Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
65. Cleomenes then, being anxious to take vengeance on him, concerted
matters with Leotychides the son of Menares, the son of Agis, who was of
the same house as Demaratos, under condition that if he should set
him up as king instead of Demaratos, he would go with him against the
Eginetans. Now Leotychides had become a bitter foe of Demaratos on
account of this matter which follows:--Leotychides had betrothed himself
to Percalos the daughter of Chilon son of Demarmenos; and Demaratos
plotted against him and deprived Leotychides of his marriage, carrying
off Percalos himself beforehand, and getting her for his wife. Thus
had arisen the enmity of Leotychides against Demaratos; and now by the
instigation of Cleomenes Leotychides deposed against Demaratos, saying
that he was not rightfully reigning over the Spartans, not being a son
of Ariston: and after this deposition he prosecuted a suit against him,
recalling the old saying which Ariston uttered at the time when his
servant reported to him that a son was born to him, and he reckoning up
the months denied with an oath, saying that it was not his. Taking his
stand upon this utterance, Leotychides proceeded to prove that Demaratos
was not born of Ariston nor was rightfully reigning over Sparta; and he
produced as witnesses those Ephors who chanced then to have been sitting
with Ariston in council and to have heard him say this..
66. At last, as there was contention about those matters, the Spartans
resolved to ask the Oracle at Delphi whether Demaratos was the son of
Ariston. The question then having been referred by the arrangement of
Cleomenes to the Pythian prophetess, thereupon Cleomenes gained over to
his side Cobon the son of Aristophantos, who had most power among the
Delphians, and Cobin persuaded Perialla the prophetess of the Oracle
53 to say that which Cleomenes desired to have said. Thus the Pythian
prophetess, when those who were sent to consult the god asked her their
question, gave decision that Demaratos was not the son of Ariston.
Afterwards however these things became known, and both Cobon went into
exile from Delphi and Perialla the prophetess of the Oracle was removed
from her office.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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