Blockaded by land and sea, with their food supplies running low, the Athenians sent ambassadors to the Spartan king Agis, whose army was camped outside their walls, offering to join the Spartan alliance if they were allowed to keep their walls and port; Agis, claiming that he had no power to negotiate, sent the ambassadors on to Sparta, but there they were told that, if they really wanted peace, they should bring the Spartans better proposals.
Bloqueados por terra e mar, coas súas subministracións de alimentos diminuíndo, os atenienses enviaron embaixadores ao rei espartano Axis, cuxo exército estaba acampado fóra das súas murallas, ofrecendo unirse á alianza espartana si éralles permitido conservar as súas murallas e porto; Axis, afirmando que non tiña poder de negociar, enviou embaixadores a Esparta, pero alí dixéronlles que, se quixesen a paz realmente, deberían levar mellores propostas aos espartanos.