But his boundless self-
confidence served him well in this crisis. At first he affected to
disbelieve the report sent from Pylos, and proposed to send
commissioners to inquire into the true state of the case. His motion
was carried, and he himself was nominated as one of the commissioners.
Cleon was now placed in an awkward position: either he would have to
confirm the statement of the messengers from Pylos, and thus make
himself ridiculous, or, if he contradicted them, he would be convicted
of falsehood. So he turned round again, and advised the Athenians, if
they believed the report, to waste no more time, but to order an
immediate attack on the island. "If I were general," [Footnote: The
chief civil and military magistrate at Athens, corresponding to the
Roman consul.] he said, with a meaning glance at Nicias, who was then
holding that office, "it would not be long before these Spartans were
brought in chains to Athens. The Athenians want a _man_ to lead
them."
This Nicias, on whom the demagogue had so scornfully reflected, was a
great noble, and the chief political opponent of Cleon. When he heard
the boastful words of his rival, it struck Nicias that there was a
fine opportunity of bringing him to ruin, by thrusting upon him a
command for which he was totally unqualified.
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