|
When the marshalling of Mardonius' troops by nations and by maniples
was ended, the two armies proceeded on the next day to offer
sacrifice. The Grecian sacrifice was offered by Tisamenus, the son
of Antiochus, who accompanied the army as soothsayer: he was an
Elean, and belonged to the Clytiad branch of the Iamidae, but had
been admitted among their own citizens by the Lacedaemonians. Now his
admission among them was on this wise: Tisamenus had gone to Delphi
to consult the god concerning his lack of offspring, when it was
declared to him by the Pythoness that he would win five very glorious
combats. Misunderstanding the oracle, and imagining that he was to
win combats in the games, Tisamenus at once applied himself to the
practice of gymnastics. He trained himself for the Pentathlum, and,
on contending at Olympia, came within a little of winning it; for he
was successful in everything, except the wrestling-match, which was
carried off by Hieronymus the Andrian. Hereon the Lacedaemonians
perceived that the combats of which the oracle spoke were not combats in
the games, but battles: they therefore sought to induce Tisamenus to
hire out his services to them, in order that they might join him with
their Heracleid kings in the conduct of their wars. He however, when
he saw that they set great store by his friendship, forthwith raised
his price, and told them, "If they would receive him among their
citizens, and give him equal rights with the rest, he was willing to
do as they desired, but on no other terms would they ever gain his
consent." The Spartans, when they heard this, at first thought it
monstrous, and ceased to implore his aid. Afterwards, however, when
the fearful danger of the Persian war hung over their heads, they sent
for him and agreed to his terms; but Tisamenus now, perceiving them
so changed, declared, "He could no longer be content with what he
had asked before: they must likewise make his brother Hagias a
Spartan, with the same rights as himself."
|
|