Alcibiades
son of Clinias and Deinomache, was born in Athens about 450 B. C. He lost his father in the battle of Coronea (447), so was brought up in the house of his kinsman Pericles.
His friend Socrates was unable to restrain his love of luxury and dissipation, which found ample means of gratification in the wealth that accrued to him by his union with Hipparete. He first bore arms in the expedition against Po- ALCIBIADES tidæa (432), where his life was saved generals in Asia to have him assasby Socrates a debt which eight years later he repaid at Delium, by saving, in his turn, the life of the philosopher.
He seems to have taken no part in political matters till after the death of ALCIBIADES the demagogue Cleon, when Nicias brought about a 50 years' treaty of peace between Athens and Lacedæmon.
Alcibiades, jealous of the esteem in which Nicias was held, persuaded the Athenians to ally themselves with the people of Argos, Elis, and Mantinea (420). It was at his suggestion that, in 415, they engaged in the Sicilian expedition, which he commanded, along with Nicias and Lamachus. But while preparations were making, one night all the statues of Hermes in Athens were mutilated. Alcibiades' enemies threw on him the blame of the sacrilege, but postponed the impeachment until he had set sail, when they stirred up the people against him to such a degree that he was recalled in order to stand his trial. On the voyage home, he landed in Italy, and thence crossed to Lacedæmon, where he soon became a favorite. He induced the Lacedæmonians to send assistance to Syracuse, to form an alliance with Persia, and to support the people of Chios in their effort to throw off the Athenian yoke. He went thither himself, and raised all Ionia in revolt. But Agis, and other leading Spartans, jealous of Alcibiades' success, ordered their 8-Vol. I-Cyc ALCOCK if sinated. Discovering the plot, he fled to Tissaphernes, a Persian satrap, who had orders to act in concert with the Spartans. He now resumed his old manners, adopted the luxurious habit of Asia, and made himself indispensable to Tissaphernes, representing to him that it was contrary to Persia's interests entirely to disable the Athenians. He then sent word to the Athenian commanders at Samos that he would procure for them the friendship of the satrap they would establish an oligarchy at Athens. The offer was accepted, and the supreme power vested in a council of four hundred. When it appeared, however, that this council had no intention of recalling Alcibiades, the army of Samos chose him for a general, desiring him to lead them to Athens. But Alcibiades did not wish to return to his native country till he had rendered it some service; and during the next four years he defeated the Lacedæmonians at Cynossema, Abydos, and Cyzicus; recovered Chalcedon and Byzantium, and restored to the Athenians the dominion of the sea. He then returned home (407), on a formal invitation, and was received with general enthusiasm. His triumph, however, was brief. He was sent back to Asia with a hundred ships; but his own ill-success against Andros, and the defeat of his lieutenant at Notium, enabled his enemies to get him superseded (406). He went into exile in the Thracian Chersonesus, and two years later crossed over to Phrygia, with the intention of repairing to the court of Artaxerxes. One night, in 404, his house was fired by a band of armed men; and, rushing out sword in hand, he fell pierced with a shower of arrows.