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On the Lacedaemonians, however, the wrath of Talthybius,
Agamemnon's herald, fell with violence. Talthybius has a temple at
Sparta; and his descendants, who are called Talthybiadae, still
live there, and have the privilege of being the only persons who
discharge the office of herald. When therefore the Spartans had done
the deed of which we speak, the victims at their sacrifices failed to
give good tokens; and this failure lasted for a very long time. Then
the Spartans were troubled; and, regarding what had befallen them as
a grievous calamity, they held frequent assemblies of the people, and
made proclamation through the town, "Was any Lacedaemonian willing
to give his life for Sparta?" Upon this two Spartans, Sperthias,
the son Aneristus, and Bulis, the son of Nicolaus, both men of
noble birth, and among the wealthiest in the place, came forward and
freely offered themselves as an atonement to Xerxes for the heralds of
Darius slain at Sparta. So the Spartans sent them away to the
Medes to undergo death.
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