the history-第118章

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ed　their　camp　opposite　to　the　Lacedaemonians；　leaving　no　great　space　between　the　hosts。　And　now　their　fear　was　not　so　much　lest　they　should　be　worsted　in　open　fight　as　lest　some　trick　should　be　practised　on　them；　for　such　was　the　danger　which　the　oracle　given　to　them　in　common　with　the　Milesians　seemed　to　intimate。　The　oracle　ran　as　follows：…

　　　　Time　shall　be　when　the　female　shall　conquer　the　male；　and　shall　　　　　　　chase　him　　　　　Far　away…　gaining　so　great　praise　and　honour　in　Argos；　　　　　Then　full　many　an　Argive　woman　her　cheeks　shall　mangle　　　　　Hence；　in　the　times　to　come　'twill　be　said　by　the　men　who　are　　　　　　　unborn；　　　　　〃Tamed　by　the　spear　expired　the　coiled　terrible　serpent。〃

At　the　coincidence　of　all　these　things　the　Argives　were　greatly　cast　down；　and　so　they　resolved　that　they　would　follow　the　signals　of　the　enemy's　herald。　Having　made　this　resolve；　they　proceeded　to　act　as　follows：　whenever　the　herald　of　the　Lacedaemonians　gave　an　order　to　the　soldiers　of　his　own　army；　the　Argives　did　the　like　on　their　side。　　　　　Now　when　Cleomenes　heard　that　the　Argives　were　acting　thus；　he　commanded　his　troops　that；　so　soon　as　the　herald　gave　the　word　for　the　soldiers　to　go　to　dinner；　they　should　instantly　seize　their　arms　and　charge　the　host　of　the　enemy。　Which　the　Lacedaemonians　did　accordingly；　and　fell　upon　the　Argives　just　as；　following　the　signal；　they　had　begun　their　repast；　whereby　it　came　to　pass　that　vast　numbers　of　the　Argives　were　slain；　while　the　rest；　who　were　more　than　they　which　died　in　the　fight；　were　driven　to　take　refuge　in　the　grove　of　Argus　hard　by；　where　they　were　surrounded；　and　watch　kept　upon　them。　　　　　When　things　were　at　this　pass　Cleomenes　acted　as　follows：　Having　learnt　the　names　of　the　Argives　who　were　shut　up　in　the　sacred　precinct　from　certain　deserters　who　had　come　over　to　him；　he　sent　a　herald　to　summon　them　one　by　one；　on　pretence　of　having　received　their　ransoms。　Now　the　ransom　of　prisoners　among　the　Peloponnesians　is　fixed　at　two　minae　the　man。　So　Cleomenes　had　these　persons　called　forth　severally；　to　the　number　of　fifty；　or　thereabouts；　and　massacred　them。　All　this　while　they　who　remained　in　the　enclosure　knew　nothing　of　what　was　happening；　for　the　grove　was　so　thick　that　the　people　inside　were　unable　to　see　what　was　taking　place　without。　But　at　last　one　of　their　number　climbed　up　into　a　tree　and　spied　the　treachery；　after　which　none　of　those　who　were　summoned　would　go　forth。　　　　　Then　Cleomenes　ordered　all　the　helots　to　bring　brushwood；　and　heap　it　around　the　grove；　which　was　done　accordingly；　and　Cleomenes　set　the　grove　on　fire。　As　the　flames　spread　he　asked　a　deserter　〃Who　was　the　god　of　the　grove？〃　whereto　the　other　made　answer；　〃Argus。〃　So　he；　when　he　heard　that；　uttered　a　loud　groan；　and　said：…　　　　　〃Greatly　hast　thou　deceived　me；　Apollo；　god　of　prophecy；　in　saying　that　I　should　take　Argos。　I　fear　me　thy　oracle　has　now　got　its　accomplishment。〃　　　　　Cleomenes　now　sent　home　the　greater　part　of　his　army；　while　with　a　thousand　of　his　best　troops　he　proceeded　to　the　temple　of　Juno；　to　offer　sacrifice。　When　however　he　would　have　slain　the　victim　on　the　altar　himself；　the　priest　forbade　him；　as　it　was　not　lawful　（he　said）　for　a　foreigner　to　sacrifice　in　that　temple。　At　this　Cleomenes　ordered　his　helots　to　drag　the　priest　from　the　altar　and　scourge　him；　while　he　performed　the　sacrifice　himself；　after　which　he　went　back　to　Sparta。　　　　　Thereupon　his　enemies　brought　him　up　before　the　Ephors；　and　made　it　a　charge　against　him　that　he　had　allowed　himself　to　be　bribed；　and　on　that　account　had　not　taken　Argos　when　he　might　have　captured　it　easily。　To　this　he　answered…　whether　truly　or　falsely　I　cannot　say　with　certainty…　but　at　any　rate　his　answer　to　the　charge　was　that　〃so　soon　as　he　discovered　the　sacred　precinct　which　he　had　taken　to　belong　to　Argos；　he　directly　imagined　that　the　oracle　had　received　its　accomplishment；　he　therefore　thought　it　not　good　to　attempt　the　town；　at　the　least　until　he　had　inquired　by　sacrifice；　and　ascertained　if　the　god　meant　to　grant　him　the　place；　or　was　determined　to　oppose　his　taking　it。　So　he　offered　in　the　temple　of　Juno；　and　when　the　omens　were　propitious；　immediately　there　flashed　forth　a　flame　of　fire　from　the　breast　of　the　image；　whereby　he　knew　of　a　surety　that　he　was　not　to　take　Argos。　For　if　the　flash　had　come　from　the　head；　he　would　have　gained　the　town；　citadel　and　all；　but　as　it　shone　from　the　breast；　he　had　done　so　much　as　the　god　intended。〃　And　his　words　seemed　to　the　Spartans　so　true　and　reasonable；　that　he　came　clear　off　from　his　adversaries。　　　　　Argos　however　was　left　so　bare　of　men　that　the　slaves　managed　the　state；　filled　the　offices；　and　administered　everything　until　the　sons　of　those　who　were　slain　by　Cleomenes　grew　up。　Then　these　latter　cast　out　the　slaves；　and　got　the　city　back　under　their　own　rule；　while　the　slaves　who　had　been　driven　out　fought　a　battle　and　won　Tiryns。　After　this　for　a　time　there　was　peace　between　the　two；　but　a　certain　man；　a　soothsayer；　named　Cleander；　who　was　by　race　a　Phigalean　from　Arcadia；　joined　himself　to　the　slaves；　and　stirred　them　up　to　make　a　fresh　attack　upon　their　lords。　Then　were　they　at　war　with　one　another　by　the　space　of　many　years；　but　at　length　the　Argives　with　much　trouble　gained　the　upper　hand。　　　　　The　Argives　say　that　Cleomenes　lost　his　senses；　and　died　so　miserably；　on　account　of　these　doings。　But　his　own　countrymen　declare　that　his　madness　proceeded　not　from　any　supernatural　cause　whatever；　but　only　from　the　habit　of　drinking　wine　unmixed　with　water；　which　he　learnt　of　the　Scyths。　These　nomads；　from　the　time　that　Darius　made　his　inroad　into　their　country；　had　always　had　a　wish　for　revenge。　They　therefore　sent　ambassadors　to　Sparta　to　conclude　a　league；　proposing　to　endeavour　themselves　to　enter　Media　by　the　Phasis；　while　the　Spartans　should　march　inland　from　Ephesus；　and　then　the　two　armies　should　join　together　in　one。　When　the　Scyths　came　to　Sparta　on　this　errand　Cleomenes　was　with　them　continually；　and　growing　somewhat　too　familiar；　learnt　of　them　to　drink　his　wine　without　water；　a　practice　which　is　thought　by　the　Spartans　to　have　caused　his　madness。　From　this　distance　of　time　the　Spartans；　according　to　their　own　account；　have　been　accustomed；　when　they　want　to　drink　purer　wine　than　common；　to　give　the　order　to　fill　〃Scythian　fashion。〃　The　Spartans　then　speak　thus　concerning　Cleomenes；　but　for　my　own　part　I　think　his　death　was　a　judgment　on　him　for　wronging　Demaratus。　　　　　No　sooner　did　the　news　of　Cleomenes'　death　reach　Egina　than　straightway　the　Eginetans　sent　ambassadors　to　Sparta　to　complain　of　the　conduct　of　Leotychides　in　respect　of　their　hostages；　who　were　still　kept　at　Athens。　So　they　of　Lacedaemon　assembled　a　court　of　justice　and　gave　sentence　upon　Leotychides；　that　whereas　he　had　grossly　affronted　the　people　of　Egina；　he　should　be　given　up　to　the　ambassadors；　to　be　led　away　in　place　of　the　men　whom　the　Athenians　had　in　their　keeping。　Then　the　ambassadors　were　about　to　lead　him　away；　but　Theasides；　the　son　of　Leoprepes；　who　was　a　man　greatly　esteemed　in　Sparta；　interfered；　and　said　to　them：…　　　　　〃What　are　ye　minded　to　do；　ye　men　of　Egina？　To　lead　away　captive　the　king　of　the　Spartans；　whom　his　countrymen　have　given　into　your　hands？　Though　now　in　their　anger　they　have　passed　this　sentence；　yet　belike　the　time　will　come　when　they　will　punish　you；　if　you　act　thus；　by　bringing　utter　destruction　upon　your　country。〃　　　　　The　Eginetans；　when　they　heard　this；　changed　their　plan；　and；　instead　of　leading　Leotychides　away　captive；　agreed　with　him　that　he　should　come　with　them　to　Athens；　and　give　them　back　their　men。　　　　　When　however　he　reached　that　city；　and　demanded　the　restoration　of　his　pledge；　the　Athenians；　being　unwilling　to　comply；　proceeded　to　make　excuses；　saying　〃that　two　kings　had　come　and　left　the　men　with　them；　and　they　did　not　think　it　right　to　give　them　back　to　the　one　without　the　other。〃　So　when　the　Athenians　refused　plainly　to　restore　the　men；　Leotychides　said　to　them：…　　　　　〃Men　of　Athens；　act　which　way　you　choose…　give　me　up　the　hostages；　and　be　righteous；　or　keep　them；　and　be　the　contrary。　I　wish；　however；　to　tell　you　what　happened　once　in　Sparta　about　a　pledge。　The　story　goes　among　us　that　three