were selected by all the Hellenes as
confessedly the rightful leaders on land; and this also not without the
full consent and concurrence of the Athenians.

(36) In reference (1) to the expulsion of the Peisistratidae (Herod.
v. 64); (2) the "third" Messenian war (Thuc. i. 102).

(37) See "Revenues," v. 6.

One of the speakers ventured on a remark somewhat to this strain: "If
you and we, sirs, can only agree, there is hope to-day that the old
saying may be fulfilled, and Thebes be 'taken and tithed.'" (38) The
Athenians, however, were not in the humour to listen to that style of
argument. A sort of suppressed murmur ran through the assembly which
seemed to say, "That language may be well enough now; but when they
were well off they pressed hard enough on us." But of all the pleas put
forward by the Lacedaemonians, the weightiest appeared to be this: that
when they had reduced the Athenians by war, and the Thebans wished
to wipe Athens off the face of the earth, they (the Lacedaemonians)
themselves had opposed the measure. (39) If that was the argument of
most weight, the reasoning which was the most commonly urged was to the
effect that "the solemn oaths necessitated the aid demanded. Sparta had
done no wrong to justify this invasion on the part of the Arcadians and
their allies. All she had done was to assist the men of Tegea when
(40) the Mantineans had marched against that township contrary to
their solemn oaths." Again, for the second time, at these expressions
a confused din ran through the assembly, half the audience maintaining
that the Mantineans were justified in supporting Proxenus and his
friends, who were put to death by the party with Stasippus; the other
half that they were wrong in bringing an armed force against the men of
Tegea.

(38) Or, "the Thebans be decimated"; for the phrase see above, "Hell."
VI. iii. 20.

(39) See "Hell." II. ii. 19; and "Hell." III. v. 8.

(40) Lit. "because," {oti}.

Whilst these distinctions were being drawn by the assembly itself,
Cleiteles the Corinthian got up and spoke as follows: "I daresay, men
of Athens, there is a double answer to the question, Who began the
wrongdoing? But take the case of ourselves. Since peace began, no one
can accuse us either of wantonly attacking any city, or of seizing the
wealth of any, or of ravaging a foreign territory. In spite of which the
Thebans have come into our country and cut down our fruit-trees, burnt
to the