bar his passage into Hellas--should Hellas ever
be his goal. (26) At the moment of his return to Thessaly he had reached
the zenith of his greatness. He was the lawfully constituted Prince (27)
of Thessaly, and he had under him a large mercenary force of infantry
and cavalry, and all in the highest perfection of training. For this
twofold reason he might claim the title great. But he was still greater
as the head of a vast alliance. Those who were prepared to fight his
battles were numerous, and he might still count upon the help of many
more eager to do so; but I call Jason greatest among his contemporaries,
because not one among them could afford to look down upon him. (28)

(24) An ancient town in Phocis (see Hom. "Il." ii. 521) on the road
leading from Orchomenus to Opus, and commanding a pass from Locris
into Phocis and Boeotia. See Herod. viii. 28; Paus. ix. 35, S. 5;
Strab. ix. 424; "Dict. of Geog." s.v.

(25) Or, "Heracleia Trachinia," a fortress city founded (as a colony)
by the Lacedaemonians in B.C. 426, to command the approach to
Thermopylae from Thessaly, and to protect the Trachinians and the
neighbouring Dorians from the Oetean mountaineers. See "Dict. of
Geog." "Trachis"; Thuc. iii. 92, 93, v. 51, 52; Diod. xii. 59.

(26) B.C. 370. The following sections 28-37 form an episode concerning
Thessalian affairs between B.C. 370 and B.C. 359.

(27) Lit. "Tagos."

(28) For a similar verbal climax see below, VI. v. 47.

B.C. 370. The Pythian games were now approaching, and an order went
round the cities from Jason to make preparation for the solemn sacrifice
of oxen, sheep and goats, and swine. It was reported that although the
requisitions upon the several cities were moderate, the number of beeves
did not fall short of a thousand, while the rest of the sacrificial
beasts exceeded ten times that number. He issued a proclamation also
to this effect: a golden wreath of victory should be given to whichever
city could produce the best-bred bull to head the procession in honour
of the god. And lastly there was an order issued to all the Thessalians
to be ready for a campaign at the date of the Pythian games. His
intention, as people said, was to act as manager of the solemn assembly
and games in person. What the thought was that passed through his mind
with reference to the sacred money, remains to this day uncertain;
only, a tale is rife to the effect that in answer to the i