Book IV - Sicily (Chapters XVIII-XX) Summary

Polemides relates, in Chapter XVIII, how only three months later, Alcibiades is recalled to Athens to face charges of impiety, profanity and treason. The profanity charge was the one that concerned Alcibiades, as it caused outrage amongst the populace. He had believed he had managed to have that charge dismissed through a campaign of letters and allies at home, but he discovers at the last minute that the charge was not dropped. Alcibiades and his agents have been double crossed and he has no time left to fix matters. His counselors propose that Alcibiades return to Athens with the fleet at his back and declare himself Athens' leader, but he refuses this counsel, wishing Athens' approval if he is to become their leader. Knowing that the outcome of the trial is likely to...