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Cleomenes now, being resolved to have his revenge upon Demaratus,
went to Leotychides, the son of Menares, and grandson of Agis, who
was of the same family as Demaratus, and made agreement with him to
this tenor following. Cleomenes was to lend his aid to make
Leotychides king in the room of Demaratus; and then Leotychides was
to take part with Cleomenes against the Eginetans. Now Leotychides
hated Demaratus chiefly on account of Percalus, the daughter of
Chilon, son of Demarmenus: this lady had been betrothed to
Leotychides; but Demaratus laid a plot, and robbed him of his
bride, forestalling him in carrying her off, and marrying her. Such
was the origin of the enmity. At the time of which we speak,
Leotychides was prevailed upon by the earnest desire of Cleomenes to
come forward against Demaratus and make oath "that Demaratus was not
rightful king of Sparta, since he was not the true son of Ariston."
After he had thus sworn, Leotychides sued Demaratus, and brought up
against him the phrase which Ariston had let drop when, on the coming
of his servant to announce to him the birth of his son, he counted the
months, and cried out with an oath that the child was not his. It was
on this speech of Ariston's that Leotychides relied to prove that
Demaratus was not his son, and therefore not rightful king of
Sparta; and he produced as witnesses the Ephors who were sitting with
Ariston at the time and heard what he said.
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