Mantineia.—Remonstrances of Lacedæmonian envoys at the congress at Corinth—redefence of the Corinthians—pretence of religious scruple.—The Bœotians and Megarians refuse to break with Sparta, or to ally themselves with Argos—the Corinthians hesitate in actually joining Argos.—The Eleians become allies of Argos—their reasons for doing so—relations with Lepreum—the Corinthians now join Argos also.—Refusal of Tegea to separate from Sparta.—The Corinthians are disheartened—their application through the Bœotians to Athens.—The Lacedæmonians emancipate the Arcadian subjects of Mantineia—they plant the Brasidean Helots at Lepreum.—Treatment of the Spartan captives after their liberation from Athens and return to Sparta—they are disfranchised for a time and in a qualified manner.—The Athenians recapture Skiônê—put to death all the adult males.—Political relations in Peloponnesus—change of ephors at Sparta—the new ephors are hostile to Athens.—Congress at Sparta—Athenian, Bœotian, and Corinthian deputies, present—long debates, but no settlement attained of any one of the disputed points—intrigues of the anti-Athenian ephors—Kleobulus and Xenarês.—These ephors try to bring about underhand an alliance between Sparta and Argos, through the Bœotians—the project fails.—The Lacedæmonians conclude a special alliance with the Bœotians, thereby violating their alliance with Athens—the Bœotians raze Panaktum to the ground.—Application from the Argeians to Sparta to renew the expiring treaty. Project of renewed treaty agreed upon. Curious stipulation about combat by champions, to keep the question open about the title to Thyrea.—Lacedæmonian envoys go first to Bœotia, next to Athens—they find Panaktum demolished—they ask for the cession of Pylos from Athens.—The envoys are badly received at Athens—angry feeling against the Lacedæmonians.—Alkibiadês stands forward as a party-leader. His education and character.—Great energy and capacity of Alkibiadês in public affairs—his reckless expenditure—lawless demeanor—unprincipled character, inspiring suspicion and alarm—military service.—Alkibiadês—Sokratês—the Sophists.—Conflicting sentiments entertained towards Alkibiadês—his great energy and capacity. Admiration, fear, hatred, and jealousy, which he inspires.—Alkibiadês tries to renew the ancient but interrupted connection of his ancestors with Lacedæmon, as proxeni.—The Spartans reject his advances—he turns against them—alters his politics, and becomes their enemy at Athens.—He tries to bring Athens into alliance with Argos.—He induces the Argeians to send envoys to Athens—the Argeians eagerly embrace this opening, and drop their negotiations with Sparta.—Embassy of the Lacedæmonians to Athens, to press the Athenians not to throw up the alliance. The envoys are favorably received.—Trick by which Alkibiadês cheats and disgraces the envoys, and baffles