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　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　generations　back　there　lived　in　Lacedaemon　one　Glaucus；　the　son　of　Epicydes；　a　man　who　in　every　other　respect　was　on　a　par　with　the　first　in　the　kingdom；　and　whose　character　for　justice　was　such　as　to　place　him　above　all　the　other　Spartans。　Now　to　this　man　at　the　appointed　season　the　following　events　happened。　A　certain　Milesian　came　to　Sparta　and；　having　desired　to　speak　with　him；　said…　'I　am　of　Miletus；　and　I　have　come　hither；　Glaucus；　in　the　hope　of　profiting　by　thy　honesty。　For　when　I　heard　much　talk　thereof　in　Ionia　and　through　all　the　rest　of　Greece；　and　when　I　observed　that　whereas　Ionia　is　always　insecure；　the　Peloponnese　stands　firm　and　unshaken；　and　noted　likewise　how　wealth　is　continually　changing　hands　in　our　country；　I　took　counsel　with　myself　and　resolved　to　turn　one…half　of　my　substance　into　money；　and　place　it　in　thy　hands；　since　I　am　well　assured　that　it　will　be　safe　in　thy　keeping。　Here　then　is　the　silver…　take　it…　and　take　likewise　these　tallies；　and　be　careful　of　them；　remember　thou　art　to　give　back　the　money　to　the　person　who　shall　bring　you　their　fellows。'　Such　were　the　words　of　the　Milesian　stranger；　and　Glaucus　took　the　deposit　on　the　terms　expressed　to　him。　Many　years　had　gone　by　when　the　sons　of　the　man　by　whom　the　money　was　left　came　to　Sparta；　and　had　an　interview　with　Glaucus；　whereat　they　produced　the　tallies；　and　asked　to　have　the　money　returned　to　them。　But　Glaucus　sought　to　refuse；　and　answered　them：　'I　have　no　recollection　of　the　matter；　nor　can　I　bring　to　mind　any　of　those　particulars　whereof　ye　speak。　When　I　remember；　I　will　certainly　do　what　is　just。　If　I　had　the　money；　you　have　a　right　to　receive　it　back；　but　if　it　was　never　given　to　me；　I　shall　put　the　Greek　law　in　force　against　you。　For　the　present　I　give　you　no　answer；　but　four　months　hence　I　will　settle　the　business。'　So　the　Milesians　went　away　sorrowful；　considering　that　their　money　was　utterly　lost　to　them。　As　for　Glaucus；　he　made　a　journey　to　Delphi；　and　there　consulted　the　oracle。　To　his　question　if　he　should　swear；　and　so　make　prize　of　the　money；　the　Pythoness　returned　for　answer　these　lines　following：…

　　　　Best　for　the　present　it　were；　O　Glaucus；　to　do　as　thou　wishest；　　　　　Swearing　an　oath　to　prevail；　and　so　to　make　prize　of　the　money。　　　　　Swear　then…　death　is　the　lot　e'en　of　those　who　never　swear　falsely。　　　　　Yet　hath　the　Oath…God　a　son　who　is　nameless；　footless；　and　　　　　　　handless；　　　　　Mighty　in　strength　he　approaches　to　vengeance；　and　whelms　in　　　　　　　destruction；　　　　　All　who　belong　to　the　race；　or　the　house　of　the　man　who　is　　　　　　　perjured。　　　　　But　oath…　keeping　men　leave　behind　them　a　flourishing　offspring。

Glaucus　when　he　heard　these　words　earnestly　besought　the　god　to　pardon　his　question；　but　the　Pythoness　replied　that　it　was　as　bad　to　have　tempted　the　god　as　it　would　have　been　to　have　done　the　deed。　Glaucus；　however；　sent　for　the　Milesian　strangers；　and　gave　them　back　their　money。　And　now　I　will　tell　you；　Athenians；　what　my　purpose　has　been　in　recounting　to　you　this　history。　Glaucus　at　the　present　time　has　not　a　single　descendant；　nor　is　there　any　family　known　as　his…　root　and　branch　has　he　been　removed　from　Sparta。　It　is　a　good　thing；　therefore；　when　a　pledge　has　been　left　with　one；　not　even　in　thought　to　doubt　about　restoring　it。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　Leotychides；　but；　as　he　found　that　the　Athenians　would　not　hearken　to　him；　he　left　them　and　went　his　way。　　　　　The　Eginetans　had　never　been　punished　for　the　wrongs　which；　to　pleasure　the　Thebans；　they　had　committed　upon　Athens。　Now；　however；　conceiving　that　they　were　themselves　wronged；　and　had　a　fair　ground　of　complaint　against　the　Athenians；　they　instantly　prepared　to　revenge　themselves。　As　it　chanced　that　the　Athenian　theoris；　which　was　a　vessel　of　five　banks　of　oars；　lay　at　Sunium；　the　Eginetans　contrived　an　ambush；　and　made　themselves　masters　of　the　holy　vessel；　on　board　of　which　were　a　number　of　Athenians　of　the　highest　rank；　whom　they　took　and　threw　into　prison。　　　　　At　this　outrage　the　Athenians　no　longer　delayed；　but　set　to　work　to　scheme　their　worst　against　the　Eginetans；　and；　as　there　was　in　Egina　at　that　time　a　man　of　mark；　Nicodromus　by　name；　the　son　of　Cnoethus；　who　was　on　ill　terms　with　his　countrymen　because　on　a　former　occasion　they　had　driven　him　into　banishment；　they　listened　to　overtures　from　this　man；　who　had　heard　how　determined　they　were　to　do　the　Eginetans　a　mischief；　and　agreed　with　him　that　on　a　certain　day　he　should　be　ready　to　betray　the　island　into　their　hands；　and　they　would　come　with　a　body　of　troops　to　his　assistance。　And　Nicodromus；　some　time　after；　holding　to　the　agreement；　made　himself　master　of　what　is　called　the　old　town。　　　　　The　Athenians；　however；　did　not　come　to　the　day；　for　their　own　fleet　was　not　of　force　sufficient　to　engage　the　Eginetans；　and　while　they　were　begging　the　Corinthians　to　lend　them　some　ships；　the　failure　of　the　enterprise　took　place。　In　those　days　the　Corinthians　were　on　the　best　of　terms　with　the　Athenians；　and　accordingly　they　now　yielded　to　their　request；　and　furnished　them　with　twenty　ships；　but；　as　their　law　did　not　allow　the　ships　to　be　given　for　nothing；　they　sold　them　to　the　Athenians　for　five　drachms　apiece。　As　soon　then　as　the　Athenians　had　obtained　this　aid；　and；　by　manning　also　their　own　ships；　had　equipped　a　fleet　of　seventy　sail；　they　crossed　over　to　Egina；　but　arrived　a　day　later　than　the　time　agreed　upon。　　　　　Meanwhile　Nicodromus；　when　he　found　the　Athenians　did　not　come　to　the　time　appointed；　took　ship　and　made　his　escape　from　the　island。　The　Eginetans　who　accompanied　him　were　settled　by　the　Athenians　at　Sunium；　whence　they　were　wont　to　issue　forth　and　plunder　the　Eginetans　of　the　island。　But　this　took　place　at　a　later　date。　　　　　When　the　wealthier　Eginetans　had　thus　obtained　the　victory　over　the　common　people　who　had　revolted　with　Nicodromus；　they　laid　hands　on　a　certain　number　of　them；　and　led　them　out　to　death。　But　here　they　were　guilty　of　a　sacrilege；　which；　notwithstanding　all　their　efforts；　they　were　never　able　to　atone；　being　driven　from　the　island　before　they　had　appeased　the　goddess　whom　they　now