He began by
defending his barbaric extravagance, recently displayed at Olympia,
which, as he pretended to believe, had covered his native city with
glory, and spread the fame of Athenian wealth and power from one end
of Greece to another. The lavish outlay, and haughty demeanour, which
would be justly blamed in a common man, were right and proper in him,
one of the elect spirits of the time, inspired with great aims, and
treading the summits of public life. He had already shown what he
could do in the highest regions of diplomacy, by raising a great
coalition in Peloponnesus, which had faced the whole might of Sparta
in the field, and struck terror into the enemies of Athens.
After this impudent defence of his own pernicious policy, which had
led to the crushing defeat at Mantinea, and thus enabled the Spartans
to restore their damaged reputation, Alcibiades proceeded to deal with
the question of the day, and exerted all his sophistry to confirm the
Athenians in their design of invading Sicily. That island, he
asserted, was inhabited by a mixed population with no settled homes,
and no common patriotic sentiment; and among these motley elements
they would find plenty of adherents. The Siceliots [Footnote: Greeks
of Sicily.] were poorly armed, ill-furnished with heavy infantry, and
in constant danger from the hostile Sicels.
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