DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5625#0234
The Second Peloponnesian War 205
Men of the prosperous manufacturing class now came to 382. Lack of
thf> f , • ■ j_ leaders after
'<= iront. They possessed neither the high station in life, the the death
abl% as statesmen, nor the qualities of leadership to win the f^^'
Confidence and respect of the people. Moreover, these new
eaders were not soldiers, and could not command the fleet or
the army as Pericles had done. The only notable exception
^as Alcibiades, a brilliant young man, a relative of Pericles and
br°ught up in his house. The two sons of Pericles had died
of the plague, and Alcibiades, if he had enjoyed the guidance
of his foster father a few years longer, might have become the
savior of Athens and of Greece. As it happened, however, this
y°Ullg leader was more largely responsible than anyone else
for the destruction of the Athenian Empire and the downfall
of Greece.
Athens therefore completely lacked a strong and steadfast 383. Unsta-
jeader, whose well-formed plans might furnish a firm and guid- shtp'o^the
m& influence. Hence the management of Athenian affairs fell ^^j1
lnto confusion. Wavering and changeableness were rarely inter- Cieon the
^Pted by any display of firmness and wisdom. The leaders finances
of the Assembly drifted from one plan to another, and usually
*r°rn bad to worse. It seemed impossible to regain steadfast
leadership. Cleon, a tanner, one of the new leaders from among
the common people, was a man of much energy, with a good
deal of financial ability. As the war dragged on, the payment
of army and fleet reduced Athenian funds to a very low state.
C'eon then succeeded in having an income tax introduced, and
'ater on the tribute of the ^Egean cities was raised.
eantime there was really no military disaster of sufficient 384. Peace
^Portance to cripple seriously either Sparta or Athens. It was
e devastation wrought by the plague which had seriously
sh'eQted ^*ens' Cleon having been killed in battle, the leader-
^'P fell into the hands of Nicias, a man of no ability. After
years of indecisive warfare a peace was arranged by Nicias
all ^e years- Each contestant agreed to give up
new conquests and to" retain only old possessions,
of Nicias
(421 B.C.)
Men of the prosperous manufacturing class now came to 382. Lack of
thf> f , • ■ j_ leaders after
'<= iront. They possessed neither the high station in life, the the death
abl% as statesmen, nor the qualities of leadership to win the f^^'
Confidence and respect of the people. Moreover, these new
eaders were not soldiers, and could not command the fleet or
the army as Pericles had done. The only notable exception
^as Alcibiades, a brilliant young man, a relative of Pericles and
br°ught up in his house. The two sons of Pericles had died
of the plague, and Alcibiades, if he had enjoyed the guidance
of his foster father a few years longer, might have become the
savior of Athens and of Greece. As it happened, however, this
y°Ullg leader was more largely responsible than anyone else
for the destruction of the Athenian Empire and the downfall
of Greece.
Athens therefore completely lacked a strong and steadfast 383. Unsta-
jeader, whose well-formed plans might furnish a firm and guid- shtp'o^the
m& influence. Hence the management of Athenian affairs fell ^^j1
lnto confusion. Wavering and changeableness were rarely inter- Cieon the
^Pted by any display of firmness and wisdom. The leaders finances
of the Assembly drifted from one plan to another, and usually
*r°rn bad to worse. It seemed impossible to regain steadfast
leadership. Cleon, a tanner, one of the new leaders from among
the common people, was a man of much energy, with a good
deal of financial ability. As the war dragged on, the payment
of army and fleet reduced Athenian funds to a very low state.
C'eon then succeeded in having an income tax introduced, and
'ater on the tribute of the ^Egean cities was raised.
eantime there was really no military disaster of sufficient 384. Peace
^Portance to cripple seriously either Sparta or Athens. It was
e devastation wrought by the plague which had seriously
sh'eQted ^*ens' Cleon having been killed in battle, the leader-
^'P fell into the hands of Nicias, a man of no ability. After
years of indecisive warfare a peace was arranged by Nicias
all ^e years- Each contestant agreed to give up
new conquests and to" retain only old possessions,
of Nicias
(421 B.C.)