, the Five
Thousand were only nominally selected, and the Four Hundred, together
with the ten officers on whom full powers had been conferred, occupied
the Council-house and really administered the government. They began by
sending ambassadors to the Lacedaemonians proposing a cessation of the
war on the basis of the existing position; but as the Lacedaemonians
refused to listen to them unless they would also abandon the command of
the sea, they broke off the negotiations.

Part 33

For about four months the constitution of the Four Hundred lasted, and
Mnasilochus held office as Archon of their nomination for two months of
the year of Theopompus, who was Archon for the remaining ten. On the
loss of the naval battle of Eretria, however, and the revolt of the
whole of Euboea except Oreum, the indignation of the people was greater
than at any of the earlier disasters, since they drew far more supplies
at this time from Euboea than from Attica itself. Accordingly they
deposed the Four Hundred and committed the management of affairs to the
Five Thousand, consisting of persons possessing a military equipment.
At the same time they voted that pay should not be given for any public
office. The persons chiefly responsible for the revolution were
Aristocrates and Theramenes, who disapproved of the action of the Four
Hundred in retaining the direction of affairs entirely in their own
hands, and referring nothing to the Five Thousand. During this period
the constitution of the state seems to have been admirable, since it
was a time of war and the franchise was in the hands of those who
possessed a military equipment.

Part 34

The people, however, in a very short time deprived the Five Thousand of
their monopoly of the government. Then, six years after the overthrow
of the Four Hundred, in the archonship of Callias of Angele, the battle
of Arginusae took place, of which the results were, first, that the ten
generals who had gained the victory were all condemned by a single
decision, owing to the people being led astray by persons who aroused
their indignation; though, as a matter of fact, some of the generals
had actually taken no part in the battle, and others were themselves
picked up by other vessels. Secondly, when the Lacedaemonians proposed
to evacuate Decelea and make peace on the basis of the existing
position, although some of the Athenians supported this proposal, the
majority refused to listen to them. In th