the Macedonians to interfere, and send troops into Greece.
The contest which followed is known as the War of the Two Leagues, and
lasted for some time. In the beginning, the Macedonian king allowed
Aratus to take the lead, and followed all his directions; but, growing
weary of this subordinate part, he finally poisoned the Achaean leader,
and became head of the league himself.
When the Spartans and AEtolians, who had joined forces, found that the
Achaeans and Macedonians were likely to prove too strong for them, they
also began to look around for allies. As the fame of the rising city of
Rome had reached them, they finally sent thither for the help they
needed.
The Romans were then rapidly extending their territory, and hoped soon
to become masters of the world, so they were glad to help the Spartans
against the Macedonians, who were already their enemies.
They therefore speedily came to the Spartans' aid, set fire to the
Achaean and Macedonian ships, and defeated their armies so sorely, that
Philip was obliged to beg for peace and to give them his son as a
hostage.
The Spartans, having thus freed themselves from the yoke of the Achaean
League, now fell into far worse hands, for they were governed by a
tyrant named Na'bis,--a cruel and miserly man, who, in order to
increase his treasure, often had recourse to vile stratagems.
He had made a cunning instrument of torture, on purpose to obtain money
from any one he wished. This was a statue, the exact image of his wife,
clad in magnificent robes. Whenever he heard that any man was very rich,
Nabis used to send for him. After treating him with exaggerated
politeness, the tyrant would gently advise him to sacrifice his wealth
for the good of the state.
If his guest refused to do so, Nabis would invite him to visit his wife,
and lead the unsuspecting man close to the statue. This was made so as
to move by a system of cunningly arranged springs, and as soon as the
victim came within reach, the statue's arms closed tightly around him.
The terrified guest, caught in an irresistible embrace, then found
himself drawn closer and closer, and pressed against sharp points and
knives hidden under the rich garments.
It was only, when the tortured man had solemnly promised to give up all
he owned, that the tyrant Nabis would set him free; but if he resisted,
he was killed by slow torture, and allowed to bleed to death in the
statue's embrace.
CXIV. THE LAST OF
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