§6.15.1ὁ μὲν Νικίας τοιαῦτα εἶπε, τῶν δὲ Ἀθηναίων παριόντες οἱ μὲν πλεῖστοι στρατεύειν παρῄνουν καὶ τὰ ἐψηφισμένα μὴ λύειν, οἱ δέ τινες καὶ ἀντέλεγον.
Nicias spoke to this effect; and of the Athenians, those who came forward, most advised to make the expedition and not to rescind what had been voted, but some also spoke against it.
§6.15.2ἐνῆγε δὲ προθυμότατα τὴν στρατείαν Ἀλκιβιάδης ὁ Κλεινίου, βουλόμενος τῷ τε Νικίᾳ ἐναντιοῦσθαι, ὢν καὶ ἐς τἆλλα διάφορος τὰ πολιτικὰ καὶ ὅτι αὐτοῦ διαβόλως ἐμνήσθη, καὶ μάλιστα στρατηγῆσαί τε ἐπιθυμῶν καὶ ἐλπίζων Σικελίαν τε δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ Καρχηδόνα λήψεσθαι καὶ τὰ ἴδια ἅμα εὐτυχήσας χρήμασί τε καὶ δόξῃ ὠφελήσειν.
The expedition was most zealously urged by Alcibiades the son of Cleinias, who wished to oppose Nicias—both because he was at variance with him in other political matters and because Nicias had made a slanderous mention of him—and above all, because he desired to hold the command and hoped by this means to capture Sicily and Carthage, and at the same time, by succeeding, to benefit his private fortunes both in money and in reputation.
§6.15.3ὢν γὰρ ἐν ἀξιώματι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀστῶν, ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις μείζοσιν ἢ κατὰ τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν οὐσίαν ἐχρῆτο ἔς τε τὰς ἱπποτροφίας καὶ τὰς ἄλλας δαπάνας· ὅπερ καὶ καθεῖλεν ὕστερον τὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων πόλιν οὐχ ἥκιστα.
For being held in high esteem by the citizens, he indulged desires greater than his actual property warranted, both in keeping horses and in other expenses; which, indeed, later contributed not least to the ruin of the Athenian state.
§6.15.4φοβηθέντες γὰρ αὐτοῦ οἱ πολλοὶ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς τε κατὰ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα παρανομίας ἐς τὴν δίαιταν καὶ τῆς διανοίας ὧν καθ’ ἓν ἕκαστον ἐν ὅτῳ γίγνοιτο ἔπρασσεν, ὡς τυραννίδος ἐπιθυμοῦντι πολέμιοι καθέστασαν, καὶ δημοσίᾳ κράτιστα διαθέντι τὰ τοῦ πολέμου ἰδίᾳ ἕκαστοι τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτοῦ ἀχθεσθέντες, καὶ ἄλλοις ἐπιτρέψαντες, οὐ διὰ μακροῦ ἔσφηλαν τὴν πόλιν.
For the multitude, becoming afraid of the greatness of his lawlessness in his personal life regarding his style of living, and of his designs which he showed in everything he did in whatever position he happened to be, became hostile to him as one who aimed at a tyranny; and although publicly he conducted the affairs of the war in the best manner, privately everyone was offended by his personal habits, and by committing the state to others, they not long after brought the city to ruin.
§6.15.5τότε δ’ οὖν παρελθὼν τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις παρῄνει τοιάδε.
At that time, therefore, coming forward before the Athenians, he advised them as follows.