Final answer:
Alcibiades and Polemides are enigmatic historical figures, with secretive aspects left to the reader's interpretation. Their actions appear driven by Greek values of strength and rhetoric, with Alcibiades focused on personal power and Polemides' motivations more speculative but possibly linked to duty or honor.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alcibiades and Polemides can be considered enigmatic figures in history, and several facets of their characters and motivations are left for the reader to decipher. Both men were influential in their respective contexts, with Alcibiades being known for his role in the Sicilian expedition and his intricate political maneuvers during the Peloponnesian War, whereas the motives and actions of historical soldiers like Polemides often go less documented, leaving more to be interpreted by historians and readers alike.
Their successes and failures appear driven by a blend of ambition, desire for recognition, and the complexities of living up to the Greek ideals of strength in arms and rhetoric. These are the values - being able to overpower others in battle or persuade them in the political arena - that would have been seen as essential for male citizens to pursue during that era.
While Alcibiades's vision seemed particularly linked to personal glory and power, which famously led to a roller-coaster career switching allegiances between Athens, Sparta, and even Persia, the core values driving a soldier like Polemides would be more speculative, potentially revolving around duty, honor, or personal loyalty, which were also significant in Greek culture.
However, much about the internal motivations for these historical figures requires interpretation and analysis of the varying and sometimes sparse information available on them.