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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.
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