s commonly believed in Sparta that there was not
in Ariston seed which should beget children; for if so, then his former
wives also would have borne children.".

69. Thus he spoke, and she made answer as follows: "My son, since thou
dost beseech me with entreaties to speak the truth, the whole truth
shall be told to thee. When Ariston had brought me into his house, on
the third night 57 there came to me an apparition in the likeness of
Ariston, and having lain with me it put upon me the garlands which it
had on; and the apparition straitway departed, and after this Ariston
came; and when he saw me with garlands, he asked who it was who had
given me them; and I said that he had given them, but he did not admit
it; and I began to take oath of it, saying that he did not well to deny
it, for he had come (I said) a short time before and had lain with me
and given me the garlands. Then Ariston, seeing that I made oath of it,
perceived that the matter was of the gods; and first the garlands were
found to be from the hero-temple which stands by the outer door of the
house, which they call the temple of Astrabacos, 58 and secondly the
diviners gave answer that it was this same hero. Thus, my son, thou hast
all, as much as thou desirest to learn; for either thou art begotten
of this hero and the hero Astrabacos is thy father, or Ariston is thy
father, for on that night I conceived thee: but as to that wherein thy
foes most take hold of thee, saying that Ariston himself, when thy birth
was announced to him, in the hearing of many declared that thou wert
not his son, because the time, the ten months namely, had not yet been
fulfilled, in ignorance of such matters he cast forth that saying;
for women bring forth children both at the ninth month and also at the
seventh, and not all after they have completed ten months; and I bore
thee, my son, at the seventh month: and Ariston himself also perceived
after no long time that he had uttered this saying in folly. Do not thou
then accept any other reports about thy begetting, for thou hast heard
in all the full truth; but to Leotychides and to those who report these
things may their wives bear children by keepers of asses!"

70. Thus she spoke; and he, having learnt that which he desired to
learn, took supplies for travelling and set forth to go to Elis,
pretending that he was going to Delphi to consult the Oracle: but the
Lacedemonians, suspecting that he was attempting to escape, pursue