Encouraged by the shouts
of the multitude, who were crying to Cleon, "Why don't you go and do
it?" he rose from his place, and proposed that the tanner should be
sent in charge of an expedition to take the men at Sphacteria. At
first Cleon agreed to go, thinking that Nicias was jesting; but when
he saw that the proposal was made seriously, he began to draw back.
"It is your business, not mine," he said to Nicias. "I am not general
--you are; why should I do your work for you?" "Never mind the title,"
answered Nicias; "I resign my office on this occasion to you." The
dispute grew hotter and hotter, much to the amusement of the
Athenians, who fell readily into the humour of the situation, and
loudly applauded the proposal of Nicias. The more Cleon objected, the
more they shouted that he should go. Finding that he must make good
his words, Cleon at last plucked up a spirit, and accepted the honour
thus contemptuously forced upon him. "I am not afraid of the
Spartans," he declared valiantly. "Give me the contingent of soldiers
from Lemnos and Imbros, the Thracian peltasts, [Footnote: Light-armed
soldiers.] and four hundred archers, and without taking a single
Athenian from the city, within three weeks I will either bring those
Spartans as prisoners to Athens, or kill them where they are.
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