Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/187

CONGRESS AT SPARTA. 165 vention, but by the heavy cost of war, and the absence of all prospective gain from its continuance. The resolution was at length taken, first by Athens, and next, probably, by the ma- jority of the confederates assembled at Athens, to make propo- sitions of peace to Sparta, where it was well known that similar dispositions prevailed towards peace. Notice of this intention was given to the Thebans, who were invited to send envoys thither also, if they chose to become parties. In the spring of 371 B. c., at the time when the members of the Lacedaemonian confederacy were assembled at Sparta, both the Athenian and Theban envoys, and those from the various members of the Athenian confederacy, arrived there. Among the Athenian envoys, two at least, Kal- tias (the hereditary daduch or torchbearer of the Eleusinian cere- monies) and Autokles, were men of great family at Athens; and they were accompanied by Kallistratus the orator. 1 From the Thebans, the only man of note was Epaminondas, then one of the BoBotarchs. Of the debates which took place at this important congress, we have very imperfect knowledge ; and of the more private diplo- matic conversations, not less important than the debates, we have no knowledge at all. Xenophon gives us a speech from each of the three Athenians, and from no one else. That of Kallias, who announces himself as hereditary proxenus of Sparta at Athens, is boastful and empty, but eminently philo-Laconian in spirit ; 2 that of Autokles is in the opposite tone, full of severe censure on the past conduct of Sparta ; that of Kallistratus, delivered after the other two, while the enemies of Sparta were elate, her friends humiliated, and both parties silent from the fresh effect of the reproaches of Autokles, 3 is framed in a spirit of conciliation ; admitting faults on both sides, but deprecating the continuance of war, as injurious to both, and showing how much the joint inter- ests of both pointed, towards peace. 4 1 Xen. Hellen. vi, 3, 3. It seems doubtful, from the language of Xenophon, whether Kallistratos was one of the envoys appointed, or only a companion. 2 Xen. Hellen. vi, 3, 4-6. 3 Xen. Hellen. vi, 3, 7-10. Tavr' eintiv, aiuirJjv pev napd TTUVTUV STTOITI- IEV (Autokles), iidofj.Evovf 6e rovt; ux'&ofj.ivovf ^olf Aa.Ke<5ai/iovioi eno'tyae, 4 Xen. Hellsn. vi, 3, 10-17.