Rally of Athens, during the year after the defeat at Syracuse. B.C. 412.—Commencement of the conspiracy of the Four Hundred at Athens—Alkibiadês.—Order from Sparta to kill Alkibiadês.—He escapes, retires to Tissaphernês, and becomes adviser of the Persians.—He advises the satrap to assist neither of the Grecian parties heartily—but his advice leans towards Athens, with a view to his own restoration.—Alkibiadês acts as negotiator for Tissaphernês at Magnesia.—Diminution of the rate of pay furnished by Tissaphernês to the Peloponnesians.—Alkibiadês opens correspondence with the Athenian officers at Samos. He originates the scheme of an oligarchical revolution at Athens.—Conspiracy arranged between the Athenian officer and Alkibiadês.—Oligarchical Athenians—the hetæries, or political clubs. Peisander is sent to push forward the conspiracy at Athens.—Credulity of the oligarchical conspirators.—Opposition of Phrynichus at Samos to the conspirators, and to Alkibiadês.—Manœuvres and counter-manœuvres of Phrynichus and Alkibiadês.—Proceedings of Peisander at Athens—strong opposition among the people both to the conspiracy and to the restoration of Alkibiadês.—Unwilling vote of the assembly to relinquish their democracy, under the promise of Persian aid for the war. Peisander is sent back to negotiate with Alkibiadês.—Peisander brings the oligarchical clubs at Athens into organized action against the democracy.—Peisander leaves Athens for Samos—Antiphon takes the management of the oligarchical conspiracy—Theramenês and Phrynichus.—Military operations near the Asiatic coast.—Negotiations of Peisander with Alkibiadês.—Tricks of Alkibiadês—he exaggerates his demands, with a view of breaking off the negotiation—indignation of the oligarchs against him.—Reconciliation between Tissaphernês and the Peloponnesians.—Third convention concluded between them.—Third convention compared with the two preceding.—Loss of Orôpus by Athens.—Peisander and his colleagues persist in the oligarchical conspiracy, without Alkibiadês.—They attempt to subvert the democracy at Samos—assassination of Hyperbolus and others.—The democracy at Samos is sustained by the Athenian armament.—The Athenian Parali—defeat of the oligarchical conspiracy at Samos.—The Paralus is sent to Athens with the news.—Progress of the oligarchical conspiracy at Athens—dextrous management of Antiphon.—Language of the conspirators—juggle about naming Five Thousand citizens to exercise the political franchise exclusively.—Assassination of the popular speakers by Antiphon and the oligarchical party.—Return of Peisander to Athens—oligarchical government established in several of the allied cities.—Consummation of the revolution at Athens—last public assembly at Kolônus.—Abolition of the Graphê Paranomôn.—New government proposed by Peisander—oligarchy of Four Hundred.—Fictitious