Previous to the surrender of Gythium, Pythagoras, who had been left as commander at Argos, having intrusted the defence of the city to Timocrates of Pellene, with a thousand mercenary soldiers, and two thousand Argives, came to Lacedaemon and joined Nabis.
30.

Although Nabis had been greatly alarmed at the first arrival of the Roman fleet, and the surrender of the towns on the sea-coast, yet, as long as Gythium was held by his troops he had quieted his apprehensions with that scanty hope; but when he heard that Gythium, too, was given up to the Romans, and saw that he had no room for any kind of hope on the land, where every place round was in the hands of the enemy, and that he was totally excluded from the sea, he considered that he must yield to fortune.

He first sent a messenger into the Roman camp, to learn whether permission would be given to send ambassadors.

This being consented to, Pythagoras came to the general, with no other commission than to propose a conference between that commander and the tyrant.

A council was summoned on the proposal, and every one present agreeing in opinion that a conference should be granted, a time and place were appointed.