. VOL. VII. REPRINTED FROM THE LONDON EDITION NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS 329 AND 331 PEARL STREET. CONTENTS. VOL. VII. PART II. CONTINUATION OF HISTORICAL GREECE. CHAPTER LV. FROM THE PEACE OF NIKIAS TO THE OLYMPIC FESTIVAL OF OLYMPIAD 90. Negotiations for peace during the winter after the battle of Amphipolis.—Peace called the Peace of Nikias—concluded in March 421 B.C. Conditions of peace.—Peace accepted at Sparta by the majority of members of the Peloponnesian alliance.—The most powerful members of the alliance refuse to accept the truce—Bœotians, Megarians, Corinthians, and Eleians.—Position and feelings of the Lacedæmonians—their great anxiety for peace—their uncertain relations with Argos.—Steps taken by the Lacedæmonians to execute the peace—Amphipolis is not restored to Athens—the great allies of Sparta do not accept the peace.—Separate alliance for mutual defence concluded between Sparta and Athens.—Terms of the alliance.—Athens restores the Spartan captives.—Mismanagement of the political interests of Athens by Nikias and the peace party.—By the terms of the alliance Athens renounced all the advantages of her position in reference to the Lacedæmonians—she gained none of those concessions upon which she calculated, while they gained materially.—Discontent and remonstrances of the Athenians against Sparta in consequence of the non-performance of the conditions—they repent of having given up the captives—excuses of Sparta.—New combinations in Peloponnesus—suspicion entertained of concert between Sparta and Athens—Argos stands prominently forward—state of Argos—aristocratical regiment of one thousand formed in that city.—The Corinthians prevail upon Argos to stand forward as head of a new Peloponnesian alliance.—Congress of recusant Peloponnesian allies at Corinth—the Mantineians join Argos—state of Arcadia—rivalship of Tegea and