The Peloponnesian War

Sparta still rests upon our threshold, holding us prisoner here in our beautiful city.  The people turn to Athene, asking her wisdom now that the great Pericles has perished.  The citizens of Athens tremble as another season of war comes upon us.  We turn now to wise Cleon to lead us against Sparta and to victory.  The death of Pericles lingers with us, the loss of him and his sons are a great loss to the people of Athens.  The plague still lingers within the walls of Athens and many sacrifice daily to the wise Goddess Athene and to Zeus to grant us deliverance and victory.  The only relief we have received is that Sparta is so terrified of the sickness within these walls it has retreated from Attica.

It has been two years since Sparta rose against us, since they invaded Attica and Pericles sent our fleet of proud triremes along their coast to suppress the unrest growing in the Peloponnese.  The audacity of that nation, to have announced their goal was to rid Greece of Athenian oppression.  Athenian oppression indeed, are we not the height of Hellas?  Are we not the dream to which all aspire?  Our achievements have earned enmity from those without, the Spartans are jealous of the heights to which our people have risen.  They attack us and force the peoples of Attica to make the long walls between Athens and Piraeus their home, while Sparta, with its thousands of hoplites have taken up the long fields around our city.  Our citizens, our soldiers wait on good Cleon to tell us what to do.  Fear is a strong current among the people of Athens, and only the gods know what we face in the months to come.  Summer approaches and the mass of Sparta’s army swells beyond our walls.  Inside the pyres burn as offerings are made to the gods and we wait, always wait for them to answer.

We can still draw hope from the words of Pericles as he addressed our citizens as he spoke the Funeral Oration last year. “We are still willing to encounter danger; we have the double advantage of escaping the experience of hardships in anticipation and of facing them in the hour of need as fearlessly as those who are never free from them.”  Pericles knew the greatness of Athens and of its people.  We will rise and fight, we are strong in our resolve and we have the might of the great Athene to guide us.

I have been told by my sources in the Council that clever Demosthenes, our new general has plans to lead an attack upon the Spartans, forcing their defeat.  Our navy still attacks and defends us; we are not without defense as our military stays strong, even in the face of the death toll the plague has caused.  We will strike back even as they plan to attack us once more as the year warms.

But still, our faith in the gods and in our leaders notwithstanding, there is much fear as rumors of the Spartans attacking Plataea spread throughout the city.  It is said the King of Sparta Archidamus II will lead the siege against Plataea this year.  Plataea it has been said is strategically beneficial to the Spartans as it will enable them to support their allies in Thebes.  At this time, these rumors have not been confirmed and we await the answers. War draws nigh and Athens will heed the call, we will be triumphant.  Mighty Athene grant Cleon and Demosthenes her wisdom in the battle yet to come.