he
Peloponnesians, then the sons of Heracles should return to their
father's heritage; but he should be conquered, then on the other hand
the sons of Heracles should depart and lead away their army, and not
within a hundred years attempt to return to the Peloponnese. There was
selected then of all the allies, he himself making a voluntary offer,
Echemos the son of Aeropos, the son of Phegeus, 27 who was our commander
and king: and he fought a single combat and slew Hyllos. By reason of
this deed we obtained among the Peloponnesians of that time, besides
many other great privileges which we still possess, this also of always
leading the other wing of the army, when a common expedition is made.
To you, Lacedemonians, we make no opposition, but we give you freedom
of choice, and allow you to command whichever wing ye desire; but of the
other we say that it belongs to us to be the leaders as in former time:
and apart from this deed which has been related, we are more worthy than
the Athenians to have this post; for in many glorious contests have
we contended against you, O Spartans, and in many also against others.
Therefore it is just that we have the other wing rather than the
Athenians; for they have not achieved deeds such as ours, either new or
old.".

27. Thus they spoke, and the Athenians replied as follows: "Though we
know that this gathering was assembled for battle with the Barbarian
and not for speech, yet since the Tegean has proposed to us as a task
to speak of things both old and new, the deeds of merit namely which by
each of our two nations have been achieved in all time, it is necessary
for us to point out to you whence it comes that to us, who have been
brave men always, it belongs as a heritage rather than to the Arcadians
to have the chief place. First as to the sons of Heracles, whose leader
they say that they slew at the Isthmus, these in the former time, when
they were driven away by all the Hellenes to whom they came flying from
slavery under those of Mykene, we alone received; and joining with them
we subdued the insolence of Eurystheus, having conquered in fight
those who then dwelt in Peloponnesus. Again when the Argives who
with Polyneikes marched against Thebes, had been slain and were lying
unburied, we declare that we marched an army against the Cadmeians
and recovered the dead bodies and gave them burial in our own land at
Eleusis. We have moreover another glorious deed performed against
the