The Assembly had met to give audience to Nicias, Lamachus, and Alcibiades, the generals about to leave with the Sicilian expedition – in fact, Lamachus’ flagship was already lying off-shore – when suddenly Pythonicus rose before the people and cried: ‘Countrymen, you are sending forth this mighty host in all its array upon a perilous enterprise. Yet your commander, Alcibiades, has been holding celebrations of the mysteries in a private house, and others with him; I will prove it, grant immunity to him whom I indicate, and a non-initiate, a slave belonging to someone here present, shall describe the Mysteries to you. You can punish me as you will, if that is not the truth.’ On the Mysteries 11-12
