Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
84. The Argives then say that this was the reason why Cleomenes went mad
and had an evil end: but the Spartans themselves say that Cleomenes was
not driven mad by any divine power, but that he had become a drinker of
unmixed wine from having associated with Scythians, and that he went mad
in consequence of this: for the nomad Scythians, they say, when Dareios
had made invasion of their land, desired eagerly after this to take
vengeance upon him; and they sent to Sparta and tried to make an
alliance, and to arrange that while the Scythians themselves attempted
an invasion of Media by the way of the river Phasis, the Spartans should
set forth from Ephesos and go up inland, and then that they should meet
in one place: and they say that Cleomenes when the Scythians had
come for this purpose, associated with them largely, and that thus
associating more than was fit, he learnt the practice of drinking wine
unmixed with water; and for this cause (as the Spartans think) he went
mad. Thenceforth, as they say themselves, when they desire to drink
stronger wine, they say "Fill up in Scythian fashion." 73 Thus the
Spartans report about Cleomenes; but to me it seems that this was a
retribution which Cleomenes paid for Demaratos.
85. Now when the Eginetans heard that Cleomenes had met his end, they
sent messengers to Sparta to denounce Leotychides for the matter of the
hostages which were being kept at Athens: and the Lacedemonians caused
a court to assemble and judged that the Eginetans had been dealt with
outrageously by Leotychides; and they condemned him to be taken to Egina
and delivered up in place of the men who were being kept at Athens. Then
when the Eginetans were about to take Leotychides, Theasides the son
of Leoprepes, a man of repute in Sparta, said to them: "What are ye
proposing 74 to do, men of Egina? Do ye mean to take away the king of
the Spartans, thus delivered up to you by his fellow-citizens? If the
Spartans now being in anger have decided so, beware lest at some future
time, if ye do this, they bring an evil upon your land which may destroy
it." Hearing this the Eginetans abstained from taking him; but they came
to an agreement that Leotychides should accompany them to Athens and
restore the men to the Eginetans.
86. When however Leotychides came to Athens and asked for the deposit
back, the Athenians, not being willing to give up the hostages, produced
pretexts for refusing, and alleged that two kings had deposited them
and they did not think it right to give them back to the one without the
other: so since the Athenians said that they would not give them back,
Leotychides spoke to them as follows:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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