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manners　and　customs　of　the　country；　not　in　any　case　from　an　ill…will
to　their　persons；　but　lest　the　example　of　their　lives　and　conduct
should　infect　the　city　with　the　love　of　riches；　and　of　delicate　and
luxurious　habits。　For　it　is　well　known　that　he　himself　gladly　kept
Terpander；　Thales；　and　Pherecydes　though　they　were　strangers；
because　he　perceived　they　were　in　their　poems　and　in　their
philosophy　of　the　same　mind　with　him。　And　you　that　are　wont　to
praise　Ecprepes；　who；　being　ephor；　cut　with　his　hatchet　two　of　the
nine　strings　from　the　instrument　of　Phrynis　the　musician；　and　to
commend　those　who　afterwards　imitated　him；　in　cutting　the　strings　of
Timotheus's　harp；　with　what　face　can　you　blame　us　for　designing　to　cut
off　superfluity　and　luxury　and　display　from　the　commonwealth？　Do　you
think　those　men　were　so　concerned　only　about　a　lute…string；　or
intended　anything　else　than　to　check　in　music　that　same　excess　and
extravagance　which　rule　in　our　present　lives　and　manners；　and　have
disturbed　and　destroyed　all　the　harmony　and　order　of　our　city？〃
　　From　this　time　forward；　as　the　common　people　followed　Agis；　so　the
rich　men　adhered　to　Leonidas。　They　besought　him　not　to　forsake　their
cause；　and　with　persuasions　and　entreaties　so　far　prevailed　with　the
council　of　Elders；　whose　power　consisted　in　preparing　all　laws
before　they　were　proposed　to　the　people；　that　the　designed　Rhetra
was　rejected；　though　but　by　only　one　vote。　Whereupon　Lysander；　who　was
still　ephor；　resolving　to　be　revenged　on　Leonidas；　drew　up　an
information　against　him；　grounded　on　two　old　laws：　the　one　forbids　any
of　the　blood　of　Hercules　to　raise　up　children　by　a　foreign　woman；
and　the　other　makes　it　capital　for　a　Lacedaemonian　to　leave　his
country　to　settle　among　foreigners。　Whilst　he　set　others　on　to
manage　this　accusation；　he　with　his　colleagues　went　to　observe　the
sign；　which　was　a　custom　they　had；　and　performed　in　this　manner。　Every
ninth　year；　the　ephors；　choosing　a　starlight　night；　when　there　is
neither　cloud　nor　moon；　sit　down　together　in　quiet　and　silence；　and
watch　the　sky。　And　if　they　chance　to　see　the　shooting　of　a　star；
they　presently　pronounce　their　king　guilty　of　some　offence　against　the
gods；　and　thereupon　he　is　immediately　suspended　from　all　exercise　of
regal　power；　till　he　is　relieved　by　an　oracle　from　Delphi　or　Olympia。
　　Lysander；　therefore；　assured　the　people　he　had　seen　a　star　shoot；
and　at　the　same　time　Leonidas　was　cited　to　answer　for　himself。
Witnesses　were　produced　to　testify　he　had　married　an　Asian　woman；
bestowed　on　him　by　one　of　King　Seleucus's　lieutenants：　that　he　had　two
children　by　her；　but　she　so　disliked　and　hated　him；　that　against　his
wishes；　flying　from　her；　he　was　in　a　manner　forced　to　return　to
Sparta；　where　his　predecessor　dying　without　issue；　he　took　upon　him
the　government。　Lysander；　not　content　with　this；　persuaded　also
Cleombrotus　to　lay　claim　to　the　kingdom。　He　was　of　the　royal　family；
and　son…in…law　to　Leonidas；　who；　fearing　now　the　event　of　this
process；　fled　as　a　suppliant　to　the　temple　of　Minerva　of　the　Brazen
House；　together　with　his　daughter；　the　wife　of　Cleombrotus；　for　she　in
this　occasion　resolved　to　leave　her　husband；　and　to　follow　her　father。
Leonidas　being　again　cited；　and　not　appearing；　they　pronounced　a
sentence　of　deposition　against　him；　and　made　Cleombrotus　king　in　his
place。
　　Soon　after　this　revolution；　Lysander；　his　year　expiring；　went　out　of
his　office；　and　new　ephors　were　chosen；　who　gave　Leonidas　assurance　of
safety；　and　cited　Lysander　and　Mandroclidas　to　answer　for　having；
contrary　to　law；　cancelled　debts；　and　designed　a　new　division　of
lands。　They；　seeing　themselves　in　danger；　had　recourse　to　the　two
kings；　and　represented　to　them　how　necessary　it　was　for　their　interest
and　safety　to　act　with　united　authority；　and　bid　defiance　to　the
ephors。　For；　indeed；　the　power　of　the　ephors；　they　said；　was　only
grounded　on　the　dissensions　of　the　kings；　it　being　their　privilege；
when　the　kings　differed　in　opinion；　to　add　their　suffrage　to　whichever
they　judged　to　have　given　the　best　advice；　but　when　the　two　kings　were
unanimous；　none　ought　or　durst　resist　their　authority；　the　magistrate；
whose　office　it　was　to　stand　as　umpire　when　they　were　at　variance；　had
no　call　to　interfere　when　they　were　of　one　mind。　Agis　and　Cleombrotus；
thus　persuaded；　went　together　with　their　friends　into　the
market…place；　where　removing　the　ephors　from　their　seats；　they
placed　others　in　their　room；　of　whom　Agesilaus　was　one；　proceeding
then　to　arm　a　company　of　young　men；　and　releasing　many　out　of
prison；　so　that　those　of　the　contrary　faction　began　to　be　in　great
fear　of　their　lives；　but　there　was　no　blood　spilt。　On　the　contrary；
Agis；　having　notice　that　Agesilaus　had　ordered　a　company　of　soldiers
to　lie　in　wait　for　Leonidas；　to　kill　him　as　he　fled　to　Tegea；
immediately　sent　some　of　his　followers　to　defend　him；　and　to　convey
him　safely　into　that　city。
　　Thus　far　all　things　proceeded　prosperously；　none　daring　to　oppose；
but　through　the　sordid　weakness　of　one　man；　these　promising　beginnings
were　blasted；　and　a　most　noble　and　truly　Spartan　purpose　overthrown
and　ruined　by　the　love　of　money。　Agesilaus；　as　we　said；　was　much　in
debt；　though　in　possession　of　one　of　the　largest　and　best　estates　in
land；　and　while　he　gladly　joined　in　this　design　to　be　quit　of　his
debts；　he　was　not　at　all　willing　to　part　with　his　land。　Therefore　he
persuaded　Agis；　that　if　both　these　things　should　be　put　in　execution
at　the　same　time；　so　great　and　so　sudden　an　alteration　might　cause
some　dangerous　commotion；　but　if　debts　were　in　the　first　place
cancelled；　the　rich　men　would　afterwards　more　easily　be　prevailed　with
to　part　with　their　land。　Lysander；　also；　was　of　the　same　opinion；
being　deceived　in　like　manner　by　the　craft　of　Agesilaus；　so　that　all
men　were　presently　commanded　to　bring　in　their　bonds；　or　deeds　of
obligation；　by　the　Lacedaemonians　called　Claria；　into　the
market…place；　where　being　laid　together　in　a　heap　they　set　fire　to
them。　The　wealthy；　money…lending　people；　one　may　easily　imagine；
beheld　it　with　a　heavy　heart；　but　Agesilaus　told　them　scoffingly；
his　eyes　had　never　seen　so　bright　and　so　pure　a　flame。
　　And　now　the　people　pressed　earnestly　for　an　immediate　division　of
lands；　the　kings　also　had　ordered　it　should　be　done；　but　Agesilaus；
sometimes　pretending　one　difficulty；　and　sometimes　another；　delayed
the　execution；　till　an　occasion　happened　to　call　Agis　to　the　wars。　The
Achaeans；　in　virtue　of　a　defensive　treaty　of　alliance；　sent　to
demand　succours；　as　they　expected　every　day　that　Aetolians　would
attempt　to　enter　Peloponnesus；　from　the　territory　of　Megara。　They
had　sent　Aratus；　their　general；　to　collect　forces　to　hinder　this
incursion。　Aratus　wrote　to　the　ephors；　who　immediately　gave　order　that
Agis　should　hasten　to　their　assistance　with　the　Lacedaemonian
auxiliaries。　Agis　was　extremely　pleased　to　see　the　zeal　and　bravery　of
those　who　went　with　him　upon　this　expedition。　They　were；　for　the
most　part　young　men；　and　poor；　and　being　just　released　from　their
debts　and　set　at　liberty；　and　hoping　on　their　return　to　receive　each
man　his　lot　of　land；　they　followed　their　king　with　wonderful　alacrity。
The　cities　through　which　they　passed　were　in　admiration　to　see　how
they　marched　from　one　end　of　Peloponnesus　to　the　other；　without　the
least　disorder；　and；　in　a　manner；　without　being　heard。　It　gave　the
Greeks　occasion　to　discourse　with　one　another；　how　great　might　be
the　temperance　and　modesty　of　a　Laconian　army　in　old　time；　under　their
famous　captains：　Agesilaus；　Lysander；　or　Leonidas；　since　they　saw　such
discipline　and　exact　obedience　under　a　leader　who　perhaps　was　the
youngest　man　in　all　the　army。　They　saw　also　how　he　was　himself　content
to　fare　hardly；　ready　to　undergo　any　labours；　and　not　to　be
distinguished　by　pomp　or　richness　of　habit　or　arms　from　the　meanest　of
his　soldiers；　and　to　people　in　general　it　was　an　object　of　regard
and　admiration。　But　rich　men　viewed　the　innovation　with　dislike　and
alarm；　lest　haply　the　example　might　spread；　and　work　changes　to
their　prejudice　in　their　own　countries　as　well。
　　Agis　joined　Aratus　near　the　city　of　Corinth；　where　it　was　still　a
matter　of　debate　whether　or　no　it　were　expedient　to　give　the　enemy
battle。　Agis；　on　this　occasion；　showed　great　forwardness　and
resolution；　yet　without　temerity　or　presumption。　He　declared　it　was
his　opinion　they　ought　to　fight；　thereby　to　hinder　the　enemy　from
passing　the　gates　of　Peloponnesus；　but　nevertheless　he　would　submit　to
the　judgment　of　Aratus；　not　only　as　the　elder　and　more　experienced
captain；　but　as　he　was　general　of　the　Achaeans；　whose　forces　he
would　not　pretend　to　command；　but　was　only　come　thither　to　assist
them。　I　am　not　ignorant　that　Baton　of　Sinope　relates　it　in　another
manner；　he　says；　Aratus　would　have　fought；　and　that　Agis　was　against
it；　but　it　is　certain　he　was　mistaken；　not　having　read　what　Aratus
himself　wrote　in　his　own　justification；　that　knowing　the　people　had
well…nigh　got　in　their　harvest；　he　thought　it　much　better　to　let　the
enemy　pass　than　put　all　to　the　hazard　of　a　battle。　And；　therefore；
giving　thanks　to　the　confederates　for　their　readine