ns. Again he gained
the victory, and a truce was made, but he was treacherously seized, and
thrown into prison. However, this time he was set free by a maiden, whom
he gave in marriage to his son. At last Eira, the chief city of
Messenia, was betrayed by a foolish woman, while Aristomenes was laid
aside by a wound. In spite of this, however, he fought for three days
and nights against the Spartans, and at last drew up all the
survivors--women as well as men--in a hollow square, with the children in
the middle, and demanded a free passage. The Spartans allowed these
brave Messenians to pass untouched, and they reached Arcadia. There the
dauntless Aristomenes arranged another scheme for seizing Sparta itself,
but it was betrayed, and failed. The Arcadians stoned the traitor, while
the gentle Aristomenes wept for him. The remaining Messenians begged him
to lead them to a new country, but he would not leave Greece as long as
he could strike a blow against Sparta. However, he sent his two sons,
and they founded in Sicily a new Messene, which we still call Messina.
Aristomenes waited in vain in Arcadia, till Damagetus, king of Rhodes,
who had been bidden by an oracle to marry the daughter of the best of
Greeks, asked for the daughter of Aristomenes, and persuaded him to
finish his life in peace and honour in Rhodes.

[Picture: Warriors]

CHAP. XIV.--SOLON AND THE LAWS OF ATHENS. B.C. 594-546.

[Picture: Decorative chapter heading]

North of the Peloponnesus, jutting out into the AEgean Sea, lay the rocky
little Ionian state of Attica, with its lovely city, Athens. There was a
story that Neptune and Pallas Athene had had a strife as to which should
be the patron of the city, and that it was to be given to whichever
should produce the most precious gift for it. Neptune struck the earth
with his trident, and there appeared a war-horse; but Pallas' touch
brought forth an olive-tree, and this was judged the most useful gift.
The city bore her name; the tiny Athenian owl was her badge; the very
olive-tree she had bestowed was said to be that which grew in the court
of the Acropolis, a sacred citadel on a rock above the city; and near at
hand was her temple, called the Parthenon, or Virgin's Shrine. Not far
off was the Areopagus, a Hill of Ares, or Mars, the great place for
hearing causes and doing justice; and below these there grew up a city
filled with men as br