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The Argives say that Cleomenes lost his senses, and died so
miserably, on account of these doings. But his own countrymen declare
that his madness proceeded not from any supernatural cause whatever,
but only from the habit of drinking wine unmixed with water, which he
learnt of the Scyths. These nomads, from the time that Darius made
his inroad into their country, had always had a wish for revenge.
They therefore sent ambassadors to Sparta to conclude a league,
proposing to endeavour themselves to enter Media by the Phasis, while
the Spartans should march inland from Ephesus, and then the two
armies should join together in one. When the Scyths came to Sparta
on this errand Cleomenes was with them continually; and growing
somewhat too familiar, learnt of them to drink his wine without water,
a practice which is thought by the Spartans to have caused his
madness. From this distance of time the Spartans, according to their
own account, have been accustomed, when they want to drink purer wine
than common, to give the order to fill "Scythian fashion." The
Spartans then speak thus concerning Cleomenes; but for my own part I
think his death was a judgment on him for wronging Demaratus.
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