<P> However, unlike the expedition against Melos, the citizens of Athens were deeply divided over Alcibiades' proposal for an expedition to far - off Sicily . In June 415 BC, on the very eve of the departure of the Athenian fleet for Sicily, a band of vandals in Athens defaced the many statues of the god Hermes that were scattered throughout the city of Athens . This action was blamed on Alcibiades and was seen as a bad omen for the coming campaign . In all likelihood, the coordinated action against the statues of Hermes was the action of the peace party . Having lost the debate on the issue, the peace party was desperate to weaken Alcibiades' hold on the people of Athens . Successfully blaming Alcibiades for the action of the vandals would have weakened Alcibiades and the war party in Athens . Furthermore, it is unlikely that Alcibiades would have deliberately defaced the statues of Hermes on the very eve of his departure with the fleet . Such defacement could only have been interpreted as a bad omen for the expedition that he had long advocated . </P> <P> Even before the fleet reached Sicily, word arrived to the fleet that Alcibiades was to be arrested and charged with sacrilege of the statues of Hermes, prompting Alcibiades to flee to Sparta . When the fleet later landed in Sicily and the battle was joined, the expedition was a complete disaster . The entire expeditionary force was lost and Nicias was captured and executed . This was one of the most crushing defeats in the history of Athens . </P> <P> Meanwhile, Alcibiades betrayed Athens and became a chief advisor to the Spartans and began to counsel them on the best way to defeat his native land . Alcibiades persuaded the Spartans to begin building a real navy for the first time--large enough to challenge the Athenian superiority at sea . Additionally, Alcibiades persuaded the Spartans to ally themselves with their traditional foes--the Persians . As noted below, Alcibiades soon found himself in controversy in Sparta when he was accused of having seduced Timaea, the wife of Agis II, the Eurypontid king of Sparta . Accordingly, Alcibiades was required to flee from Sparta and seek the protection of the Persian Court . </P> <P> In the Persian court, Alcibiades now betrayed both by helping Sparta build a navy commensurate with the Athenian navy . Alcibiades advised that a victory of Sparta over Athens was not in the best interest of the Persian Empire . Rather, long and continuous warfare between Sparta and Athens would weaken both city - states and allow the Persians to dominate the Greek peninsula . </P>

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