henians, and were preparing to surprise them.

He therefore left his castle, and, at the risk of his life, went down to
warn the Athenians of the coming danger. They, however, treated his
warning with scorn, and bade him return to his castle, and remember
that he no longer had any right to interfere in their affairs.

From the top of his promontory, Alcibiades saw the complete destruction
of the Athenian fleet. Only a few men managed to escape to his castle
for shelter; while a single ship sailed in haste to Athens, to report
the defeat, and warn the people of the coming danger.

A few days later the victorious Spartan army marched unchallenged into
Athens, for there were now no fighting men left to oppose them. The
Spartans said that Athens must now obey them in all things; and, to
humiliate the people, they tore down the Long Walls to the sound of
joyful music on the anniversary of the glorious victory of Salamis.

Thus ended the Peloponnesian War, which, as you have seen, began shortly
before the death of Pericles. From this time on, the fame of Athens was
due mostly to her literature and art.

By order of the Spartans, Solon's laws were set aside, and thirty men
were chosen to govern the city. These rulers proved so stern and cruel,
that they were soon known as the Thirty Tyrants, and were hated by every
one.

The Athenians suffered so sorely under the government which the Spartans
had thus forced upon them, that they soon began to long for the return
of Alcibiades, who, whatever his faults, was always generous.

When the Thirty Tyrants and the Spartans learned of this feeling, they
were afraid that the Athenians would summon Alcibiades, so they bribed
the Persian governor to put him to death.

A party of murderers went to his house at night, and set it afire.
Alcibiades, waking up suddenly, tried to escape with his household; but
no sooner had he reached the door than he found himself surrounded by
enemies.

Alcibiades quickly wrapped his cloak around his left arm to serve as a
shield, and, seizing his sword in his right hand, rushed manfully out
upon his foes. The Persians, frightened at his approach, fled in haste;
but they came to a stop at a safe distance, and flung so many stones and
spears at him that he soon fell dead from the blows.

His body was left where it had fallen, and was found by his wife, who
loved him dearly in spite of all his faults. She tenderly wrapped it up
in her own mantle, and