34.34
As his
arguments failed to make any impression on the allies he tried another
course, and by apparently falling in with their view he brought them over to
his own. "Well and good," he continued, "let us undertake the siege of
Lacedaemon, if such is your resolve. Do not close your eyes, however, to
the fact that the investment of a city is a slow business and often wearies out
the besiegers sooner than the besieged, and you must now face the certainty
of having to pass the winter round the walls of Lacedaemon. If these tedious
processes only involved toil and danger I should urge you to prepare
yourselves in mind and body to sustain them. But a vast outlay will be
necessary for the siege works and engines and artillery which will be
required for the investment of so great a city, and supplies for you and for us
will have to be collected against the winter. So, to prevent your suddenly
finding yourselves in difficulties, and abandoning to your shame a task after
you have undertaken it, I am of opinion that you ought to write to your
respective cities and find out what they really intend doing and what
resources they possess. Of auxiliary troops I have enough and more than
enough, the greater our number the greater our requirements. The enemy's
territory contains nothing now but the bare soil, and besides, winter will be
here, making it difficult to bring supplies from a distance." This speech at
once reminded them of the evils they had to take account of in their own
cities, the indolence, the jealousy, the malicious way in which those
remaining at home spoke about those on active service, the unrestrained
liberty which hindered united action, the low state of their national
exchequers and the niggardliness displayed by individuals in contributing
towards public expenses. So they quickly changed their minds and left it to
the commander-in-chief to do what he thought best in the interest of Rome
and the allies.
