It is plain that much of this might be vainglory, and the mere desire of popularity and applause; yet from other qualities and carriages of the man one might believe all this cost and public display to be the effect of devotion. For he was one of those who dreaded the divine powers extremely, and, as Thucydides tells us, was much given to arts of divination. In one of Pasiphon's dialogues, it is stated that he daily sacrificed to the gods, and keeping a diviner at his house, professed to be consulting always about the commonwealth, but for the most part inquired about his own private affairs, more especially concerning his silver mines; for he owned many works at Laurium, of great value, but somewhat hazardous to carry on. He maintained there a multitude of slaves, and his wealth consisted chiefly in silver. Hence he had many hangers-on about him, begging and obtaining. For he gave to those who could do him mischief no less than to those who deserved well. In short, his timidity was a revenue to rogues, and his humanity to honest men. We find testimony in the comic writers, as when Teleclides, speaking of one of the professed informers, says- -

"Charicles gave the man a pound, the matter not to name,

That from inside a money-bag into the world he came;

And Nicias, also, paid him four; I know the reason well,

But Nicias is a worthy man, and so I will not tell." - So, also, the informer whom Eupolis introduces in his Maricas, attacking a good, simple, poor man:- -

"How long ago did you and Nicias meet?

I did but see him just now in the street. -

The man has seen him and denies it not,

'Tis evident that they are in a plot. -

See you, O citizens! 'tis fact,

Nicias is taken in the act. -

Taken, Fools! take so good a man

In aught that's wrong none will or can." -

Cleon, in Aristophanes, makes it one of his threats:- -

"I'll outscream all the speakers, and make Nicias stand aghast." - Phrynichus also implies his want of spirit and his easiness to be intimated in the verses- -

"A noble man he was, I well can say,

Nor walked like Nicias, cowering on his way." -

So cautious was he of informers, and so reserved, that he never would dine out with any citizen, nor allowed himself to indulge in talk and conversation with his friends, nor give himself any leisure for such amusements; but when he was general he used to stay at the office till night, and was the first that came to the council-house, and the last that left it. And if no public business engaged him, it was very hard to have access, or to speak with him, he being retired at home and locked up. And when any came to the door, some friend of his gave them good words, and begged them to excuse him, Nicias was very busy; as if affairs of state and public duties still kept him occupied. He who principally acted this part for him, and contributed most to this state and show, was Hiero, a man educated in Nicias's family, and instructed by him in letters and music. He professed to be the son of Dionysius, surnamed Chalcus, whose poems are yet extant, and had led out the colony to Italy and founded Thurii. This Hiero transacted all his secrets for Nicias with the diviners; and gave out to the people what a toilsome and miserable life he led for the sake of the commonwealth. "He," said Hiero, "can never be either at the bath or at his meat but some public business interferes. Careless of his own and zealous for the public good, he scarcely ever goes to bed till after others have had their first sleep. So that his health is impaired and his body out of order, nor is he cheerful or affable with his friends, but loses them as well as his money in the service of the state, while other men gain friends by public speaking, enrich themselves, fare delicately and make government their amusement." And in fact this was Nicias's manner of life, so that he well might apply to himself the words of Agamemnon:- -

"Vain pomp's the ruler of the life we live,

And a slave's service to the crowd we give." -