the history-第133章

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to　Egina　against　such　as　had　espoused　the　side　of　the　Medes。　　　　　Cleomenes　now；　being　resolved　to　have　his　revenge　upon　Demaratus；　went　to　Leotychides；　the　son　of　Menares；　and　grandson　of　Agis；　who　was　of　the　same　family　as　Demaratus；　and　made　agreement　with　him　to　this　tenor　following。　Cleomenes　was　to　lend　his　aid　to　make　Leotychides　king　in　the　room　of　Demaratus；　and　then　Leotychides　was　to　take　part　with　Cleomenes　against　the　Eginetans。　Now　Leotychides　hated　Demaratus　chiefly　on　account　of　Percalus；　the　daughter　of　Chilon；　son　of　Demarmenus：　this　lady　had　been　betrothed　to　Leotychides；　but　Demaratus　laid　a　plot；　and　robbed　him　of　his　bride；　forestalling　him　in　carrying　her　off；　and　marrying　her。　Such　was　the　origin　of　the　enmity。　At　the　time　of　which　we　speak；　Leotychides　was　prevailed　upon　by　the　earnest　desire　of　Cleomenes　to　come　forward　against　Demaratus　and　make　oath　〃that　Demaratus　was　not　rightful　king　of　Sparta；　since　he　was　not　the　true　son　of　Ariston。〃　After　he　had　thus　sworn；　Leotychides　sued　Demaratus；　and　brought　up　against　him　the　phrase　which　Ariston　had　let　drop　when；　on　the　coming　of　his　servant　to　announce　to　him　the　birth　of　his　son；　he　counted　the　months；　and　cried　out　with　an　oath　that　the　child　was　not　his。　It　was　on　this　speech　of　Ariston's　that　Leotychides　relied　to　prove　that　Demaratus　was　not　his　son；　and　therefore　not　rightful　king　of　Sparta；　and　he　produced　as　witnesses　the　Ephors　who　were　sitting　with　Ariston　at　the　time　and　heard　what　he　said。　　　　　At　last；　as　there　came　to　be　much　strife　concerning　this　matter；　the　Spartans　made　a　decree　that　the　Delphic　oracle　should　be　asked　to　say　whether　Demaratus　were　Ariston's　son　or　no。　Cleomenes　set　them　upon　this　plan；　and　no　sooner　was　the　decree　passed　than　he　made　a　friend　of　Cobon；　the　son　of　Aristophantus；　a　man　of　the　greatest　weight　among　the　Delphians；　and　this　Cobon　prevailed　upon　Perialla；　the　prophetess；　to　give　the　answer　which　Cleomenes　wished。　Accordingly；　when　the　sacred　messengers　came　and　put　their　question；　the　Pythoness　returned　for　answer　〃that　Demaratus　was　not　Ariston's　son。〃　Some　time　afterwards　all　this　became　known；　and　Cobon　was　forced　to　fly　from　Delphi；　while　Perialla　the　prophetess　was　deprived　of　her　office。　　　　　Such　were　the　means　whereby　the　deposition　of　Demaratus　was　brought　about；　but　his　flying　from　Sparta　to　the　Medes　was　by　reason　of　an　affront　which　was　put　upon　him。　On　losing　his　kingdom　he　had　been　made　a　magistrate；　and　in　that　office　soon　afterwards；　when　the　feast　of　the　Gymnopaediae　came　around；　he　took　his　station　among　the　　lookers…on；　whereupon　Leotychides；　who　was　now　king　in　his　room；　sent　a　servant　to　him　and　asked　him；　by　way　of　insult　and　mockery；　〃how　it　felt　to　be　a　magistrate　after　one　had　been　a　king？〃　Demaratus；　who　was　hurt　at　the　question；　made　answer…　〃Tell　him　I　have　tried　them　both；　but　he　has　not。　Howbeit　this　speech　will　be　the　cause　to　Sparta　of　infinite　blessings　or　else　of　infinite　woes。〃　Having　thus　spoken　he　wrapped　his　head　in　his　robe；　and；　leaving　the　theatre；　went　home　to　his　own　house；　where　he　prepared　an　ox　for　sacrifice；　and　offered　it　to　Jupiter；　after　which　he　called　for　his　mother。　　　　　When　she　appeared；　he　took　of　the　entrails；　and　placing　them　in　her　hand；　besought　her　in　these　words　following：…　　　　　〃Dear　mother；　I　beseech　you；　by　all　the　gods；　and　chiefly　by　our　own　hearth…god　Jupiter；　tell　me　the　very　truth；　who　was　really　my　father。　For　Leotychides；　in　the　suit　which　we　had　together；　declared　that　when　thou　becamest　Ariston's　wife　thou　didst　already　bear　in　thy　womb　a　child　by　thy　former　husband；　and　others　repeat　a　yet　more　disgraceful　tale；　that　our　groom　found　favour　in　thine　eyes；　and　that　I　am　his　son。　I　entreat　thee　therefore　by　the　gods　to　tell　me　the　truth。　For　if　thou　hast　gone　astray；　thou　hast　done　no　more　than　many　a　woman；　and　the　Spartans　remark　it　as　strange；　if　I　am　Ariston's　son；　that　he　had　no　children　by　his　other　wives。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　Demaratus；　and　his　mother　replied　as　follows：　〃Dear　son；　since　thou　entreatest　so　earnestly　for　the　truth；　it　shall　indeed　be　fully　told　to　thee。　When　Ariston　brought　me　to　his　house；　on　the　third　night　after　my　coming；　there　appeared　to　me　one　like　to　Ariston；　who；　after　staying　with　me　a　while；　rose；　and　taking　the　garlands　from　his　own　brows　placed　them　upon　my　head；　and　so　went　away。　Presently　after　Ariston　entered；　and　when　he　saw　the　garlands　which　I　still　wore；　asked　me　who　gave　them　to　me。　I　said；　'twas　he；　but　this　he　stoutly　denied；　whereupon　I　solemnly　swore　that　it　was　none　other；　and　told　him　he　did　not　do　well　to　dissemble　when　he　had　so　lately　risen　from　my　side　and　left　the　garlands　with　me。　Then　Ariston；　when　he　heard　my　oath；　understood　that　there　was　something　beyond　nature　in　what　had　taken　place。　And　indeed　it　appeared　that　the　garlands　had　come　from　the　hero…temple　which　stands　by　our　court　gates…　the　temple　of　him　they　call　Astrabacus…　and　the　soothsayers；　moreover；　declared　that　the　apparition　was　that　very　person。　And　now；　my　son；　I　have　told　thee　all　thou　wouldest　fain　know。　Either　thou　art　the　son　of　that　hero…　either　thou　mayest　call　Astrabacus　sire；　or　else　Ariston　was　thy　father。　As　for　that　matter　which　they　who　hate　thee　urge　the　most；　the　words　of　Ariston；　who；　when　the　messenger　told　him　of　thy　birth；　declared　before　many　witnesses　that　'thou　wert　not　his　son；　forasmuch　as　the　ten　months　were　not　fully　out；'　it　was　a　random　speech；　uttered　from　mere　ignorance。　The　truth　is；　children　are　born　not　only　at　ten　months；　but　at　nine；　and　even　at　seven。　Thou　wert　thyself；　my　son；　a　seven　months'　child。　Ariston　acknowledged；　no　long　time　afterwards；　that　his　speech　sprang　from　thoughtlessness。　Hearken　not　then　to　other　tales　concerning　thy　birth；　my　son：　for　be　assured　thou　hast　the　whole　truth。　As　for　grooms；　pray　Heaven　Leotychides　and　all　who　speak　as　he　does　may　suffer　wrong　from　them！〃　Such　was　the　mother's　answer。　　　　　Demaratus；　having　learnt　all　that　he　wished　to　know；　took　with　him　provision　for　the　journey；　and　went　into　Elis；　pretending　that　he　purposed　to　proceed　to　Delphi；　and　there　consult　the　oracle。　The　Lacedaemonians；　however；　suspecting　that　he　meant　to　fly　his　country；　sent　men　in　pursuit　of　him；　but　Demaratus　hastened；　and　leaving　Elis　before　they　arrived；　sailed　across　to　Zacynthus。　The　Lacedaemonians　followed；　and　sought　to　lay　hands　upon　him；　and　to　separate　him　from　his　retinue；　but　the　Zacynthians　would　not　give　him　up　to　them：　so　he　escaping；　made　his　way　afterwards　by　sea　to　Asia；　and　presented　himself　before　King　Darius；　who　received　him　generously；　and　gave　him　both　lands　and　cities。　Such　was　the　chance　which　drove　Demaratus　to　Asia；　a　man　distinguished　among　the　Lacedaemonians　for　many　noble　deeds　and　wise　counsels；　and　who　alone　of　all　the　Spartan　kings　brought　honour　to　his　country　by　winning　at　Olympia　the　prize　in　the　four…horse　chariot…race。　　　　　After　Demaratus　was　deposed；　Leotychides；　the　son　of　Menares；　received　the　kingdom。　He　had　a　son；　Zeuxidamus；　called　Cyniscus　by　many　of　the　Spartans。　This　Zeuxidamus　did　not　reign　at　Sparta；　but　died　before　his　father；　leaving　a　son；　Archidamus。　Leotychides；　when　Zeuxidamus　was　taken　from　him；　married　a　second　wife；　na