er, the ephors under whom the treaty had been made
were no longer in office, and some of their successors were directly
opposed to it. Embassies now arrived from the Lacedaemonian confederacy,
and the Athenians, Boeotians, and Corinthians also presented themselves
at Lacedaemon, and after much discussion and no agreement between them,
separated for their several homes; when Cleobulus and Xenares, the two
ephors who were the most anxious to break off the treaty, took advantage
of this opportunity to communicate privately with the Boeotians and
Corinthians, and, advising them to act as much as possible together,
instructed the former first to enter into alliance with Argos, and then
try and bring themselves and the Argives into alliance with Lacedaemon.
The Boeotians would so be least likely to be compelled to come into the
Attic treaty; and the Lacedaemonians would prefer gaining the friendship
and alliance of Argos even at the price of the hostility of Athens
and the rupture of the treaty. The Boeotians knew that an honourable
friendship with Argos had been long the desire of Lacedaemon; for the
Lacedaemonians believed that this would considerably facilitate the
conduct of the war outside Peloponnese. Meanwhile they begged the
Boeotians to place Panactum in her hands in order that she might, if
possible, obtain Pylos in exchange for it, and so be more in a position
to resume hostilities with Athens.

After receiving these instructions for their governments from Xenares
and Cleobulus and their friends at Lacedaemon, the Boeotians and
Corinthians departed. On their way home they were joined by two persons
high in office at Argos, who had waited for them on the road, and who
now sounded them upon the possibility of the Boeotians joining the
Corinthians, Eleans, and Mantineans in becoming the allies of Argos, in
the idea that if this could be effected they would be able, thus united,
to make peace or war as they pleased either against Lacedaemon or any
other power. The Boeotian envoys were were pleased at thus hearing
themselves accidentally asked to do what their friends at Lacedaemon
had told them; and the two Argives perceiving that their proposal was
agreeable, departed with a promise to send ambassadors to the Boeotians.
On their arrival the Boeotians reported to the Boeotarchs what had been
said to them at Lacedaemon and also by the Argives who had met them,
and the Boeotarchs, pleased with the idea, embraced it with t