also directed to say
that the Athenians, had they wished to play false, might already have
made alliance with the Argives, who were indeed come to Athens for that
very purpose, and went off furnished with instructions as to any other
complaints that the Athenians had to make. Having reached Lacedaemon,
they communicated their instructions, and concluded by telling the
Lacedaemonians that unless they gave up their alliance with the
Boeotians, in the event of their not acceding to the treaty, the
Athenians for their part would ally themselves with the Argives and
their friends. The Lacedaemonians, however, refused to give up the
Boeotian alliance--the party of Xenares the ephor, and such as shared
their view, carrying the day upon this point--but renewed the oaths at
the request of Nicias, who feared to return without having accomplished
anything and to be disgraced; as was indeed his fate, he being held
the author of the treaty with Lacedaemon. When he returned, and the
Athenians heard that nothing had been done at Lacedaemon, they flew into
a passion, and deciding that faith had not been kept with them, took
advantage of the presence of the Argives and their allies, who had been
introduced by Alcibiades, and made a treaty and alliance with them upon
the terms following:

The Athenians, Argives, Mantineans, and Eleans, acting for themselves
and the allies in their respective empires, made a treaty for a hundred
years, to be without fraud or hurt by land and by sea.

1. It shall not be lawful to carry on war, either for the Argives,
Eleans, Mantineans, and their allies, against the Athenians, or the
allies in the Athenian empire: or for the Athenians and their allies
against the Argives, Eleans, Mantineans, or their allies, in any way or
means whatsoever.

The Athenians, Argives, Eleans, and Mantineans shall be allies for a
hundred years upon the terms following:

2. If an enemy invade the country of the Athenians, the Argives, Eleans,
and Mantineans shall go to the relief of Athens, according as the
Athenians may require by message, in such way as they most effectually
can, to the best of their power. But if the invader be gone after
plundering the territory, the offending state shall be the enemy of
the Argives, Mantineans, Eleans, and Athenians, and war shall be made
against it by all these cities: and no one of the cities shall be able
to make peace with that state, except all the above cities agree to do
so.